Do You Remember This Little Gadget?
It looked a little like a red push-button telephone from the future, with glowing lights that beeped and blinked at your touch. In the late ’70s and early ’80s, kids huddled around it to play games like Tic-Tac-Toe, Echo, and even a simple version of Blackjack. Part toy, part futuristic gadget, it brought hours of fun with just a few lights and sounds. Do you remember what this was?
Image source: Reddit
That’s right—it’s Merlin, the electronic handheld game first released in 1978 by Parker Brothers. With its 11 light-up buttons and six built-in games, Merlin became one of the best-selling electronic toys of its era, with over five million sold in its first year alone. For many, it was their first taste of “computer gaming” at home. Did you—or your kids—have one tucked under the Christmas tree? We’d love to hear your memories in the comments!
