Toy Box Trivia Quiz

Answer: Slinky

As part of a popular jingle, slinkies are "fun for girls and boys." Richard James invented the slinky in 1943, and it has kept many generations of children occupied since. The toy is made from around 20 meters of carbon steel wire that is compressed to give its pliable form. In 2000, the slinky was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame.

Answer: Karate Fighters

A box of Karate Fighters came with two action figures, and two mounting platforms to place each of the figures on to secure them. Once secured, two players would square off and let the two action figures fight each other. This was done with each player twisting a lever at the end of the platform which enabled the fighters to spin around and use their legs to kick the opponent in an effort to dismount him from his mounting platform. Which ever player was successful in knocking their opponent's figure off the platform was declared the winner.

The World Wrestling Federation had Karate Fighter tournaments on live television featuring fellow wrestlers against one another.

Answer: Laser Challenge Team Force

Although it wasn't the most profitable nor most memorable toy, Laser Challenge Team Force was the toy I had the most fun playing. Released in 1996, The box came with two guns and two chest sensors that you strapped over your chest, and basically was a more fun game of hide and seek.

The more boxes you bought, the more players could join in on the fun. Once everyone was equipped with their gun and chest sensor, everyone in my neighborhood would run off in different direction, and count to a certain number, and then it was all for one and one against all. Each chest sensor had a flashing light that would continue to flash until you were shot.

The game would end when only one flashing light remained.

Answer: Silly Putty

Silly Putty was discovered in 1943 by James Wright. It is a silicone-based toy that is more of a novelty item, in that there isn't a certain objective to be done more so than just being creative or imaginative, and doing whatever comes to mind. You could roll it up, cut it, smash it like a pancake, among many other things.

Answer: Hot Wheels

Hot Wheels was introduced in 1968 by Mattel, and features many vehicles, such as muscle cars, pick-up trucks, emergency vehicles, and various other vehicles. Matchbox was a popular brand that was similar to Hot Wheels, and in fact, predates Hot Wheels. Both companies created toy cars scaled down to actual vehicles made by automobile companies.

Answer: Super Soaker

The Super Soaker was created by Lonnie Johnson, who was a NASA engineer, and first sold by the Larami Corporation. The toy became so successful that it has generated more than $1 billion in sales throughout the years. The popularity of the super soaker has led to it becoming a metonym to refer to other water guns not associated with the brand as a "super soaker."

Answer: Nerf

Nerf stands for Non-Expanding Recreational Foam, as the company produces foam products, such as darts and sports balls. The company's dart guns have been a highly profitable item for the company, including the Blaster, Secret Shot, Retaliator, and Crossbow.

Answer: yo-yo

The yo-yo is said to have been invented in either Greece or China, and has been around since at least 500 B.C. It features two discs fitted around an axle with a string attached to it to allow the toy to wind up and down. The toy became very popular by the 1930s in the United States when Donald Duncan started producing them in mass.

Answer: Pogs

Pogs was popular when I was growing up in the mid 1990s but it has waned over the years. Pogs is a game where at least two players stack up an equal amount of milk caps face-up, and proceed by using a heavier rounded cap, known as a slammer, to strike the caps.

The caps that land face-up are kept by the player who flipped them, and the face-down caps are then stacked again to flip. The game is decided when all of the caps are flipped face-up, and whoever has the most caps is declared the winner.

Answer: Beanie Babies

Beanie Babies were created by Ty Warner in 1993, and became a huge success from 1996-2000, making $1.4 billion in 1998. Many people bought them as an investment because of the resale value certain characters had, but it proved to be just a fad, as the market prices took a swift decline over the years that followed.