Cooler toys

[tigertim20]

why do kids have cooler toys these days?
Little brother is staying for a couple days 'cos its holidays (Wifes little brother - he's 10) and he has saved up a bunch of pocket money, so we took him around the shops the blow it on something.
When I was ten, toys were shit, so you either required massive amounts of creativity, or you went and blew your money on lollies, then went and did stupid shit while high on a massive sugar rush - usually ending in being yelled at and/or grounded by the parents.

Lego, in particular, pretty much consisted of oblong shaped blocks. and that was it.

Well, little brother has a bit fo a taste for lego as it turns out, so we looked at the warehouse, and at Kmart before looking at Toy World.
and whaddya know.

The shit they can do with lego these days? - fuckin hell!!
One in particular is a set that can make a motorcycle. actually, you can make two totally different motorcycles with the kit. but heres the rub.
This kit lets you make a motorbike with a little engine block, that has little pistons, that actually go up and down when the rear wheel (which also has a lego chain you put together) is turned.
what the hell?

Why do kids these days have toys that are so much cooler than when I was a kid?

Admittedly the bike one (which I have a strange desire to go and buy) was around $100, but if you wanted to spend more, jesus, the things you can build with lego!

[boman]

I know. Actually I was fortunate enough to have had a couple of Lego Technical sets, purchased by the gran, from overseas, when I was a whole lot younger. But I still wistfully look at the kids toys, and Lego, available now, and am amazed at what is available nowdays.

[Hitcher]

My parents bought me a tomahawk for my 8th birthday. Now that was a seriously cool toy. I'd like to see any parent try that these days.

[tigertim20]

My parents bought me a tomahawk for my 8th birthday. Now that was a seriously cool toy. I'd like to see any parent try that these days.

how long till they took it back off you?
If I had a tomahawk, I wouldnt have had to give money to the nice asian lady at the Dairy to get my lollies!!!

[2Seat_Terror]

LEGO is awesome. I still have all of mine, in a box in my father's garage somewhere. I can hardly wait for my son to get a few years older...

[Ocean1]

My parents bought me a tomahawk for my 8th birthday. Now that was a seriously cool toy. I'd like to see any parent try that these days.

I got my first pocket knife for my sixth birthday, just the single blade, 'bout 6".

Before the day was out I'd stabbed myself in the knee.

Got to keep the knife, think they figured it'd taught me all I needed to know about sharp stuff.

[Spearfish]

Lego was easier and cheaper than the OLD versions of Meccano

The Meccano working steam engine was the add on of add ons.

Before that was a couple of axles, thin plank and a beer crate to make a trolley, even that turned into cheque book racing, the guys with bearings in their wheels always won the king of the hill us platic bush wheeled trolleys couldn't win without cheating.

[DrunkenMistake]

how long till they took it back off you?
If I had a tomahawk, I wouldnt have had to give money to the nice asian lady at the Dairy to get my lollies!!!

I was given a hatchet/tomahawk when I was 8 as well, I was then given a hunting knife when I was 10, I think I still have both, I still use the Hatchet now that I think of it.

Otherwise,
LEGO IS FUCKING AWESOME!

[imdying]

Technics has been around since the 80s, but admittedly you had to get the bulk of it from overseas. A family friend was a steward on Lufthansa, and he used to bring us a little now and then.

The Lego 'pistons' have been around since forever, but they used to be a 2x2 square rather than the round ones they use now. Square pistons, lets see you make that work Honda

Modern Lego is a bit wank with a custom brick made to solve every problem... sort of missing the point a bit IMHO. Other than that, most notable change in Lego has been the pricing, very cheap these days (in comparison).