The 1980s produced the icons—G.I. Joe, Transformers, MOTU—but it also birthed a deliciously odd B-side of toy concepts that only that decade would dare ship. Here’s our curated tour of the strangest lines that turned “What if…?” into plastic reality—plus quick collector notes so you can hunt smart.
Food Fighters (1988): When dinner declared war
Mattel’s 4″ anthropomorphic entrees split into Kitchen Commandos vs. Refrigerator Rejects. Major Munch (donut) and Mean Wiener (hot dog) strapped on gear and made lunchtime a war zone.
- Why it was weird: combat rations as the soldiers themselves.
- Why it works now: strong silhouettes, punny names, easy-to-display squads.
- Collector tip: rubbery limbs can get sticky—store cool and bag accessories separately.
Madballs (1986): Gross-out spheres of fun
AmToy’s foam fright balls—Screamin’ Meemie, Slobulus, et al.—spun into hard-plastic figures with moving parts as the craze ballooned.
- Why it was weird: balls as characters; marketing leaned into slime-era humor.
- Collector tip: foam dries/cracks; avoid sun exposure and compressive storage.
Barnyard Commandos (1989): The farmyard arms race
Playmates drafted pigs and sheep into the P.O.R.K.S. vs. R.A.M.S. pun-iverse. Sergeant Woolly Pullover, anyone?
- Why it was weird: livestock with launchers, all puns, minimal articulation.
- Collector tip: missiles and tiny gear go missing; completeness drives value.
Sectaurs (1985): Warriors of Symbion
Coleco’s 7″ insectoid heroes rode giant bug puppets (your hand inside the body). Dargon and his Dragonflyer still look wild on a shelf.
- Why it was weird: half-man, half-insect, plus glove-puppet mounts.
- Collector tip: puppet fabric/elastics degrade—inspect for brittleness and tears.
The Wuzzles (1985): Hybrid hijinks
Disney mashed animals—Bumblelion, Eleroo—into plush stars with a short but noisy run.
- Why it was weird: action-figure adjacent, yet firmly plush and punny.
- Collector tip: fabric fades and seams split; prefer clean tags and bright colors.
Army Ants (1987): Tiny troopers with a sting
Hasbro fielded rubber ants in squads with swappable abdomens and cartoony ranks like Blasted Billy.
- Why it was weird: insects + army men, team colors, pop-off parts.
- Collector tip: abdomen plugs tear—avoid over-swapping; verify team colors match.
My Pet Monster (1986): Chains couldn’t hold him
AmToy’s blue-furred mascot was cute, creepy, and came with break-away orange cuffs. A VHS special sealed icon status.
- Why it was weird: a hug-ready monster with prison-orange restraints.
- Collector tip: look for intact cuffs/chain and unfaded neon details.
Rock Lords (1986): When rocks… rocked
Tonka’s GoBots spin-off transformed into stones. Characters like Boulder, Nugget, Magmar tried to make minerals marketable.
- Why it was weird: alt modes with zero dynamism—literal rocks.
- Collector tip: hinges wear; check tightness and paint chips on “ore” finishes.
Bionic Six (1987): Family matters, cybernetic edition
LJN’s die-cast heroes blended domestic sitcom energy with powered-up superheroics; quality was high, premise… quirky.
- Why it was weird: an entire nuclear family as a tactical unit.
- Collector tip: die-cast chips—seek sharp face paint and unwarped accessories.
Chuck Norris Karate Kommandos (1986): Action kicks logic to the curb
Kenner converted the real martial artist into a cartoon hero vs. Super Ninja, Tabasco, and company—complete with “Karate Action.”
- Why it was weird: real person turned toy toon with spring moves.
- Collector tip: test spring actions gently; verify all weapons and sashes are present.
Why the Weird Endures
These lines didn’t always last, but their risk-taking did: bold silhouettes, toyetic gimmicks, and unapologetic oddness. That’s why collectors still chase them—because strange stands out in a sea of samey capes and camo.