Like most kids in the UK at the time I was obsessed with owning a Super Nintendo and everything involving the Gladiators toys. Lets see what I got.
1: EVERYTHING INVOLVING THE GLADIATORS TOYS
Like I mentioned earlier Hulkamania was dead and unless you were a big fan of Yokozuna, Bret Hart or Ludvig Borga WWF just didn't cut it anymore. However what did cut it was another group of roided up men and women who battled it out every weekend on ITV (or London Weekend Television) the mighty Gladiators. Gladiators was an American concept which made its way to our television screens and made superstars out of the athletes who went out each week beating people up with padded sticks and tennis balls. The show was as huge for TV as the X factor is now netting millions of views from families up and down the country every Saturday night for over five years.
It came as no surprise that a toy line would be released of the Uk version, but the bigger surprise was the fact the toys were made by Hornby the most famous train set makers in history.
The playsets were really cool and the figures were clumpy little things that bared no resemblance to the real life counterpart apart from the fact they had the same clothes and had bulking muscles. The playsets were really cool and are something I will review more in depth at a later time. I got most of the figures and playsets for Christmas and the rest I got by saving coupons from Kellogs Frosties.
2: CLIFFHANGER VHS
Can't remember who bought me this but it was something I wanted. Under rated Stallone movie where a bloke who can climb mountains in next to nothing has to get a briefcase full of money for a bunch of well casted bad guys headed by 3rd Rock From the Sun's John Lithgow. Amazing stunts and the musical score is really good as well. I also loved the fact this movie had so many cuss words for a 15 certificate.
3: THE SUPER NINTENDO MARIO ALL STARS EDITION
So yeah this was my main present and I was over the moon to get it because money was tight at the time and my mum came through and bought me the latest console I needed. It came free with Mario all Stars which was the complete collection of Mario games from the NES upgraded to 16 bit with stereo sound. Although it was fun to play the games in this format I didn't really care much for replaying games I had been playing the past 3 years. Which brings me onto my next and last gift.
4: STREET FIGHTER II THE WORLD WARRIOR
Now this was what it was all about. The fighting game which was so good that it was released 3 more times on the same console and is still played to this day by freaks like me.. STREET FIGHTER II The World Warrior. Had any of us played Street Fighter one? No? Did it matter? NO! This game started the craze of beat em ups which is still alive and well today.
The first game only had 8 playable characters and the speed was a lot slower and more deliberate. Each year a new version of the game would be released with new costumes, characters, game speeds and a few new moves. As soon as this was opened my other presents seemed obsolete.
Thanks Santa (aka Mum) for another awesome Christmas.
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