’90s toys that got majorly modern makeovers

Do you ever have those days were you just want to go back and play with all the childhood toys in your attic? I have those days ALL THE TIME. But toys have changed a whole lot since I knew them way back when. The exact same products have gotten serious reboots and some are even hard to recognize. It’s kind of mind-blowing when you look at them side-by-side. Check out the way our favorite toys look then and now and be amazed.

Pokemon

From the pixelated Game Boy era to the smooth 3DS reign, Pokemon has come a long way, especially in terms of the vast amount of new creatures to battle with. We started off having 151 Pokemon to catch, but now there are a whopping 719! And you still got to catch ‘em all, of course.

Polly Pocket

Though she remained pocket size, Polly had a growth spurt in 1998 going from a mere one inch to 3 ¼ inches, I guess she ate her vegetables like our moms always told us to. I admit, I was a bit disappointed when Polly grew, I mean what other doll could fit in a house the size of a powder compact?

Trolls Vs Zelfs

When I was young we had Trolls, cute yet also very ugly little goblin type creatures with wacky hair and gem stones in their bellies, but now we have Zelfs. They’re cuter, smaller, and more colorful. My heart will always belong to the Trolls (there’s a sentence I never thought I’d say) but the Zelfs’ kittenish faces are too precious for words.

Furby

Ah yes, the toy that would never shut up! Furby hasn’t changed much aesthetically over the years, but they have gotten smarter. Back then it was miraculous to be able to teach your Furby English phrases, but now they can link up with your smart phone. They also got some crazy looking eyes and trippy fut coats. Welcome to the future.

Poo–Chi vs Teksta

Every Furby fan rushed to their local toy store as soon as Poo-Chi, the robot dog, was released, myself included. Flash forward to 2013 and the release of Teksta, a more advanced robot dog that would sell out almost everywhere. With over 100 features and app connectivity, this dog is a little more interactive than poor old Poo-Chi, but nowhere near as cute looking in my opinion.

Vtech

“Would you like to play a game?” Oh, how I miss the sweet sound of that! Well, apparently, you can still hear it! Vtech started off with only a few kiddy computers but now the entire Vtech line includes mini laptops, mp3 players, tablets, and much more. The signature colorful and chunky designs are still there, minus the ’90s vibe, however. Though the devices aren’t the most advanced pieces of technology, considering they’re still for kids, the gadgets have a come a long way since the days of black and white displays with 8bit sound clips.

My Little Pony

Character re-designs can be very jarring, especially when the design in question is something you grew up with. So when My Little Pony got a revamp, there was some outcry from nostalgic fans. Each pony got brighter in color, their eyes more anime-esque, and they generally now look daintier in size. I admit, I lost interest in My Little Pony quite quickly as a child for some reason, but as cute as the re-designs are I do miss the more majestic look of ’90s MLPs.

Tamagotchi

I’m sure you all remember the day you got your first Tamagotchi, it was amazing, you loved it so much, then. . . well, let’s just say some of us learned about the importance of food consumption the week we got our digital pet. But despite the heartbreak, Tamagotchi remained a classic, and with added mini games and graphics, it still is.

Etch-a-sketch

I worked in a toy store over the Summer and one day while I was stacking shelves I came across an old friend who I hadn’t seen in years: the Etch-a-sketch! Those red blocks of endless fun hadn’t changed a bit despite this one being very shiny and new. Yep, Etch-a-sketch hasn’t changed since the ’90s, and we’re just fine with that.

(Photos found here: x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x)