Germs for me to play with?

October 19, 2006 8:29 PM

Plastic germ action figures that were sold in test-tubes: does anyone remember these toys?

As far as I can remember, they were just called "Germs" and were sold at places like Toys 'R' Us. My googling turns up a few plush germ toys, but these appear to be unrelated. Does anybody know what I'm talking about? I had the hots for these things so intensely when I was a kid, and I want to find them again--they were incredibly weird, and those test tubes might be good to take shots out of. Thanks!

posted by Powerful Religious Baby to grab bag (7 comments total)

From Toys of the 80s (sadly no photos):

Germs

They were little immobile pieces of rubber that looked like monsters, but were supposed to be germs. Each one came with a test-tube and a description of a fake disease that the germ caused. They were made in 1988.
posted by rhapsodie at 8:44 PM on October 19, 2006

Great site, rhapsodie, thank you. I had forgotten all about the disease descriptions. And 1988 sounds right--I would have been six or seven.
posted by Powerful Religious Baby at 9:42 PM on October 19, 2006

I very vividly remember being chased around the yard at school by a kid with the Chicken Pox germ. 'Cause I hadn't had the pox yet, see. The event was mostly kind in nature, I think. Good luck finding them and if you do, post here!
posted by wemayfreeze at 12:11 AM on October 20, 2006

Ebay to the rescue...

Does this match your description?
posted by lodev at 2:27 AM on October 20, 2006

This germ, it vibrates?
posted by nadise at 4:07 AM on October 20, 2006

I spent all of my childhood money on these things whilst standing in line for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie on opening day (March 30, 1990). I still have them all arrayed on a shelf in my bedroom back home.

Good luck in your search.
posted by ducksauce at 8:10 AM on October 20, 2006

Thanks, everybody! lodev--that is most definitely one. Those test-tubes were unmistakable. I don't think I ever had the orange one, though; my favorite was a blue one with huge pink lips.

ducksauce, I am terribly jealous of you.
posted by Powerful Religious Baby at 1:47 PM on October 20, 2006