Top 10 Best 80s Action Figure Toy Lines!

[@gordongraham7]

The 80s were the golden age for toys. So many excellent toy lines, so many amazing memories.

[@Win1forQuinn]

That moment you realize that all the cartoons you watched as a kid were essentially just 30 minute toy commercials...and it worked tremendously.

[@tinynuggins1029]

100% true. They were commercials...and they were awesome. They also beat the shows for kids on TV today hands down! It's not even a contest.

[@CarlyCatharsis]

Hell...It STILL DOES!! As I've NEVER Stopped Collrcting MOST Of These, Along with #TMNT, PowerRangers, #ThunderCats & Silverhawks!

[@mateobrynn5792]

That moment you realize that, in spite of Kevin Smiths (and other influencers) best efforts to jade us about the cartoons being 30 minute toy commercials, you just don’t care because they were awesome and the childhood memories are irreplaceable!

[@Supreme36074]

Definitely

[@francoisregis2155]

I never really cared if the were commercials for me they were just entertainment like the looney tunes or scooby doo the flintstones. But boy we had great and cool show back then

[@justinthomas7222]

Tony: "Transformers aren't action figures." Everybody: "WELL THEY'RE NOT DOLLS!" 😝😂

[@whozyourdaddy]

More great content, Tony. GIJoe is easily number one. Best articulation. Widest range of vehicles and playsets. Widest range of characters. Such rich variety. Amazing memories.

[@wiibrockster]

MOTU is definitley my favourite 80's toyline. I love it all!

[@ChaosFox0]

He clearly got his cards mixed up. MOTU was/is the best toy line!

[@steveperry8431]

Agreed Motu was my favourite toyline when I was at school I loved the whole toyline and the best toys I liked in the late 80s Tonka super naturals

[@eleazarruoch576]

I had so many MotU toys, I have forgotten some of them. My favorite thing was my Attak Trak. I also had Castle Grayskull, and the far cooler, Snake Mountain with the voice changing mic. Then Nintendo comes out, and me and my brothers hatched a plan to only ask for Nintendo stuff for Christmas and birthdays that year. It worked. On Christmas of 1986, one of my Aunts had bought me Family Fun Fitness, Stadium Events, after searching tirelessly for a sold out everywhere, The Legend of Zelda game. Christmas Eve, she gets a call from a friend who bought her son one, not knowing that his dad already bought it. So she bought me that one and I got both games for Christmas. Well, we played Zelda and played and played and played. Stadium Events remained unopened. It got packed up and sent home with me. I had fully intended to open it and play it, but after going back to school and talking to some friends, enemies, and random other kids, I was told that it sucked and was fully convinced that it did. So I was going to trade it in for the upcoming Contra game. My mother goes in and cleans up my room and takes a bunch of stuff to Goodwill, and puts a bunch of stuff away in an old trunk and puts it in the attic. For years, I thought she had taken it to Goodwill. Well, I got my Contra game anyway and didn't give the unopened Stadium Events another thought. Until my mother cleaned out the attic to have a yard sale 25 years later. I found my game in the yard sale for 50¢ and reclaimed it immediately. I wiped it off with a wet wipe. Good as new. I knew it had to be worth something, so I looked it up. It turned out that it was indeed worth thousands of dollars. But still not enough to make me do something impulsive. Sitting in a protective case on a shelf in my room, is an original release unopened copy of Family Fun Fitness: Stadium Events, waiting until the value surpasses $1,000,000.

[@CarlyCatharsis]

When They Brought Them Back Out, I Stupidly Bought EVERY Ghostbutser👻Toy... INSTEAD OF MOTU Ones? As THEY Seemed To Be #PegWarmees, Due To Turds On SocialMedia Telling Folks That THEY Easily Brake?? (Got A Few & Found Out That They're Head, Arns, Hands, Waist & Calves Are MEANT To Detach To Swap!)

[@Chris_Eatz]

To be a kid in the 80s is pure bliss

[@dustycrosley486]

I love that you put up the image of Flash upon announcing the #1 slot. This was my first Joe in 82 and it was special not only because I was blown away by how playable a single action figure could be, but it was the very first toy I bought with my own money mowing lawns for the neighbors that summer. I was hooked immediately and yes ARAH epitomizes the 1980's. What a magical time to be a kid.

[@retroblasting]

"I salute you...." - Max Von Sydow, Conan the Barbarian

[@johnbockelie3899]

Best Batman cartoon line " let's pray this works "".

[@mikeallan41]

Connan the barbarian and heeman was my shit

[@lostonwallace1396]

I really wish that companies like Hasbro would give us more vehicles and play sets. Action figures are great, but with the play sets, it's an all new level of fun! Very nice list, Tony!

[@Pemechan76]

I like playsets now that am not a kid anymore, but I have to say that Kenner really did a few lousy playsets for Star Wars but that was ok, because at that time no kid that I knew of was asking for playsets...we wanted action figures and vehicles!:) though castle grey skull was for me the best playset of the 80s!

[@lostonwallace1396]

@@Pemechan76 The Kenner playset that I liked was the Death Star Station. That one was a lot of fun for me as a kid. It had a lot going for it. I certainly enjoyed the vehicles more though. I still play around with that AT-ST walking chicken. lol

[@Pemechan76]

@@lostonwallace1396 I agree, the Death Star space station was the best of the line for me, the cantina Bar I kind of also liked...interesting that for me Kenner produced really amazing toys for a new hope, while as a market leader in the toy industry, they couldn’t really make it for empire strikes back (Bespin) and return of the Jedi (Jabba’s palace)...wonder why Kenner didn’t reproduce the Death Star for return of the Jedi, just use the same concept and replace the trash compactor with a hangar Bay and the laser Canon with a throne room, connectable to the old Death Star...I would buy it:)

[@Crooklynmike]

I agree and I really think that for adult collectors Hasbro should come up with some cool dioramas for these action figures.

[@Djkold]

The intro alone is worth the like!

[@WeerdWulf]

O.M.G... That's my 80s childhood right there! Transformers, Action Force, M.A.S.K., Masters of the Universe, and, of course, Star Wars. Fantastic video, Tony! Thanks 👊

[@toddsmith9598]

Great rankings and honorable mention choices! Thanks Tony, great work!

[@tribalismsucks7784]

I was a massive G.I. Joe fan, even continuing to buy them into adulthood. I own the every comic up through 100, including two copies of number 1 because I read it so many times I bought a second untouched copy. I digress, a little known line I think only I enjoyed was Mego's Eagle Force. They were die cast but smaller. I could fit more of them in my pocket, so they travelled better. The only problem, I could never find all the characters.

[@tb7771]

I forgot about Eagle Force thanks for bringing them up. I remember the paint didn't last long on them.

[@damiena341]

Good video. The Indiana Jones toy line is really good. The Ark of the Covenant is one hell of an accessory! Impressed. I didn't even know those existed until recently. For me, Star Wars has to be my favourite toy line of the 80s even though they perhaps weren't the best.

[@iansweeney8406]

Living in the UK I was very fond of Action Force and was oblivious to GI Joe initially. I remember when the rebranding happened and I saw an advert on tv for "GI Joe the action force", being really put out that the US had taken over and diluted a treasured toy line. I'm still Action Force over GI Joe, but the quality of the figures released in both lines won out over initial misgivings. Top 5 for me would be 1. Star Wars, 2. Action Force, 3. GI Joe, 4. Masters of the Universe, 5. MASK. Thanks for the videos and keep up the great work.

[@SamuelAna4Ever]

Pure brilliance this. A fun quick visit to the greatest era of action figures. The 70's built the foundation and the 80's took the ball and ran with it all the way. Yoooooo Joe!!!!!!!!!!

[@andrecoxa]

Oh WOW! I'm from Brazil and things are always a bit harder to get here, be it price wise or due to sheer availability. I was a kid in the 80s, but I assume it was the same then, or worse. My family wasn't rich, so I feel very privileged for having had most of the toys shown in this video. What a pack of emotions this video has brought back to me, thank you SO MUCH for sharing this. I could remember textures, little broken fingers, how Superman's cape got attached to his neck through that semi-circle-ish thingy, and even some of the SMELLS! This is absolutely BRILLIANT! I'm so sad I eventually gave my parents the go ahead for them to give all these toys away; you might think some other kid was able to enjoy them and that's good, but the fact of the matter is that they would have been from one generation over and would not even have understood how much they meant! Excellent job!

[@GarysActionManChannel1970]

I really like the introduction to this video with all those 80s icons👍

[@marcgordon3462]

I can see Tony throwing down some cardboard and showing the crowd how to pop and lock. Great video and congrats on 25 k subscribers, you deserve it

[@billpagan3070]

Great list Tony! So many wonderful toys back then.👍 I am so grateful I was a kid in the 80’s😁

[@kennylong653]

AWESOME VIDEO TONY! Really enjoyed this one! Would love a top ten list of greatest toys never made during the 80s as well as a top ten obscure toy lines that would of been cool like Krull and Dragonslayer

[@wiseguy3675]

I agree with many of these, but another that I played with a lot were the LJN Wrestling Superstars figures. The hard rubber figures were incredibly durable, even if the paint on them wasn't.

[@mr.revrac5602]

I’ve always wished I could’ve grown up in the 80’s by far it seems like one of the best times to be alive

[@francislute186]

Great video. This list is spot on. I loved the inclusion of the Indiana Jones line which doesn't get enough love. G.I. Joe is one of the most iconic and best toy lines ever and not just of the 80s.

[@chrishunter8817]

Great video! Very informative and fascinating! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

I am amazed that Tony have some of those old toys in mint condition.

[@andrewflashchannelgibbs5384]

Another great video. Brings back so many good memories of playing with my toys. Thanks.

[@salamwati9281]

W😍W the 80's..3 quarter fun are all the rage...i remember seeing stacks upon stacks of boys action toys then at our biggest toys r' us here in Singapura..and yes Mask was a very splendid line as the animation series was quite good..too bad i did not have any to show now. Back then their prices are good and no adult buys the toys as much then meaning there is almost no scalpers..heck you can find all of any lines in stock including MOTU. Btw there is also the Silverhawks action figures in the mid 80s which i used to own the Tally Hawk in the big scale.🤗 great memory lane trip video.

[@paulwatson3194]

I wasn't born with enough thumbs up to like this channel.

[@PixelPipes]

I can't really find fault in that list. Well done! p.s. the way you say 'Action Force' is perfect and will forever be read with your voice in my head whenever I see the name.

[@adecook8282]

I wouldn’t have GI Joe at number one personally Tony, but you made a compelling argument in favour of it non the less. That air craft carrier!!! Great video content as ever mate. Cheers.

[@Shitinthemorning]

Whats fun about is that the 90's kids had the same experience, same toys - they where that good they sold them as much in the beginning 90's

[@jemkey6930]

My dad was growing up in the 80s and he loved the toys offered at the stores. The one that hit him was Indiana Jones he never saw that toyline in his very small community of stores. He's even mentioned toys I can't find on ebay or Google because of how rare they were then, but his stores still had them. Anyway great picks for the video.

[@Qui-GonJohn]

Terrific intro. Without a doubt the best I've seen on KZbin.

[@dwaynec7542]

I’m biased towards Star Wars, so I’d have put them at the top, especially due to the huge influence on later lines. That said, I otherwise think your list is spot on!

[@Michael_Johnson_5446]

As a kid I never knew the Indiana Jones line existed. I spent my whole childhood wishing someone would make Indy toys. When I finally discovered the Kenner line through the internet c. 2005 it was like finding the Holy Grail.

[@dioramagerry2581]

Merci pour vôtre vidéo plein de bon souvenir d'enfance superbe retour vers le passé tank you

[@Ancientcaptain]

Who remembers the Gobots they were out before transformers but just didnt have the story line or complex transformation, it didnt take long for them to hit the bargain shelf, Mask and GI joe were top quality toys and two of my favs

[@kieranlindsay1220]

thanks Tony ,was a huge fan of M.A.S.K the cartoon and the figures wish I saved them

[@daveb1930]

I'm figuratively frothing with internet indignation that StarCom got left out, while Action Man and G.I. Joe got an entry each instead of a combined entry.

[@aaronstepien2363]

Action Force is enough of “it’s own thing” to get it’s own slot I think. I had the Action Force figure with the red beret, but had no idea who he was. I thought it was a character from the movie Taps, which was playing on HBO a lot at the time

[@Homeschoolsw6]

Glad you picked G.i. Joe Tony.

[@impossiblepie]

Great list and great video, Kraken was an action figure for action force lol!!!! That is awesome !!!! G.i Joe was my favorite toy growing up.

[@kingerikthegreatest.ofall.7860]

Excellent video.

[@gazz_N7]

There could only have been that one at the top. Great list Tony! I agree with you entire list. I only wish that I had collected some of the Indy line as a kid, that cargo truck was, amazing! Thanks, for the video!! 😁

[@jonboldrey5339]

Awsome 80s video tony! Sw #1 for me. Shure took hrs to cute footage 2gether 👍😂👍

[@wilmoney4619]

I’m actually watching this a third time showing my brother. Can’t wait for another one!

[@shawnedmonds7394]

I'm sure for many of us, our top 10 is predicated mostly by what we collected as kids and seeing as how there were so many toy lines, for parents to buy them all would have their family living on the street. I loved seeing your top 10 choices and agree with many. For me, Thundercats would definitely be in. Some would share a spot on the list due to the cross-play I did with them. Like my Rambo position would be shared w/ Chuck Norris karate kommandos.

[@kieronball8962]

Great video, with an interesting 80's top ten, that actually confirms for me, that I'm really a 70's action figure kind of guy! 😁

[@prof.brunotsouza]

> VERY HAPPY TO WATCHING YOUR PRESENTATIONS, THANKS... (time travel)

[@andrewflashchannelgibbs5384]

Another great video.

[@Winch67]

Great Video as always and especially nice to see you flying the Analog Toys Flag! ;-) Oddly I remember VENOM from Mask but not Mask itself as one of my girlfriend's little brothers played with them and he was always trying to show me them and for some reason I remember the VENOM acronym! ;-)

[@fenumtaurus]

The 80s and 90s was and will be the best decade of mankind.

[@michaelblaine6494]

I loved the Rambo movies as a kid,it seems like we were allowed to watch pretty much whatever we wanted back then. Maybe it was just me and my parents were negligent😂

[@francoisregis2155]

Used to watch western movies with my dad at the age of 3 😉

[@resolute123]

Oh Jesus, how'd I missed this! Awesome man! Awesome to the max!

[@sxhbk]

Absolutely tremendous intro Tony.. one of the best i have ever seen on utube.. You really captured the 80s.. cheers mate

[@lankesh6280]

Still love that era golden time of my life❤ and a gi joe fan too collected hundreds of there action figurs mu fev snake eyes❤

[@dacca6836]

I was a wee lad in the early 80's and I loved Kenner's Indiana Jones toys. I did however wait until the well of souls got marked down to $2.00 to complete my collection.

[@TimHayes]

That Kenner Indiana Jones line needed more playsets. Probably a few more figures,but the toys seemed to get in stores a bit too late after the movie had been released.

[@scockery]

The basic Indiana Jones figure was nigh impossible to find back in the day. And Marion Ravenwood, too.

[@victormv3380]

Great video! I enjoyed it 😉

[@darrenlittleton7438]

Another great video cheers

[@johncranejr.5736]

Man your videos are so full of information my mind feels like tapioca puddin. Thank you for putting in the time to research all these wonderful I was born in 1970 so pretty much all of these hit home it's nice to keep the history going

[@michaelmetler6315]

I collected Star Trek TNG TOS DS9 Alien and Predator toys in the 80's

[@georgeaitken2719]

I graduated from Star Wars to action force and finally to gi joe or as it’s known in the uk action force international heroes when battle action force ended its run in 86 I was surprised the following year that cobra troopers and stinger jeeps were on the market again I literally brought tons of it just thinking about brings back great memories thanks tony

[@the80skid13]

A team is the best

[@efogg3]

Transformers, Gi JOE, kenner superpowers, thundercats, Star wars, He man was my jam! \m/

[@billislois]

YO JOE!!!!!!! 80S FOR EVER

[@illrobbzilla]

Your #1 is Spot On Mate. Yo Joe!

[@eltenda]

Great video and choices

[@nike80nl]

I always enjoy your videos 👍

[@drozwalker9]

This is a fantastic video! I was a kid of the '80s and teenager of the '90s! Some many things came from both eras!

[@kibagami74]

I loved the Kenner Indiana Jones line, I got everything but the truck. The Well of Souls was truly excellent and I loved the Map Room too. I do wish they made the German Soldiers and the commander, the line needed more bad guys. Maybe some of the Tibet bar baddies, Marian in Tibet outfit too. No toy of that German experimental plane was a big miss I think. I was really bummed when Temple of Doom came out and there was no Kenner follow up.

[@volodymyrzablotsky5372]

Ninja Turtles should have replaced them on the list!

[@BenjaminTheHorn]

I love this. I love how he took a number two on number two

[@jjsheets330]

I’m picturing it right now. Tony with his big hair breakdancing in the streets with his boom box.

[@AirsoftAfterHours]

I wanted the MASK switchblade helicopter SO BAD in the 80's... it makes me sad that I didn't pick it as a Bday gift when given the opportunity. It evens makes me sad to this day...

[@aquilesbrinco4022]

Wow! Excelent video!! Congrats! I am agree with you! G.I. Joe was the 80's!!!! The best action figure line ever!

[@johnchesteryu4873]

80's has the best Christmas for kids. 👍👍👍🎄🎄🎄🎄

[@Lio_Convoy]

Solid list! I'd be curious as to what about the G1 Transformers cartoon you disliked so much. As far as ThunderCats goes: My love of the series is unquestioned. But the original toyline.......had some issues. .....a few issues... Ok, they weren't issues; they were a whole freaking SUBSCRIPTION. Your top three are unquestionably in the most deserved spots. Especially #1. Something I'm hoping to pick back up collecting again soon!

[@AnalogToys]

Hey LioConvoy! Quite simply the concept of "Mass shifting" was a cop out to explain why the toys were out of scale with each other and it always bothered me.

[@sergiogrimaldo3500]

G.I.Joe action figures were the best one i jad a few of them and was my favorite after school cartoon

[@jamesmccormick875]

I don’t remember Rambo, but every boy I knew including myself had the LJN wrestling WWF figures. Mane they were only popular in North America, I don’t know, but they are rarely brought up in this list. I loved Star Wars, GI Joe, He Man, & Transformers. Those were the toys along with the WWF LJN figures that kids from my era all had.

[@sammylane21]

I have that silver metallic bounty hunter droid at 14:30. I didn't know he was a Star Wars figure until The Mandalorian.

[@raptorbandito]

This was a great list and video. I really have to compliment you on the opening segment however. That really took it to the next level. Enjoyed this one a lot man. Keep up the great work!

[@AnalogToys]

Thanks man, I spent far longer working on the intro than I spent working on the rest of the video!

[@xx7secondsxx]

I remember being able to make custom GI JOES! take a care driver and unscrew em and then put 2 or 3 diff ones together!

[@Crooklynmike]

Loving the channel and your vids. Great writing and production. Thanks for the wonderful content. You brought back some great memories! 😀

[@AnalogToys]

Much appreciated!

[@toyboxtalk9918]

Awesome content coverage here thanks ! From the studios 💥

[@Pork_Hunt]

Another honourable mention: Silverhawks line of action figures!

[@marfaerc33]

Buen video bro! Greetings from México!

[@kevincelis4051]

In my country Guatemala, back in the day at McDonald's they gave the Kenner DC figures with a happy meal for a límited time. There where 4 figures Flash, Joker, Penguin and Hawk Man AND they came in a little plástic bag

[@jorgeldejesussanchez7015]

by far , the most sell toy line is Star Wars , everybody since 1978, had at least 1 Mini Rig Vehicle and 3 action figures , my little brother got Hot Wheels playsets, He-Man and GI Joe , some great memories

[@twilightman2816]

6:41 Yellow Cliffjumper aka "BumbleJumper"

[@patrickshea9392]

I just got flashbacks when I saw Slimer's rubbery roast beef or whatever it is that's supposed to be. Funny story: At about age 23 I found my childhood tricycle in a stormwater pond in the city where I spent my early years; the Slimer handlebar bell was still attached. Love that nostalgia.

[@vagnerdasilvalago4443]

Hello guys ✌️😎 my favorite line from the decade 80 : heman, rambo, gi joe, thundercats and galaxy rangers. Oh i always remenber from this time. Thank you 👍here from brazil😎

[@thelowesttreeshavetops3541]

Does anyone remember an action figure commercial from the 80s where 2 men are being chased by monsters, a gate closes and one of them (I think the blonde one) is left behind, so he takes out his sword and gets ready to fight the monsters?

[@brandonaaron2665]

I incorporated my Well of Souls set with Jabbas throne and carbonite Han. It all worked together somehow.

[@AntoineJenkins80sChild]

An outstanding video and I totally agree with each and every ranking.... great work!

[@rick-ry3kj]

I had that Hal Jordan action figure from Kenner, back in the day, loved it, one of my all time favorites.

[@morriswirth9764]

I was a kid in the 70s&80s I got too see people go crazy over all that stuff as well as my self 😁 good video 📸🙂😆

[@Bayan1905]

As someone in the 80's trying to remember all the different toys I had. I had some Transformers, a few Masters of the Universe, a couple GI Joe but my mother wasn't a real fan of those, I remember the Go-bots, the Transformer knock offs. I had a few different versions of Voltron, mostly in various sizes. I think one of the toy lines that I remember being popular around 1986-1987 were the vehicles from Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors. I had a blast with those. I knew one kid in school whose dad shelled out for the USS Flagg, and I was at his house once. He had to put it in his basement, there was no other place to put it.

[@PozerAdultRacingTeam]

Wish I still had my GI Joe, MOTU,and Transformers.

[@TheBadger74]

Superb video as always, thank you Tony. They were all fantastic toys! I had many of them, but my number one most played with toy throughout my entire childhood was Action Man. I think Micronauts and Fisher Price Adventure People deserve a mention, but perhaps they're more like late 70's..?

[@AnalogToys]

They will all be on the list of the best 70s toy lines!

[@TheBadger74]

@@AnalogToys Ah brilliant, I look forward to that, thanks mate!

[@jimver2145]

Perfect review!