The 80s were awesome. I can say this in full confidence, despite having lived through very little of them, simply because things like the Star Wars Jungle Gym existed back then.
How else will you train your kids to take down walkers? What better way is there for teaching them about the light side from an early age, like any good Jedi Initiate? Watching the movies is one thing, but they need to be able to put their learning into practice somehow!
Nowadays we have to worry about safety regulations and proper supports and backyard playsets are just not as fun. They also tend to get excessively complicated, which is definitely not the case with this playset. The command tower boasts a total of four buttons, which activate some awesome sound effects like the Laser Cannons, Turnstile Guns, the Scout Walker, and Proton Torpedoes. It’s pretty ideal for a kid who has far more imagination than any product designer; those four sounds can create infinite possibilities for playing.
The Speeder Bike Ride probably violates half a dozen safety laws, not the least of which is how much it’ll overbalance the thing, but that’s part of what makes it so cool. You could almost swing to the stars on this thing!
The ad also has some Star Wars ships flying around in the black background, like the Death Star and the Millenium Falcon, which gives it a very cheesy vibe that suits the mood of the decade perfectly. And of course, it wouldn’t be an all-American ad without a faithful golden retriever guarding the kids at play.
As I mentioned, this playset is from the 1980s, so you’d be hard-pressed to find one of these kicking around at a garage sale or even on ebay nowadays. Hell, even this poster probably sells for quite a bit, as it’s both retro and incredibly kitschy.
You may not be able to give your kids something this awesome for Christmas, but perhaps this list of Star Wars Christmas gifts might inspire you to pick out something that’s just as cool. If you’ve already taken the kids and are looking for something sweet and nerdy for the missus, check out these Darth Vader spatula and Star Wars molds.
Via: Star War Figure
