Of all the '80s toy lines that could've potentially resurfaced, I don't think I would've ever put money on Madballs. Turns out, I'm a shitty gambler. Madballs are back, and they're every bit as gloriously gruesome and pointlessly pleasant as the obnoxious originals. (I'm a shitty gambler, but I'm awesome at Scattergories.
One of the most amazing things about this Madballs relaunch is the honest attempt by Basic Fun to market them as "toys for kids." Granted, that's what they are, but I have to suspect that most sales will stem from those in and around my age — people who grew up loving 'em, hoping to reclaim a lost glory or two. Though they're sold at many of the twenty-something hipster shops as sheer novelty acts, Basic Fun has somehow managed to persuade traditional toy store chains to carry the beasts. Will the kids of today respond so positively? Probably not, but I can't say that I mind walking through Toys "R" Us and spotting a shelf full of simple Madballs next to all of the toys with MP3 players and flash drives pouring out their asses.
While the new Madballs share names and appearances with the old guard, they're more detailed, feature better paint jobs, and if I was at all objective, I'd have to admit that they're superior toys. If I had to search for any gripe at all, I guess I'd say that they're a little less "literal balls" than the originals were…meaning that the extra details and shaping made for toys that are ball-shaped, but maybe not necessary real balls. That's a pretty awful and transparent gripe, loaded with testicular innuendo, and I can't even stand by it two sentences later. Toss aside the rose-tinted glasses, and they're every bit as suave as the originals.
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5 comments:
I am so buying one of these, the question is which one? You just never know when a madball will come in handy.
On further reflection I absolutely must must must get my hands on a Madball. JPX, can you grab one for me if you come across them in your travels?
I see them at Toys R Us all the time!
I can the future so vividly. I'll say "Hey Lauren, heads up!" and toss my newly purchased Madball at her. She'll catch it, look at it and say "What the hell is this?" to which I'll reply "Madball". She'll then begin a follow up question but then think better of it. I'll grab 2 oranges and show off my juggling skills for 30-40 seconds. Not content with the standard juggling, I'll attempt the loop-dee-loop trick and either the madball or an orange will roll on the floor.
It will then roll around the appartment for a few days, finding it's way on the countertop, couches and bookshelves. I'll occasionally pick it up, squeeze it and admire it.
I'll soon grow as bored with my Madball as I did with my recently purchased shoddy KISS rubics cube. At a crucial moment, it will roll under the bed and I'll no longer be willing to make the effort of bending down to get it.
Can't wait!
I hope they still have the one that's just a big eyeball. Get that one!
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