Taxi Driver CED Video Disc

One of the more short-lived video formats, the CED video disc was an LP-sized movie system that featured a floppy disc held in a case - you inserted the entire package into the player! It was actually played with a record player-like stylus, and was only good for about 60 plays before it would be worn down to a point of being unwatchable.

As unappealing a format as it was, the actual discs are often things of beauty, and I'll be uploading my collection over the next few months. First up, this amazing artwork for Taxi Driver - a 1983 release.

King Kong Board Game (1976)

One of a surprisingly small merchandise tie-ins for the much-hyped 1976 remake of King Kong, this was an unnecessarily fiddly, overly complicated and not very entertaining board game, in which you had to stop Kong reaching the top of the World Trade Center. This involved having human figures standing on the board who could be knocked off by the spinning Kong and assorted cards that offered assistance in the way of equipment. If a player successfully attacks Kong five times, they win. You can also win by carrying out a Special Mission (rescue the girl from Kong). The awkwardly sized board and lack of fun made this a 'play once and then shove to the bottom of the pile' game. Released in 1976 by Ideal.