Popular 1970s toys included the Atari 2600 video game system, Lite-Brite, the Magic 8 Ball, Spirograph, Uno, Hungry Hungry Hippos and Simon. Not all were new: the Magic 8 Ball dates from 1946, and Lite-Brite was designed in the late 1960s. The Atari 2600, released in 1977, did the most to bring video games into homes.
Last updated: October 18, 2026. Facts checked against the sources listed at the end of this article.
Were you eagerly anticipating reading about the most popular 1970’s toys? If you need a big dose of nostalgia today, here’s your post. Then I want to hear what your favorite toy was as a kid.
The trend toward games of a more electronic bent continues in the 70s. It feels so funny to talk about the 70’s as being electronic, compared to today and all. But take a look:
1. Lite-Brite From Hasbro, designed after a 1966 idea and a favorite all through the 70’s. Christian and I were just reminiscing about the excitement of putting a fresh paper onto our Lite Brites- no holes punched in yet. Of course, now there is a Lite Brite app…. but how can that possibly be as satisfying as punching little plastic pegs through black paper to light up dazzlingly?
2. The Magic 8 Ball was introduced in 1946 by Abe Bookman of the Alabe Crafts Company of Cincinnati, and it was still a favorite in the 70’s. This is something I don’t think will ever lose favor with kids since, after all, it’s magic. This little gem is all Fen wanted for her birthday 3 years ago.
3. Atari! The Atari 2600 came out in 1977. This was my absolute favorite. I have the most vivid memories of playing Haunted House, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Space Invaders and Pac Man. If you grew up in the 70’s and 80’s, this changed your little world forever.
4. Spirograph kept us occupied for hours. It felt like you turned into a human computer when you put that pen tip in the plastic and pushed it around to create amazing geometric designs. Most of the time, I’d fall into a Spirograph trance until my pen would work right through the paper. British engineer Denys Fisher designed Spirograph, which first came out in 1965.
5. Uno Uno was invented by Merle Robbins, a barber from Reading, Ohio. We would play this for hours, and I’m really not sure why based on how boring it is. I still have a soft spot in my heart for it, so I’m glad it’s still around.
6. Hungry Hungry Hippos This is one of those games I wanted and never got. So sad, but I guess my mom was smart enough to not buy us games that would get us all spastically hyper- more than we already were. Do you remember the theme song?
“It’s a race, it’s a chase, hurry up and feed their face!Who will win? No one knows! Feed the hungry hip-ip-pos!Hungry hungry hippos! (open up and there it goes!)”
7. Simon I remember the kids in school who were Simon masters, and the rest of us could only watch in amazement at their mad light-up-button-chasing skills. Then we’d practice at home in hopes of being able to at least impress our parents.
| Toy | Maker | First introduced |
|---|---|---|
| Lite-Brite | Hasbro (designed by Marvin Glass, Henry Stan and Burt Meyer) | Designed after a 1966 idea |
| Magic 8 Ball | Alabe Crafts Company (Abe Bookman) | 1946 |
| Atari 2600 | Atari | 1977 |
| Spirograph | Denys Fisher | 1965 |
| Uno | Merle Robbins, then International Games | Couldn’t confirm the year |
| Hungry Hungry Hippos | Milton Bradley | Couldn’t confirm the year |
| Simon | Milton Bradley (invented by Ralph Baer) | 1978 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the most popular toy of the 1970s?
There is no single official sales ranking, but the Atari 2600 had the biggest lasting impact. The Strong National Museum of Play says no company did more than Atari to popularize home video games, and it inducted the Atari 2600, released in 1977, into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2007.
Who invented Uno?
Uno was invented by Merle Robbins, a barber from Reading, Ohio, who marked a deck with new rules to stop family arguments over crazy eights. His family paid for the first 5,000 copies, and Bob Tezak’s International Games later bought the game and sold it worldwide, according to The Strong National Museum of Play.
When did Simon come out?
Milton Bradley’s Simon came out in 1978, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, which credits Ralph Baer as its inventor. Players had to repeat a growing sequence of colored lights and tones, and each round added one more step to remember.
Who made Lite-Brite?
Lite-Brite was created by toy designers Marvin Glass, Henry Stan and Burt Meyer, who were inspired by a 1966 New York City window display of colored lights, according to The Strong National Museum of Play. Hasbro sold it, and kids pushed translucent pegs through black paper over a lit panel to make glowing pictures.
How old is the Magic 8 Ball?
The Magic 8 Ball dates from 1946, when Abe Bookman of the Alabe Crafts Company in Cincinnati introduced it, so it was already decades old by the 1970s. Inside, a 20-sided plastic die floats in liquid and shows one of 20 answers, according to The Strong National Museum of Play.
You can read my other posts in this series here:
Feeling nostalgic? Writing this post caused me to click over to Amazon to order a Spirograph. Click below to order these toys through Amazon.
Sources
- The Strong National Museum of Play, National Toy Hall of Fame: Atari 2600, Lite-Brite, Magic 8 Ball, Uno. Read October 18, 2026.
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History: Simon Electronic Game, 1978 (Milton Bradley; inventor Ralph Baer). Read October 18, 2026.
Comments
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Umm…I’m pretty sure those were my favorite 80s toys. Clearly they had stamina. lol!!
They did! And do- pretty much all of them. You can’t really buy the full-size Simon anymore, but other than that they’re all going strong. I wonder how much of that is parents buying them for their kids because they loved them so much as kids.
Love this! Hungry Hippos was my fave game. And you’re right Lite Brite was mesmerizing 🙂
I don’t know if it came out in the 70s but Etch-a-sketch was another great toy I remember as a kid. Thanks for the walk down memory lane!
I covered Etch a Sketch in the 60’s toys post! Definitely a favorite that’s lasted.
oh man, thanks for the flashback!! I needed that today 🙂 I had all of those and loved them. I think my fave was Simon lol
stopping by from SITS
The 5th Level of Motherhood
Simon was fun- I’m tempted to get the little Simon carabiner for my kids…
I love these retro toys! Yes, all of them and I think I had them all too which is surprising because we didn’t get many toys as kids growing up.
Well, it’s good to know you had the ones that had staying power…
I would love that Simon Says toy. I haven’t played that in ages.
And Uno is always a favorite in my home.
Happy Sharefest!
xoxo,
Khloe
http://www.kgstyleblogs.com
Hi Khloe, Thanks for the comment! My daughter saw the photo of Simon yesterday and I explained what it was to her- I think I’m going to have to pick up one of the carabiners for her. It’s such a great memory game!
Oh my gosh. Hungry Hungry Hippos. I remember playing that game like it was yesterday.
So funny.
I haven’t thought about simon, in, who knows how long. Hahhaa!
I would say that my favorite one is Alphi the robot. Do you remember him? I loved him.
I wonder why they don’t have toys/games like this anymore.
Hungry Hungry Hippos always seemed like a crazy free-for-all. Great for kids with lots of energy.. which is pretty much all of them. I do not remember Alphi; must go look him up. Any robot toy is pretty much wonderful.
How is it possible that I don’t recognize the Simon game? All the rest of these are definitely old favorites!
I think I wanted like everything from this post! What did I have? I had a lot of toys!
I never knew Hungry Hippos dated that far back – so loving this walk down memory lane. With the exception of Atari, my kids have played with and enjoyed them all – timeless treasures!