International politics and public health might have been in shambles in the 1980s, but kids totally thrived. Toys from the 80s were bright, colorful, and action-packed. Parents could afford more playthings than ever, catapulting 80s toys into the stratosphere. Bring back that carefree retro magic with these 80s toys you can still buy today.
8 Iconic 1980s Toys You Can Still Buy Today
Before hitting the deadline for taxes and maxing out your IRA took up precious real estate in your brain, you were digging through your toy box for one of these iconic 80s toys. Although we've had to say goodbye to hits like Street Sharks and Rainbow Brite, these eight toys from the 80s are still holding on for dear life.
Fashion Plates
If meticulously cutting out paper dolls didn't appeal to you, then Fashion Plates was the design toy of the future that spoke to your soul. Launched in 1978, this creative and tidy fashion toy dominated kids' desks in the 1980s.
Snap one of 15 different plates onto the tray, place a piece of paper over it, and use a crayon to bring your design to life. Fashion Plates might not be made by Tomy anymore, but Kahootz is doing an amazing job of keeping kids' play fabulous.
You can make your own fashion plate memories for under $25.
Strawberry Shortcake Dolls
If you recognize one old toy manufacturer, it's probably Kenner. A staple in the American toy market, they made all sorts of smash hits, from Star Wars figurines to Strawberry Shortcake dolls. The first Strawberry Shortcake ragdoll came out in 1979, and so many Shortcake toys have followed.
The strawberry-scented IP has changed several hands over the years, and the most recent steward is The Loyal Subjects. You can nab their version of the classic ragdoll for just under $15 on Amazon.
Koosh Balls
Only children probably don't get the same sadistic pleasure from holding a rubbery sensory-confounding Koosh ball as kids with siblings do. Launched in 1987, these rainbow balls of long rubber filaments and black-eye-inducing steel cores were the hacky sacks of their generation.
Today, Koosh balls are an elementary treat-box staple. You can thank Hasbro and PlayMonster LLC for keeping Koosh balls coming at around $10 a pop.
Related: 10 Things Kids in the 80s Did That Would Shock Kids Today
Atari 2600
Atari was the first kind-of-affordable home video game console to really capture the public's attention. Launched in 1977 with the legendarily infuriating game Pong, the Atari 2600 broke kids' brains in the 1980s. Just like millennials can mark their adolescence as a time before smartphones and after them, kids growing up in the 80s can mark their memories as pre- and post-Atari 2600.
While Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft have made Atari defunct, you can take it back to where it all started with the Atari 2600+. For $129.99, you can play a variety of 2,600 and 7,800 games on one retro-tastic console.
The Atari 2600 console cost $189.95 in 1977, which equals about $1,001.14 in 2024.
Care Bears
Cabbage Patch Kids. Glo Worm. Pound Puppies. The 1980s were filled to the brim with iconic stuffed animals. But the most enduring of them all is the ever-parodied Care Bear. If you thought Kenner had left the building, you were wrong. They're back again with another hit money-maker. In 1981, they released the now-legendary original Care Bear stuffed animals.
An expansive lineup and TV series later, Care Bears is one of the most underrated but successful 80s kids' franchises ever. While many of the original Care Bears are worth a lot of money, you can snag a modern Care Bear plush for under $15 on Amazon.
My Little Pony Figurines
In the 1980s, My Little Ponies were decidedly more creepy, less anthropomorphic, and free from grown men's fantasies. The first generation of My Little Pony ponies was released in 1983, and among the herd are familiar names like Applejack and Twilight. Though the later renditions really solidified MLP canon, we can't state how much of a smash hit these originals were.
From its humble, colorful mane-and-tail beginnings to the massive franchise it is today, My Little Pony doesn't show any signs of stopping. Want a piece of the MLP action? You can get all six of the My Little Pony Friendship is Magic friends for $27.99 on Amazon.
According to The MLP Trading Post, several 80s kids attest to Gen 1 My Little Pony ponies costing between $5 and $10 a pop.
Power Wheels
In 1984, Reagan reentered the White House, and kids got behind the wheel — the Power Wheel, that is. Power Wheels are the battery-powered kid-sized cars every rambunctious kid begged for during the holidays. Can't afford to put your kids in the kart circuit? Let them rip and roar through the backyard on a souped-up toy car instead.
Power Cars were just as expensive in the 1980s as they are today — one Jeep Wrangler will cost you $258.99 — but their basic charm hasn't aged as poorly as Reagan's administration.
Transformers
Something about the ways Transformers seamlessly glide from one form to another tickles something in our Precambrian brains. It's why these deceptively simple toys are just as popular today as in the 1980s. While our favorite might be the highly collectible (and oh-so-expensive) original Megatron, there are so many new Transformers to buy.
Bring back some 80s energy with the OG — Optimus Prime. For $25, you can lead the Transformers in their fight against the Decepticons.
Nostalgia Isn't All Bad
Being an adult just means being a kid in a bigger body with an even bigger wallet. The toy store is our oyster, and these are the 80s toys we're putting in our cart first. Hope to see you there!
