Nostalgia Trip: What Chinese Students Did for Fun in the 1990s

A Nostalgic Look at Childhood in 1990s China: Spinning Tops, Pokémon, and a Touch of Nostalgia In the late 1990s, children in Chengdu, China, enjoyed a unique blend of traditional and imported pastimes. Jimmy Maio, who grew up in the region, recalls a childhood filled with simple yet engaging games. "One of my favorite things was playing with these little Pokémon and Digimon figurines," he shares in a recent video. The video shows a collection of these toys, evoking a sense of nostalgia. But it wasn't just imported toys; traditional games held their own. Maio demonstrates a traditional Chinese spinning top, explaining how children would compete to see whose top spun the longest. The video also touches on the popularity of foreign cartoons like Digimon, which Maio remembers watching in class. "I distinctly remember watching Digimon in class when nothing was going on," he says. This blend of global trends and local traditions paints a vivid picture of childhood in 1990s China.