Laser Force

⸺ by Charles Iliya Krempeaux

Laser Force is a vintage toy-line from the 1980s.

The Laser Force toy line consists of (toy) vehicles and action figures all in the 3¾ inch scale.

The Laser Force toy line (toy) vehicles are in a seemingly vintage futuristic sci-fi style. And would fit in with many of the 1970s & 1980s sci-fi toy lines. Sci-Fi focused on stories that (at least in part) took place in outer-space and on other planets (other than Earth) were very popular during that era.

The action figures are 5-points-of-articulation (5PA) style figures.

The (toy) vehicles seemed to be the focus of the Laser Force toy line. Children seemed to often use Laser Force vehicles with other compatible toy lines.

The Laser Force toy line were an inexpesive choice that were meant to be compatible with other more expensive toy lines.

Compatibility

Being in the 3¾ inch scale made Laser Force was compatible with other 1980s era & 1970s area toy lines in the 3¾ inch scale, such as:

Adventure People by Fisher Price et al.,
• A-Team by Galoob et al.,
• Black Hole by Mego et al.,
• Buck Rogers by Mego et al.,
• CHiPs by Mego et al.,
• Dukes of Hazzard by Mego et al.,
• G.I. Joe by Hasbro et al.,
• Metal-Man by Zee Toys, Zylmex, et al.,
• Micronauts by Mego et al.,
• Pocket Super Heroes by Mego et al.,
• Star Wars by Kenner et al.,
• etc.

One can speculate that this may have been the intent of Laser Force's creators. That they were making (toy) vehicles to be used with other toy lines made by others.

Laser Force Vehicles

As far as I can (currently) tell —

Laser Force had only 4 (toy) vehciles:

the Laser Craft,
• the Laser Plane,
• the Moon Rover, and
• the Space Boat.

Although there were multiple variants of each Laser Force (toy) vehicle.

The body of each Laser Force (toy) vehicle could be a different color. The 3 different color versions for the body are:

grey,
• gold, and
• light tan.

In addition to this, the windows of the Laser Force (toy) vehicles could also be a different (transparent) color. Each version varied by color. The 4 different color versions for the body are:

(transparent) light blue,
• (transparent) orange,
• (transparent) red, and
• (transparent) very dark grey.

Photo of vintage Laser Force toys. In photo — the top row has 3 different variants of the Laser Plane, the middle row has 4 different variants of the Laser Craft, the bottom-left has 1 Moon Rover, the bottom-right has 1 Space Boat, leaning against the Moon Rover is the black version of the action figure, and leaning against the Space Boat is the grey version of the action figure. The photo was posted on posted by (reddit user) "MrPNGuin" on reddit ( https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/pz9ir6/anyone_else_have_laser_force_toys_i_had_the_jet/ ); but (reddit user) "vintagetoystuff" claimed it was his photo.

Corporation

Laser Force was created, by people, through the company which is today known as — American Plastic Toys Inc.

Although “American Plastic Toys Inc.” was not the company's original name. The company's previously was named — Gay Toys Inc.

Why the name change‽ —

This is speculation, but the common meaning for the word “gay” used to be —

gay (adjective): joyous, joyful, happy.

It is likely that this is the meaning for the word “gay” that the previous company name (“Gay Toys Inc.”) was derived from.

Most people nowadays aren't aware of this meaning for the word “gay”. And would probably assume a company named “Gay Toys Inc.” makes sex-toys (rather than children's toys) which could be why the company changed its name. The company makes childrens' toys, and may not have wanted to connote anything sexual (as it violates common taboos in common contemporary North American culture).

Laser Force toys seemed to be released both when the company was called ‘Gay Toys Inc.’, and when the company was called ‘American Plastic Toys Inc.’.