Top 20 Toys That FAILED Horribly
#20: Nestlé Magic Balls
Similar to the famous Kinder Surprise, Nestlé Magic Balls consisted of a small toy surrounded by milk chocolate. While Kinder Surprise has long raised safety concerns, they are outright banned in the United States for containing a “non-nutritive item” at their centers, something that is strictly prohibited by the FDA. Nestlé Magic Balls faced a similar fate. Many critics and consumer groups argued that the balls were dangerous, as the toys proved a significant choking hazard for young kids. After just a few years on the market, the Magic Balls were banned and pulled from circulation. They did eventually return, but they had been reworked and the toys were replaced with candy.
#19: The American Girl Doll Experiencing Homelessness
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Launched in 1986, the American Girl line of dolls is an eight-time winner of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award and has been included in the National Toy Hall of Fame. But it is not without its controversies. In 2009, one limited edition doll raised more than a few eyebrows. Her name was Gwen, and she was experiencing homelessness. Some people praised the inclusive message but others were not so moved. Gwen stirred quite a bit of controversy in the press, with some advocates fearing the doll would send the message to children that homelessness is something accepted in society and that it’s okay. The fact that Gwen was sold at almost $100 didn’t help the company’s case.
#18: Mini Hammocks
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Who doesn’t love lounging between some trees on a hot summer day? As their name suggests, mini hammocks were just smaller versions of regular hammocks made for children. There was just one problem - these hammocks were made without spreader bars. And without spreader bars, users were getting tangled and suffocating in the rope-like material. Twelve tragically lost their lives between 1984 and 1995 after getting stuck in these hammocks, prompting an enormous recall to be issued in May of 1996. Said recall affected ten different manufacturers, and over three million mini hammocks were pulled from the market.
#17: Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper
You know how virtually every small children’s toy comes with a “choking hazard” disclaimer? Well, rules are put in place for a reason, and we have the Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper to thank for this one. The Colonial Viper was a toy spaceship with many dangerous parts - including a small missile that could be fired at high speeds. In 1978, a boy tragically lost his life after firing the missile into his mouth and choking. Mattel was sued and the toy was swiftly removed from shelves. It also resulted in a new law, with all toy manufacturers being forced to issue the now-ubiquitous “choking hazard” disclaimer.
#16: Polly Pocket Quik Clik
Polly Pocket is a popular line of dolls, wouldn’t you know it, eventually acquired by Mattel. A major redesign of the doll occurred in 2004, when Mattel changed their clothing from stretchy rubber to hard, magnetized plastic. These dolls were part of the “Quik Clik” line, and the idea was that you could “quickly” change the doll by “clicking” their new clothes into place. Unfortunately, the tiny magnets inside these clothes had a penchant for falling out. Not only is this a choking hazard, but swallowing two or more magnets can prove fatal. In fact, three children sustained significant internal injuries after swallowing the fallen magnets. Millions of dolls were recalled, and Polly Pocket has gone through her fair share of redesigns since.
#15: “Battlefield Earth” Action Figures
Let’s just say Trendmasters greatly overestimated how popular “Battlefield Earth” was going to be. Released in 2000, “Battlefield Earth” is a sci-fi epic based on a novel written by the founder of Scientology. Often considered one of the worst movies ever, “Battlefield Earth” was not the early summer blockbuster it was planned to be, and it didn’t even manage to break-even at the box office. Toy company Trendmasters made a series of action figures modeled after the film’s characters but, given the turnout of the film, the action figures went the same way. The toy line lost the company a considerable amount of money and they closed just two years later.
#14: Talking Freddy Krueger Doll
Look, we love Freddy Krueger as much as the next person, but come on Matchbox - this thing is scary! Look at those bulging eyes! And those teeth! Gah! Matchbox made these Freddy dolls in 1989, around the time of “A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child.” However, much like Freddy himself, the doll attracted a significant amount of controversy from concerned parents, most of whom claimed that the doll was too scary and inappropriate for children. Luckily, he faced a better fate than the real Freddy. Rather than being burned alive, he was simply taken out of production and would eventually become a hot commodity on eBay.
#13: CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit
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The idea behind this toy from Planet Toys, Inc. is quite fun and clever. Basically, it allowed fans of “CSI” to dust for their own fingerprints using a special dust that was provided in the kit. There was just one major problem - this dust contained asbestos, a highly toxic material. Asbestos is also a powerful carcinogen and is considered extremely dangerous when touched or inhaled. This resulted in multiple lawsuits which caused Planet Toys to file for bankruptcy, and the company eventually went out of business in 2015.
#12: “Django Unchained” Dolls
Released in 2012, “Django Unchained” was directed by Quentin Tarantino and concerns a freed man who aims to rescue his wife from a malicious plantation owner. The movie is filled with graphic violence and contains many disturbing themes related to America’s dark past. Both The Weinstein Company and NECA made a series of dolls based on the movie’s characters. However, these figures were criticized by some, including director Spike Lee and Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, who argued that selling dolls based on human enslavement was in poor taste. Production was halted, and they were also removed from eBay for violating the site’s policy on “offensive material.”
#11: Happy Family Midge
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Introduced in 1963, Midge became an iconic member of the extended Barbieverse, eventually marrying Alan (yes, that Alan) and having three children. The kids were part of the “Happy Family” line, which was released in 2003, only one of them was still unborn. The youngest, Nikki, was packaged inside of a womb that could be removed from Midge’s pregnant belly. Some concerned parents voiced issues with this doll, arguing that it promoted teen pregnancy and that a pregnant doll was inappropriate for children. They caused a loud enough uproar for Walmart to hear, and the company pulled all Happy Family Midge dolls from their shelves. Barbie herself has also come under fire - specifically Rollerblade Barbie, whose wheels were known to cause sparks.
#10: Toy Guns
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The entire plot of “A Christmas Story” revolves around a toy gun and the main character almost shooting his eye out. It’s something he was warned about and, of course, something we’ve all been warned about too. These things are dangerous, and not even just for the aforementioned reason. They are often mistaken for real guns, and since 2015, at least 245 people wielding fake guns have been killed by police. They also have a great penchant for injury - both BB and paintball guns can leave nasty bruises. Even those little cap guns you get at the dollar store can cause some bad burns. Despite the danger and the statistics to prove it, these guys are still on the market.
#9: Hoverboards
While these toys are often called “hoverboards,” they’re really more of a segway without the handlebar. These scooters have quite the learning curve, and many people have hurt themselves falling off. Pick any fail compilation at random and chances are you’ll see just that. Between 2015 and 2016, nearly 27,000 children were taken to the emergency room for injuries. But falls weren’t the only problem. In July of 2016, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled half a million hoverboards after finding that they posed a major fire risk. The battery packs inside the hoverboards were faulty, and they caused dozens of fires after overheating and bursting into flames.
#8: The Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory
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Not only is this toy a mouthful, it’s also radioactive! The lab was released by the A. C. Gilbert Company in 1950 and was designed to teach children about nuclear energy. As such, it came packaged with four samples of uranium ore and a Geiger counter. Recent studies have shown that the toy was relatively safe, provided it was used and stored correctly. But “relatively” is the operative word here, and anything made for children containing uranium should probably be considered dangerous. But, the big reason for this toy’s failure was actually the price. These sets went for $50 in 1950, which is about $600 today! Unsurprisingly, it sold less than 5,000 units and was taken off the market after just one year.
#7: Burger King Poké Balls
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It was time for “Pokémon: The First Movie,” and Burger King hoped to jump on the hype train. They produced some tie-in Poké Balls that, when opened, revealed one of 57 exclusive Pokémon toys. However, these Poké Balls proved horribly dangerous for young kids, and there were many reports of injuries and deaths in the news. After initially refusing, Burger King later agreed to a recall and ordered all of its restaurants to stop issuing the Poké Balls. Those who already bought one could return it to the store for a free order of french fries. Millions of units were returned and over 20 million that were unsold were destroyed in the recall.
#6: Magnetix
A great toy for budding architects, Magnetix is a construction toy that encourages creativity with steel bearing balls and small magnetic building pieces. But as we’ve learned, toys with small pieces are often incredibly dangerous, especially when magnetic. In April of 2007, the Consumer Product Safety Commission ordered the recall of over four million Magnetix sets, citing one death and 27 serious intestinal injuries. There were also reports of at least 1,500 magnets coming loose from the toys. The Magnetix sets were eventually redesigned to improve quality control and magnet retention.
#5: Aqua Dots
A fun arts and crafts toy, Aqua Dots are small plastic beads measuring five millimeters in diameter. And believe it or not, they are generally considered to be safe. That was, at least, until late 2007 when numerous countries announced a collective recall. And no, it wasn’t for choking. A number of kids had fallen seriously ill after swallowing the beads, including two American youngins who fell into a coma. It was discovered that a cheaper plasticizer alternative was being used, and that it turned out to be toxic. The compound, called 1,4-Butanediol, when swallowed is metabolized into a sedative-hypnotic substance called gamma-hydroxybutyric acid. Needless to say, a swift and serious recall of the toy was ordered far and wide.
#4: Sky Dancers
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A hugely successful toy from the mid ‘90s, Sky Dancers were a ton of fun. These small dolls came with a pull-string and, when yanked, the Sky Dancer would shoot off its base and fly through the air by way of a pair of foam wings. While the toy sold well, almost ten million units were recalled in the summer of 2000 after safety concerns were raised. The Sky Dancer had caused over 100 reported injuries, with the foam wings lacerating faces and even causing temporary blindness after hitting people in the eyes.
#3: Easy-Bake Oven
In the grand scheme of things, the Easy-Bake Oven is not a failure. Over sixteen million units had been sold by 1997, and November 4 has even been named National Easy-Bake Oven Day. But really, any toy that uses a real heating element is bound to cause some problems. In May 2006, Hasbro released a new model that proved harmful for young users. The front-loading door was poorly designed, and hundreds of children got their fingers and hands stuck inside the contraption, even after a modification attempt. With the heating element on, this resulted in dozens of burns, many of which were quite serious and required hospitalization. Roughly a million Easy-Bake Ovens were recalled, and the faulty door was redesigned.
#2: The Cabbage Patch Kids Snacktime Kid
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Few toys get as big as the Cabbage Patch Kids. Introduced in the early ‘80s, these dolls set the world on fire and were the hottest commodity for years. A swath of different iterations were eventually released, including the Snacktime Kid in 1995. This one had the ability to “eat” small bits of plastic food. The food could be inserted into the doll’s mouth, and small silver rollers would allow the doll to “swallow” the food. It worked like a charm. In fact, it worked a little too well, as the rollers would also catch things like fingers and loose strands of hair. Not great snacks if you ask us, and the plug was quickly pulled on Snacktime Kid.
#1: Lawn Darts
It’s no surprise that throwing metal-tipped darts into the air and standing directly beneath them isn’t the safest activity in the world. Lawn darts have been the subject of intense scrutiny for decades, with the FDA labeling them a “mechanical hazard” all the way back in 1970. They were still allowed to be sold, but only under strict conditions, and they were banned entirely from children’s toy stores. In the 1980s, over 6,000 people were taken to the hospital with injuries caused by metal lawn darts, prompting their total national ban in December 1988. Canada followed just a few months later and banned metal-tipped lawn darts in July 1989.
Did you happen to get your hands on any of these toys? Let us know in the comments below!
