Pop Culture - Totally the 80's

An old television glows with a cartoon warrior scene inside a cozy retro room.

ThunderCats Cartoon and the After-School Rush

You knew the feeling. The school bus had barely disappeared, your backpack hit the floor, and the TV was already warming up in the den. The ThunderCats cartoon was more…

A packet of colorful popping candy next to a fizzing glass bottle of cola on a table.

Pop Culture Discontinued Treats Food Trends

Pop Rocks Myth and The Schoolyard Soda Scare

A tiny packet of popping candy could turn your whole mouth into a fireworks show. That was the magic of Pop Rocks, and for 80s kids, it came with one…

A gray Nintendo Power Glove on a dark table next to an NES and a glowing CRT television.

Pop Culture Toys and Games Video Games

Nintendo Power Glove and Why the Future Failed in 1989

The future arrived in 1989 wearing gray plastic, a black keypad, and enough attitude to make every kid feel like they belonged in a sci-fi movie. The Nintendo Power Glove…

A colorful plastic Skip-It toy on asphalt during golden afternoon recess.

Pop Culture Fads Toys and Games

Why the Skip-It Toy Took Over Recess

One plastic hoop, one swinging ball, one badly timed jump, and suddenly the whole playground had an audience. The Skip-It toy looked almost too simple to become a sensation, yet…

Pop Culture Action Figures Fads Toys and Games Trends

M.U.S.C.L.E. Figures: Tiny Wrestlers, Huge 80s Fun

They fit in your palm, vanished under the couch, and somehow became the most important professional wrestling athletes in your bedroom. M.U.S.C.L.E. figures were small, pink, weird, and ready to…

Pop Culture Cult Classics Movies

The Goonies Treasure Hunt We All Wanted to Join

Every kid who watched The Goonies had the same thought by the time Mikey Walsh unrolled that battered pirate map: "Okay, where do I sign up?" Brought to life by…

Pop Culture Toys and Games Trends

Madballs Toys and the Gross-Out Craze We Loved

You didn't ask a Madball to look good on your shelf. You asked it to look like it had survived a toxic-waste accident, lost a fight with a lawn mower,…

Pop Culture Fast Food Favorites Toys and Games Trends

Why McDonald’s Boo Buckets Were the Trick-or-Treat Pails Kids Wanted

Some kids wanted the fries, and some wanted the toy. What they really wanted, however, were the McDonald's Boo Buckets. If you grew up during the 1980s, or caught the…

Pop Culture Discontinued Treats Favorite Foods Food

Caravelle Bar: The Creamy, Crispy Classic People Still Miss

Some candy bars vanish and barely leave a ripple. The Caravelle candy bar did the opposite. Although it disappeared years ago, this retro chocolate bar is still remembered fondly for…

Pop Culture Fads Toys and Games Trends

Koosh Ball: The Toy Everyone Had to Squeeze

Some toys asked you to imagine a whole world. The Koosh Ball asked you to pick it up once, and that was enough. If you were anywhere near a toy…