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[bionic77]

Born in 77.

I was trying to tell the young ones on gaming side just how fucking amazing Super Mario was when it came out in 1985. I had been playing Atari games for a few years before it came out. I was pretty satisfied with Atari. I loved arcade games but being only 6 years old I thought that was as good as it got at home.

Then my friends dad got him an NES sometime in 85. Never even saw a commercial for it. I came over and I was not ready for what I saw.

The controller? Holy shit!
The graphics? That looks like an arcade game! You can tell what everyone is!
The game? Holy fucking shit. The screen moves with the character! There are different enemies! Castles! Dragons! WTF!

It came close to melting my 7/8 year old brain.

Thinking back I think the other moment that sticks out like the NES was Transformers the movie. Seeing Megatron ruthlessly murder so many of my toys. And that was just the introduction!

 

[Weevilone]

Dammit I want to read this thread but I'll need to find my reading spectacles first. Now where did I put them?... so hard to remember these days..

 

[Earthbound64]

I know these are still somewhat popular (albeit in various "prettied-up" models), but:

 

[gamz]

My kids love hearing my crazy stories about my friends and I crazy childhood. They laugh and always ask "Why would you do that?". Because we were bored! You had to create your own fun.

Such good times.

 

[besada]

I love you all my fellow GenXers.

Remember having to change channels? Remember it not being worth it because there were only three big ones (four for your later Xers) and a bunch of crazy UHF shit?

Also, the Big Trak. And G.I. Joes. The real ones, not those tiny Star Wars figure motherfuckers. Ones with hair and kung-fu grip.

And Marvel card packs, with cheesy stickers of Luke Cage and Doctor Doom. And that gum that tasted like card board.

Stretch Armstrong. You could break him open and smoke his gelatinous insides, until you had visions of Baron Karza fighting Jim and the Wolfpack under Lite Brite skies.

Those were the good old days.

 

[Weevilone]

I love you all my fellow GenXers.

Remember having to change channels? Remember it not being worth it because there were only three big ones (four for your later Xers) and a bunch of crazy UHF shit?

The really old GenXers will remember that the first VCR's had a freaking remote that wasn't wireless.

Spoiler

and it was still cool

 

[bionic77]

Remember the GoBot Transformers war?

That was about as one sided as the first Gulf War.

One of our friends was team Go Bots and insanely stuck to it even after it was obvious that they were absolute garbage next to Optimus and his boyz.

 

[bionic77]

The really old GenXers will remember that the first VCR's had a freaking remote that wasn't wireless.

Spoiler

and it was still cool

The first camcorder my dad got was a literal VCR with a battery and a cable that connected to the camera.

You looked like a goddamn astronaut carrying that thing around (and probably a real ass G).

 

[Z3M0G]

Wait... I can be GenX?
The internet told me being born in 1981 meant I was a dirty Millennial...

I'm so ready to be out of the avacado toast eating crowd it's not even funny...

Let's talk Dallas, President Regan, and Transformers! You know, the awesome, non-Michael Bay kind...

If you have 30 or more aunts/uncles (like i do), you are gen X.

 

[Walter White Walker]

Early Gen X here. This was our first video game system in our house:

I played it with my sisters all the time.

 

[Trouble]

This right here was my crown jewel.

I had that stupid M.A.S.K. gas station too. It was the dumbest thing ever, but I loved it.

 

[Henchmen21]

Uhh 79 is not the cut off for Gen-X. It's generally considered 80 or 81. The problem stems from there being no consensus on when Millennial's start. I've seen some say 80, some say 82. Personally, I think that anyone who didn't fully have their childhood in the 80s, so say post 85, as a millennial but that's just me.

Was born in 75. I've got a couple stories:

I had friends (brothers). Clearly to prevent infighting, their parents bought them each one of everything G.I. Joe. That included two of the aircraft carriers.

Lol my mother is the same way. Gave me and my bro both the same toys. Christmas 87 we both got Bravestarr toys even though he never watched the show and I did. Then Christmas 88 we both got Powermaster Optimus Prime.

 

[besada]

The really old GenXers will remember that the first VCR's had a freaking remote that wasn't wireless.

Spoiler

and it was still cool

We had one of those. Amazing technology. Being able to watch shows at different times! Without getting up (except to constantly adjust tracking, which remotes never seemed to have)!

Christmas 87 we both got Bravestarr toys even though he never watched the show and I did.

I wanted Bravestarr so bad that year. I got a portable pinball game and a Shogun Warrior instead.

 

[Trouble]

The really old GenXers will remember that the first VCR's had a freaking remote that wasn't wireless.

Spoiler

and it was still cool

I see your wired remote and raise you a BETAMAX.

 

[Earthbound64]

I love you all my fellow GenXers.

Remember having to change channels? Remember it not being worth it because there were only three big ones (four for your later Xers) and a bunch of crazy UHF shit?

What about us "wannabe GenXers from the beginning of the '80s who think those lazy Millennials need to hush up and eat their avocado toast"?

But, yeah, we had a big antenna over the house (like probably 30 feet tall or something, and the heavy-duty kind that had a square four-post base that you could actually climb up), so we managed to pull in some worthwhile stuff on UHF. Just had to get that vertical hold to cooperate.

I see your wired remote and raise you a BETAMAX.

Having both a VCR and a BetaMax was an awesome way to copy movies (by going from one to the other and then back).

 

[Henchmen21]

Remember the GoBot Transformers war?

That was about as one sided as the first Gulf War.

One of our friends was team Go Bots and insanely stuck to it even after it was obvious that they were absolute garbage next to Optimus and his boyz.

I hope you rightfully shunned him. No self respecting kid on the playground picked GoBots.

 

[bionic77]

This right here was my crown jewel.

I had that stupid M.A.S.K. gas station too. It was the dumbest thing every, but I loved it.

MASK was boss as fuck.

I had that Cobra double jet too. It was awesome. The best was getting like 3 friends and combining all your toys for an all out war. Would take like 2 hours to set up and would end in tears and fighting 15 minutes into it.

 

[Trouble]

MASK was boss as fuck.

I had that Cobra double jet too. It was awesome. The best was getting like 3 friends and combining all your toys for an all out war. Would take like 2 hours to set up and would end in tears and fighting 15 minutes into it.

My friend had the G.I. Joe F-14, so we'd dogfight all day.

 

[bionic77]

I hope you rightfully shunned him. No self respecting kid on the playground picked GoBots.

Most GoBot kids and their families could not live it down and had to move away.

 

[Weevilone]

When I was in grade school, my buddy that lived a couple houses down had a C-band satellite dish. That was like magic at the time. We lived in the future.

 

[HylianTom]

I love you all my fellow GenXers.

Remember having to change channels? Remember it not being worth it because there were only three big ones (four for your later Xers) and a bunch of crazy UHF shit?

When I heard the end-of-broadcast-day anthem, I knew that I had successfully stayed up later than I was allowed..

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M29IW13fDjQ

 

[besada]

This was the ultimate thing. Portable cartridge-based gaming in 1979.

 

[Walter White Walker]

Just remembered one of my all-time favorite toys, the Six Million Dollar Man:

You could peel one of his arms up and there were electronics in it. To 7-8 year old me that was fucking amazing.

 

[Earthbound64]

When I was in grade school, my buddy that lived a couple houses down had a C-band satellite dish. That was like magic at the time. We lived in the future.

Our neighbor used to have one of those on their roof.
I used to accidentally hit it with tennis balls (that were being used as baseballs).
And not-so-accidentally hit it with crab apples (that were being used as projectiles).

 

[besada]

You could peel one of his arms up and there were electronics in it. To 7-8 year old me that was fucking amazing.

Ungh, you had the medical bay. I didn't have the medical bay, but I had Steve and Sasquatch.

 

[Weevilone]

Just remembered one of my all-time favorite toys, the Six Million Dollar Man:

You could peel one of his arms up and there were electronics in it. To 7-8 year old me that was fucking amazing.

Those were awesome. There was one in the set with interchangeable faces. It's Maskatron per this page. The name doesn't ring a bell but the toy was amazing.

http://www.toysyouhad.com/Bionicman.htm

 

[Nista]

Talking about old TVs and VCRs, I've gotten a kick out of watching old episodes of Sale of The Century and Press Your Luck on one of the local channels. Some of the prizes they offer are hilariously retro and expensive by today's standards.

Also way too many Pontiac Fieros were given away. Worst car prize ever.

 

[Henchmen21]

We had one of those. Amazing technology. Being able to watch shows at different times! Without getting up (except to constantly adjust tracking, which remotes never seemed to have)!



I wanted Bravestarr so bad that year. I got a portable pinball game and a Shogun Warrior instead.

I got Bravestarr and he got Tex Hex. Came with a translucent piece of Kerrium. He was too busy playing his new NES though with Super Mario Bros. and Gold cartridge Zelda. We still have that christmas on some old home movies.

Most GoBot kids and their families could not live it down and had to move away.

The only time I got gobots was when the transformers I wanted were too expensive and money was tight.

Have a cousin who's parents were going through marital problems at the time (ended up divorcing) who did the stereotypical "buy their kid's love" thing so he got all the best toys. He had the G.I. Joe Aircraft carrier, Fortress Maximus, Metroplex, you name it. So envious of him

 

[shadowkat]

I love you all my fellow GenXers.

Remember having to change channels? Remember it not being worth it because there were only three big ones (four for your later Xers) and a bunch of crazy UHF shit?

Those were the good old days.

We had one of these

Our second TV was also black and white. After school, my bother and I had to alternate days on who would get to watch their shows on the colour TV.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

I love you all my fellow GenXers.

Remember having to change channels? Remember it not being worth it because there were only three big ones (four for your later Xers) and a bunch of crazy UHF shit?

You forgot needing separate antennas for VHF and UHF, and having to not only adjust them to get ideal reception but also double checking the connection leads to see if that also helped.

The really old GenXers will remember that the first VCR's had a freaking remote that wasn't wireless.

Spoiler

and it was still cool

Then there was having to manually adjust tracking on VCRs. Auto-tracking on later models was mindblowing.

What about us "wannabe GenXers from the beginning of the '80s who think those lazy Millennials need to hush up and eat their avocado toast"?

But, yeah, we had a big antenna over the house (like probably 30 feet tall or something, and the heavy-duty kind that had a square four-post base that you could actually climb up), so we managed to pull in some worthwhile stuff on UHF. Just had to get that vertical hold to cooperate.

Having both a VCR and a BetaMax was an awesome way to copy movies (by going from one to the other and then back).

Betamax is a VCR. You're thinking of VHS you millennial!

 

[Pilgrimzero]

Growing up eating Mario cereal in my Mario t-shirt while watching the Mario cartoon and then going to play some Mario.

Being a kid in the 80s was amazing.

 

[bunbun777]

'79, so I just made it. You know what I really loved about the 80's? Elfquest

 

[Henchmen21]

From an old thread

Ours was the Panasonic version. Nearly exactly the same except our buttons and the tape eject were the same metallic looking as the case instead of black. Lasted 20yrs before it broke down. You couldn't rewind while playing or it would eat the tape.

 

[Slayven]

Ungh, you had the medical bay. I didn't have the medical bay, but I had Steve and Sasquatch.

Remember when Sandra Bullock was going to be the new generation?

 

[Chittagong]

I Hate to be "that guy" but ^ that is the Classics version of the Castle, released a few years ago on a now dead Mattel owned website.

The original version is more of a rectangluar mint green blob, with jawbridge and badly airbrushed black paint over the eyes and nose of the skull.

 

[Walter White Walker]

Best show after school for me:

It was in reruns but they showed it every day around like 3-4 PM. Arabian Nights was always my favorite part:

Followed up by:

And then next on the tv agenda was:

And I fully admit I had the hots for Holly at the time.

And then of course:

 

[bionic77]

From an old thread

Ours was the Panasonic version. Nearly exactly the same except our buttons and the tape eject were the same metallic looking as the case instead of black. Lasted 20yrs before it broke down. You couldn't rewind while playing or it would eat the tape.

I was team Sony all the way.

Plus your VCR better have auto tracking or get the fuck out of here with that shit.

 

[Chittagong]

Edit: dp

 

[TheCochese]

I will fight you.

You will lose, because I have a fucking six foot carrier.

 

[Chittagong]

1979 here, and this is my top list

Lego Airport - more fun than Lego City Undercover

Masters of the Universe: Eternia - forget the pleb castles and mountains, this was the real deal

Battle Beasts - the OG Pokemon

Record Breakers - so shit, but so exciting with dual motors

Super Soaker 100 - that back tank tho

Karate Kid - ice was dope, chain not so much

 

[zerotol]

I just dug these out of storage. Here's some of the baseball card stuff I still have.

Billy Ripken fuckface and blackbox card from 1989

Complete 1985 set of Topps

 

[Henchmen21]

Geez so many in here had playsets. I never did.

 

[n64coder]

I'm on the early side of Gen-X. This is the GI Joe shit that I rocked as a boy:

I'm an early Gen-X and yes, I remember playing with GI Joe. Also played outdoor games such as hide-and-seek, kickball, cops-and-robbers, etc.

and Tonka trucks made from steel and not plastic! I had this exact front loader!

Same here!

I think I was an early Master PC Race guy. Grew up with Pong/Atari 2600/Intellivision. In high school, I had an Atari 800. In college, I had a Mac SE with 20MB hard drive. This was the second generation Mac. After college, I had a PC where we played Doom, Wolfenstein. I missed out on the NES. Did have a Sega Genesis with a couple of games that my brother gave me but didn't really play it much.

The biggest thing I remember about electronics was how expensive everything was. I paid $2100 for my Mac SE with a dot matrix printer and that was with a 50% college discount. The Apple Lisa retailed for close to $10K. My uncle had an early PC where we played Zork. It also cost close to $10K.

 

[Earthbound64]

Billy Ripken fuckface and blackbox card from 1989

From 1990 Topps:

 

[bionic77]

I'm an early Gen-X and yes, I remember playing with GI Joe. Also played outdoor games such as hide-and-seek, kickball, cops-and-robbers, etc.



Same here!

I think I was an early Master PC Race guy. Grew up with Pong/Atari 2600/Intellivision. In high school, I had an Atari 800. In college, I had a Mac SE with 20MB hard drive. This was the second generation Mac. After college, I had a PC where we played Doom, Wolfenstein. I missed out on the NES. Did have a Sega Genesis with a couple of games that my brother gave me but didn't really play it much.

The biggest thing I remember about electronics was how expensive everything was. I paid $2100 for my Mac SE with a dot matrix printer and that was with a 50% college discount. The Apple Lisa retailed for close to $10K. My uncle had an early PC where we played Zork. It also cost close to $10K.

Yeah even a shit PC in the 80s was going to be more than a grand.

I should point out that while I loved it in the moment, food was pretty shit in the 80s. The amount of pizza and coke we consumed was insane by today's standards. 10 years ago that probably seemed like a bad idea but now that it's Trumps america looks like we made the right decision!

 

[jesu]

I need to read the whole thread, this is great.

My contribution is action man/gi joe's tank

 

[Muffdraul]

Born in 1969. Will go to my grave angry and bitter that I wasn't born sooner so that I could have been there for the LA punk scene in 1977. I didn't get into it until 1982 when it was pretty much over and evolved into the hardcore scene. Which I loved, but, once I started learning about the history of what came first in Hollywood, man that would have been cool. Devo and the Ramones were my gateway drugs, I had no clue they had any connection to punk until someone clued my ignorant ass in. Star Wars hitting theaters when I was 8 years old, that was perfect. I was a weeaboo long before there was such a thing, watching Kikaida, Brave Raideen, Getter Robo G and GoRanger on our local Little Tokyo UHF station, I think only one of them had subtitles but I didn't care. Playing with Micronauts, Shogun Warriors. Pong when it was new, finding my first arcade in 1976 at the local mall when it was mostly pinball games and only a few video games, which all seemed to me like artifacts from the future. Arcades were relatively dead until the day I went in to find a crowd of people all gathered around to watch someone playing a brand new game, squeezing my way through until I saw Space Invaders for the first time, and the arcade always being like three times as crowded from then on. Seeing Reagan get shot like a thousand times that day because the brand new CNN kept showing it over and over again non stop. Hearing that "the information super highway is coming" in the mid 80s and not having a clue what that meant. I'll could go on for hours but I'm hungry.

 

[Family Fry]

I remember my TMNT and WWF Hasbro toy addiction. Jake the Snake for life.
I remember playing spectrum/c64 games on cassette.
Collecting stickers for my sticker albums, swapping shinies. POG's.
Getting some Nike Air Max trainers for my birthday one year.
Watching cartoons like mysterious cities of gold, Jaycee and the wheeled warriors, TMNT and more.
Renting videos from a video shop.

Anyway, this year I found out I was "technically" classed as a millennial, born in Dec 81 and it crushed my mind, body and spirit.
Fucking millennials ruined my Gen X life.

 

[jesu]

I played with this AT-AT for years.

Probably my favourite xmas preset ever.
I still remember playing with it that day, and I don't have many memories from back then!
I think I got the Millenium Falcon the year before but the At-At was my favourite.
My Star Wars collection would be quite impressive these days.

 

[Henchmen21]

And G.I. Joes. The real ones, not those tiny Star Wars figure motherfuckers. Ones with hair and kung-fu grip.

Pfft. 3 3/4 you heathen.