Wacky WallWalker toys were sticky objects that had a similar shape to an octopus. Made out of sticky elastomer, Wacky WallWalker toys were very similar to A Bad Case of Worms in that if you threw it against a wall it would 'walk' down, spinning slightly as it fell to make it look like it was actually using its legs. Rumour has it that the idea for Wacky WallWalker toys originated from a Japanese toy called Tako. The creator of Wacky WallWalker's, Ken Hakuta received something very similar in the post from his mother who lived in Japan.
The intial reaction to Wacky WallWalkers was warm, to say the least. Only available in Washington, the toys had a very limited target audience. However, once The Washington Post featured the sticky toys in a feature article, word soon spread and children soon began travelling to the store to purchase them. Hakuta later branched out and began selling Wacky WalkWalker toys throughout hundreds of outlet stores across the United States. It wasn't before long that Wacky WallWalkers became an international phenomena and with special promotional give aways in cereal boxes like Kellogg's Corn Pops, kids the world over were soon playing with the sticky toy.
Wacky WallWalkers came in bright, fluorescent colours like shocking pink, bright green and orange - they even glowed in the dark!
Wacky Wallwalkers were first made in Japan. They were rubbery creatures that had a sticky coating and when thrown against a smooth surface, would wobble, and "walk" down the wall. Ken Hakuta began to market these toys in the US as "Wacky Wallwalkers."
The most common form of the Wallwalker is the octopus. Other creatures followed (such as centipedes and other insects) all which had life-like movements when walking down walls. Mr. Hakuta's marketing genius even gained him a short-run television series: "Dr. Fad". Some of the more popular Wallwalkers were the ones that glow-in-the-dark.
Do You Remember Wacky Wall Walkers?
Do You Remember Wacky Wall Walkers?