6. Micro Machines
FlickrIf there's one thing we like more than a miniature version of something, its an even smaller version - clearly the inspiration behind taking the tried and tested Hot Wheels/Matchbox sized car and popping it back in the shrinker for another blast so that we end up with these, the most micro of machines. Galoob started pumping these minuscule motors out at an alarming rate in the late eighties, the franchise really taking off in the nineties with improved detail, a wider variety of vehicles and some clever marketing. Special sets like the Star Wars and Indiana Jones collections pulled in a more specific demographic, while new model developments, such as colour-changing cars and even Micro Machines containing even smaller Micros inside them, kept things fresh. Add the vast selection of play-sets, colourfully detailed dioramas depicting airports, construction sites, race tracks and more, and you have a brand which raked in the cash for years.
5. Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES, wasn't the first home console, but this dull grey box certainly played a massive role in the recovery of the gaming industry in the eighties. After a colossal collapse - we'll blame greedy publishers for spitting out too many bad games to cash in on home gaming - the industry needed a serious injection to get it on its feet, and the NES was a big part of the answer. Classic titles like Excitebike, Duck Hunt and obviously good old Super Mario Bros. made this the 8-bit console of choice, far surpassing the efforts of SEGA's Master System. Today's consoles blow this one out of the water in just about every way, but it's the impact that the NES had on the industry - and millions of happy children - that secures it's place on this list.