Flashback Friday: 2-XL Robot

So, I know we kinda had a "flashback" blog yesterday, but I couldn't leave out another toy that I played with (and actually liked) when I was a kid: 2-XL (get it?).  It was a "robot" that worked with cutting-edge 8-track tape technology.  (A later version used cassettes instead.)  Still, despite it's blockiness, it was kind of amusing and I did actually learn things from it.  Check out this commercial from 1978 and you'll see why even Playboy Magazine loved it as much as I did. (NOTE: The original commercial was removed by YouTube so I replaced it with this equally amusing one.) -- E. Christian Moore

Comments

[app103 on May 01, 2009 at 08:56 PM]

If you really like the 2-XL that much, or never got a chance to play with one, you should try this simulator: http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/2XL/index.html

[Judy on May 02, 2009 at 06:05 PM]

Hey, you must be our son's age! He got one for Christmas and he loved it so much. Now our son is a computer programmer/analsyt and has a great paying job. Thanks for bring back those great memories.

[jms on May 04, 2009 at 12:50 PM]

I had one of those and loved it! It was very clever and a perfectly good and fun toy 8 track tape player.

One of the funny things I remember about it was that the mouth was cast from the identical mold as a part of another previous toy -- part of a spaceship if I remember. Maybe a Battlestar Galactica or Space 1999 toy. Anyone else remember that?

[jenny on May 04, 2009 at 02:26 PM]

I also love mine and it's the only toy I have told my parents they could never ever ever throw out.

I always wondered why he had a weirdly new yorkish accent. I assume Mego went out of business?

[jenny on May 04, 2009 at 02:26 PM]

also, i will never forget "thank you for turning ME on!"