My Top 5 Toys or Novelty gifts

Hello. In this topic I will be sharing some of my childhood favourite toys as well include some Novelty gifts. Now I’ve already made a topic for my Top 5 Board Games as well discussed on how toys had or had NOT improved in this 21st century on another topic. But I will talk more on the positives mainly. So I will be revealing the top 5 toys or gifts I liked since I was an infant, and let’s start of with number 5:

#5 Big Big Loader (Tomy, 1994)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzdkgZGmmQg

This had truly amazed and inspired me and it looks very smart and clever when I was 8 years old! This is the enhanced version of Tomy’s Big Loader that is smaller than this version. But the great part is you can combine this with the smaller counterpart and unofficially turn it into “Big Big Big Loader” or “Triple Loader”. The main purpose is to carry between 4 coal spheres (for Big Loader) or 8 for Big Big Loader, in a circular process. The white car with a AA 1.5 Volt battery is used to transform into a Dump Truck, Excavator or even use some of the Thomas & Friends edition whichever you want. Look at this video, isn’t that quite clever for an 1990s toy eh?

#4 Tomy Trains Set (Ref no. 1121, 1989)

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Now this is similar to Big Big Loader but for trains. It may not the clever mechanisms for picking up coal or transform, but with various tracks and rail sets you can nearly design your railway whatever you want - as long you got enough spare parts. This may not be as good or looks more adult friendly like Hornby’s Train Sets. But when I was 4, THAT was like a xmas gift came true and the way the trains move was awesome when the 1980s came to an end.

#3 Meccano Ferris Wheel (Set no. 8257)

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Now since I’ve played and made construction props or metal sculptures with Meccano since 1995. This set with the brightly coloured Ferris Wheel is my favourite. The older Meccano; like the 1997 Evolution series and the 1990 range was good. But of course for making helicopters and cars powered by 2 AA batteries can be lame if it can only move forward and for the rotor blades to rotate. So therefore the Ferris wheel from #8257 set kit deserves the Bronze Medal

#2 Lego Mindstorms RIS 2.0 (2001)

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This is where I was inspired and wanted to learn on robotic and software bot programming! This Lego Mindstorm franchise first appeared in 1998 with the RCX brick that can store commands and allow robots to interact. The RCX uses 3 motors and 3 sensors, for being triggered by light, motion, physical contact and more. The RCX 2.0 that I got near 2002 was awesome as it can use the light sensor to follow thick black lines like waypoints. But the best part was the IR Remote control to control the robot manually like an RC Car.

Before I reveal my top toy, here are some honourable mentions:-

Atomic Arcade Pinball (Tomy, 1979)

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Technic Control Centre 2 (Lego, 1995)

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Hypertill (Casdon, 1970s)

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Rebound 4X4 (Tyco 1997)

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#1 Game Boy Series (Nintendo, 1989-2005)

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Yes, of course - It has to be the Game Boy! Now I didn’t had the Game Boy until 1998, which was actually the Game Boy Color. My parents thought that the original Game Boy was a bit bulky and sucks on no colour. They insisted on buying the Sega Game Gear instead with the awesome Analogue TV Tuner. The Game Gear was OK but didn’t compete well as it didn’t made any successors, unlike the Sega Nomad - which was used to play Sega Mega Drive games. But sadly we couldn’t get the Nomad as it wasn’t available for PAL Regions. So therefore the Game Boy was remained, and the arrival of Pokemon in 1998 in Western Countries made this Game Boy my top favourite! And I know you would agree that this Game Boy with its cool Tetris games, Mario and Pokemon games makes this gizmo way cool.