INDIANAPOLIS — It’s hard to beat the staying power of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The action figures, first licensed by Playmates in 1987, were the must-have gifts for kids in 1989.
Although the origin story of the lean, mean, fighting machines may be widely known now, it was up to a toy store employee to explain the "heroes in a half shell" to WRTV reporter Linda Lupear.
“It’s kind of like a good-guy-bad-guy story,” the employee said. “The turtles are the good guys and they were created by a bad guy named Shredder.”
The employee also introduced Lupear to Master Splinter.
“He is their master, he used to be a human, it’s kind of a complex little story, but he is now the master of the turtles who are the good guys,” the employee said.
While the Turtles were a new type of action figure, classic toys like the Oopsie Daisy baby doll and Cabbage Patch Kids were still popular.
Super Mario 2 for the Nintendo Entertainment System was also a hot gift, especially since retailers didn't expect to have Super Mario 3 in stock until after Christmas.
