You haven’t felt true pain until you’ve stepped on a LEGO® or misplaced your Polly Pocket. You have the ‘90s to thank for that.
Let’s take a walk down memory lane, shall we? All the fuzzy, nostalgic feelings of fighting with your siblings over Power Rangers and Barbie dolls, getting pelted in the eye by Nerf darts, burning your fingers on Easy-Bake Ovens, and crashing your miniature Power Wheels into a nearby wall or person. Those were the good days.
These days, our favorite way to connect to the past is through the internet, and shopping for treasures like Skip It and Tech Deck on eBay. We at All Home Connections decided to do some online hunting of our own to see which ‘90s toys are the most popular in each state. Check out our final list to see if your favorite toy made the cut.
Our Methodology
We compiled a list of the 50 most popular toys and games from the 1990s, then looked at Google Shopping trends over the previous year to determine which toys were the favorites in each state. We then looked at how much these toys sell for on eBay (and were shocked by some of the results, including $120 for Floam!).
Fun Facts
Third degree burns, mini cars that don’t stop, and choking hazards galore. There’s just something about the ‘90s you have to…love? We broke down a few interesting facts in case you’ve forgotten what these toys were all about:
- American Girl Dolls are the most popular toys in ten states, including Connecticut and Utah. Felicity, Addy, and Josefina were released in the ‘90s specifically, complete with matching outfits you could wear with your doll.
- West Virginia loves Barbie dolls, but New York one-ups them with the My Size Barbie Doll, in all her 38 inches of blonde-haired, blue-eyed glory.
- Let’s just talk about $120 Floam on Ebay for a second, and who in the world would pay that much. If you follow the slime trend on Instagram (millions do!), that might explain it.
- With over 11 million copies sold, Nintendo 64 is easily Nintendo’s most popular game console, and still going strong in Vermont.
- Speaking of cake, Easy-Bake Oven might look cute and harmless all decked out in pink plastic, but it has caused plenty of burns in its lifetime, some as bad as second or third degree. It was recalled in 2007—but residents of Wyoming prefer to live life on the edge, one mini chocolate pastry at a time.
- Heelys (shoes with wheels built in) are still coveted in North Dakota. One study states that these dangerous kicks account for 8% of the patient complaints of a pediatric orthopedic department.
- Power Wheels are most popular in the South. Several models were recalled over the years, including the 18-Volt Porsche 911, which welded the foot pedal into constant acceleration.
Your State’s Most Popular 90s Toy
American Girl Doll – Average eBay price: $90
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Pennsylvania
- Utah
- Wisconsin
Power Wheels – Average eBay price: $200
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Louisiana
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
LEGO – Average eBay price: $25 (Up to $3,000+ depending on size of kit)
- California
- Montana
- New Mexico
Fashion Plates – Average eBay price: $22
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
Littlest Pet Shop – Average eBay price: $12
- Alaska
- Kentucky
Baby Alive – Average eBay price: $120
- Oklahoma
Barbie – Average eBay price: $20
- West Virginia
Betty Spaghetty – Average eBay price: $30
- Ohio
Buzz Lightyear – Average eBay price: $40
- Arkansas
Crossfire – Average eBay price: $50
- Florida
Don’t Wake Daddy – Average eBay price: $25
- Alabama
Easy-Bake Oven – Average eBay price: $60
- Wyoming
Elefun – Average eBay price: $25
- Missouri
Floam – Average eBay price: $20 ($120 unopened 1994 purple Floam)
- Hawaii
Gameboy Advance – Average eBay price: $30
- New Hampshire
Gator Golf – Average eBay price: $30
- Texas
Heelys – Average eBay price: $30
- North Dakota
Koosh ball – Average eBay price: $6
- Oregon
Lite Brite – Average eBay price: $20
- Idaho
Mr. Bucket – Average eBay price: $20
- Nebraska
Mr. Sketch – Average eBay price: $7
- Colorado
My Size Barbie – Average eBay price: $70
- New York
Nerf Gun – Average eBay price: $40
- Arizona
Nintendo 64 – Average eBay price: $50
- Vermont
Perfection – Average eBay price: $10
- Michigan
Pogs – Average eBay price: $2 – $40
- Nevada
Polly Pockets – Average eBay price: $20
- Washington
Power Rangers – Average eBay price: $7
- Maine
Skip It – Average eBay price: $30
- Iowa
Socker Boppers – Average eBay price: $20
- Virginia
Super Soaker – Average eBay price: $50
- District of Columbia
Tamagotchi – Average eBay price: $40
- Delaware
Tech Deck – Average eBay price: $15
- Rhode Island
Trolls – Average eBay price: $15
- South Dakota
Do you currently own one or more of these popular ‘90s toys? Try your hand selling them on eBay, or use AT&T Internet to buy a few for old times’ sake.