Growing up, everyone loved the Pokémon franchise. After all it is one of the oldest and most popular monster series to win the hearts of children and adults worldwide, whether in the form of story books, cartoons, games or toys. Pokémon Go! was the latest gaming craze to hit the market and it made its mark as the most-played smartphone game of the century.
The Pokémon craze has been around since the 90s and it isn’t going out of trend anytime soon – as evident from the recent game’s record-shattering success. These little cuties have been winning hearts around the world, and if you’re a 90s child, you must have grown up owning a Pikachu toy of your own. The early years of this franchise’s popularity saw the emergence of a number of brands creating their own unique Pokémon toys to fit in with the trend.
With so many options to choose from in the toy store, there were a few Pokémon pieces that stood out from the rest. Here are 5 of the coolest and weirdest Pokémon toys from the 90s that will bring back some fond childhood memories.
Growing up, it was hard to find a Poké ball item that actually worked. Most of the toys like the plushies weren’t consistent in quality which would leave kids feeling disappointed after spending their entire month’s worth of pocket money on a toy that wasn’t even effective. But the round Throw ‘n’ Pop Poké balls were probably the best toy from the line that excited kids with a feature that would reveal a Pokémon every time you would throw the toy.
90s were probably the best years for the Pokémon phenomenon. The popularity of its television shows was quickly gaining popularity and toy companies were hopping onto the trend to create the most unique Pokémon items on the market.
This quest lead to some of the most dreadful inventions like the Marill costume. There were so many popular Pokémon characters that kids would love to dress up as for Halloween, but Marill was not one of them.
It’s been almost 20 years since Pokémon emerged as a titan in media franchises and its valuation has exceeded $52 billion to this day. Now that the phenomenon is enjoying a nostalgic renaissance of sorts, the brand is coming up with new ways to sell their products and make a profit.
Video games will always be a constant revenue generator for Pokémon, but anniversary merchandise will always be a lucrative asset, commonly purchased by nostalgia-ridden millennials and kids alike.
Everyone loves some anniversary merch that is often advertised as ‘special edition’ or ‘exclusive’, evoking a sense of urgency among die-hard fans that they absolutely need the item in their collection before stocks run out. Pikachu plushes are always a blast, and they change almost every year to keep up with the improving quality of the cartoon series.
Most of us grew up playing with sliders and tabletop spinners which were a staple in 90’s school playgrounds. But these toys didn’t even come close to the Pokémon battle coins which were a huge hit among young children. These holographic coins had an appealing design and colourful packaging which added to their appeal, but many criticised the brand for putting less effort in the coin’s design in comparison to its artistic card game.
When it comes to legendary toys from the 90’s, action figures top the list as the most popular items that every kid wanted in their collection. Whether it was the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers or talking Pokémon characters, action figures were a staple in every kid’s toy box. Pokémon action figures have gotten better with time and most of them look the exact copy of the characters we see on television.
