The iconic 90s Hasbro toy that was (and still is) on everyone’s wish list, Bop It!, is celebrating its 25th anniversary! Over the past 25 years and through several different iterations of Bop It!, the game has garnered a huge fan base and become a household name. Even among the pop culture sphere…. or what we like to call, Bop Culture… with everyone from The Simpsons and the LA Dodgers to Robot Chicken and Saturday Night Live! helping solidify its place in history.
For years, players have loved the simple and exciting “Bop It, Twist It, Pull It” actions featured in the Bop It! game for kids. Today, players can face-off in a multiplayer game with the pass and play feature or beat their personal best in solo mode. Whether it’s a party, family game night, or a travel game for car rides — Bop It! is the perfect solution. But looking back in time… Here’s some of the biggest moments from the brand:
· In 1996, Hasbro released the first in its Bop It line. Simply called Bop It, the game features three inputs: A cyan pull-handle on one end, a twistable yellow crank on the other end, and the depressable purple button in the middle. The maximum score is 100.
· In 1998, Hasbro released the Bop It Extreme. The game included 2 new inputs along with the original three from Bop It. The green flick-switch is flicked when the Bop It Extreme commands “Flick it!” and the free-spinning red wheel is spun when the Bop It Extreme commands “Spin it!”. The maximum score was increased to 250, and the game features 4 games modes (Vox Bop, Beat Bop, Vox Bop Solo and Beat Bop Solo).
· Released in 2002, Hasbro’s Bop It Extreme 2 was a re-working of the Bop It Extreme. The layout of the toy was changed and the shapes of several inputs were altered for ease of use. Volume controls were added. Bop It Extreme 2 was released in black and white as well as pink variations. In addition to the 4 modes featured in Bop It Extreme, a “One on One” mode was added. In 2003, Bop It Extreme 2 was the top selling toy in the Bop It line
· 2005 saw the release of Hasbro’s Bop It Blast, a re-creation of the original Bop It differing in little except in software. Bop It Blast again increased the maximum score to a total of 500, and for the first time allowed different high scores for different modes rather than having one high score for all modes collectively. In addition to the original 2 Bop It modes adding a new game called light bop. Bop It Blast included “One on One” mode as with Bop It Extreme 2.
· 2007 saw the introduction of Bop It Download, also created by Hasbro. Bop It Download is the third re-working of Bop It Extreme, and it features 15 levels, a maximum score of 1000 points, and the ability to record your own voice, and download music and sounds.
Also, as part of the 25th anniversary festivities, famed toy designer and original Bop It! creator Dan Klitsner announced the launch of the new Bop It! Button. The Bop It! Button plays with your brain as you try to follow the commands: “Bop It,” “Don’t Bop It,” “Do Bop It,” “Do Not Bop It” and many more in multiple voices. The Bop It! Button is available at a limited quantity for pre-purchase at BopItButton.com.