If you have children, Christmas, birthdays, and other holidays are never easy! There is always a must-have toy, and it is never the same two years in a row. Let's take a look at some of the viral toys that appeared on the wishlist of every child.
In 1998, there was only one toy that children wanted. That was a Furby. Part-owl and part-hamster, Furbies are very cute! When they are young, they speak a made-up language called "Furbish." But as they "grow," they learn English. People were blown away by their ability to talk, and they were often called "electronic friends." But Furbies did not come cheap; during the holiday period of 1998, the price of Furbies went from $35 to $100!
If you were a child in 2017, you will have seen plenty of fidget spinners. The toy consists of a flat toy with a ball bearing in the middle. As the name suggests, it spins! Many people played with fidget spinners while working; there were claims that it helped with focus. But like most viral toys, the fidget spinner's popularity faded as quickly as it came.
1996 was the year of Tickle Me Elmo. This infamous toy was the cause of stampedes, arguments, and even arrests as parents tried to make their children happy on Christmas day. Due to television adverts, demand outstripped supply. The electric, stuffed Muppet was sold out in stores across the country. There are even rumours that someone paid $7,100 for a single Elmo!
Released in 1997, the Tamagotchi was a huge success with children around the world. The idea is simple: it is a handheld digital pet. With an interface of just three buttons, players look after a pet by feeding it, playing with it, and cleaning it. If they were not happy, the pet would die! The player would have to start again.
Tamagotchi pets were not popular in schools. Because the pets could die in half a day without proper care, many children took their digital pets to school. Teachers were concerned that the pets caused disruptions; they were eventually banned in many schools.
Since the initial release, there have been many deluxe versions of the toy. In more modern versions, players can play together with infrared technology. But as more advanced games consoles were released, the popularity of the tamagotchi dwindled. There were many versions, but it never became as popular as it was in 1997.
Unless you have been living under a rock, the chances are you already know what Pokémon is! Published by Nintendo, Pokémon was first released in 1996 in Japan for the Gameboy. In 1998, the game was released outside of Japan, and it was an instant hit. Pokémon went on to be the second largest gaming franchise ever. The series holds eight Guinness World Records and has sold 368 million units. There are games, collectable cards, movies, television shows, and a whole range of merchandise.
In 2016, Pokémon made a big reappearance with the release of Pokémon Go. It used advanced technology to create a game that mixed real life and the world of gaming. It took the world by storm; by the end of 2016, it had been downloaded 500 million times!
Many new toys are invented every year. Which toy will be the next craze?