The 1980s was the glory period for toy companies. The decade had started with Kenner finding massive success thanks to Star Wars. The idea soon grew that toy companies could make a fortune by creating cartoons based on lines and thus enhancing their popularity. That led to such epic hits as Transformers, G.I. Joe, Thundercats, Masters of the Universe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and more. Those were just for the boys as there were slews of girl-themed toy lines that also took off huge. Of course, there were a few flops as not every cartoon was a success and thus their toy line suffered. Still, given so many hits, it was only natural companies would keep on trying as one never knew when something could connect.

It thus makes sense that there are quite a few toy lines from that decade that are mostly forgotten today. Many were obvious rip-offs of far more successful lines and should best be forgotten. A few had actually good concepts and designs and boasted great figures. It was just some bad timing or marketing that led them to fail. Other lines were terrible ideas from the start, worst in execution and thus it's no shock they're ignored. Given the nostalgia for that time period, some toy lines have been rediscovered and a hit in online catalogs. Yet others can be forgotten despite how they were actually pretty good. Here are 25 toy lines from the 1980s that deserve to be remembered more to show why that decade was a dream era for kids.

25 BRAVE STARR

Filmation had already gained huge fame creating Masters of the Universe. They tried their hand at a follow-up with a unique space western hybrid. On the planet of New Texas, miners and settles have to put up with the attacks of magical bandit Tex Hex. Enter BraveStarr, a marshall with "the strength of a bear, the speed of a cheetah, eyes of a hawk and ears of a wolf." The main hero looked good but better was his mechanical horse Thirty/Thirty who could stand on its hind legs for a human look.

The bad guys had cool looks as the toys pulled off the space western vibe quite nicely. There were vehicles like a floating stagecoach and the nice town/jail set. While the show was mostly forgotten, it still deserves props for pulling off the unique formula nicely.

24 SILVERHAWKS

After Thundercats became a monster hit as a cartoon and toy line, Rankin/Bass and Bandai worked to create a big follow-up. Silverhawks took place in a distant future and focused on a group of armored heroes who could fly through space. They faced the evil Mon*Star, who could transform himself into an even more villainous figure (shades of Mum-Ra).

The toy line stood out for the metallic armor that was designed to shine from Quicksilver's silver armor to Copper Kidd's golden shine. Even their boss had his mechanical eye aiding his look. The bad guys looked impressive and the big toy for their "Mirage" flying craft was impressive in how it could hold the other figures. It never approached Thundercats' success but this was still a good toy line/cartoon for fans of the time to enjoy.

23 SUPER NATURALS

Super Naturals Toys

Holograms were seen as something rather fun in the 1980s. Long before 3-D tech became commonplace, fans loved seeing odd holograms and were used for toys. Super Naturals was one of the more daring uses of it. During a huge battle, a group of good and evil warriors are sealed inside a tomb. Freed after centuries, these ghosts now clash in battles.

The figures had flattened chests and faces with holographic faces affixed. Fans could do a snap-on head and shoulders attachment that also boasted a holographic face. This led to the figures taking on very spooky appearances that enhanced the ghost theme. Maybe the cost of it was too much for the company to take as the line didn't last very long. Yet for the daring use of the holograms, it should be remembered better as a super-cool toy line.

22 STARRIORS

A good storyline surrounded this 1984 Tomy line. When Earth is threatened by solar storms, scientists craft three classes of robots: the Protectors to restore Earth, the Destructors to fight off invasions and the Guardians to protect humanity when they hibernate to survive the cataclysm. The Destructors decide they don't want to share the planet with humans and take over the rest of the robots to dominate the planet.

Centuries later, a group of robots discover the humans in hiding and set about to free them. The line was good with some uniquely designed robot figures that included snakes, dinosaurs that could turn into buzz saws and more. Sadly, with Transformers taking off, Starriors suffered and the line ended quickly. Yet it showed there was more than one toy line of robots that deserved attention in the 1980s.

21 GOLDEN GIRL AND THE GUARDIANS OF THE GEMSTONES

At first glance, this may look like a girls-themed line and a take-off of She-Ra. However, the concept was actually fun. This Galoob line does deserve credit for putting the focus on female warriors with the storyline of how the four main heroines constantly train and compete with each other to stay in shape to fight off enemies.

That said enemies were all female as well was also notable. Instead of magical stuff, each gal came with a sword and shield, truly built up as serious fighters despite the fashions. There was a book with the figures that showcased the women as true Amazonian warriors who could best any man out there. She-Ra overtook it in popularity with a cartoon but this line was rather ahead of its time presenting "girl power" as a serious fighting force.

20 ROCK LORDS

What's worse than a series that's a knock-off of a more popular toy line? A spin-off of said series. Go-Bots was one of the more obvious Transformers rip-offs only lacking the same size, inventiveness and fun. In a desperate attempt to get attention, they created a spin-off called Rock Lords. Which meant a bunch of rocks that transformed into robots, divided into good guys cave types and bad guy volcano ones.

Yep, toys based on rocks. Seriously, who thought kids would go crazy for this? There's only so many ways you can make a rock stand out and even attempts to build on it like a two-headed figure didn't take. To little surprise, this line faded fast and showcased how, bad as Go-Bots were, their attempted spin-off series fared far worse.

19 AIR RAIDERS

This may be one of the best toy lines that never got a cartoon/comic book spin-off. On the distant planet of Airlanda, an ecological disaster has rendered much of the planet inhospitable. Seeing the opportunity, the ruthless Tyrants of Wind seize control of the remaining fresh air supply and use it to dominate the planet, forcing the populace into slavery for fresh oxygen. A band of Air Raiders carry out attacks to steal as much of the air as they can.

The line boasted some very cool vehicles meant to enhance the ariel combat and the sneak attacks of the Raiders. The idea that the "good guys" are the ones carrying out secret strikes was original and the playsets were well designed. Sadly, the lack of exposure from a cartoon led to the line dying out which is a shame given how cool the vehicles looked.

18 BIONIC SIX

The underrated cartoon inspired a fun action figure line. A family (which include a couple of adopted sons) utilize bionics to become super-heroes. Yes, making the Asian guy "Karate-1" was a cliché but the other figures boasted good looks and fun attachments like Sport-1 with a baseball glove. You also had the strange FLUFFI, the gorilla-like robot helper who stood out from the pack.

The bad guys were fun too with the twisted Dr. Scarab and his mutated band of helpers coming off rather sinister in action figure form. The cartoon could utilize some funny stuff and a cool theme song (along with daring animation) but the action figure line isn't as well known. Still, it's worth tracking down to show the nice symmetry that made the cartoon/toy line industry of the '80s work well.

17 CAPTAIN POWER

Many a kid will remember the TV ads for this line which was based on a live-action show. Unlike so many kids' shows of the time, this was incredibly dark, set in a future where machines have conquered the world and a band of armored humans resist them. The show had shockingly adult themes and moments as well as CGI animation that was still very new back then.

The action figures were pretty standard with the big toy being a flying craft with a blaster attached. Watching a special video, kids could use the fighter to "blast" the screen and an interactive aspect not seen back then. In many ways, it (like the show) was just ahead of its time but for kids of 1987, it brought them into the fun of this future war.

16 JAYCE AND THE WHEELED WARRIORS

Mattel always had a thing for vehicle-themed toy lines and this was one of their more fanciful. Jayce was a young prince out to find his missing father and unite their halves of a mystical medallion to allow peace to cover their world. He led the Lightning League, a quirky group who drove unique vehicles. Opposing them was Saw Boss and his Monster Minds, plant-like creatures who actually transformed into their own vehicles.

You had some interesting ones like Saw Boss with a huge saw, a giant fist, a huge drill and more. The Lightning League were pure metal while the Monster Minds were more organic and dark. The cartoon itself is mostly forgotten but the vehicles were a good standout for the time to boost themselves up for fans.

15 VISONAIRIES

This unique Hasbro line took place on the scientifically advanced world of Prysmos. With no warning, all science fails and thus the world is forced to go back to ancient magic in order to survive. The wizard Merklynn organizes a competition that divides a great power between the noble Spectral Knights and the Evil Darkling Lords. Each warrior has a chest plate boasting a holographic creature which, in the cartoon, could become a solid animal to use in combat.

Several have staffs with additional holograms. True, they lose impact in the action figure aspect but the holograms still looked cool and the armor designs helped them stand out. The series was canceled before a second wave of figures could be released yet still should be created with living up to their name as a visionary spin on the usual toys of the time.

14 RING RAIDERS

Ring Raiders Toys

This jet-themed toy line had the idea of the Skull Squadron using their elite planes to try and take over the world. The wild touch is that a unit of pilots called the Ring Raiders who use an aircraft carrier to go back in time and train with the greatest pilots in history to improve their skills. As you'd guess from the name, rings were part of the toys. Each jet was attached to a ring that could either hold it or even launch it in the air.

This naturally meant some issues with having multiple rings on the hand. This could have been a good idea but the cartoon series didn't take off as planned and it soon became clear how easily the ring/jet combo could break. Thus, the Raiders failed to take off nearly as well as their creators had hoped.

13 POWER LORDS

The look of this line made it stand out majorly from the pack in 1983. Adam Power was a human astronaut who crashed on a distant alien world. He was given a magical gem that could transform his body and defend the galaxy against the evil Arkus. Sure, it was a knock-off of the He-Man line yet the cool look made it different. With a click, Power's body transformed from human to a blue-skinned warrior.

The design was from popular fantasy artist Wayne Barlowe and thus crafted some truly alien creatures unlike anything else on the toy shelves of the time. The vehicles and the major base set were fun but the Power Lord toy itself was the standout. The bad guys truly oozed menace and inhuman evil and that they outnumbered the good guys showed the battle off nicely. It's surprising this is so forgotten as the transforming hero made this one of the better Masters of the Universe knock-offs.

12 SKY COMMANDERS

Not every idea for a cartoon/toy line works out. This 1987 Kenner line is a good example. The plot was that a massive volcanic eruption creates a huge new continent in the Pacific Ocean. It houses a rare element that, if harnessed properly, allows the owner to rule the world. An international group of Sky Commanders defend the region from the Raiders who want it for themselves. The gimmick is that in order to get around this land of high mountains, whirpools, volcanos and more, the Commanders use cables to rappel around the region.

Thus, the figures need to be placed with ropes around the room and then sent flying around. It requires a bit more effort to put together than your normal toys as well as a pretty big room. It's no wonder it died out fast and the cartoon also ending with just a pilot as the Commanders never took flight.

11 BATTLE BEASTS

There were a lot of toy lines in the 1980s that boasted some fun creatures. But Battle Beasts was one of the more unique ones. Several figures had a limb replaced with a weapon and it seemed the toy makers were having an absolute blast creating weird hybrids of creatures in a fantasy setting. You had creatures based on everything from a lion to a shark, a bear to an armadillo or a giraffe to an anteater. Each one looked imposing in their armor and just cool to play with.

The gimmick was each Beast had a label on their chest that, when rubbed, showed a symbol of water, fire or wood so the "battles" were sort of like the old rock, paper, scissors game. In Japan, the figures were actually tied in to the Transformers franchise while they stood apart in the U.S. The wonderful designs and the fun "battle" aspect should make this a lot more famous than it is today.

10 SECTAURS

The plotline of this toy line was that on the planet Symbion, a genetic experiment gets out of control. The planet is soon transformed into a world with gigantic spiders and the inhabitants taking on insectoid appearances. Prince Dargon, ruler of the peaceful Shining Realm of Prosperon let his team against the forces of Empress Devora, ruler of the Dark Domain of Synax. They were determined to get their hands on the Hyves, fortresses of an ancient civilization that could hold great power.

The figures were unique with their insect-like appearances and the massive flying spiders they rode were a cool accessory. The bad guys were imposing and the Hyve was one of the bigger playsets of the '80s which boasted a hand puppet of a huge spider to attack other figures. While creepy, the line had a good concept and should be remembered better.

9 EAGLE FORCE

In 1977, Mego made the massive mistake of turning down the chance to make toys based on this little upcoming movie called Star Wars. After watching Kenner make a mint off those, Mego decided to jump onto the G.I. Joe bandwagon with their own military-themed toy line. Eagle Force was notable for how the figures were small but made of metal and each boasted some sort of golden limb.

It's the obvious set-up of a U.S. unit facing RIOT (Roving International Organization of Tyranny) out for world domination. Even for the times, the figures could be riddled with ethnic stereotypes. One was obviously based on Idi Amin, you had a Middle Eastern violent extremist and names like Goldie Hawk, Zapper and an African-American trooper called Sgt. Brown. Combine that with lame vehicles and it's no shock this line faded fast from memory.

8 BARNYARD COMMANDOS

Barnyard Commandos Toys

A toy line based on warrior animals isn't a bad idea. However, this 1989 line didn't exactly choose the right type of creatures. The idea was that the inhabitants of a farm eat radioactive waste from a secret military base and transform into talking animals with a soldier vibe. They begin to wage a "war" that basically amounts to slapstick fighting. The sides were the R.A.M.S. (Rebel Army of Military Sheep) and the P.O.R.K.S. (Platoon of Rebel Killer Swine).

The issue is, if you're doing military animals, why limit yourselves to just sheep and pigs? You could have thrown in cows, chickens and even a dog yet sheep and pigs aren't exactly fascinating animals. The names could be funny (Wooly Pullover, Missiles Muttonchop, Shoat N Sweat) but that doesn't make up how the lack of poseability robbed the fun of the line. This was a military-themed toy line that was unfit for duty.

7 MAD BALLS

There was a push in the mid-1980s for "gross-out" humor in toys. That led to such lines as the Garbage Pail Kids and this strange rubber ball set. Each ball was designed like a distorted and monstrous head (one guy was nothing but an eyeball) and the rubber made it nice to toss around. That's not to mention a few that could squirt water and even a wind-up version.

Popular ones included the mummy Dust Brain, Horn Head, the disfigured Slobulus and Bash Brain. The toys got a cult following for some time, complete with a comic book and animated series. There was even a revival in the 2010s with some new versions yet the classics were an overlooked gem of the times.

6 FOOD FIGHTERS

Food Fighters Toys

Maybe it sounded good in the testing room but in practice, this did not connect well. It was basically two sets of food-themed military forces going at it. The good-guy Kitchen Commandos fought the bad-guy Refrigerator Rejects so you had hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza slices, tacos, ice cream cones and more with arms and faces and able to hold weapons.

The names were wild such as Burgadier General, Major Munch, Mean Weener, Rotten Egg Role and the uniquely named Big Dumb Mis-Steak. You have to credit the designers making the idea look okay but the figures just came off way too bizarre for kids to really get into. The line was discontinued fast yet has to stand out for one of the weirder attempts at a military toy line any kid ever saw on shelves.