I don’t think I’ll be exaggerating much if I say that popular toy in the 80s there was the Rubik's Cube. And not only in the USSR - as I read, this wonderful puzzle has conquered almost the whole world. I remember very well how we walked with these cubes everywhere, spinning them almost every free minute. During breaks at school, they held competitions to solve cubes on speed.

I'll be honest - I couldn't put it together myself. The maximum that happened was two sides. Until, in great secret, they brought me the “secret assembly formula.” It was drawn in a notebook, from where I carefully redrew it and kept it like the apple of my eye. After all, I didn’t remember it right away; I had to peek periodically.

Then it became interesting to collect different color combinations. The simplest of them were the so-called “windows” and “goat bridge”, if my memory serves me correctly. I was taught this even before I had the formula.

The country's passion for this interesting puzzle was so strong that even serious printed publications such as the Science and Life magazine devoted entire articles to it.

By the way, here is a scan of one of the pages of “Science and Life” with that same “secret formula”

In general, there were many articles in the press dedicated to the Cube. In the same "Science and Life" from 1981 to 1985 there were about 15 articles about him. And there were also publications in “Young Technique”, “Kvant” and probably somewhere else

I often come across memories on the Internet about a terrible shortage of Rubik's Cubes. That there were frantic queues for it, they got it from under the counter through friends, they bought it at three prices from speculators. I don’t remember this - they were freely available for sale here. I don’t know, maybe it was in those days when the USSR did not have a license to produce them. And only branded, original puzzles were on sale

After purchasing the rights to produce this toy, more than 20 enterprises began to produce it in the USSR. This is what the standard packaging of the Soviet Cube looked like

Moreover, the background could be either black or white. Even if you crack it, I don’t remember which one was more valuable among us

But there were other packages as well. For example, at the Kislovodsk souvenir factory, the packaging was like the original, branded Cube

We also made a smaller version, more pocketable

Sometimes, seeing this entertaining toy in a store, I even think about whether I should buy it, whether my hands will remember the formula...

Photo sources
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www.twistypuzzles.ru/forum/index.php/top ic,424.0.html

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The toys of those times could be roughly divided into Soviet and foreign, boys’ and girls’, toys in themselves and for collecting, as well as purely boys’ devices and gadgets.

The 80s gave birth to a whole armada of iconic games and toys, which brought up more than one generation. They were wildly popular for one simple reason: Soviet children had no alternative. It was already in the early 90s that bright capitalist toys began to penetrate the post-Soviet space (and into the fragile minds of children). And it is still unknown which were better.

Soviet toys were distinguished by Soviet severity, socialist realist design and Soviet dimensions. Some of them could kill a class enemy. Scoop toys withstood fire, water, copper pipes and even heightened children's curiosity, and therefore lived for a long time and remained loved for a long time. Despite the general underdevelopment of design ideas, limited materials and uniformity, very often there were toys that were nevertheless distinguished by their originality and ingenuity.

"Behind the wheel"

It was a rotating disk, depicting a looped road along which a car with a magnet was moving. The goal of the game is to keep the car strictly on the roadway, taking turns and driving under bridges. The outer ring of the road was simpler, the inner one required a level up.

The front panel with the steering wheel, ignition and speed switch gave the toy a special chic. Young fools usually broke off the steering wheel and raced around the yard with it. Later, wise engineers made the steering wheel removable. The ignition was the most annoying, because it was real, and even the key could really be lost. The gear shift lever influenced the speed of rotation of the disk and, therefore, the speed of the machine.

Interesting: there were maniacs who put insects on the road and then crushed them with a car. It was also cool to turn the car at high speed so that its rear skidded. Some thought of adding batteries, thereby increasing the speed of the cars.

Pedal cars

This toy gave the opportunity to ride in an almost real single-seater pedal-powered car. The unit had working headlights, taillights, steering, a removable windshield, an opening trunk and a hood with a fake engine.

Interesting: when rolling down an inclined surface, the pedals naturally spun on their own, and at speeds above 10 km/h they became a kind of meat grinder.

Models

Metal models of real cars (1:43 scale) were an object of intense desire for Soviet boys. Everything on the cars opened up, and if desired, as well as the presence of tools and morbid interest, it was possible to separate the body from the frame. There was an engine under the hood, a full-fledged spare tire in the trunk, the seats reclined, and in some models the windows even opened. The models were not intended for passionate children's games, but only for collecting behind glass. Sooner or later, they moved from the sideboard to the floor and lost their status, participating in games along with plastic and aluminum monsters. It is logical that in the USSR individual model range There was military equipment: armored personnel carriers, tractors, trucks and tanks.

Interesting: some cars came with a ramp that the car could drive onto - apparently, this is how Soviet children were taught that they would have to spend every weekend looking for oil leaks.

Helicopter

The toy consisted of two parts: the helicopter itself and a type of handle with a starter. The helicopter was mounted on this device, then you had to pull the starter, its blades would spin, and the helicopter would take off.

The game - let's call it that - required serious physical effort, and the arm muscles were pumped better than with an expander. In addition, the fishing line constantly got tangled, and after the fifth takeoff it was difficult to untangle the tangle, which, however, instilled patience and perseverance in the youth, but at the same time negated interest in the device. But the main problem was that the groove quickly became unusable, and the blades did not unwind at all. In general, I had to create a masterpiece without fishing line. The helicopter was flying in a direction known to him. Yep, you guessed it – now my legs were swinging and my visual acuity was developing.

Umka

The pinnacle of Soviet mechanical engineering: “Umka” could not only drive, but when it encountered obstacles, it knew how to turn away from them. He (she?) did not fall off the table! Feeling the edge, the car persistently looked for where it could pass.

Interesting: there were no electronics inside at all, pure mechanics. Such conscious behavior was accomplished due to the fact that the car ran on one single wheel, hidden in the bottom. Google has the details, but we have a moment of pride in Soviet engineers. And the design was very good for that time.

Lunokhod

He had more brains than the average Soviet party worker. It was a battery-powered all-terrain vehicle, but it was not controlled by radio or wires, but programmed using a built-in remote control. He could drive forward, backward, turn at a given angle, blink, do “pew-pew” and launch a projectile. A total of 16 actions fit into memory, so Soviet children learned early to save bytes and clock cycles when programming ballistic missiles.

Interesting: the lunar rover was copied from an American toy and cost 27 rubles (a fifth of the salary), so there was usually only one for the entire region.

"Crossroads"

According to experts, this toy was created by the sinister mind of a shadowy genius. Eyewitnesses say that it was a metal cross, to which two metal strands were attached, forming a figure eight. Two chips were sticking out of the crosspiece, and two Moskvich 412 type cars were racing along bent wires. What's the fun? Wow: one car, entering an intersection, sticks into a chip, thus moving the opposite chip and allowing the second car to go. And so on until the end of the plant. Miracles!

Interesting: naturally, everything went a little wrong. The cars jumped off and were carried away along an unknown route, and metal bundles were most often used to sort things out. However, like the intersection itself.

Water rocket

The device was a by-product of Soviet rocket factories. Water was poured into a hollow plastic rocket, then the rocket was pumped long and hard with an ordinary bicycle pump. The same pump served as a launch pad. The result exceeded all expectations: the rocket flew above the support of the high-voltage transmission line. And below, naturally, stood a wet but happy schoolboy.

Red horse

The horse, made of the strongest Soviet plastic, seems to have escaped from a painting by Petrov-Vodkin. The hooves were shod with cast white discs with low-profile tires, which allowed the young Horseman of the Apocalypse to develop the first cosmic one.

Interesting: the animal would be just a dull piece of plastic if not for one feature. There was a ring at the base of the withers. And if you pulled it and let it go, the horse emitted a demonic whinnying sound that could cause attacks of enuresis in children and flatulence in adults. Just one track, but no batteries and no electronics. Only bellows, only a whistle, only a spring.

Metal constructor

It was designed to develop imagination and compensate for the lack of other toys. With some skill, by combining several sets, you can assemble a marvelous machine, crane or train.

Interesting: the Soviet designer suddenly turned out to be 100% compatible with the German “Construction”, which made it possible to add Soviet parts to the latter for pennies and build something truly grandiose.

Constructor "Flight"

Despite the aviation name, almost anything could be made from it, so let’s assume they meant “flight of fancy.”

Interesting: the downside (except for calluses from parts made of oak plastic) was the rapid wear of the connecting jumpers. But, due to the fact that there were a little less than a lot of them in the designer, no one really strained. Broken jumpers could be attached to the spokes of a bike. Show off!

Set “Young Chemist”

It was created by a Latvian genius and contained a heating device, test tubes, a couple of reagents, indicator papers, acid, magnesium and a retort. It was possible to do many interesting things, both according to the school curriculum and as an optional activity: set fire to magnesium, organize a gas attack, assemble a low-power moonshine still in five minutes, and, if desired, even set up a strong explosive.

Constructor "Architect"

There were several types, each of which was cooler than the previous one, but all of them definitely developed imagination and laid the basics of proper construction. It was possible to build everything: from a hut to a standard high-rise building and even a microdistrict. There were also trees 2 centimeters high, overpasses, arches and other interesting things.

Constructor “Collect animals and birds”

It consisted of flat pieces of plastic of various shapes with cuts. By inserting parts into each other's cuts, it was possible to figurate fauna in the style of late cubism.

Gun-launcher "Polyot"

A futuristic-looking pistol with a spring inside. A charge in the form of a propeller on a pin was inserted, spun counter-clockwise for several clicks, and flew out very energetically after pressing the trigger.

Firecracker pistol and percussion caps (!)

There were two options: with ring pistons and with paper tape. However, the essence boiled down to one thing: a charge was placed on the piston, hitting which the trigger caused a deafening sound. With an enchanting spark, smoke and long-lasting sulfur amber. It must be said that the caps were most often fired not with pistols, but with stones, nails and other hard objects, violating all safety regulations and often leading to minor burns. Especially gifted people did this with their nails. Burns were caused in 10 out of 10 cases. But how impressive!

Interesting: the mass destruction of all available caps brought particular joy - the stench and stench were guaranteed. You could just set it on fire with matches, but “not a toy for children.” Therefore, strips with caps were rolled up in several layers, placed on a hard metal surface and hit with a hammer. Pistons from parents were a bonus to the neighbors’ curses.

Pistol with suction cup

There were a great many varieties, but the essence was the same. An arrow with a suction cup was inserted into the barrel of a pistol, which, when the trigger was pressed, flew towards the target (naturally, through a window or someone’s forehead).

It’s interesting: there was only one arrow (how subtly the designer foresaw!), it was quickly lost, but the war game cannot be stopped so easily. Instead of an arrow, they shoved anything that would fit into the barrel - stones, sticks, sharpened pencils - which, of course, increased the level of injuries.

Sabers

Probably all self-respecting boys aka Chapaevs had this imitation of edged weapons. Sabers were especially delivered in narcotic colors: how do you like a blue saber in a green scabbard? The blade is hollow, the end is rounded, cheap, safe and about war. You could take it and hit someone with impunity. And receive a yellow-red saber in response. How fun and simple it all was, huh!?

Hippos

The principle of the game: a plastic cylinder filled with water with a button at the bottom and a rubber cap at the top. Inside rests a built-in hippopotamus with a movable upper jaw and floating balls. When you press the button, the balls are thrown up, and the hippopotamus's mouth opens. Goal: feed the animal as much as possible big amount balls. There were also variations with a dolphin and rings that needed to be put on the nose.

There was another hippopotamus, but a land one. Inside it was a spring, which was wound by pulling a cord with a ring from the animal’s mouth. When the lace was released, the spring unwinded, while the hippopotamus quickly moved its legs, and the lace was wound into its mouth.

There was also a game for four, where hippos competed in gluttony, and their navigators competed in reaction speed.

Frog

It was a green toad with a spring at the bottom. The spring was compressed, pressing on the frog, and the structure in the “standby” state was held by a suction cup. After some time, the suction cup weakened and the spring straightened, throwing the frog high up. As a rule, this happened when no one was waiting. The toad took by surprise even those who were intently waiting for its jump. What can we say about the ignorant? Squeals, shudders and swearing were guaranteed. In addition to frogs, similar spiders were sold, very similar to tarantulas.

A mindless and merciless frog, spring, and scissors mutant was also released. The exact purpose of the unit is unknown, but it was quickly adapted as a melee weapon. There was also a similar spider and a boxing fist.

Plastic animals

Greetings from Czechoslovakia were probably planned as visual material for beginner Darells and Aybolites. And now you can buy similar sets, but then it was a squeak! The color of most of the animals ranged from dull black, brown and red to acid green. But everyone seemed to be so happy that no one cared about the black giraffe.

Walking toys

It's simple: the feet of the fauna are curved, which allowed the animals to sway from side to side. The turtle was an excellent sprinter on an inclined plane - just give it a push. The donkey is more advanced: he has a weight on his neck that had to be hung, for example, from the edge of the table. There were also walking Winnie the Poohs and, of course, the dear, unforgettable penguins...

Sea battle

There was mechanical and electronic. No comments. It was a blessing to have both.

Electric Quiz

The device was a thick cardboard on which foil was glued and thick contact tracks were laid along it. A piece of paper divided into squares was placed on top of the foil. They contained questions and answers (or pictures). The goal is to answer the question and apply the contact to the foil through the hole in the corresponding square. If the answer was correct, the light came on. Hello, Comrade Pavlov!

Table hockey, football and basketball

Hockey was the most popular sport in the USSR, and such a toy was a welcome gift for a child (I remember on one birthday, thanks to the intractability of my parents and grandparents, I became the owner of three such hockey toys).

Interesting: the grooves in the bottom could be finished off, increasing the speed and dynamism of the game several times over. The life hacks also included replacing standard springs with more powerful ones, bending the clubs, and replacing a standard rubber-metal washer with a homemade wooden one. The geniuses read insidiously: while no one was looking, it was possible to weaken the springs of the supposed enemy team.

There was also table football, basketball and even bowling (!)

"Merry Carousel"

A secret weapon introduced into our country with the aim of corrupting the population from a young age, the carousel was nothing more than a simple table roulette. The gifted quickly noticed this and used the “casino” for its intended purpose, playing with authentic or fake money.

Filmoscope

Or filmstrips. There were pictures on the film (mostly stills from Soviet cartoons), and under them there was text. It turned out that you were watching a cartoon, only at speed down and with cut scenes that you had to add to your imagination. Children today cannot understand how such nonsense could be watched at all.

Interesting: there was a device similar to a mini-cinema camera, inside of which there was microfilm. By rotating the knob, it was possible to view a segment of the cartoon as long as 15-30 seconds.

Stereoscope

Soviet children learned "tride" long before Avatar. It was something like binoculars into which cardboard carriers with dozens of pairs of pictures were loaded - most often storyboards of Soviet puppet cartoons. The device had no mechanical parts and therefore lived many times longer than filmoscopes. In theory.

Interesting: there were also monoscopes with one single photopositive. There is only one picture, but with your image.

Scorcher

In addition to decorating cutting boards for the eighth of March, you could burn on a desk, a neighbor’s cat, a balcony door, a window, a car, you could burn on paper, plastic and even thin metal. The burner could be used to light cigarettes, remotely ignite homemade bombs, exterminate insects, seal jars of jam, cut sculptures from rubber, weld plastic, vulcanize patches for bike wheels, heat tea and draw luminous letters in the dark. And all these pleasures for 3 rubles. 14 kopecks or so.

Rubik's Cube and Co.

Everyone knows the cube, but not everyone remembers the triangular and cylindrical versions of this iconic puzzle.

Puzzle "Snake"

These long things, if you had spatial thinking and straight limbs in the right place, could be folded into various compositions. Personally, I hung out for hours.

Labyrinths

The geniuses of Soviet engineering produced a series of very funny and intelligent labyrinths. For those who had fewer convolutions, single-level labyrinths with a transparent lid were produced. For aesthetes, there were multi-level labyrinths in the form of a tightly sealed glass cube, ball or cylinder.

Kaleidoscope

You could stick into the bizarre patterns made from pieces of glass (I still haven’t decided to Google it so as not to lose that sense of wonder) forever.

Magic screen

A very interesting device for those times. The inside of the screen was covered with silver powder, along which grooves were drawn. One of the heads on the panel was responsible for vertical drawing, the other for horizontal drawing. With the simultaneous meaningful rotation of the heads, it was possible to depict something highly artistic. The drawings were erased by vigorous shaking. In the attached catalog there were pictures that were impossible to draw without lifting the pen, which caused tons of hatred towards troll developers.

Electronic games

The Wolf Catches Eggs was the most popular, and there were even legends about it (a certain cartoon that will be shown to you after 1000 points scored). There were several varieties of such games, and every child wanted them. At least borrow it for the evening, at least for an hour...

Dolls and girls friendly staff

Surprisingly, toys for girls have not mutated much over time. The same dolls, baby dolls, strollers, bathtubs, sets of dishes, plastic scissors and combs, paper dress patterns attached to paper figures. Only the quality has changed, sometimes, by the way, for the worse. The faces and bodies of the old-school dolls were, of course, not ice. But they did not have such pronounced sexual characteristics, which, according to many psychologists, are unnecessary information for preschool children.

It was also customary for children in the USSR to develop their hearing: pianos, xylophones, metallophones... The apotheosis of musical literacy was singing frogs, which drove grandfather to hysterics. fine motor skills and color perception was intended to be developed by the mosaic in various variations, stepping on the lost details of which dad gave unplanned lessons in obscene language. And cows on stands with bendable limbs - it seems like fun for 5 minutes, but it has entered the annals. An assortment of plastic firearms - it was only later that the weapon began to make sounds and blink, causing horror.. The rubber industry supplied Carlsons, Pinocchio and naked baby dolls by the carload. And also the balls that we managed to pierce already in the first week of use.. There was a whole planet of board games: traffic rules, checkers, chess, lotto, the first semblances of monopolies and polymath, walkers-adventures-chips rearranging.. There were sets of equipment and soldiers - monolithic, brutal, monochrome, clearly created under the influence of Mayakovsky's poems, and even remote-controlled submarines...

All of us, children of the 80s and 90s, simply have to remember now that the coolest jumper is the same black one from sporting goods. Do you remember old-school tag, the Pythagoras puzzle, carpet battles with primitive soldiers of dull colors and the same quality? Now it seems that some toys were given out to apartments: identical bears, tumblers, dolls, Cheburashkas could be found on any visit. There you were invariably offered to play lotto or dominoes (for example, berry). There were also keychains in the shape of silver plastic cars - well, many people had them, right? And there was also an epidemic of multi-colored springs, though at the end of the era, but still.. Just then the first transformers, kinder surprises began to appear and, as the end of an era (for me personally), Tamagotchi - the real enemy of children's minds.

In the next series we will talk about children's outdoor games - both those approved by the party and illegal ones of domestic origin. And about the unusual uses by Soviet children of quite ordinary household things. Well, there is still a lot to remember. Time machine after a yard sale fell into the hands of locals.

USSR toys

The USSR produced children's toys that were durable, safe and in large quantities. Unlike modern ones, they were not bright to the point of hurting the eyes, but this was just a plus, because it was impossible to get an allergy from close contact with a plush hare. Everyone who was lucky enough to grow up in the USSR remembers what extraordinary energy the toys of that time had. They carried a certain sacred meaning, despite all their simplicity and unpretentiousness.

Today's toys for buyers (especially small ones) look more attractive, but sometimes we cannot understand who is in front of us in the window - we have to look for information on the price tag.

Are USSR toys in demand now, which the antique store “Lavka Antiquities” offers you to buy? Oddly enough, yes. They are hunted by both collectors and people whose birth and time of growing up occurred during the Soviet period. Most often, such acquisitions are made not for children, but for history and for the sake of memories.

Until now, many can find old toys on their mezzanines and garages, but even despite this, people continue to look for them, find them and buy them. This is because it is not always possible to find your favorite childhood toy among the surviving treasures, or for some reason it turned out to be lost.

As now, dolls, cartoon characters and kitchen sets used to be especially favorite among girls. The boys could not imagine their lives without model cars, construction sets, weapons and soldiers.

The USSR produced plastic and metal cars in abundance; their size could vary from 7 to 32 cm. There were also mechanisms that could be controlled using pedals and a steering wheel. These are sort of prototypes of bicycles, only made in the form of a car.

Metal cars of the USSR are considered attractive even for men who are far from collecting. If one single model of such a car falls into the hands of a representative of the stronger sex, then we can assume that he has already joined the army of collectors.

The persistent tin soldiers of the USSR captivated us with their strength: they could not be broken, they could only be lost. But they were more difficult to buy than plastic warriors. The sale also included medieval knights cast from metal, representatives of Russian squads and sailors.

In the Antique Shop antique store you can freely buy USSR cars, without shortages or queues. The same goes for tin soldiers, characters from your favorite cartoons, soft toys and the now legendary Dymkovo figurines. Soviet toys will definitely please those who value quality and want, at least for a minute, to return to their carefree childhood.

We continue to remember our cheerful and carefree childhood in the 80-90s of the last century :) For those who have joined us just now, I recommend starting with and. Everyone in the comments reminds me about the slide projector. I remember it, of course, and I will definitely mention it in the section “Our electronics and gadgets” :) The same applies to chewing gum with inserts and our other goodies. Besides them, I remembered something that many of you have probably already forgotten :) Like, for example, some people no longer remember that in the USSR there were iron rubles, and not just paper ones :)

And now I want to remember our favorite toys. Starting from a very young age, and ending with the “diseases” and “epidemics” of middle and high schools :)

OUR TOYS.

We had a lot of toys. "Kolobok" on Verkhnyaya was simply bursting with monotony dolls, cars, pistols, robots and all sorts of Soviet puzzles. The Kolobok store on Zhukovsky Street was the sacred Mecca of children of our time (now there is an office of Megafon). Who could calmly walk by the hand with their mother past "Kolobok"? :) Me not.

Here is one of the most popular group games of our childhood - "Hippos":

It's hooked, right? :)

And also this one, the progenitor of computer car simulators - the game "Behind the Wheel":

It was battery operated and even had an ignition key. The magnetic machine drove in a circle. Or rather, she stood still, and the circle rotated and she just had to dodge obstacles.

But such toys could only be obtained at New Year or birthday:

But they brought me such a lunar rover from Moscow " Children's world"You couldn't find anything like that here.

I just have no doubt that all the boys had such revolvers:

A strip of caps wound into a roll was inserted into the drum, the end was pulled out and the trigger was pulled. The "strike" slapped the piston and "fuck-bang!" - fire and smoke :)

But the coolest weapon in the yard “Voinushka” was considered to be the plastic PPSh machine gun:

True, only a photo of the original was found - don’t be alarmed :) But the toy was quite similar to it. I will never forget its characteristic “click” when the trigger is pressed. Whoever had one was the “most important commander” :) And the privates ran around with sticks “a la a three-ruler or a pistol.”

Do you remember the clockwork, walking robots?

And the wonderful “kale n doskop”?

They could sit and stare at it for hours:

We had a lot of logic and educational games.

"Rubik's Cube" :

As a child, I assembled it in 2 minutes. Re-gluing colored stickers :)

Or this variation:

Domino "Berry":

A game "Tag" :

Puzzle "Snake":

"Pythagoras":

Or like this:

But the boy's most desired toy was cars. For the street, for the sandbox - these are:

For home - "souvenirs":

There were many different ones. Mainly the domestic auto industry. And they weren't cheap. They were also given as gifts on major holidays or good behavior. I inherited my collection from my older brother. True, he parted with her with great regret, despite big difference aged - they were so dear to us...

I remember how my mother bought me as many as 2 cars by September 1, when I went to school, 1st grade. It was UAZ-Bukhanka and Volga-Aeroflot. Oh, what happiness it was! I also had a Niva - it had a complex suspension of many parts, a full-fledged spare wheel and all the doors opened. And also “Muscovites”, “Ladas”.... The decoration of the collection was a black “Seagull” and the only foreign car - “Maserati Mistral Coupe”. Many people had it made of plastic, but mine was made of metal!

Now there is almost nothing left of the collection: (Nephew, my children completed the destruction I started... Only I didn’t let the Maserati be torn to pieces - I hid it away as a keepsake:)

The most expensive were buses and KAMAZ trucks.

I haven’t even seen anyone have a bus - maybe you had one?

Keychains like cars were also popular:

There were several types:

Oh, how nice they felt in my hand! :) Cold, metallic, heavy.

And the following crafts from the system were also in use:

Or fish:

Usually, hospital patients trudged along with nothing to do :)

In my opinion, skeleton keychains were also very popular in the early 90s:

I don’t know why, but I also had this souvenir plate lying around in my toys:

And what serious battles unfolded when someone came to visit and they got the soldiers!

Crusaders against sailors, cowboys against Indians:

The metal soldiers were cool.

They also used airplanes from the board game:

They crashed into the thick of the enemy, repeating the feat of Captain Gastello. Iron tanks and armored cars, Katyushas, ​​trains - there were a lot of military-themed games.

But the “dashing” 90s came and the soldiers were supplanted by hordes of alien brethren. ROBOTS!

Do you remember how fast you ran to the coveted kiosk when your mother gave in to persuasion and allocated 200 rubles for the robot? I even remember how much they cost and what 200 rubles looked like back then!

The first robot I bought was with the head of a sawfish. There were so many of them!

At first only their arms moved, then their legs. There were also those whose heads and tails moved. Weapons for robots were sold separately. It’s hard to call it a hobby - this was a whole EPIDEMIC !

There is still a bag of robots lying somewhere - I need to get them for the kids :)

Heroes of then popular cartoons were pitted against robots:

And then they ran commercials during Disney hour on Sundays TRANSFORMERS .

And a new Epidemic began...

In general, with the advent of the 90s, the epidemic became a constant companion of our childhood. The flood of bright goods from China, Poland and Turkey excited our minds, accustomed to faded and monotonous colors...

Take the Walking Spring Epidemic:

We also saw them for the first time during the Disney Hour. Advertising did its job and information about new games spread across the country at the speed of an epidemic.

Rubber bouncy balls:

Even the coolest Soviet ball flew up from the impact to a height of no more than two or three times our height. These same people jumped up to the 5th-6th floor... It was generally perceived as magic. True, some low-quality balls quickly scattered into pieces (usually glossy ones). But the low price made it possible to pack them in armfuls and even exchange them and give them as gifts:

Once, as a bet, I threw such a ball onto the roof of my native nine-story building, standing on the ground... :) Don’t believe me? Shall we argue? :)

Jumpers have become a replacement for the usual glass balls and we quickly forgot this game:

The newfangled “foreign” games were gradually crowding out the games we once loved. There came “slickers” that stank of diesel fuel, which left indelible greasy stains on the wallpaper, and glamorous Barbies and Kens that stank of chemicals, whose hair changed color. The advertising sold us “Kinder surprises” and a lot of other things that I no longer remember. Advertising changed our consciousness, behavior, habits - we all re-stra-iva-lis. After all, we were children Perestroika .

And then the good world of children's games was finished off by this:

And officially our childhood ended, giving way to youth.

In the next part, we’ll remember about the electronics and gadgets of our perestroika childhood. Just don’t write about “Tetris” in the comments - I remember it very well and even play it sometimes :) I’ll write about it too.