It's Christmas and your kid wants the latest gadget, gizmo, video game or piece of technology that's being advertised as the latest and greatest. If you think this is something new, I have news for you.

It isn't.

In 1952 the latest and greatest was putting facial features on a spud that mom gave you...voila'! Mr. Potato Head. Depending on how old you are, the latest and greatest that kids had to have was a hula-hoop, electric football, a Cabbage Patch Kid or Furby. (Do you still have your Tickle Me Elmo?)

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It was the same 44 years ago. The absolutely best thing ever technology-wise was something called Merlin.

Or more technically, Merlin the Electronic Wizard. And what a wizard he was.

This baby came with six...count 'em SIX...games. Why, as if by magic, you could be playing tic-tac-toe, Echo, Black Jack or Mindbender. Yep, this little beauty was a mindbender alright.

Over 5 million Merlins were sold in its initial run. Pretty soon you had 'Master Merlin' and 'Merlin: The 10th Quest'. They were bigger (well, not physically) and better.

But it's the first Merlin that kids went bonkers over. It doesn't get any better than this!

But of course, technology speaking, it did get better, a whole lot better. Looking back 44 years, it seems quaint, doesn't it? Old fashioned, out-of-date, a relic.

But if you were a kid, a young 'un in 1978, oh the memories. Those memories can't get any better than opening up your gift at Christmas and discovering the Christmas Magic of Merlin.

Wikipedia Contributed To This Article

 

 

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