Toy Story opened 30 years ago this month. I’m sure many of you have fond memories of going to it in theaters back when it was new. Maybe you were a kid. Maybe you were an adult who had never seen anything like it before. Or…maybe you were like me and weren’t allowed to go.

That’s right. Young Scrat wasn’t allowed to see Toy Story in theaters. Well, maybe “not allowed” is a strong term, since technically I never begged my parents to go. But I don’t think it would’ve done any good. My mom was against the film because of the little green army men featured prominently in the marketing, and wrote it off as “governemnt propaganda” which might’ve manipulated young Scrat into joining the army someday. I…don’t think that would’ve happened if I had gone. It did get “so bad” that my mom asked to speak to our movie theater’s manager to complain when they had Toy Story popcorn buckets for sale. Bitter? Me? Of course not! I’m a mature Scrat! (Also, my mom loves Toy Story now, so go figure)

As you are no doubt aware, Toy Story had a massive marketing campaign. We’ll talk about its Burger King promotion in which young Scrat wasn’t able to collect any of the toys (again, NOT BITTER!!!!) another time, but for now, let’s focus on what as at the time one of the most advanced movie tie-in video games ever. Back in the day, such things would arrive on stores roughly six months or so after a film opened in theaters, but Disney was adamant that Toy Story be available for home consoles in time for Christmas that year. So it was one of the rare occasions when a film’s game and its theatrical release coincided with each other.

As for the game itself…well, I’ve never played it. I did play Toy Story 2 on the GBA years later, but then again, the GBA was the first video game system I ever really had. That’s right, my mom thought video games were too violent (NOT BITTER!!!), so I only ever really got to play them if they were on the demo display at Toys “R” Us (this is why I am nostalgic for Yoshi’s Island). Anyway, Toy Story‘s game boasted “3D graphics” to match the film’s revolutionary computer animation, and it blew people away at the time, even if the first thing you notice is the poor edging on Woody, the main character in the movie and the character you control in the game. But such poor edging for Woody didn’t bother this one kid (teen?), who got SO EXCITED that he got SUCKED INTO THE GAME, poor edging and all, and transformed into one of Sid’s mutant toys! That’ll make you buy the game!

What didn’t come out until a while later was the Tiger Electronics Handheld Game, and as you all probably know by now, I fucking love these things. And I’m sure I would’ve adored this one, but alas, I’ve never gotten my hands on it (NOT FUCKING BITTER!!!!). Maybe one day on eBay just for old time’s sake. In the meantime, watch these kids risk breaking the damn thing as they try to smuggle it to each other through their bedroom windows. Huh. Maybe I could’ve snuck one into my own house this way as a kid.

You’ve got a friend in me, y’all! Also, I AM NOT BITTER AND WHY WOULD YOU EVER THINK THAT???