#making a Nintendo more like a Beanie Baby or a Tickle Me Elmo

[yarns-and-d20s]

Just thinking out loud about wanting to replay Breath of the Wild, and the "single save file/playthrough" nonsense. This is my blog and I do what I want.

Household Switch situation There are two Switches in the house. Though my login info is the actual account that is used for purchases through Nintendo, the other Switch is actually marked as primary so that the other person in the house can play games I buy and we don't have to share a console.

What this means Because of the thing where Nintendo decided you only require one save file/playthrough for BOTW/TOTK (whereas in the past, you could have up to three playthroughs!), I... have only one playthrough. One playthrough complete to my personal satisfaction.

And, the thing is I love the new mechanics of Tears of the Kingdom (there's a "but" about TOTK to follow, of course). I love the Ultrahand; I love having near-unlimited telekinesis vs BOTW's Magnesis, plus the "stick objects to other objects" thing, outside of weaponry fusing. I also love having near-unlimited arrows, to which I can fuse shit for effects/damage, rather than carefully managing and conserving and worrying about my arrows.

Also It does have more Sidon. I can travel with an avatar of Sidon that may be somewhat useless, but he's... Sidon. Sidon, my beloved. Oh. No, sorry, I mean: Sidon, Link's beloved.

But There's a lot about TOTK that just isn't grabbing me. I felt absolutely no lure back to it when I picked up Baldur's Gate III and I'm having trouble wanting to get back into it. It's largely the way it both replicates BOTW but also seems weirdly disconnected from it. I know from many, many years of playing the franchise that Zelda since probably Link to the Past is as much about mechanics and puzzle-solving as it is about the narrative. Not that narrative has never existed or been important, but it's not the driving force of the games. It's more narratively-driven than, like, Mario, but perhaps less than, I guess, an Elder Scroll. But the fact that TOTK is a direct sequel with so little narrative coherence with its predecessor is a major low point here, especially given that the actual narrative is not happening to the character you're controlling.

Minor aside This isn't like Final Fantasy X or XII where the blond twink is a decoy protagonist* (we're all in agreement that Yuna and Ashe are the actual protagonists of those games, right? right?). Tidus and Vaan fully experience those stories alongside the actual protagonists. Poor Link is playing almighty janitor* while Zelda experiences the narrative.

BUT I just watched a really long retrospective of BOTW by Liam Triforce over on YouTube and I want to play BOTW again in between BG3 sessions.

BUT BUT I know I could add a new user account to my Nintendo Switch and link it and all... but I won't be able to play the Champion's Ballad DLC, because of that thing where the other Switch has to be the primary console.

So the dilemma is if I want DLC content, I have to delete my complete playthrough. The one where I have 10,000+ rupees and all of the armour, fully upgraded, and have done the worst shrines and stuff.

The idea is practically giving me indigestion. Actually, given that I really do currently have some indigestion, it might have actually given me indigestion as I think about this dilemma and don't know what to do. I forgave Breath of the Wild for weapon durability and for the fact that there aren't any "real" Zelda dungeons a long time ago. The "one save file and that's IT" remains thoroughly unforgivable, and I will die on that hill.

I never deleted my first complete playthroughs of any previous Zelda, and I genuinely resent that Nintendo changed it like this because... something something piracy, I guess? Something something stopping people from account sharing? I don't KNOW?

And, yes, this all means, in all these years, I have only ever played--only ever experienced--Breath of the Wild once. And it's Nintendo's fault. I will pick it up every now and then and faff around, but that's all.

I suppose in the meantime I'll just keep playing Baldur's Gate III. 'Cause Larian is a normal video game company (not a toy company, I'll die on that hill about Nintendo, too) and will allow me to have multiple playthroughs at the same time with the same account with full access to the entire game that I paid for.

*I am not linking the TV Tropes pages. I will not do that to you. If you go looking them up on your own, that's on you.

[longislandweekly-blog]

Cute or creepy? The jury is still out on Furby.

We all know that the ’90s was the greatest decade. Music, fashion and television were at its peak, and between singing along to “Wannabe” and dancing the Macarena, you probably played with a few of the most iconic toys to ever grace stores’ shelves. While many of these toys still exist today, nothing beats their original ’90s form.

Pokémon cards

You could always bet that recess would have hordes of kids sitting in a circle playing Pokémon. Still wildly popular today, Pokémon cards are still traded and played with by children around the world. With the advent of Pokémon Go, the franchise is more popular than ever, attracting people of all ages to go outside and catch some Pokémon of their own.

Beanie Babies

Beanie Babies need no introduction; the craze was real. There was the friend who had more than 100, the friend who had only a few of their favorite animals and the friend who believed they would make millions in 20 years and kept theirs in plastic display boxes complete with tag protectors. Twenty five years later, Beanie Babies are still sold wherever stuffed animals can be found.

Tamagotchi

They beeped for your attention and you were more than happy to feed their insatiable stomachs and clean up their digital poop. They evolved into characters simultaneously strange and cute. If you went to school without it and forgot to put it on “pause,” you often came home devastated to find an egg with wings on your screen. They were Tamagotchis, and they were perhaps the greatest digital pet to ever be created.

Bop It

Whoever brought this toy to recess was instantly surrounded by a flock of children trying to bop, twist and pull their way to classroom stardom for being the best at Bop It. Sold today in new shapes and sizes with even more commands for nimble hands to master, Bop It is still a cult favorite.

American Girl dolls

Every girl had one, but with one came the wish for clothes, accessories, items and the obsession soon spiraled into a bedroom full of more dolls and doll clothing than any girl could know what to do with. Still in production today, with inspiring stories behind each doll, American Girl has created a legacy for girls of all generations. The brand even introduced boy dolls in 2017.

Easy Bake Oven

For the girls who dreamed of owning a bakery and for the girls who wanted to be just like mom in the kitchen, the Easy Bake Oven was at the top of every girl’s wishlist come holiday season. While its nutritious value may been questionable, nothing beat using that little spatula to slide out creations you had made all by yourself.

Super Soakers

No summer was complete without an all-out backyard war with your friends using Super Soakers. Nerf, the brand famous for its toy guns, introduced Super Soakers in 1990 and summers haven’t been the same since.

Furby

You could never decide whether they were cute or creepy. They made noise in the middle of the night and some people will swear up and down that theirs was haunted—Furby was a toy unlike any other. Maybe you still have yours packed away in the basement or maybe you threw Furby out after waking up in the middle of the night one too many times to find it blinking at you.

Polly Pocket

They started as pocket-sized, hence their name, choking hazards less than an inch tall in their compact wonderlands, and evolved into four-inch dolls with rubber clothing, accessories and a multitude of playsets. Fashionable and fabulous, Polly was a must-have on every girl’s wishlist.

Game Boy

The popularity of the handheld Nintendo console took hold in the ’90s, leading to redesigned versions in 1996 and 1998, when Game Boy Pocket and Game Boy Color were released. The most popular Game Boy games were Tetris and Super Mario Land, though more than a thousand titles were available. 

Talkboy

(Photo by Onetwo1 via Wikimedia)

The portable cassette player and recorder was popularized by the 1992 movie Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, when Kevin McCallister uses the device to change the pitch of his voice. By using the ‘slow playback’ feature, the mischievous character is able to sound older and book a room at the Plaza Hotel.

Tickle Me Elmo

(Image source: Amazon)

Preschoolers in 1996 wanted one thing and one thing only—a Tickle Me Elmo. The plush Muppet from Sesame Street shakes and vibrates when squeezed. Following a plug on The Rosie O’Donnell Show, Tickle Me Elmos flew off the shelves, creating a huge unexpected demand that had parents paying up to $1500 for the $29 toy at Christmastime.

—Additional information by Kimberly Dijkstra

Check out more from Long Island Weekly‘s ’90s issue:

Long Island Weekly's Allison Eichler rounds up the top 12 nostalgia-inducing toys from the 1990s, including Tamagotchi, Pokemon cards, Beanie Babies and the cute and creepy Furby. We all know that the ’90s was the greatest decade. Music, fashion and television were at its peak, and between singing along to “Wannabe” and dancing the Macarena, you probably played with a few of the most iconic toys to ever grace stores’ shelves.

[geeksrs545]

20 Christmas Toys That Have Become Classics

You say the word Christmas to any kid, they think of one thing: Christmas toys.

For the past 30 years, there has been a major 'toy of the year' every year that every parent needs to get their kid to assure they keep up with the Joneses and meet the 'kid status quo'.  Though these toys differ greatly from generation to generation, they have one thing in common. Grown ass adults would literally be willing to actually fight over them in the store to get them for their kids. Adults acting like kids to get their kids gifts that make them act less like adults.

Related: The 25 Most Valuable Old Toys (You May Still Have!)

Kind of a funny cycle, really.

So when thinking back on my own childhood, there were many popular Christmas toys for kids that I got those years and now in hindsight, I wonder in terror if my parents had to assault any other adults to obtain them for me. Good thing I know better about them than that. All that said, here are a list of 20 Christmas toys from over the last thirty years that have become toy classics (some very much still selling to this day).

This list is numbered for your convenience but presented in no particular order.

20) Zhu Zhu Pets

Who who WHATS? I'm gonna do some quick research to find out what these things are.

*Comes back wholly unimpressed

They are just stuffed animals that move and do some basic crap is all. Run a maze and push a ball, WOOHOO!

But when you are writing a list about Christmas toys that got big, one would not necessarily call Zhu Zhu Pets “classic toys”, but in 2009 and 2010, if you were a little kid and did not get one of these, apparently you threw a tantrum.

Keep in mind, a literal HAMSTER cost less than these fake ones.

God, kids have gotten so lame.

19) Anything Branded by Apple

Apple has become the go-to brand to make yourself seem superior to others, so anything Apple has dropped (especially the iPod) was and is always the big gift to give that year.

Why do you think they make their OWN software obsolete so frequently? Because us sheep keep on buying it, so they keep doing it. But since the iPod (and iPhone and iPad and – one more thing…) dropped, Apple has essentially owned every Christmas simply by updating their software and making their older stuff obsolete.

Hey, if it ain't broke, break it and then sell it back slightly upgraded for triple the cost. Good for them. We would all do it and get rich that way if we could, don't even play.

18) Atari 2600 (and All Video Game Consoles Thereafter)

You cannot mention Christmas toys for kids without bringing up the impact that the Atari home console had on gaming. It really was the console that kicked off this world's love of home systems, as it was the most powerful home console we had seen up to that time.

It also set the tone for the console wars in the forthcoming years, which would see MANY Christmases being met with requests for the newest game consoles, still to this day! And now that they are coming out at around $500 a pop, the request becomes more and more unreasonable, unfortunately.

17) Barbie

I hope you did not expect this to be gender-specific. A fad is fad, despite what gender plays with it, and in this case, to not call Barbie a classic toy would be to undermine just how much this toy changed the game for young girls (and even some boys).

It would also be foolish to bring up a list of classic and retro toys and NOT mention Barbie. Hell, I feel the odd urge to mention her 'Dream House' and I don't even know why.

Moving on…

16) Gi-Joe

See, everyone gets represented so relax. Gi-Joe was to young boys what Barbie was to young girls. The best part is, Gi-Joe had a 50-year run (that is still going, much like Barbie, Hasbro know what they're doing).

Starting in the sixties as more of a shout out to the American soldier, over the years they took on a life of their own, and their popularity has made them a classic Christmas gift for all the young boys and girls in your life who like to pretend to blow things up.

Also see Transformers. I put them in the same category and love them ALMOST equally, but Michael Bay kinda ruined the Transformers for me (and probably you, too), so Gi-Joe lands the spot.

Deal with it.

15) Teddy Ruxpin

Teddy Ruxpin was one of the dopest Christmas toys I ever got. He was a Teddy Bear who was animatronic and you could put cassette tapes into his back and his mouth would move and he would sing you songs and joke with you and shit. It was cool and kinda creepy at the same time.

It was also creepy AF to put Black Sabbath tapes in his back and see him try to lip-sync along with darkly Satanic sounding music.

Good way to freak out your parents after the fact, too.

14) Easy-Bake Oven

Though more of a “conditioning method” than a toy (hey, give this to young girls to teach them to be subservient housewives, great message to send) but the truth is, my sister had one, and we would sit there for hours watching a single lightbulb try to make a single, tiny cupcake that was the size of a single bite.

In hindsight, it is hilarious, but at the time it was the bomb. But really, it is literally like a ten-watt lightbulb that cooks one cupcake over nine hours time, and the cupcake is bite-sized. So it taught girls how to cook AND become anorexic.

Good times!

13) The Pogo Stick

The 70's were a weird time. At one point, “pet rocks” were a thing. I think a lot of 70's toy fads are a direct result of all the drugs people were on in that decade. One example of classic toys that blew up over Christmas time in the 70's and 80's is the Pogo stick.

If you don't know, it is a giant stick you bounce up and down on. Yup, that's about it.

But it was so big at one point that you could leave your house Christmas morning, look down your street, and see twelve other kids (and adults) in their driveways trying to bounce like Tigger.

Like I said, the 70's and 80's were weird times, man.

12) Beanie Babies

Hey, remember that crappy moment in time when almost all the world was obsessed with collecting, tiny stuffed animals called Beanie Babies?

Yeah, unfortunately, so do I. Enough said about that.

Moving on…

11) Pogs

I will admit, I never really “got” pogs, but that doesn't mean in the 90's you could go anywhere without seeing them. Kids were obsessed with collecting them and dueling and shit.

I guess it could be said that things like Pokemon wouldn't be as popular today had pogs not set the tone for something similar years earlier.

To me, it just always looked like kids slamming things on a table, so I never saw the draw, but MILLIONS did, and that is why it makes the list (even though it is more like a stocking stuffer).

10) Bratz Dolls

Listen, I don't like it any more than any of you. I tend to think Bratz dolls kind of emphasize little girls being slutty, but that is just my opinion. Regardless of how I feel, this was another 90's-2000's toy that was just the IT toy for young girls for quite a few years.

And you know what, I don't slut shame. Screw it, you want to buy your son or daughter a tiny girl that looks like a stripper, that is all on you. More power to them, frankly.

I sold my kids into slavery so I don't have to worry about that crap anymore.

9) Anything Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Whenever you are bringing up Christmas toys for kids you know pop culture is gonna get brought into it, and when the TMNT got huge in the 90's, they had one of the most financially successful toy lines ever, because everyone wanted them.

And the kicker is, if you did get any of those 90's TMNT toys and still have them, they are worth a pretty penny now.

8) Tickle-Me-Elmo

Why kids wanted to tickle a heavy, robotic muppet was always kind of beyond me, but it was supposed to be, that was not my demographic. That fad kicked in when I was already an adult, so I can't relate to the desire for this thing, but sure enough, Elmo had a run of many Christmas' in the 90's and on, from Rock n' Roll Elmo to Tumbling Elmo to the “Stab and then run away” Elmo as seen above.

Honestly, the only reason we are no longer inundated with Elmo toys is because of this terrible story.

Glad it all worked out in the end, no pun intended.

7) Razor Scooters

First it was BMX bikes and then skateboards. Now it seems everyone 12 and under wanted to be seen busting nasty spin-tricks on their scooters.

But I can't have any gripes with this one. It got kids back outside and doing physical shit which we see all too infrequently these days as more and more kids choose to hide away in virtual reality.

Those weird hoverboards from a few years back almost took this spot but they started catching fire so that fad died as quickly as the people using it did.

Boom goes the dynamite.

6) Furby

Ah, from the very depths of Hell comes this furry beast. Mocking your family non-stop in gibberish. Waking people up from dead sleeps for no reason. Screaming to be fed, but fed WHAT?

NEVER understood the allure of these sick little bastards, but that seems to be a running theme here.

5) Tamagotchi

Another one of those retro toys that EVERYONE had at one point and another example of a virtual life kids had to keep alive as a pastime. How is that FUN?

Honestly, I also never understood this fad. I don't want kids in the least and can barely keep MYSELF alive so why do I need a virtual pet that essentially exists only to annoy and worry me?

No idea, but a LOT kids loved these things.

P.S. The Tamagotchi is back – new 2017 versions available. Seriously.

4) Nintendo Wii

I know I already shouted out consoles on the list, but the Wii was something different. The year it came out, every person got one, from young to old. Nintendo went and redefined gaming, making it more accessible to all ages, families, and groups again. It was cool to witness and be a part of.

This was actually one of my fave toy fads from Christmas' past simply because it got EVERYONE hanging out and having fun again, and that hadn't happened since the old days of board games.

3) Anything Star Wars Related, the Older the Better

This one was a given. The main toy I was going to mention was the Darth Vader head for carrying all your Star Wars figures (oh, cuz Darth Vader was a “headcase”, hahaha, well played).

Though there have been many Star Wars toys that have been popular, that is the one that is worth the most money now, especially if you have it filled with all the figures.

You are talking BIG BUCKS if you still have one. Like “put a kid through med school”  money.

2) Anything Pokemon

Though kind of generic to say ANYTHING Pokemon, you guys and gals all know it's true. From the Gameboy games to the toys and the clothes, Pokemon is more than just a toy line for many. It is an obsession.

The weirdest part here is, these things have been big since I was a kid, and you RARELY see a toy stay that famous for that long without major changes. It is actually kind of impressive, TBH, and Pokemon Go proved this series still has a lot of life left (and a lot of Christmas dollars to still get you to spend).

 Finally, the one you were all waiting for…..

1) Cabbage Patch Dolls

One cannot mention Christmas toys that became classics and not mention the mother of all classic collectible and the toy that kind of started the crazy Christmas phase when parents would kill to buy their kids gifts.

My overall thought on that is, if you need to fight another adult to make your kid happy, you raised your kid wrong. Real talk.

But Hell, even I had a Cabbage Patch Kid. His name was Skipper Anthony, he was a Premie (why the fuck was I getting fake premature babies to play with?) and for no reason, I grew up to buy the adult outfit version of what he wore, so apparently, that little f*cker made some HUGE impression on me.

(Tan corduroy jacket, blue shirt, jeans, and soon enough, the bald head, too).

Now for those looking for a list of more CURRENT gifts, we've got you covered there, too. You're welcome.

The 25 MUST-HAVE Xmas Gifts of 2017

[ebthblog]

The Most Treasured and Iconic Christmas Toys

Christmas toy fads have been a big part of the holiday season for the last few decades. Certain toys instantly remind teens and adults of their early childhoods during the magic of the holiday season, making them excellent finds for sentimental gifts. Refresh your memory on the following iconic Christmas toys and get your shopping strategy on point to bring home a few sentimental gifts for your loved ones.

Christmas Toy Trends Through the Decades

1960s

In the 1960s, kids were trying their hand at making bite-sized baked goods in Easy Bake Ovens and battling with Rock-em Sock’em Robots. Other iconic toys like G.I. Joe and Etch A Sketch also made a splash. G.I. Joe is especially notable as the first action figure, and originally came in Action Soldier, Pilot, Marine and Sailor.

1970s

A notable Christmas toy trend of the 1970s is the Pet Rock from 1975 ― a gag gift that took off thanks to its clever packaging, which resembled a small-animal carrier with breathing holes. By the late 70s, Star Wars action figures and other toys from the franchise, like metal lunch boxes, masks, clothes, and bedding, were hot items for Christmas, particularly in 1977, after the release of A New Hope.

1980s

Cabbage Patch dolls and Transformers action figures dominated the holiday toy scene in 1983 and 84, showcasing the fact that technology hadn't yet become a major part of toy design. But by the end of the 1980s, the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy portable video game console had become the dominant toys of the holiday gifting season, and not just for kids. Though other consoles were available, Nintendo dominated the U.S. market during the holidays.

1990s

Technology-focused toys were a major part of the 90s, with the Talkboy, a handheld recording device, that created mass sellouts and caused the manufacturer, Hasbro, to pull ads from TV in 1993 due to the lack of available inventory. Beanie Babies also hit the scene in 1995, with kids amassing large collections of these cuddly toys in the hopes of someday cashing in on a perceived investment. 1996 introduced the Tickle Me Elmo, a toy that remains one of the most noteworthy gift fads of all time due to the high prices commanded by scalpers on the pre-Christmas resale market.

2000s

Pokémon toys and trading cards held over as a top Christmas toy from 1999, but in the early 2000s Razor scooters and Bratz dolls reigned king of holiday toy sales. Sales for Razor scooter topped over one million scooters sold during the Christmas season, making America’s youth more mobile than ever.

Consider the Purpose Before You Purchase

No matter which iconic holiday toy you choose to gift, take some time before shopping to consider how the gift recipient will use the item. Highly collectible toys may sell for more when presented in "mint in box" condition, as these tend to be the most highly covetable items for serious collectors. When you plan to give the toy to a child who will actually play with it rather than simply display it on a shelf, you might not want to pay mint-in-box prices. An unboxed toy in good condition can be perfectly suitable for a kid who just wants to be able to play and have fun with their holiday present. When you're buying the toy for an adult as a sentimental reminder of their past interests and happy Christmases of their childhood, quality isn't as important as the accuracy of the item itself. Try to find out the exact model or version of a toy that person had so you can look for just the right match for their memories.

How to Find and Iconic Toys from the Past

Online marketplaces like EBTH are a great place to dig for surprising finds, with iconic toys like the Pet Rock or Tickle Me Elmo. You can search for specific toys using keywords or browse the Toys & Games category for great vintage finds. Detailed descriptions include specific identifiers like the year and make of a toy, as well as condition issues for more collectable-intended gifts. Detailed professional photographs will help you confirm which stuffed animal is cuddly enough, or which action figure has the most pristine packaging. Don't wait until December to shop the unique EVERYTHING BUT THE HOUSE auctions for iconic Christmas toys to delight your loved ones.