#strong museum of play

[nostalgicore]

Sesame Street at the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, NY

[videogamepolls]

Requested by anon

[biracy]

Pic by @lektricfergus

[icarusthelunarguard]

This Week’s Horrible-Scopes

It’s time for this week’s Horrible-Scopes! So for those of you that know your Astrological Signs, cool! If not, just pick one, roll a D12, or just make it up as you go along. It really doesn’t matter. Better yet! Check out “Heart of the Game, Fredonia” - they can sell you those D12’s with the symbols on them! Get in contact with them on Facebook, shipping to the U.S. only, and tell them “Shujin Tribble” sentcha. “Hail, Hail, Fredonia!” Home of the Blue Devil!

For those of you unfamiliar with such things, in Rochester, New York there is the Strong’s National Toy Hall of Fame - and recently they inducted the next twelve toys they’ve deemed fit for special recognition for posterity. This isn;t a list of what’s recently come to market, but toys that have captured the hearts and minds of kids and those who are still kids at heart. So this week let’s see what you all get from the list! 

Aries 

What if we told you your toy was something you weren’t allowed to touch in order to play with it? Sounds all kinds of wrong, right? Well dig this, ‘cause your toy is the category of “Remote-Controlled Vehicles”! Known as “(R/C)”s it could be anything from an R2-D2 model to a VR-Vision Drone, but in all cases it’s just fun to enjoy. So This Week… If you’re thinking of trying your hand at Model Aircraft flying, please buy one of these Flight Trainer Programs first. They usually come with a replica controller so you can get used to what it looks like when you crash $1,400 worth of your hard-earned money into the ground like it was a Lawn Dart.

Taurus 

Your toy is one of the youngest here, having been created in 1974 in a dream. The game is called, “Sequence” and involves a deck of cards, a playfield with multiple card images on it, coloured chips to put on the board, and the plan to place a sequence of five of your chips in a row before your opponent does. So This Week… The game really started in the early 1980’s and took a bit to gain traction and popularity. Keep that in mind as we start the new year; you’re allowed to take time to come up to speed and hit your stride.

Gemini 

This can be arguably considered one of the most dangerous toys possible; and for the record it’s NOT the board game, “Monopoly”. As a youngster what did you learn about physics? If you said, “I didn't learn anything!”, well congratulations - you owe Virgo an apology for spoiling their toy. In reality you learned about Gravity and how to use it to play. Your toy is the Trampoline! All kinds of fun to have, so long as you keep your hands and feet inside the ride until the occupant comes to a complete and full stop. So This Week… There’s also the slight problem of built-up static electricity when using one. Be sure to purposefully zap yourself so you don’t fall getting out.

Cancer Moon-Child 

Your toy’s gotten a bit of a renaissance in the 21st century and goes by several names: cock horse, stick horse, or hobby horse. It’s, basically as the name suggests, a long stick with a stuffed plush horse’s head on the end, sometimes with reins, and the rider carries it along, dragging between their legs, and imitating various equine stepping gaits. So This Week… There are groups who use these toys instead of real horses in dressage events or polo. Go check them out and see just how in-shape you could be if you joined them!  

Leo 

Some aren’t going to think this category qualifies as a “toy”, but the Strong Museum would disagree. Imagine you’re reading a chapter in a book, and suddenly it ends on a cliffhanger, but YOU get to decide where the story goes next! Welcome to the world of, “Choose Your Own Adventure gamebooks”! You get to help the adventurer find their way through a maze, or track down a lead in a detective story. No matter what, you’ll get to have fun! So This Week… If you think you’re not a computer simulated consciousness, just remember that all these, “Turn to page X to continue the story” prompts are just “GOTO” programming commands!

Virgo 

We’re hoping Cancer didn’t totally spoil the reveal for you on this one. What’s more fun than a hobby horse and half the size? How about a “My Little Pony”? Originally called, “My Pretty Pony” it’s gone through a number of changes with each successive generation - some more successful than others. But the behemoth juggernaut that most folks are familiar with now would be 2010’s “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”. Even though that generation’s run its course, being officially replaced in 2021 with “My Little Pony: A New Generation” aka Gen5, the fanbase it generated has been nothing short of miraculous. So This Week… Only you can write the finale to your book. Make it a good one.

Libra

For you we have another card game, though to be honest we’ve not heard of this one. The game is called, “Phase 10”, and its rules and objectives get super tough to follow very quickly. The only part we were able to understand was the fact that games will usually be shortened by half to help finish quicker. Not sure if that’s a selling point or not, but whatever. So This Week… Even if someone tries to cut you down, just remember that you are still as ferocious as ever. And a slow burn anger can sometimes get the point across better than yelling would. 

Scorpio 

Released for the Nintendo Game Boy in 1996, Pocket Monsters Red and Blue most definitely didn’t look it on green screen, but it was the beginning of a monstrous franchise. Your game isn’t the Game Boy cartridge, but the Pokémon Trading Card Game itself that spawned from it. Who knew kids could be convinced to spend lots of allowance money on card packages with only a slim chance of gaining something special for their future card battles. So This Week… In video games this practice is usually called “Loot Boxes”, and is highly frowned upon or outright banned if real world money is involved. You’re an adult now - make sure you can inspect what you’re buying before you pay for it.

Sagittarius 

You’re getting a classic, a master stroke of ingenuity, and a versatile toy, underrated in modern days because of its lack of lights or bells or batteries, or ANY power source, actually. Balloons! You don;t think that’s a worthwhile toy? Might we remind you of its versatility! It’s a target at almost every carnival with a dart board, it’s a jet engine for a milk-carton boat, it’s a floating sign when filled with helium, and when properly reinforced, semi-inflated, and sat on produces an imitation of a Barking Spider. So This Week… Let others underestimate you and your abilities. It’ll be their undoing.

Capricorn 

Depending on where and when you live, you might not have ever seen the next toy in person, or maybe you’d only ever heard about it as spoken-of legend, but trust it, they’re real! Hess Toy Trucks were that special sometimes Last Minute Gift for the kiddos if someone was running late into the Gift Giving Season. Sold at HESS Gas Stations from 1964 until their switchover to Speedway stations in 2015, every year had a different truck or car or jet or helicopter to entertain. So This Week… Even if you didn't get one growing up, you can still check “Hess Toy Truck Dot Com” to see all the old ones and the upcoming new ones. And use coupon code, “HORRIBLE” to save not a whit on any purchases you make there. 

Aquarius 

The fact that your toy made it out of its infancy is a testament to how good an idea it was when it started - considering it literally killed off its main character and traumatized generations of children! Your inductee is a marvel of marketing and engineering: Transformers! What was more impressive to you? Peter Cullen & Frank Welker performing the voices of Optimus Prime and Megatron live without  any audio aid of any kind, or designing a Triple Changers? So This Week… If you start to sound like Optimus in your own head, your vocal cords are covered in stuff because you’re sick. Put on a mask or stay home. 

Pisces  

We know how you are and how you operate, but for just one stellar moment, just TRY to be an All Audiences personality for a change, hmm? Imagine a card game where, literally, the dealer cannot win the game! Apples to Apples is, for lack of a nicer way to put it, the “General Audiences” version of “Cards Against Humanity” - and the fact that C.a.H. is a more popular game to you tells us all we needed to know today. So This Week… There’s something special that comes out of setting limits for yourself and working inside them. Ignore those cheat codes! Don’t use God Mode! Forget editing the Config files! Learn how to do what you need with fewer resources and you’ll be a more powerful thinker.

And THOSE are your Horrible-Scopes for this week! Remember if you liked what you got, we’re obviously not working hard enough at these. BUT! If you want a better or nastier one for your own sign or someone else’s, all you need to do to bribe me is just Let Me Know - or check out the Ko-Fi page ( https://ko-fi.com/icarusthelunarguard )! These will be posted online at the end of each week via Tumblr, Facebook, Discord, and BLUESKY.

[ratt-teeth]

interesting decision to display him like this

[donkeykongbongodreams]

This is one of my favourite videos, it's of the HUGE video game archives at the Strong Museum of Play, a museum in New York which is one of the only ones to have a large video game collection! They've got the games themselves, accessories, consoles, merchandise, as well as paper documents about making them ^^ I'm so glad this is available for anyone to watch

Thanks for appreciating this video game museum with me!

[thesiouxzy]

Thursday night I attended the VIP Grand Opening Preview Party at the Strong National Museum Of Play. It was a lovely evening celebrating all the amazing, hard work my Wonder Twin & her colleagues put into the museum expansion & Neighborhood of Play over the last 7 years. It’s been fun hearing inside updates from Lisa over the years. The end result was just as impressive as I imagined. The Hasbro Game Park is magical! I’m a sucker for oversized items & it has a bunch. People are really going to enjoy playing in the new park & taking fun photos. I certainly did. The wine was flowing, the food was tasty (several vegan options!) & Puddles Pity Party provided the night’s entertainment.

The next day I attended the ribbon cutting ceremony & the museum expansion officially opened to the public at 1pm 🎊 If you’re in ROC go check it out, you’ll be glad you did

[aeonmagnus]

We are honored to share that the Transformers brand has been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame, part of The Strong National Museum of Play.

Our beloved transforming robots have participated in the National Toy Hall Of Fame selection several times over the last years, but was usually defeated in the final vote. The moment finally arrived, and Transformers has finally been selected as one of the 2024 inductees, together with My Little Pony and Phase 10. You can check it out in the Museum Of Play website.

We did it! Time to celebrate that our franchise is being finally recognized as a brand which has inspired creative play and enjoyed popularity over the years. Till all are one!

Inducted 2024

In the early 1980s, Hasbro secured the rights to Japanese toymaker Takara’s Diaclone and Micro Change line of shape-changing robot toys. Hasbro developed the toys for a U.S. audience and in 1984 premiered Transformers with an elaborate backstory about a war between robots developed by Marvel Comics. The characters split into two fractions: the heroic Autobots—peaceful transport vehicles led by Optimus Prime—facing against the villainous Megatron and his Decepticons. Each of the figures issued in 1984 had its own array of talents and capabilities, which appeared on the Tec Spec Chart and Bio Card packaged with each figure.

Appropriate for the 40th Anniversary.

[wlwgang]

I actually don’t think I’m strong enough to make it through the rest of brokeback mountain this shit is devastating

[nostalgicore]

Berenstain Bears at the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, NY

[shhh-secret-time]

No, see, because, like, you fucked up. Now you have to write that. I need that. I need the Star Park AU.

Below I will present my case:

1) That name is so freaking cute and I love it

2) Your tags made me fall in love with it

3) I know you have more ideas in that beautiful brain of yours

4) I really want it.

Please see points 1 - 4 if you have any questions.

Aafjdjakak Dude?! I'm cackling!

Fuck it we ball. Please look forward to it I guess.

I'll throw more in the tags!

[nocherryblood]

I know everyone is talking about Mickey Mouse, and, like, yeah, absolutely go insane y'all, do what you've always wanted! ...But I'm admitting now that I am absolutely shit terrified of the original Mickey Mouse and now every post is already a horror movie dear god help me

[onekisstotakewithme]

quick! in the tags: favourite "low key vacation spot"

(as in, you'd go there for long weekends, or is somewhere that when you say you'd go there on vacations, people go "... why?")

[sysig]

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe screengrabs

‼️ SPOILER WARNING ‼️

Alright so the first few are just from replaying all the stuff that was in the HD Remix, just to see some of the texture differences, but I also took some screengrabs just because they’re fun!

I’m so glad this one made it in lol (he is)

I got the paper office! :D

And the whiteboard ending!! Yes!!! Dog mode is terrible though haha ♪

Spamtoncore

This was new! I knew about the Bucket but I hadn’t met them yet so I was just like Hmmm Hmmm Interesting haha

Fall through the floor Part 2 - luckily this was the last one of the initial play session! Still though, load your rooms pls

Alright from here it’s all Ultra Deluxe so watch out!

I want this. Sadge that it’s sold out </3

I just got this one! :D

They!!! So tiny <3 It’s nice to see Mariella’s model as well, I’ve seen Stanley’s a few times but never Mariella from the front!

Just played with this one too, the grandfather <3

Who is this!!! They’re so cute what!!!

This image is probably especially funny to me because it reminds me of a meme I made lol

Hi Stanley, Hi Stanley, haha ♪

There he is. The Narrator turned him into a marketable figure

Very cursed Stanley smile :) He deserves it

Me

See, this dark, infinite abyss makes sense! It all ties together! Brilliance in writing! Lol

My previous point (also implying that Stanley is normal, really, Narrator, you should know better by now)

I appreciate the serial code(?) nameplate lol - this whole section was too strange haha

*heavy breathing* I mean literally what more could I ask for (I did also like the Stanley Parable concept art though haha, and the pause button stuff)

I gotta be honest, I was not sold on this bucket at first, but after this-

EEE, even better!! Yes, I’m onboard on the bucket now, I love Bucket

There is an awful lot of Bucket death in this game huh. Like, Stanley dies a lot too, but we don’t get to see that usually, so it’s oddly visceral

Employee 416 you say 👀 So there was somebody in there initially, until they were moved...? (I like to imagine they also drew the little Stanlurine doodle on the whiteboard lol)

I forgot that this was flagged by the phone call lol, I wonder if anybody has actually counted them

That’s all for this playthrough! If I fall through the floor again, I’ll try to catch it!

[aeonmagnus]

The official National Toy Hall Of Fame website have been updated with a new fan vote, and Transformers has been chosen as one of the candidates.

Transformers has now a chance to join joining icons such as Barbie, LEGOs, and the cardboard box in the National Toy Hall of Fame.

Cast your vote here until September 25th and support our beloved transforming robots. Let us know your impressions on the 2005 Boards!

--

Vote here:

[mapsgirl]

Best Things to Do in Rochester, New York

Rochester is a vibrant city brimming with history, culture, and natural beauty. Nestled on the shores of Lake Ontario and part of the Finger Lakes region, Rochester offers a variety of attractions and activities for visitors to explore. Whether you’re interested in art, history, or outdoor adventures, Rochester has something for everyone. Here are some of the best things to do in Rochester, New…