My childhood obsessions consisted of Easy Bake Oven, My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop and Strawberry Shortcake to name a few. If you also recall making cake creations and braiding the manes and tails of little blue horses, then you will understand the bliss of rediscovering these in your basement. Over time, some of these toys have stayed true to their roots, and others have become totally wired up and equipped with speakers and screens and abilities to respond to the sounds of voices (to me, Furbies were always an endless source of terror. Don’t even get me started on Tickle Me Elmo). Without reducing the simplicity of the toys of our past, Hasbro has come out with a slew of new games and toys that made me wonder if it is shameful to ask for an Easy Bake Over for my next birthday? Here’s a walk through some of the new takes on our old faves …

The Easy Bake oven is still pretty much the same culinary mystery that once baffled you (the the mini pizza oven-esque pan pusher sticks, the little tin pan in the oven, the light bulb cooks it and then you magically have a delicious little cake which you then push on your parents and friends). Nowadays, Easy Bake allows you to get a lot more creative than cakes and sugar cookies. They also have pretzel mixes, s’mores treats, waffles (complete with maple syrup mixes) and donuts! Aside from potentially compromising dental health, I can’t really think of a more wholesome pastime for a tweenager. Hey, it’s better than baking the other way.

Apparently, Strawberry Shortcake dolls smell like strawberries (or lip gloss or bubblegum) for decades, which is more than I can say for any car air freshener I’ve ever had. Our girl Strawberry Shortcake has been kickin’ for 30 years now, and has apparently adopted a shopping problem since we saw her last. Returning to her original 5 inch stature, she now has so many outfit options and accessories that she comes equipped with an armoire with a fold down vanity and clothes hangers. In this day and age, who can avoid marvelling at fashion of outrageous proportions?

Littlest Pet Shop has also stepped up their game with new additions; including a dancing dog who you can hook up to your iPod and he’ll play music through his speakers. He dances, lights up, and reacts differently to different music. If you play music around him, he’ll react to that too and express his distaste if he feels(?) so inclined – but not in a creepy, possessed way, like a certain aforementioned long lashed hamster – owl demon. I mean creature.

The new Scrabble Flash excites me greatly. The game goes electronic with interactive “smart link” tiles which you use to build your words; they flash and beep with each word you make (it KNOWS when you make a word. I spent way too long trying to outsmart this thing, and trust me – it cannot be done). It automatically times your turns and displays your score, leaving all the room in the world for sheer creative word creation.

Twister is also making a comeback – this time, it’s a little more interactive. Instead of the game mat, Twister Hoopla includes 16 coloured rings and the spinner. You spin the spinner, and it tells you how to use your bodies to hold the rings in place, the last team standing wins. (Pretty good idea for a drinking game, non?) There are actually 4 other ways to get down with this game, but after close assessment, this one works best for copping an impromptu feel when necessary.

After all this, my childhood fixations seem about as enthralling as a jee-haw whimmie diddle. Keep your eyes peeled for these new delights, and don’t feel ashamed to brush off your old Easy Bake recipes and start planning an Easy Bake tea party …