These were the coolest boys' toys of the 90s
22/12/2023
Translation: machine translated
Gameboy, Jojos, Pokémon cards and Street Sharks: little boys loved playing with these things in the nineties.
When I look at the rubbish my two sons play with these days, I sometimes just shake my head. Then I remember the cool things that the boys in my neighbourhood had... Here's a selection of my favourite toys for boys from the nineties.
Mighty Max
What Polly Pocket was for me, Mighty Max was for boys: colourful boxes with dragons, swordsmen and other terrifying figures. The micro toy boxes in which they lived also had interesting shapes such as dinosaurs, monsters and volcanoes. The toy came onto the market in 1992, and later there was also a TV show of the same name. [[image:75561171 "Polly Pocket for boys: The Mighty Max caskets contained little fighters and strong dragons." "Anne Fischer"]]
Jojos
A popular toy then and now: the yoyo. You probably quickly mastered the art of pulling the round plastic things on and off. Jojos were available in all colours, with special motifs or - if you wanted to be particularly cool - even glow in the dark.
Tamagotchis
I already mentioned Tamagotchis in my article about the greatest girls' toys of the 90s. But they were probably popular with girls and boys alike: small handheld computers that housed a pixelated animal that you could only keep alive with lots of love and attention. Sometimes the virtual pet died several times a day - so you were all the prouder when the animal lived for a few days.
Gameboy
If you grew up in the 90s, you couldn't get past the Gameboy: first launched in 1989, the small games console hit the German market in 1990. For a long time, the Gameboy was the best-selling handheld console in the world. But what was the most popular game: Tetris, Super Mario Land, Zelda, Pokémon or Gargoyles Quest? Opinions are divided.
And if you still have a Gameboy lying around at home, please don't throw it away. It could be worth a lot of money now. You can find out more here:
Pokémon trading cards
Pokémon were all the rage 30 years ago anyway: whether as a Gameboy game, cuddly toy or, of course, as a trading card: neatly organised in clear plastic folders, boys swapped these cards in the school playground while girls collected their Diddl blocks. And during the school break, Pokémon card owners regularly organised fighting games with them.
Source: Kim Muntinga
Matchbox Connectables
As simple as it is ingenious: little boys can put together their own dream car with the plug-in cars. My boys love them. You can still find Matchbox Connectables on second-hand portals or at flea markets today. [[image:75560996 "The longer, the better: the plug-in cars can be extended as required." "Anne Fischer"]]
Micro Machines
A true nineties classic: mini toy cars or Micro Machines. Ideally, you had the big van with it, which, like Mighty Max, contained a small world in which the cars could drive around and do what cars do: refuelling, parking, driving over bridges... [[image:75561108 "Big adventure for very small cars: In the Micro Machines van." "Anne Fischer"]]
Action figures
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Street Sharks, Transformers or the Mask men: little boys still love playing with action figures today. The only difference is that their predecessors from the nineties are much more lovingly designed and cooler. Of course. Then as now, there are no limits to the imagination when playing: saviour in distress, world domination, battle with the bad guys.
Super soaker water pistols
A water fight was always a good game. What Nerf guns are today, Super Soakers were back then: The Super Soaker 50 and 100 appeared in the early 1990s and had a very long range for the time. Thanks to the compression container behind the water tank, the 100 pistol could spray water up to eleven metres. No wonder they were so popular.
Bop It!
The fast-paced agility game Bop It! was also great. Depending on the command, you had to pass the coloured stick quickly, hit it or shout "Bop It!". Today's version looks completely different. But the basic idea hasn't changed. However, unlike the original version from 1998, there are no longer just three instructions.
Pogs
The popular crown cap game: with the Slammer, you threw at a pile of pogs and hoped that as many as possible landed on the picture side. However, the round discs were not just a game back then, but also a popular collector's item. Similar to Pokémon cards, you could swap them with each other. The only difference was that the motifs were far more varied and crazy.
Gone nostalgic? Some toys are still available to buy today in new editions:
What was your favourite boys' toy of the 90s? Share it in the comments!
Cover photo: Anne Fischer
A true local journalist with a secret soft spot for German pop music. Mum of two boys, a dog and about 400 toy cars in all shapes and colours. I always enjoy travelling, reading and go to concerts, too.
