23 tech toys you wanted but never got
We've all had those moments when we rip open the wrapping paper and discover that Santa didn't quite deliver the electronics we'd been nagging our parents for. (image credit: 20th Century Fox)
Bigtrak (or Big Trak in the US) was a programmable vehicle that essentially taught kids to code many many years before it became popular. (image credit: Nathan Chantrell)
We did get an Electronic Battle for Christmas in the 80s but our nylon carpet created enough static to blow it up by Boxing Day. (image credit: Karmaan Design)
Choosing Tetris to come free with the machine was a masterstroke by Nintendo. We still have the music embedded in our brains. (image credit: Jared Cherup)
We could've included so many different Lego sets, but this Monorail pack as part of the Space range in the late 80s is our biggest regret. (image credit: nolnet)
Atari pretty much started the whole videogames console market in 1977 with the Atari 2600, it was priced at $199 so around $830 in today's money. (image credit: Arcade Punks)
Based on the 1970s TV show of the same name, the plastic Steve Austin was seen as a more advanced Action Man so therefore we all wanted one. (image credit: Mike Mozart)
The Sinclair ZX81 was a revelation on its release in 1981, but it wasn't until the ZX Spectrum a year later that things really began to take off. (image credit: Quagmirez31)
Hypnotic and challenging, Simon was a simple electronic game but everyone seemed to have one. Except us. (image credit: Axel Tregoning)
This was one of several Texas Instrument electronic devices that were designed to make learning fun. (image credit: Texas Instruments)
Lazer Tag is still available today, in several more modern guises, but you can't beat the 80s original. (image credit: Lazer Tag Museum)
Total Control Racing (TCR) was the cooler rival to Scalextric that ultimately fell by the wayside. (image credit: Steve Berry)
Like the Game & Watch, handheld machines were one-game affairs back in the 80s and one of the very best was Galaxy Invader 1000. (image credit: CGL)
Long before the Game Boy was a twinkle in Mr Nintendo's eye, the Japanese gaming giant tested the handheld water with its Game & Watch series. (image credit: Christoph Bauer)
The Stylophone pocket organ was hugely popular in the 70s and 80s for almost no reason as it make a sound like an electronic cat being strangled. (image credit: kweez mcG)
The Stylophone pocket organ was hugely popular in the 70s and 80s for almost no reason as it make a sound like an electronic cat being strangled. (image credit: Checkyoursix77)
Considering how badly the Wii U sold it's easy to forget that the previous console, the Wii, was a huge hit - especially with families. (image credit: Kathryn Beadle)
Teksta (or Tekno as it is known in the States) is popular in its current form but first came to life in 2000 with a more robotic look and fewer features. (image credit: Bonanza)
A recent entry into our list purely because we think it's awesome, the Star Wars drone series tick all the boxes for a must-have Christmas present. (image credit: Pocket-lint)
A recent entry this considering it was a massive hit during a recent Christmas, the Star Wars BB-8 version of the app-controlled Sphero was incredibly popular. (image credit: Sphero)
Anki Overdrive was a massive success a few Christmases ago, much to even Anki's surprise and delight. (image credit: Pocket-lint)
The recreated Nintendo Entertainment System was reasonably priced, with 30 pre-installed games for your £50, so sold out quickly. (image credit: Pocket-lint)
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