Submitted by K Hilsgen, who really just loves bears.

Those crazy gummies, bouncing here and there and everywhere. The best part of my after-school cartoon routine, next to Tale Spin. Good times, good times.

Ed note: It’s apparently Epic Win Cartoon Tuesday.

Submitted by S to the Einberg, who’s more than meets the eye.

Telling time should never be separate from fighting crime.

See more Gadgets in Disguise from Epic Win FTW!

Submitted by Katherine S

Late breaking news. My Little Ponies are back! Listen to the song-stylings of J-Hud via live action MLP. Um, WTF?

Submitted by Lauren and Libby, who secretly hate secrets.

Making makeup look like a toy was a genius move by Galoob. Hook ‘em early, ply them with lip gloss later.

Ed note: I loved these beyond comprehension. They were like transformers, but fed my twee vanity.

Submitted by Rory F, who can’t stand a full moon.

Werewolves were to the 80s what Vampires are to the aughts. So, what’s next? Leprechauns, my friends. With our current recession, what’s better than a creature that steals your gold? Lucky, get ready for your closeup.

Submitted by Troy A. May the force be with him.

Epic, this movie was. No denying it is there.

Submitted by Stephen G, our sponsor.

As a kid I wondered why ABC made a cartoon where three people swapped heads. Now I know — LSD.

Submitted by Stephen G, baller, shot caller.

It’s weird, after I eat a Big Mac the only slam dunk I make is in the toilet bowl.

Submitted by Stephen G, a zookeeper among men.

Was there any toy more practical for a suburban child? I was able to hear a hippo attack a mile away.

A sculpting scene to rival “Ghost.” Except he’s a creepy stalker.

“Strange Animal” by Gowan, submitted by CosmykDolfyn, who clubs the music like a caveman.

Um, does anyone else feel like these guys were just fucking around in their basement with some hunting gear?

“Run Runaway” by Slade, submitted by bdwilcox, who has his brother to thank for his hearing loss.

In honor of my brother who loved Slade and tortured me with their album “Keep Your Hands off my Power Supply”

Submitted by Katherine S, aka the puzzler.

Let’s be honest, Russia sent this over during the cold war to distract the American people like a Trojan bread line. Well, it worked.

Ed note: I used to have dreams about these blocks falling in to place. True story.

Update: Hilarious Tetris trailer (via Outback Jon)

Submitted by Stephen G, the most seductive spray-painter in town.

This image says one thing to me: The gym is that way.

Fave comment: So I go right to reach Electric Ave? Thanks. – Miroku

Submitted by Katherine S, putting the “ump” in jump.

A nod to early space exploration or a way to annoy the neighbors? Either way, the Pogo Ball tapped in to a child’s most primal desire  — grabbing forbidden food from the top of the pantry.  Get in my belly shark bites!

Fave comment: We had to use these in gym glass to make jump roping extra difficult. That was the special faceplant day. -rawr

Submitted by Stephen G, the loudest quacker in the pack.

Hey kids! I think Emilio is on to your funny faces. Just a tip. But how can you mock a movie that  introduced Pacey Witter?

Submitted by Stephen G, master of the strings.

Times were so simple then, all you needed was string. Like a fat tabby kitty.  It was also a great way to feel superior to your friends who weren’t so good with spatial relations. Win all around! Plus, this photo may be early evidence of the first spray-tan.

Submitted by parker lewis can’t lose, offered in both rear-wheel and 4-wheel drive models.

The Jeep Comanche was produced for 6 years, from 1986 – 1992. Basically, it’s the Cherokee…but with, you know, a bed. Can’t say that I see these on the road all that often. Or maybe I see them all the time, except only from the front, therefore mistaking them for Cherokees.

Submitted by Brian O, disillusioned 30-something:

I remember going to the mall as a kid and wanting to spend all day at Aladdin’s Castle. Looking back now, the place seems pretty junky, but as a kid it was the best place in the entire world. It was like a miniature carnival stuffed into a dirty mall, where gold coins replaced quarters and tickets flowed from the machines like little rivers of paper. After spending about a hundred dollars you could take your tickets up to the disillusioned 30-something guy at the prize counter and he’d trade your hard earned tickets in for rubber stamps and gross stuffed animals. Man I miss those days…

Submitted by Stephen G, who spilled a little over the side.

Oh, every one of us loved a good ball pit, despite potential hygiene issues (because when you’re that young and carefree, those don’t even cross your mind). It’s such a simple concept, no wonder they became a universal staple at “fun” places all around the world. Once you got older (but not so old that your presence became…creepy), it became more about throwing balls at your friends than about “swimming” around.

Submitted by Stephen G, windex man.

No old school arcade would be complete without a Hoop It Up Game. And what a great name, too! I haven’t come across one of these in awhile, but if I did, it’d have my tokens!

Submitted by Stephen G, who has a light side and a dark side.

So, they’re chips, right? But what sets them apart from other deliciously salty treats is A) their cutesy name and B) the fact that they’re made to look like potatoes, with a dark side (the skin) and a light side (the inside). Tato Skins were introduced in the late ’80s. I’m not sure if you can still find them in some places, but I’ve never seen them in stock anywhere.

Submitted by Chris M, horologist.

Not just a watch. Not just a video game console. It’s both! That’s right, BOTH! Because when you combine the power of knowing what time it is with the power of Mario jumping down a tube…You become an unstoppable force. Or at least that’s what I imagine the promotional copy for the Nintendo Game Watch sounded like.

Submitted by Stephen G, in the mood for everything…like Al.

Because when I think of delicious fast food, I think of salad bars! I particularly enjoy the alliteration employed in this advertisement: Selena’s salad, Frank’s fettucini…I mean, WOW! However, I hope selecting food to match your first initial wasn’t a strictly enforced rule when eating at the Superbar. Otherwise, I might have just skipped the whole thing and ordered a hamburger (they didn’t offer the spicy chicken sandwich then, unfortunately).

Submitted by Nikki Z, who’s currently enjoying a milkshake at the Peach Pit.

In case you hadn’t noticed, today’s date is 9/02/10 (written as 2/09/10 in the United States, but that doesn’t exactly serve our purposes here). With a special date like that, it would be a crime NOT to reminisce over everyone’s favorite ’90s television series about spoiled brats living (and loving…and drinking…and overdosing) in ritzy Beverly Hills. And who could forget that theme song?!

Let us know about your favorite episodes, quotes, betrayals, twists, tender moments, or characters (oh, Shannen Doherty, TV misses you!) in the comments. And nothing should be spoken about the CW remake of the show lest you be severely judged.

Once, again: Happy 9/02/10 Day!!!

Submitted by Stephen G, hot shot.

Much like real basketball, the point of Hot Shot Basketball was to get the ball through the hoop. The difference was that, in the Hot Shot version, you were using a miniscule “launcher” to flick the ball through a tiny little plastic net. So much less effort than throwing a heavy orange ball toward a really high net! As a side note, the game pictured above is advertised as a “travel” game. I have to wonder how many little basketballs were lost under the bucket seats in minivans around the world…

Submitted by Veronica C, who loves Billie Holliday.

Clueless helped define ’90s culture; its fashion and slang influenced the zeitgeist in a serious way. I still hear people quote this movie (If only 1995 was the last time I ever heard “as if!”), and the recent passing of Brittany Murphy (who co-starred in the film) had people talking, once again, about their favorite clueless valley girls. Any scenes that have stuck with you over the last 15 years? Or maybe you would like to lament about the horrid television series spawned after the film became successful? Tell us in the comments.

Submitted by Stephen G, Project Mercury team leader.

Sega’s Game Gear was the 3rd commercially available hand-held video game console that featured a color screen. I definitely remember logging some Sonic The Hedgehog hours on a Game Gear. What about you? Favorite games? Do you miss the Game Gear, or are you content with your iPod Touches and PSPs?

Submitted by Jeff G, screamin’ eagle.

Wood paneling FTW! You really can’t beat it. The AMC Eagle was introduced in 1979 and remained on the market until 1988. They really are a thing to behold in a kitschy sort of way. How about you guys? Did any of you take a hot date out on a Friday night in one of these bad boys?

Submitted by The Fuzz, discovered in a block of ice.

Brendan Fraser + Pauly Shore + A film about a million-year-old caveman being unearthed in Los Angeles = Total ’90s nostalgia. I can suspend my disbelief over the whole “caveman being discovered and is still alive” thing, but I can’t do the same when trying to process the plot point that, somehow, the caveman is the key to popularity for two geeky outcasts. But there’s no point getting hung up over a Pauly Shore movie, am I right? Take a trip back to the ’90s with the film trailer above; I apologize in advance if “I’m Too Sexy” is stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

Submitted by Carl G, undercover high school student.

Johnny Depp starred (for the first 4 seasons, anyway) in this police drama about unreasonably good looking officers who went undercover in high schools and other teenage hot spots to solve crime. You may not buy the premise, but chances are good that some of you still have a Johnny Depp poster up on your wall (or a picture in your wallet, in between photos of your husband and your kids). It was with this series that Mr. Depp became known as a teen heartthrob, a title which he still holds two decades later.

Submitted by Katrina G, treat of the year:

Before the days of the Happy Meal, the ‘Treat of the Week’ existed. All you had to do was ask for it, and it was yours, no strings attached. Same great toys as the happy meals, but completely free. I miss the good old days!

Submitted by Kenny O, cartoon thespian.

George Plimpton hosted this Disney parody of Masterpiece Theater. It only ran for one season, which I find incredible, because the idea of Mickey and Goofy tackling Shakespeare is an appealing one. Plus, hello, George Plimpton was hosting! An even bigger resume point for him, I’m sure, than his involvement with The Paris Review.

Submitted by Laura V, gone fishin’:

The object of the game was to take your little fishing pole, which had a magnet as a lure, and try to catch as many fish as you could before the other kid caught more. The tricky thing was that the fish ’swam’ (spun around in a circle) and their mouths opened and closed (blocking the magnet inside). Oh it was tricky and surprisingly noisy (the game alone was noisy but the cuss words of frustration added to the noise). The fun of the game only lasted about twenty minutes before it became boring.

Wow, you Once Upon a Winners do love your magnetic fishing games. The travel edition, good for playing in the backseat of your parents’ minivan on long road trips, in featured above. You can also check out the full-sized board game edition, Let’s Go Fishin’.

Submitted by Fiesta , who’s going to Walley World!

“Getting there is half the fun.” Anyone whose parents ever said that to them knows exactly what to expect. There really is nothing like a John Hughes film to make one feel nostalgic. This being one of his most popular films, it’s especially WIN! This 1983 film introduced us to the Griswold family, who went on to entertain us even more in European Vacation and Christmas Vacation. Tell us about your favorite scenes or quotes in the comments.

Submitted by Mary R, tonight she’ll be takin’ no calls ‘cuz she’ll be dancin’!

Why do I think that answering machines are an epic win? Well, let’s just say it’s a lot harder to hack into someone’s voicemail to erase embarrassing messages you left while drunk. KIDDING! Kind of…Anyway, voicemail has replaced answering machines (also called “answerphones” or “ansaphones” in the UK) as the preferred message service. Answering machines are still around (though to find one sold separately from a phone would be rare, I think), but are the thing to have if you like to keep tapes with old messages on them. And who doesn’t like to do that?!

Submitted by Amber H, who broke her elastic string.

A wooden paddle, an elastic string, and a ball. When those elements combine, there is only one thing that can happen: EPIC FUN!!! I’m sure that nearly every child played paddle ball at some point in their youth. It really is one one those universal toys, perhaps because it is so simple and accessible. Just be careful not to use too much force; it is still possible to hurt yourself with the ball, even though it is attached to a string. I would know.

Submitted by Brian O, big wisher.

When The Sears Wish Book was first published in 1933, it was a 300+ page tome so full of holiday toys and treats that practically every child who flipped it open began salivating instantly. Over the years, however, the book shrank. Eventually, it became nothing more than a flyer thrown into the bags of busy, indifferent shoppers. Sears kind of resurrected the old-style book in 2007, but it still didn’t quite match the epic win that was the original Wish Book. And, let’s face it, flipping through the circulars that come tucked into the Sunday papers just doesn’t feel the same.

Submitted by Amber H, who lives in a house with wood paneling.

What is there to say about giant wooden televisions that they don’t say about themselves? They weren’t just televisions, they were furniture. Practically works of art. They added that “something special” to your sitting room. They were a status sym…OK. They were ugly. We can admit it. However, they evoke memories of a specific era, a specific style, and therefore they are a major nostalgic WIN.

Submitted by Amber H, caramel-coated.

We could all sit here and chat about how we loved to rip open a box of Cracker Jack and munch down the caramel-coated popcorn and nuts. But let’s be honest: We really only cared about the prize hidden somewhere in the sugary goodness.

Submitted by Kenny O, bubbly:

Every old school Chuck E. Cheese had one of these USA VS USSR. Bubble Hockey tables.

If Air Hockey and Fussball had had a lovechild, they may have called it Bubble Hockey. Or maybe not. They might have gone more traditional and decided on “Jimmy.” Who can say?

Submitted by John M, whose head turns into a television when Mario jumps on it:

Just what every video gamer needed: video game cereal. I wish I could still find this stuff.

Submitted by Laurens B, coin-operated.

Pinball existed, and was popular, long before video games appeared on the scene. Today, only 1 company still makes pinball machines. These great forms of entertainment still exist in electronic, video game form, but the real deal is pretty much extinct. Such a shame.

Submitted by Artest V, who can remember it for you wholesale.

Arnold. Sharon Stone. A screenplay based on a Philip K Dick short story. All the action a person can handle. Sounds like a WIN to me! The film was released in 1990 and performed very well at the box office (and not too horribly with the critics). The director, Paul Verhoeven, went on to direct cinema’s greatest masterpiece, Showgirls. Arnold, of course, went on to star in such films as Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Junior, and Jingle All the Way before eventually becoming “governator” of California.

Submitted by Gina R, the strongest woman…in the world!

The Adventures of Pete and Pete began as minute-long shorts aired between programs on Nickelodeon in 1989. The shorts were popular, and the rest, as they say, is history. The show ran for three seasons, from 1993 to 1996. It was silly and surreal and was a favorite among most of the people in my age bracket. It also boasted a pretty impressive list of guest stars, including Debbie Harry, Selma Blair, Michael Stipe, Janeane Garofalo, and LL Cool J. The first two seasons are available on DVD, so if this was a childhood favorite, check ‘em out! And tell us about your favorite episodes in the comments.

Submitted by Susan V, human de Bordeaux:

What is not to like here? Tom Hanks? A big, slobbery Dogue de Bordeaux (that would be Hooch) that—wait for it—helps solve a crime?! Oh, dog may be man’s best friend, but he is also man’s best costar. This 1989 film performed well at the box office (an attempt at a spin-off television series was even made) depsite later becoming a constant source of jokeage for Mr. Hanks upon becoming more famous.

Submitted by Babalou, iPod hater.

Oh, the time before iPods (and other mp3 players, of course)! I went through many generations of portable CD players, including one that looked a lot like the original Sony Discman (though it must have been a later model). Unfortunately (yes, I said it!), people don’t really listen to CDs anymore, and so these machines have become obsolete. Not to say that mp3 players don’t have their conveniences, but something must be said, I think, for listening to a whole CD all the way through, the way it was meant to be heard. Plus, you got to enjoy the artwork printed on the CD itself.

Submitted by Bristol Y, with a vengeance.

Yippee kai yay! When Die Hard was released in 1988, it rejuvenated the action film genre. It spawned several sequels (most recently, 2007’s Live Free or Die Hard) and is, arguably (along with Pulp Fiction), the highlight of Bruce Willis’ career. If you like your action films with a bit of Christmas fun (and a score that references A Clockwork Orange), then this is the action film for you!

Submitted by Tina T, mallrat:

Malls back in the day were way better. They had that funky smell, and the stores were totally awesome.

Fortunately for you awesome ’80s mall fans, there seem to be geographical pockets where time has stood still and malls retain their ’80s-ness. Of course, the stores have probably changed, but the atmosphere remains intact.

Submitted by Kenny O, wonderful and waterful:

Forget the gameboy. This is what we played before handheld video game consoles. Wonderful Waterful Basketball is still the best handheld basketball game ever made.

Me? I liked the “ring toss” variation on this game. One has to wonder how long toys like these would entertain today’s youth if their attention spans are anything like people say they are.

Submitted by Doug B, coin eater.

Robie made saving your coins fun. Well, the first few coins, anyway. He did always stick to the same routine, right down to the lick-lip. I believe you can still find Robie, at least around Christmas, at your local Radio Shack. I don’t know where the Robie from my childhood got to, so perhaps I’ll check around for a new one next holiday season.

Submitted by Dot Tie, peel-off polish:

Tinkerbell Cosmetics was a line of makeup for little girls (1950s-1990s). As far as I know, their products are no longer manufactured. It’s sad to see that Tinkerbell is no longer producing cosmetics, because they made such memorable and fun products. I especially remember the distinctive perfume, the compact, and most of all the nail polish that peeled off.