Wheeljack’s Lab invites you on a journey through the 1985 IDEAL Toy Fair Catalog with our high-definition scans. Catalogs like this were originally distributed at trade shows, so the general public rarely saw them. Thus, few could view the glimpses of upcoming toy lines and products. Luckily, our scans now allow you to view the promotional images of Robo Force, Rocks & Bugs & Things, and other action figures.
The 1985 IDEAL Toy Fair Catalog advertised a wide selection of Robo Force action figures, vehicles, and playsets. These toys, a testament to the timeless appeal of robots, were not your average playthings. IDEAL crafted a collection of cylindrical robots with dynamic action features, ready to defend the galaxy’s freedom. The heroic Maxx Steele led the pack, the face of this exciting toy line.
Turn Your IDEAL Toy Fair Catalogs and Robo Force Toys to Cash Today
He walked, talked, and played games. This robot had a fully articulated, motorized grasping claw, moving arms and wrist, total mobility, storage and carry compartments, and an electronic computer brain. He was Electronic Maxx™, the dream toy of the future!
When players removed his hand-held master controller from the top of his head, they could control his actions. You could make him speak, play games, and listen to music at the touch of the keyboard. His wireless remote control, programmable memory, and “Learn Mode” enabled owners to program a sequence of actions and activities. Then, Maxx would perform them again and again – by himself, from memory.
Maxx knew over 140 words, music, the time (via an internal electronic alarm clock that allowed him to activate at a predetermined time), and some very exciting and unique electronic games (including “Moon Ball™” and “Force Field™”) that you could play against him or another human being. Maxx could do almost anything a human being could! The packaging included an instruction manual and a built-in rechargeable battery pack.
This robot required one 9-volt battery, which was not included.
We are glad to present these exciting, exclusive 1985 IDEAL Toy Fair Catalog scans. Check out even more of our scans to see the exciting promotional images from the IDEAL Toy Company’s past.
Do you have old and used IDEAL toys?
Do you have a collection of old and used IDEAL action figures, toy fair catalogs, and other toys sitting around? You can turn those items into cash today. There is no reason to let those vintage catalogs and toys collect dust. Contact us today to start the process.
About Our IDEAL Toy Fair Catalog Scans
IDEAL handed out catalogs to attendees of toy fairs and other events, such as dealers and retailers, to promote their upcoming slate of products. Each catalog contained information about the company’s newest toys, even ones still in development. Thus, companies often included first looks at action figures, playsets, vehicles, and more. Therefore, they have become valuable and rare collector’s items.
These IDEAL Toy Fair Catalogs featured toys from their beloved lines. For instance, the company created the Manglors, creatures built to be stretched and mangled. IDEAL also produced the Robo Force toy line in the 1980s, which featured Maxx Steele. There were also the Living Legends of the Old West, a line featuring characters like The Lone Ranger.
IDEAL used in-production prototypes in their images, as these catalogs were prepared before the lines were released. This meant that the featured toys often differed from the retail releases. Moreover, toys sometimes appeared only on these catalog pages, as they were canceled or never hit retail store shelves.
While IDEAL only handed these booklets out to trade professionals, we have now made them available to all. You can explore the toys featured in these catalogs with our IDEAL Toy Fair Catalog Scans. This is a rare treat since catalogs like these have become increasingly difficult to locate yearly.