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Electronic toys
Electronic toys

Construction toys
Construction toys

Novelty and costumes
Novelty and costumes

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Craft supplies and stickers

Learning and education
Learning and education

Stuffed and cuddly toys
Stuffed and cuddly toys

Dressing up and imagination
Dressing up and imagination

Toy vehicles
Toy vehicles

Games and accessories
Games and accessories

Dolls and accessories
Dolls and accessories

Sports and outdoor games
Sports and outdoor games

Drones and flying toys
Drones and flying toys

Novelty and joke items
Novelty and joke items

Puppets and puppet theatre
Puppets and puppet theatre

Puzzle
Puzzle

Baby and toddler toys
Baby and toddler toys

Musical instruments for children
Musical instruments for children

Toy figures and toys
Toy figures and toys








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Hi, you've landed on the LISAgogo.com toys and games page. Great to have you here!

As a small addition to the product range, here is some information about the history of the toy. Enjoy reading:

A good definition of toys is that their purpose is inherent in them. The joy of engaging with their material, their functions and their possibilities fuels the play instinct, especially in children. It does not necessarily have to be labelled "educationally valuable" to be useful for the acquisition of various motor or cognitive skills. Children can also use very simple objects to imitate and re-enact events and observations from their everyday lives or even create their own imaginary worlds. Beautiful and elaborate toys serve to show the child's appreciation and thus have a significant influence on their personality development.

Archaeological finds of worked bones and stones found as grave goods in children's graves indicate that even in the Stone Age, children were given special objects to play with. Doll-like objects, rattles, clatters and whistles made of clay have also been discovered. A hand axe measuring just 4.4 cm was found in Rhenen in the Netherlands. It is attributed to the time of the Neanderthals. However, it is not known whether all of these things were used exclusively as children's toys.

In Egypt, carved wooden figures of crocodiles and lions with movable lower jaws were also found. Some of these toys even have a device to which a string can be attached. This allowed the little Egyptians to pull them behind them. An exhibit in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin, a wooden crocodile, is already equipped with a mechanism that can open and close the animal's mouth when it is pulled behind it. These finds are dated to around 200 BC. Throughout the entire Mediterranean region of antiquity, dolls were also made from wood, clay, terracotta and plaster.

In Mesopotamia (Iraq / Syria) and Iran, the world of the animals known there also served as a model for toy production. The creation of the figure of a lion lying on a stone slab with wheels and that of a porcupine, also lying on a kind of cart, are estimated to have occurred in the third millennium BC.

The pastime of playing parlor games such as "checkers" and the "dog and jackal game" was already known in ancient times, as can be deduced from contemporary wall paintings in Egypt. One of the oldest toys that has been handed down and preserved is the spinning top, which was already in use in archaic times.

For the children of the Middle Ages, at least for the many poor people of that time, the opportunity to play was a real luxury. Their everyday life mostly consisted of hard physical work. In their limited free time, they amused themselves with things that nature offered them. For example, they made small toy figures out of chestnuts, acorns and pine cones or created their own little kingdom out of earth, sand, stones and tree branches. Parents, mostly due to economic constraints, hardly had the opportunity to give their children much attention and appreciation.

For the offspring of the nobility, the middle classes and the wealthy merchants, the reality was usually quite different. There was enough toys available in the form of dolls, hobby horses, windmills, wooden hoops, glass marbles, rattles, tin soldiers, brass horses, etc. In these circles, it was also considered right to offer children gender-specific toys. This was intended to consolidate the definition of the roles of girls and boys in society. The girls were encouraged to play with dolls and dollhouses in order to prepare them for the role of mother and guardian of domestic order. In addition, instruction in knitting, spinning and jewelry was also sought. The boys were given all kinds of war toys of the time. Here, for example, an artfully crafted knight figure with joints was the ultimate object of desire.

With the onset of industrialization, its technological achievements were also applied to toy construction. This also made it possible to produce tin toys. Human and animal figures, houses and wagons could now be produced in large quantities from thinly rolled sheet metal. The changes that the industrial revolution had on most people's environments were also evident in the range of children's toys on offer. Small-scale steam engines were intended to fill the hearts of sons with pride, and sophisticated dollhouses were intended to make daughters from good families happy. And the upheaval in children's rooms continued. In 1895, the Märklin company introduced the first rail-bound, steam-powered toy trains. A few years later, this was developed into the electric model train, which can still sometimes be bought today.




The following categories from the Toys and Games product group are available:

Electronic Toys, Construction Toys, Novelty & Costumes, Craft Supplies & Stickers, Learning & Education, Soft & Cuddly Toys, Dress Up & Imagination, Toy Vehicles, Games & Accessories, Dolls & Accessories, Sports & Outdoor Games, Drones & Flying Toys, Novelty & Joke Items, Dolls & Puppet Theater, Puzzles, Baby & Toddler Toys, Musical Instruments for Children, Toy Figures & Toys

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This might interest you:



The History of Video Game Consoles in the British Commonwealth and the United States

The history of video game consoles is a fascinating story of technological innovation, cultural shifts, and market dynamics. The development and evolution of video game consoles have played a central role in shaping the global gaming industry, including in the British Commonwealth and the United States, where the majority of the most iconic gaming systems have originated. From the early days of arcade machines to the sophisticated consoles of today, the video game industry has undergone dramatic changes, both in terms of hardware and the gaming experiences it offers. This essay will explore the history of video game consoles in the British Commonwealth and the United States, focusing on the key milestones, the companies that revolutionized the industry, and how the gaming culture developed in these regions.

1. The Early Years: The Birth of Video Games

The origins of video game consoles can be traced back to the 1950s and 1960s, when early experiments in interactive entertainment and computing began to emerge. The first instances of video gaming were based on simple graphical displays, often created for academic purposes or military simulations. However, the idea of a home gaming console, one that could bring video games into private households, did not materialize until the early 1970s.

In the United States, Ralph H. Baer, known as the "father of video games," developed the first home video game console, the Magnavox Odyssey, which was released in 1972. Baer's system allowed users to play simple games such as pong, a version of table tennis, on their televisions. The Odyssey did not have a microprocessor or advanced graphics, but it was a pioneering step in the creation of home entertainment systems. Its release marked the beginning of the consumer gaming market in the United States, though its commercial success was modest.

Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, the development of home video games began in the early 1970s with the introduction of arcade games, such as Pong, and the emergence of dedicated gaming machines. Companies in the UK, including Kevin Toms (the creator of the famous football game "Football Manager") and others, were already experimenting with game development for computers and console systems, but home consoles like the Magnavox Odyssey were not initially as successful in the British market.

2. The Rise of the Atari Era: The First Major Successes

The early success of home video game consoles in the United States came with the introduction of Atari. Founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney, Atari quickly became a major player in the arcade and home console markets. Atari’s Pong, a commercial version of the game that had previously been included in the Magnavox Odyssey, became immensely popular in arcades, and in 1977, Atari introduced its Video Computer System (VCS), later known as the Atari 2600. The Atari 2600, released in the United States in 1977, was the first commercially successful home video game console. It featured interchangeable game cartridges, a breakthrough innovation that allowed players to purchase multiple games for their systems, vastly expanding the potential for game diversity.

In the United Kingdom, Atari’s success in the arcade market also had an influence on the development of early home consoles. The popularity of arcade games like Space Invaders and Asteroids in the 1970s and early 1980s helped establish a culture of gaming in the UK. In 1982, the Commodore 64 was released in the UK, a home computer that could also be used for gaming and became immensely popular across Europe and the United States. While not a dedicated console, the Commodore 64 represented the growing overlap between personal computing and gaming, setting the stage for future developments in both fields.

3. The Video Game Crash of 1983: A Turning Point

While the 1970s and early 1980s were a period of growth for the video game console market, the industry faced a significant crisis in 1983. The United States, in particular, experienced what is now known as the video game crash of 1983, a period of massive overproduction of low-quality games and consoles that flooded the market and led to a sharp decline in consumer interest.

The crash was precipitated by the proliferation of poorly designed and poorly marketed games. One of the most infamous examples was the disastrous release of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial by Atari in 1982, which was based on the highly popular movie. The game was rushed to market and was widely criticized for being poorly made. The game’s failure, along with the glut of similar subpar products, contributed to a loss of consumer confidence.

In the UK, while there was some overlap with the US market, the British video game industry was somewhat insulated from the crash by the rise of personal computers such as the ZX Spectrum and BBC Micro, which became central to gaming in the UK during the 1980s. The success of British home computers and their growing connection to the video game market helped to establish a different gaming culture than that of the United States.

4. The Revival and the Age of Nintendo: The 1980s and 1990s

The video game industry rebounded in the United States with the arrival of Nintendo. The company, originally a playing card manufacturer in Japan, introduced the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1985, which revitalized the video game market. The NES became the cornerstone of the 1980s gaming boom, not just in the United States but also in Europe, including the UK. Nintendo revolutionized the gaming experience by introducing high-quality games with more advanced graphics and engaging gameplay. The NES established franchises such as Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid, which have since become enduring classics.

In the United Kingdom, the NES was one of the most influential consoles, but other platforms like the Sega Master System (released by Sega) also had significant influence. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the rise of Sega as a competitor to Nintendo, with the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive (released in 1988) gaining popularity, especially in the United States. The rivalry between Sega and Nintendo became a key feature of the video game landscape, with each company releasing groundbreaking games and consoles that helped solidify the global gaming culture.

By the early 1990s, home video game consoles in both the United States and the UK had become highly competitive, with new technological advancements, better graphics, and more sophisticated games. The release of Sony’s PlayStation in 1994 marked a significant moment in the history of gaming, introducing CD-ROM-based games and pushing the boundaries of what video games could achieve. The PlayStation was a major success worldwide, and the Japanese gaming giant continued to compete with Nintendo and Sega in the years to come.

5. The Modern Era: The 21st Century and Beyond

The 21st century brought even more advancements, including the introduction of high-definition graphics, online gaming, and motion control. The Sony PlayStation 2, released in 2000, became the best-selling video game console of all time, a position it still holds today. The Xbox, introduced by Microsoft in 2001, became a major player in the console wars, offering advanced features such as Xbox Live, which enabled online multiplayer gaming.

In the United Kingdom, the release of the Nintendo Wii in 2006 marked a significant shift in gaming culture, as the console's innovative motion-sensing controller attracted a new audience to video games, including older adults and families. The Wii became one of the best-selling consoles of all time, demonstrating the broad appeal of gaming beyond traditional players.

The current era is defined by consoles like the PlayStation 5 (released in 2020), Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch, which continue to push the envelope in terms of graphics, processing power, and user experience. The rise of cloud gaming and subscription-based services like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Now also signal the future direction of the industry.

6. Literature Recommendations

For those interested in learning more about the history of video game consoles and the industry’s development, the following literature is highly recommended:

  • “The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokémon and Beyond” by Steven L. Kent
  • “Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation” by Blake J. Harris
  • “The History of Nintendo” (Volumes 1-3) by Florent Gorges
  • “Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America” by Jeff Ryan

These books provide a detailed and insightful exploration of the history, development, and cultural impact of video game consoles in both the United States and the United Kingdom.





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