Exclusive:6 of the most disappointing toys you remember from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s that didn't live up to the hype

These toys were all hugely hyped and looked great on the adverts

But they proved a big let-down for many children in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s

What was the most disappointing toy you got as a child?

Everyone has a favourite childhood toy, but there are also those toys you dream of getting for ages, and when you finally do, they prove a big let-down.

Some toys look amazing on the adverts and generate such hype that you feel you simply can’t miss out on the fun.

But when you unwrap them, they just don’t live up to your dreams.

Below are six of the most disappointing toys people remember receiving in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

One was an unmitigated disaster, but others are considered classics by some, despite leaving many children cold.

Nintendo Power Glove

It felt like the future had well and truly arrived when the Power Glove was launched for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989.

Here was a controller you could slip on your arm and play games like you were actually part of the action.

It was even modelled on Robocop, one of the biggest hits of the day. What could go wrong?

Plenty, as it turns out. While initial sales were good, players soon expressed their disappointment as the controls turned out to be frustratingly imprecise and hard to work.

Only two games were released for use with the Power Glove - the maze game Super Glove Ball, and the beat ‘em up title Bad Street Brawler, neither of which set the world alight.

Despite the huge marketing campaign, the Nintendo Power Glove failed to live up to expectations and was discontinued the following year.

One person recalled how it was a ‘useless turd of a controller’, while another said: “The expectations were through the roof, but, wow, that thing was practically useless.”

Sea-Monkeys

It may be harsh to describe something that’s been around for nearly 70 years as a disappointment, but that’s how some people feel.

When Sea-Monkeys were launched in 1957, many children somehow expected a colony of tiny underwater monkeys, rather than the brine shrimp you actually got, with some people blaming what they felt was misleading advertising.

One disappointed customer recalled being ‘so annoyed none of them were wearing crowns or living in a glorious crystal castle’, while another said ‘the let down was immeasurable’.

There is still something magical about pouring a bunch of eggs in water and watching as they come to life, which explains why Sea-Monkeys remain popular.

As another person recalled: “I loved my Sea-Monkeys. They hatched, got way bigger than I thought they would and refused to die.”

Talkboy

This handheld voice recorder and voice changer actually began life as a prop used by Kevin in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.

The company that designed the prop was given the right to market a version.

The Talkboy Deluxe, which included the voice-changing feature from the film, became one of the biggest-selling toys of 1993.

But many children were left disappointed, feeling that the toy they received didn’t quite live up to the version they saw on film.

One person said: “They made that thing look like magic on Home Alone 2. The real thing was useless.”

Another commented: “The sound quality was pretty terrible, to be honest. It was lame. Nothing at all like the awesome magical device from the movie.”

Moon Shoes

The original Moon Shoes were marketed in 1989 as being ‘like kid-powered trampolines for your feet’.

But for many children who saw the adverts and got carried away, the boots proved a big let-down when they actually strapped them on.

One person branded them ‘totally useless’, while another pointed out: “Attaching mini trampolines to your feet doesn't actually make you bounce super high.”

You can still buy ‘anti-gravity’ Moon Shoes today, which are promoted as providing ‘high-bouncing thrills’.

Many parents say in the reviews that their children love them, though one did claim they were ‘way overpriced for a plastic box with some elastic bands’.

Pogo Ball

This is another one that divides opinion. Pogo balls were huge in the 80s and early 90s, but they proved much trickier than the pogo stick to master, with many children giving up.

One person said: “No one ever got more than four jumps on that. I’m convinced.”

Another recalled: “Awkward, uncomfortable jumping. Yay. And I had it and tried for a long while.”

But a third person said: “I loved my pogo ball! So much so, I got one for my six-year-old (better designs now).”

Mouse Trap

Many people may be wondering why we’ve included this classic board game on this list.

Mouse Trap has been entertaining families for more than 60 years now.

But even the game’s biggest fans would admit it didn’t always run as smoothly as in the adverts and it could take an age to put together properly.

One person recalled: “Couldn’t trap a dead mouse if it tried.”

Another commented: “I thought it looked like such a cool game, but it was the worst. And I remember getting two of them for my birthday from different people.

And a third said: “This game led to my lifelong hatred of advertising and marketing.”

But even if it didn’t work perfectly every time, lots of people do remember having lots of fun playing Mouse Trap as a child.

Many of you, especially only children, recall not actually playing the game but simply setting it up and watching the marble run for hours.

One said: “I played with the mice and made up little scenarios in which they all misled the diving board man into the trap.”

Do these toys bring back any memories for you? For more childhood nostalgia, check out our list of the best toys from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.