Saying the toy didn’t live up to the spectacular Ken Kelly box art is a bit of an understatement.
Archive for the 'D&D Toys' Category
LJN’s Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Toys: Tiamat – Five Headed Evil Dragon (1984)
Published November 3, 2014 D&D Non-Gaming Merchandise , D&D Toys , Ken Kelly , LJN Toys 3 CommentsAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons Pinball Games (Larami, 1983): ‘Castle Maze’, ‘Myths & Magic’, and ‘The Quest’
Published August 1, 2014 D&D , D&D Non-Gaming Merchandise , D&D Toys , Larami Toys , Larry Elmore , Pinball 2 Comments
With Dragon Duel, we now have four AD&D handheld pinball games, all of them made by Larami. The packaging is different on these (cards instead of a box), and they appear to be smaller. Tome of Treasures suggests that there are at least five of the pinball handhelds. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more.
All of the art is by Larry Elmore. The card art, as well as the game art for Castle Maze, are from the 1983 Basic Set cover. The game art for Myths and Magic is from the Mountain of Mirrors (Endless Quest series) cover. I’d be much obliged if someone can identify the original source used for The Quest. I know I’ve seen it before, and I’m nearly positive it’s Elmore, but I can’t dig up a match.
The regulation D&D pinball machine, also featuring the Elmore painting from the Basic Set, didn’t come out until 1987.
Kid Playing Dungeons & Dragons Computer Fantasy Game, Circa 1982
Published July 9, 2014 '80s Decor/Design/Fashion , D&D , D&D Non-Gaming Merchandise , D&D Portraits , D&D Toys Leave a Comment
Appearing in 1981, one year after Mattel’s Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game, the irresistible handheld actually caused fistfights during recess. I might have started one of them. Watching a demo now, I’m not sure what all the fuss was about. It’s a general indicator of how “in” the portable LCD games were, and how badly we wanted to be doing something D&D-related.
Gygax and co. understood the time constraints involved in role-playing, and they knew that getting a group together could be tough. Both of the Mattel games were quick and allowed solo play. Sometimes, clinging to the fringes of the D&D aura was the best we could do. In the first photo, as if to prove my point, you’ll see the first edition AD&D Monster Manual (1977) lurking in the closet, waiting for a game to show up. (I think the “Tempe North” on the kid’s hat refers to a Little League in Tempe, Arizona.)
See specs and details of the Computer Fantasy Game at the Handheld Games Museum. It appears on the first page of the 1982 Mattel Electronics toy fair catalog.
(Images via eBay and Handheld Games Museum)
Kid Scores Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game for Birthday, Circa 1981
Published June 9, 2014 Birthdays/Birthday Parties , Board Games/Tabletop Games , D&D , D&D Computer Labyrinth Game (Mattel) , D&D Portraits , D&D Toys 5 Comments
Mom, can I go over to Danielle’s house?
See the game stacked up in a 1980 toy store here.
(Photo via Brutal Chaos)
Toy Aisle Zen (1980): Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game, Super Simon, Perfection, and More
Published October 2, 2013 Board Games/Tabletop Games , D&D , D&D Computer Labyrinth Game (Mattel) , D&D Non-Gaming Merchandise , D&D Toys , Dark Tower , Toy Stores/Toy Aisles/Toy Departments 10 Comments
The D&D Computer Labyrinth Game was not a big seller, as you can see. It was expensive, and D&D hadn’t yet gone viral in the kid world. Here it is with Dark Tower in the 1981 Montgomery Ward Christmas Catalog for $44.88.
Super Simon was in the same catalog for $37.99. The non-electronic games pictured—Ideal’s Rebound, Galoob’s Pro Pinball, Perfection (scared the crap out of me when that board shot up)—were much cheaper.
The photo is alluring, but also frustrating: all of those aisles in the background forever unexplored, all of those endcaps flush with eternally unidentifiable carded toys.
(First image via Historic Images/eBay)
1984 Placo Toys Catalog: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Playsets
Published September 12, 2013 Catalogs , D&D , D&D Non-Gaming Merchandise , D&D Toys , Toy Guns/Weapons 7 Comments
I’ve never seen these before, but that’s not really a surprise. The mainstream expansion of D&D starting in 1983, when the action figure line and the cartoon were released, was a decadent mess. I have fond memories of both, but neither product broke new ground or had anything to do with D&D, and what’s worse, they lived in separate universes. It was a marketing disaster.
Had the cartoon featured the grittier action figure characters and Thundarr-like production and writing, D&D might have become a much different franchise.
I do get a kick out of the toy sets, and I think they’re interesting historically. Maybe I’ll be Warduke for Halloween.
2 Warps to Neptune 