Which best selling toy of 1983 caused hysteria, resulting in riots breaking out in stores?

The story behind the answer

Cabbage Patch Kids is correct. During the 1983 holiday season, the soft-faced dolls became so coveted that stores were mobbed, shelves cleared in minutes, and scuffles and small riots broke out as parents fought to get one. Their appeal came from seeming “one-of-a-kind” features and the novelty of receiving an adoption certificate rather than a standard purchase.

Created by Xavier Roberts from earlier soft-sculpture “Little People,” the dolls were mass-produced by Coleco and “born” at Babyland General Hospital in Georgia. The frenzy is often cited as the first modern toy craze, paving the way for later manias like Tickle Me Elmo. Memory tip: think “Cabbage Patch panic”—a “kid” craze that made grown-ups act like kids.