Toy Tuesday: OK Go!

Today's Toy Tuesday entry reflects the interesting way that interesting stuff becomes a toy and can later take on a life of its own.Inventor Rube Goldberg's drawings depicted complex devices that perform simple tasks in indirect, convoluted ways and are now known as Rube Goldberg machines. One of the best known Rube Goldberg-like products ever is Milton Bradley's Mouse Trap Game, where players cooperate to build a complex mouse trap and then use the machine to trap their opponents' mouse-shaped game pieces. According to Wikipedia, "game designer Marvin Glass (and his company, Marvin Glass and Associates) refused to pay licensing fees or royalties to Rube Goldberg, despite Marvin acknowledging being inspired by Goldberg as well as the clear similarities between the game and a Goldberg drawing."

Today I received a Facebook post from Bill Goodwin of Goodwin Design Group with an incredible video that shows the idea of Rube Goldberg's contraptions taken to the next level. It demonstrates what can be done with an idea that's already proven to be great with adaptations that make it relevant and fun for today. Check it out here: This Too Shall Pass by OK Go.