By 1978, everyone knew that old-school toys were no longer enough. Kids wanted electronics that beeped and blinked, and toys needed to either challenge their brains or at least let them blast into outer space.
From the addictive memory game Simon to the awe-inspiring Millennium Falcon, the popular toys of 1978 fully embraced the future. It was a year of bold new ideas, space-age dreams, and a few lovable oddballs like Gobbles the Goat thrown in for good measure.
1. Atari 2600 VCS
The Atari 2600 was a full-blown obsession in 1978 and the beginning of the gaming lifestyle. Plug it into your wood-paneled TV, pop in a cartridge like Combat or Space Invaders, and suddenly your living room was an arcade.
2. Tyco Hustler Race Track Set
If you were a little kid lucky enough to unwrap the Tyco Hustler Race Track Set in 1978, you knew you were in for some serious high-speed action. This entry-level track was easy for younger kids to set up and control, but you still got to experience the thrill of racing your car around the track. You had to be careful, though, because if you pushed too hard on the control trigger, you’d send one flying into the wall. But, actually, wasn’t that half the fun?
3. Star Wars Millennium Falcon
Kenner came out strong in 1978, offering more Star Wars toys than any kid could ever dream of owning. The Millennium Falcon was the crown jewel of the line. It was massive, detailed, and opened up so you could fly with Han and Chewie. If you had a Millennium Falcon in 1978, you were absolutely the coolest kid in the neighborhood.
4. Battlestar Galactica Toys
Battlestar Galactica was the most hyped show of fall 1978, and Mattel jumped on it fast, rolling out a full line of toys for space-obsessed kids. The standout toy was the Cylon Raider, which actually fired plastic missiles until tragedy struck and a recall followed. The show itself fizzled after one season, and Mattel’s 1979 relaunch of the toys, with safer, non-firing versions, never took off. Still, the toys had something of a cult following and are valued collectors’ items today.
5. Alphie the Electronic Robot
Before tablets and touchscreens, kids had Alphie. With his cheerful robot face and a voice that sounded like a tiny droid, Alphie taught kids everything from shapes and math to rhyming words. Slide in a learning card, press a button, and Alphie would light up and tell you if you had the right answer.
6. Simon
“Simon says… remember how addictive this game was?” That blinking, beeping memory game from Milton Bradley was the ultimate test of memory, reflexes, and nerves. You’d breeze through the first few rounds, only to blank out at the exact wrong moment and lose it all. Simon quickly became the life of every party and the cause of some epic meltdowns.
7. Merlin
Looking like a red space phone, Merlin packed five different games into a single beeping, blinking handheld. You could play tic-tac-toe, memory games, or try to outwit the built-in logic puzzle. Merlin responded with a charming, robotic voice. Kids couldn’t get enough of the toy.
8. Gobbles the Goat
Kenner, apparently encouraged by the bewildered reaction to Milky the Cow, introduced Gobbles the Goat, a garbage-eating plastic pet powered by a tail pump and a conveyor belt. Gobbles didn’t exactly capture the hearts of kids or parents and quietly disappeared after the 1978 holiday season. John Waters loved him, though!
9. Fisher-Price Doll House
This homey little house arrived unassembled, which meant Christmas Eve chaos for Dad, but total joy for the kids once it was put together. It opened like a book and came with a sweet plastic family. Unfortunately, furniture was sold separately, with eight different sets to collect.
10. Baby Softina
Baby Softina was designed to be the perfect first doll. She was soft enough to cuddle, but with just enough lifelike detail to feel special. She had a sweet vinyl face, rooted hair, and a squishy body that was easy for little arms to carry everywhere. She could even drink from a bottle and wet her diaper, just like a real baby.
