The Retroist has posted some scans from a 1983 Sears Wishbook (one that I surely parsed with much salivation back in the day), featuring videogames and their lovely consoles. Videogames and I go way back. (In fact, I am working on another post about how videogames are my Achilles heel, but that is a post for another time.) But the highlight for me from these scans is the Colecovision. I spent many, many hours playing this system, from Super Action Baseball with the huge, glove-like accessory controllers, to Mouse Trap, to Dig Dug and Q*Bert and Zaxxon.
And of course, one of my all-time favourites, Mr. Do!
Oh yes, Mr. Do! My heart goes out to that game. And many, many hours of my childhood.
Although I also played a lot of Intellivision, it was the Colecovision that stole my time the most and seeing these scans really brought back a ton of holiday memories. I remember eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Sears Wishbook so I could flip right to the back and start looking at all of the new toys and videogames. I’d start a list that day — a list much too long — and would continue modifying it right until Christmas Day, revising, adding, and removing toys and games. It was an obsession.
That magic is gone now. Obviously. If I want a game or toy (?) I just go out and purchase it. But I still see that magic today in my kids with every bright-eyed gaze in the toy aisles.
And in these scans. It’s almost like the magic of the Wishbook is still there.
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