Hit Stix were one of the very first motion activated toys… they didn't really work so well though.
Micro Machines were also real neat, but I remember I was more into collecting them than playing with them. Like with the "Super City" playset and such, like I'd spend a good hour putting it all together and then setting up the vehicles… and then that'd be it, it was mostly just for show.
I remember there was big competition between Matchbox toy cars and Hot Wheels, like some kids I knew would ~only~ get one or the other, where as I tended to just get whatever looked the coolest.
There were a lot of different gimmicks too, like the color changing ones. The floppy plastic race track setups were a lot of fun.
They also used to make these Pick-Up & Peek Puzzles, where it was like a reverse puzzle.
They had this neat electronic toy too back in the 80s, can't remember what it was called, but it was sort of like a See And Say, except it was a flat computer style setup and you would load these sorta Where's Waldo type plastic sheets into the top and then there was a bulky cartidge bit that loaded into the side for each sheet and then it was like a touch screen See And Say. Pretty innovative for its time.
The velcro kid watches they made in the 80s were also freakin awesome, I remember feeling ~so~ cool wearing one! :D