AT-AT Bad, Penny Racer Good
It is Kenner vs. Takara in this 1981 newspaper article where the Associated Press reports on the Americans for Democratic Action’s toy findings that year. This one of those best and worst toys for Christmas pieces we see each year, and this time around the “findings” are less than kind to Kenner’s Star Wars AT-AT toy:
“A toy called At-At, a large model of a fighting machine from the movie ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ was criticized by the ADA as overpriced. The $45 to $55 item was termed a ‘good $20 toy.'”
Damn! At $20 in 1981, I would have totally owned an AT-AT, sure, but I think this criticism is unwarranted. The AT-AT was — and still is! — and incredible toy design with a lot of plastic, play features, and a fantastic design. Claiming it was only worth $20 in 1981 demonstrates how little the Americans for Democratic Action knew about the value of a toy.
On the flip side, Takara’s Penny Racers was named the best toy under $2 that year, so we know the people on the committee weren’t completely clueless.
Related articles
- 1980 Star Wars Sweepstakes Color Advertisement from the Los Angeles Times (battlegrip.com)
- “Toymakers are ready months ahead of Santa” (battlegrip.com)
- Fantasy Flight Game Announces Return To Hoth Expansion for Imperial Assault (tabletopgamingnews.com)