What is Ken's full name? Since the introduction of the Ken doll in 1961, one could easily argue that Ken has never had nearly as much attention as he’s getting right now. But being Kenough goes well beyond just the dolls....
What’s the world record for solving a Rubik’s Cube? Before being named after its inventor, Ernő Rubik, the Rubik’s Cube was to be called the Magic Cube. Which is kind of appropriate, because the only people who can solve those things are damn magicians. Working at the Academy of Applied Arts and Crafts in Budapest, Rubik originally developed...
Nintendo had the best selling toy in America until what iconic toy took the title in 1991? As far as any mom in the late 1980s was concerned, every video game system ever made was just called a Nintendo. No NES. No Game Boy. No Atari 2600 — just “Nintendo.” And to be fair, it wasn’t just moms. We pretty much all referred to home consoles that...
Where is Hello Kitty from? Every time I think I understand exactly what Hello Kitty actually is, I find out something new that twists my brain into a new knot. She never has a mouth but somehow talks in cartoons. She is both a fictional character and an entire brand. She’s friends with frogs...
What were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles renamed in the UK? While brilliant, I have to say that the name Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is about as lazy as it can get. I can imagine the creators sitting there thinking, “What should we call this comic/cartoon about a bunch of teenage mutant ninja turtles? Wait a second…” On the other...
What was the first toy advertised on TV? We all complained about commercials at the time, but now that they’re gone I think I kind of miss them. The over-the-top acting and blatant lies about the product were sometimes better than whatever trash we were watching. This was when marketers were willing to throw everything at the...
What was the first LEGO brick set ever made? The Danish are known to be talented at many things, such as pillaging, riding bikes, and having the oldest flag in the world. But if there’s one thing the people from Denmark do better than anyone else, it’s create little plastic bricks that can be put together to...