The 1980s were a simpler time for kids — before the Internet or the Xbox or iPads. But kids still managed to have fun, thanks to Game Boy, the Easy Bake Oven, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, and other cool toys of the time. Remember them? Anyone who grew up in the '80s does! Sure, kids today might think some of these toys seem a bit archaic, but man, in their day, they were everything.
When '80s kids weren't hanging out at the roller rink or playing hide 'n' seek until dark, they were pining away for the latest and greatest toys of the decade. In fact, many of the hottest toys of the 1980s didn't even require so much as a battery or an electrical outlet — they weren't even remotely digital, unless we count the ones that inspired their own Saturday morning cartoons like My Little Pony, The Care Bears, and even the Rubik's Cube, which spawned probably the era's weirdest cartoon ever called Rubik, the Amazing Cube.
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That said, every kid wanted to find these toys under their trees on Christmas morning — or wrapped up on their birthdays. Click through for 17 toys from the '80s that every kid was desperate to own.
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Transformers Action Figures
Thanks to the popularity of the TV series and 1986 animated film, Transformers action figures quickly became a must-have toy for little boys everywhere.
Cabbage Patch Kids
In 1983, the Cabbage Patch Kids caused toy store riots, as every parent tried to snag one of the dolls to give to his or her daughter for Christmas.
Rubik’s Cube
A puzzle that challenged the recipient's mind, the first Rubik's Cubes appeared in stores in 1980 and quickly became one of the most popular toys of the 20th century.
Teddy Ruxpin
Everyone had to have a talking Teddy Ruxpin bear in the mid-'80s. The toy was so popular, they even created a cartoon series based on it.
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Nintendo Game Boy
The Nintendo Game Boy allowed kids to play Tetris and Super Mario Brothers at school or the dinner table, making it a high-ranking toy on every Santa wish list.
Simon Says
Kids with photographic memories and good timing ruled at playing Simon Says, a game that required you to repeat a sequence of color patterns in a particular order.
Rainbow Brite Dolls
Every kid loved Rainbow Brite in the mid-'80s, a show about a young girl who battles to keep colors vibrant on her planet. So it's no surprise the same kids would covet a doll with which they could reenact their favorite Rainbow Brite adventures. The show has continued to be so popular that it was remade in 2014 and a reissue of the original 1980s doll was released in 2015.
Easy Bake Oven
With a lightbulb providing the heat required to bake simple treats, the Easy Bake Oven allowed kids to feel like grown-ups and make their own sugary snacks to eat.
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Lite Brite
One of the most popular toys of the '80s was as simple as it was fun. Lite Brite allowed kids to create their own designs with multi-colored pegs that lit up when they were plugged into a plastic panel.
My Little Pony
In 1981, 10-inch pastel horses called My Little Ponies stole girls' hearts with their adorable faces and neon-colored hair that was perfect for brushing and braiding.
Talking Pee-wee Herman Doll
"I know you are, but what am I?" was a popular phrase that this Pee-wee Herman Doll would say when you pulled the toy's string to make him talk. The doll was inspired by the film Pee-wee's Big Adventure, which debuted in 1985.
Care Bears
Soft, plushy bears with different colors and personality traits emblazoned on their bellies, the Care Bears gained popularity in the '80s and are still coveted today.
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Garbage Pail Kids
The Garbage Pail Kids were a set of trading cards that featured gross parodies of the Cabbage Patch dolls. They were banned from many schools in the mid-'80s, making them even more sought-after.
Nintendo
The Nintendo console in the '80s paved the way for more sophisticated gaming systems in the years to come and introduced video-game lovers to classic characters like Pac-Man and Mario.
Girl Talk
Similar to Truth or Dare, Girl Talk was a popular game at sleepovers and after-school get-togethers. If a player refused to answer a truth or perform a dare, they had to wear a "zit sticker" for the rest of the game.
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots
What child of the 1980s didn't want a set of boxing robots they could control? The game allowed kids to fight, albeit in a mom-approved manner.
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My Buddy and Kid Sister
The My Buddy doll was both popular and controversial at the time of its release in 1985, as it was the first doll that was marketed to young boys.
