Anyone remember Tomy's Bumbling Boxing game? Sure you do.


Z and I are always on the lookout for used wind-up toys. Sometimes we crack them open like nuts to get their motors out, and sometimes we just repurpose and redecorate them.


This set, though, I flatly refused to let her touch.


We got it for fifty cents at a church rummage sale. along with a few other wind-ups we will most definitely be hacking.



If you ever see one of these, get it. The toy has more than just vintage charm - you can adjust the position of the forearms to deploy different strategies for defeating your opponent, and it's actually pretty fun (and funny, if Z's explosion of giggles and cheering at the close of each match are any indication).

I had the shadowy inkling there were more sets like this, with different themes. Sure enough, Tomy also made the fantastic-looking bowling game demonstrated below. The "falling pin" design just kills me.



Bumbling Boxing did inspire us, however, to create a pair of modified wind-ups we'll share here soon.