Toys and games from your childhood that don't exist now

I was listening to some radio station last night and they were discussing board games and for some reason a 40+ year old flashback came into my head – ‘Haunted House’ (as I recall it being called) – but available second hand from Amazon as Ghost Castle – I assume a US version.

What other stuff do you remember?

Crossbows & catapults, mentioned on stw a while ago and brought back fab memories!

I have an “escape from Colditz” board game still in a cupboard from my childhood. I remember playing it a lot back in the 70s

I had ghost castle. It was ace!

Diver Dan bath toy. I think it was French and called jo jo le plongeur

Does anyone remember the name of that Harrier Jump Jet toy – you had a base which you put on the floor then a line going up the stairs and the plane would go up, turn around and come back down and you had to land it on the ‘Carrier’ base? I can’t find it online anywhere.

^^
Evel Knievel,

Could anyone ever get that bike to go for more than a few yards before it just feel on its side! ?

One of those things were the advert promised so much that the toy didn’t deliver.lol

Happy memories though.

I remember it (I had forgotten completely ’til you mentioned it) But can’t remember its name. I think it was my older brother who had that.

Airfix super flight deck?

johndoh – Member
Does anyone remember the name of that Harrier Jump Jet toy – you had a base which you put on the floor then a line going up the stairs and the plane would go up, turn around and come back down and you had to land it on the ‘Carrier’ base? I can’t find it online anywhere.

I know the toy but thought it a Phantom? Not a Harrier?

Can’t remember the name of the toy though. 🙁

Flight deck. A phantom on a string, guided by a joystick to land on a plastic deck. The later Super Flight Deck had a catapult launcher.

Johnny Astro – got one of these for Christmas when I was 8 or 9, had really really wanted one, but far too difficult for a young kid to master.

I had a board game which was like Indiana Jones and you went through a temple dodging traps before you get to a gold statue with 6 slots in it and you have to put a dagger into the slots in the hope of knocking the red jewel out. I have tried googling it to find its name but no success. I suspect my parents have still got it in the loft!

johndoh – Member

I was listening to some radio station last night and they were discussing board games and for some reason a 40+ year old flashback came into my head – ‘Haunted House’ (as I recall it being called) – but available second hand from Amazon as Ghost Castle – I assume a US version.

It was definitely called Ghost Castle in the UK (at least at some point in the 1980s).

Flightdeck was brilliant. Replace the phantom with an old airfix plane model stuffed full with French bangers and cotton wool. Light the cotton wool, launch from bedroom window whilst brother had to and it on the flightdeck on the lawn before it blew to pieces!!! Once land RLF before it blows up!!!! Happy Days 🙂

It was definitely Haunted House in the 70s, complete with “Ghoulish Gertie drops it down the chimney” ball bearing of doom.

Torpedo run, awesome game, lost all the torpedos after about 2 weeks.
Great potential for losing an eye.

Yeah that’s it – Super Flight Deck 🙂

And the cars that you drove into each other to smash to pieces then put back together? Something like Supercar Smash ’ems?

Edit: Smash up Derby

Brings back memories of my dear old dad.

Dragster, by MB.

I’ve still got this at home. Might ‘drag’ it out the cupboard (see what I did there), and have a couple of games with Mrs Beagleboy tonight.

Hmmm… after re-reading that, maybe I should clarify what Dragster actually was.

It was definitely Haunted House in the 70s, complete with “Ghoulish Gertie drops it down the chimney” ball bearing of doom.

🙂 God yes! Loved that game.

Slightly ot as you can obviously still make them but what kid would now?

No idea who showed me how to make them but I spent many happy hours trying to get them over ever more fiendish little bumps in the dirt etc.

I was a huge fan of Smash-Up Derby, and can still sing along with the ridiculous advert that haunted my TV when I was a kid:

We used play electronic generals, a bit chess like but simpler and with an electronic brain

And a track and filed/Olympics game where you flung the discus with a tiny elastic band

Toys were mostly Lego and Meccano. Are they still going?

@hols2 still available in Lyme Regis last time I was there .

Spud gun.

Mate of my son brought Escape from Colditz round when he visited, it was ace!
Just as I recall.
Appell, Appell!

Also Mine a Million, which was some SE Asia / central america trading game where you mined, then shipped, rare gemstones IIRC. Happy days.

I have an “escape from Colditz” board game still in a cupboard from my childhood.

You can still get it (republished). There are copies in my local Waterstones.

Loved this game circa 1980.

Spud gun.

Yeah. Ones powered by caps. Probably a 5 year term for possession now.

Dragster, by MB.

I’ve still got this at home.

Me too!

Used to love this game, real strategy and intelligence to it.

Loved Generals. Found mine last year at my mums, still in the box and electronic brain and sound still working. So simple but so tense when playing! Nee Nar Nur Nee Nar Nur Nurrr

tjagain – Member

I have an “escape from Colditz” board game still in a cupboard from my childhood. I remember playing it a lot back in the 70s

It’s been re-released, I was pretty tempted to pick it up, just because I don’t think we ever understood the rules. DO OR DIE!