What may seem like a novelty video game accessory from the 1980s actually has a much deeper backstory.

The Nintendo Power Glove, a game controller you wore on your arm, came out in 1989, but its roots go back to the 1970s.

Before it was the "baddest" accessory around, the Power Glove started out as the Data Glove, a high-end instrument used by scientists, MIT, and even NASA.

What began as a $10,000 instrument for a new world called "Virtual Reality" eventually entered the consumer market. Did the data glove have more novel applications? Could this unique device even become a toy...?

But to make it a toy, a redesign and a MUCH lower price point were both critical, and that meant a lot of compromises in both materials and functionality. Even though the Power Glove was launched with a huge boom, did the at-home gaming experience live up to the hype...?

• War Games movie review: Patreon.com/80s

From the beaches of California in the 1960s to the empty swimming pools of the 70s, the two board-based niche hobbies had really grown in popularity.

But the 1980s took it to a whole new level--literally and figuratively.

Not only were surfing and skateboarding growing in popularity during the 80s, but they were beginning to have a major impact on music, fashion, movies, TV shows, and a lot of youth culture.

The two activities--specifically skateboarding--were becoming an identity as much as an activity.

Today, we revisit the origins, growth, and impact of surfing and skateboarding, some of the groundbreaking figures, and how the two sports quickly influenced all aspects of pop culture in the 80s.

• War Games movie Review: Patreon.com/80s

Hard-hitting, intense, and sometimes difficult to watch--but it was can't-miss TV. This was the world of After-School specials in the 1980s.

After being created by ABC in the 1970s, the after-school special continued to rise to prominence in the 1980s, where it became a television institution for an entire generation of kids.

From its unique origins and the numerous awards to the breakout performances of actors who later became major stars, the ABC After-School Special left a lasting impact on television history.

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