1) A Green Machine
< USA Version
Everyone that was ever a boy surely remembers these things? The low center of gravity allowed for crazy turns and the recumbent nature of the wheel allowed for crazy speed (for a 10 year old). They were just fun to ride, and I wanted one so badly for a few years in my youth (some of my friends had them). But, alas, it was not to be. Although I remember the yearning, it must have been short-lived because a few years later I had moved on to other pursuits.
These things are still very popular today incidentally, both here and in Australia. This next image I took from the Jindabyne tourist website!
< Green Machine racing!
2) A Corgi diecast Eagle
< A toy
< The ‘real’ thing
As a young boy, I used to peruse the Corgi diecast toy catalogues that you could get for free at toy departments of department stores (such as David Jones). I had a particular fascination with the military toys, but far and away the toy I wanted most was the Eagle from the TV show Space 1999. I recall it had lots of play action value, such as the drums you could snap on and off, pivoting thrusters and even a removable command capsule! Alas, it was never mine. Someone I knew had it (was it my cousins?) so I did once or twice get to play with it. But it’s never the same 🙁
This particular toy is still available today (my interest has long declined though), even from the same manufacturer. The latest version is of course much more spectacular and expensive, but the lasting appeal of the design is obvious by the many different models made over the years (including some hyper-detailed, hyper-expensive Japanese versions).
3) Sword And The Sorceror for Colecovision
< Proof!
We got a Colecovision shortly after it was released in Australia. For those unaware, this was a console of the same generation as the Atari 2600 and Intellivision. I loved the thing to death, and literally played some games for marathons of a full day or more (especially Donkey Kong and Pepper II). The system came with a catalogue of upcoming releases, which included the above gem, ‘Sword And The Sorceror’.
The game was based on the cheese-tastic film from 1982, which this 10 year old (of course) loved. Those were the days when my fantasy interests were flourishing (Fighting Fantasy had just started, D&D was thriving) and the thought of playing a game based on such a story was too much. I so badly wanted to kill that big green snake seen in the picture 🙂
Alas, the game was never mine. In fact, it was never anyone’s. Sword And The Sorceror, to this day, remains one of the lost Colecovision games. It was never released.
4) A Barcode Battler
< Fantastic!
We jump forward a few years now, to 1993. Tomy, a Japanese company, created a handheld video game toy that used barcodes to generate the stats of monsters. Two players would each slide a barcode through a reader and then their beasts would fight it out. If you lost, just go find another barcode and try again 🙂
It’s a simple idea, and I’m sure the execution is crap, but it hooked me and I wanted one. And yet, I never bought one, even when they were clearing out of local stores for a song. To this day I don’t know why I let this one pass?
Of course several years later my desire to own one just grew and grew, and I found myself looking for a used one in the stores of Akihabara, Japan. The technology hasn’t died over there, with various incarnations of the device continuing to be released year after year (usually licensed). But it was a flash-in-the-pan in America, and now tends to fetch a nice premium on ebay. Maybe one day I’ll pick this one up…
5) Michael Jackson’s Red ‘Beat It’ Jacket
I swear to God I’m being honest here.
Many, many years ago, I figure about 1983, there was a contest on Twisties (an Australian snack food) packets to win a replica of the red jacket Michael Jackson wore in the Beat It video (and in so many photos released during that era, often paired with the infamous glove). This is the jacket:
< Still snappy!
In short: I wanted it badly. I actually, honestly believed I’d look good wearing it (to where??! I was 11!!!) and day-dreamed about showing it off to my friends.
I don’t remember the details of the contest, only you had to cut out an entry form from the chip packet and mail it in. This I did, more than once. Alas I never won, and the jacket was never mine.
Who can tell how differently I may have walked life’s path had I been wearing this jacket?
This post is, incidentally, the first of a related series.
I’m pretty sure Troy had a Green Machine.
I remember the die cast Space 1999, but I do think that the Thunderbirds toy vehicles were more coveted by me. I remember a friend having all of them as well as the Battlestar Galactica toys and the large Star Wars ships. And all we got was Lego! 🙂
Also the Colecovision was state of the art in 1982, definitely a second generation console. The Atari 2600 was at least five years old when the Coleco was released. Don’t forget your marathon sessions with Venture and Ladybug.
No comment on the ‘Beat It’ jacket, although I like the photo of you wearing it.
How dare you suggest I didn’t know Coleco was a generation after the 2600 🙂
I didn’t want to venture too far into otaku territory with an explanation. However, watch this space for an upcoming review of video game history books (I’ve read a few recently).