The power of nostalgia was on full display this month, when the return of beloved video game series “Backyard Sports” was announced, generating the type of excitement on social media usually reserved for blockbuster movies.
Said to be arriving in the “coming months,” the series will preserve its iconic aesthetic and set of characters from its original 1997 release, tapping into the memories of a generation of gamers who grew up with the computer game.
Months before the world was alerted to the return of the franchise, which produced a total of 38 games over the course of more than 15 years, Miles McAlpin was contacted by Playground Productions, the team behind the revamp.
The ask?
Create a one-of-one custom toy of Pablo Sanchez, the franchise’s most memorable character.
For McAlpin, 38, who lives in Nashua, New Hampshire, and goes by sircollectalot on Instagram, this was right in his wheelhouse.
A childhood dream came true last month when the folks at @_BackyardSports hired me to bring the iconic Pablo Sanchez to life in toy form to celebrate the relaunch of #backyardsports. Keep an eye out for all your favorite characters as they return to a playground near you. pic.twitter.com/GE5XXNcMwj
— Sir Collect-a-Lot (@sircollectalot) August 27, 2024
Like so many collectible stories, McAlpin’s began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he was furloughed from his marketing job. He needed a hobby and had noticed other creators sharing custom toys in the style of classic figures from the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Feeling like it was an accessible art form and a good way to fill his time, McAlpin began honing his craft.
“I went to my parents basement and found some old figures that I could use, and watched tons of YouTube videos,” McAlpin told cllct.
Learning step-by-step the intricacies involved in painting techniques, sanding, gluing and the works, he started making his own toys, picking things up as he went along.
“I started just making things, I kind made characters that I wish had their own figures, or I made things just from Internet culture,” McAlpin said.
A major key to the look of the toys is the packaging, which often feature the classic plastic bubble around the figure.
As he continued his hobby, creating limited-edition figures of characters ranging from "Happy Gilmore" to "Ron Burgundy" and "Air Bud," he saw an influx of demand for his figures. During the peak collectibles boom, his auctions would fetch $500.
But, as with so many collectible categories, collectors soon became less willing to pay as much, leading McAlpin to change tact, moving from self-generated ideas and operated auctions to commissioned works and brand collaborations.
The biggest brand to work with McAlpin was Pringles. “It was kind of a perfect fit, because they have this iconic character that I could bring to life.”
When McAlpin posted the figure as a collaboration post with Pringles, it performed well. But it was the behind-the-scenes video of the toy’s creation which really seemed to resonate.
“People really like to see the behind the scenes and the creation aspect,” McAlpin said, explaining his process of sourcing parts for figures from flea markets and thrift stores, a sort of Frankenstein’s Monster of toy parts which he then molds to his vision.
“I'm always looking for old parts, sifting through bins of old toys, looking for arms that might work for this, and legs that might work for that,” McAlpin said. “That’s still my favorite part of it, and it kind of goes hand in hand with being a collector myself.”
After being approached by Backyard Sports to create the Sanchez toy, a gift for the CEO, McAlpin realized he would have to operate a bit differently in order to capture the precise likeness of the character. For the first time, he enlisted a 3-D artist.
Though the toy isn’t for sale, McAlpin figures it can’t be a bad idea to save the renderings in case the "Backyard" team wants to release a full collection.
When McAlpin posted a photo of the Sanchez toy on social media this week, he was met with the same enthusiasm that so many had expressed upon the game’s announcement.
“I knew I was tapping into kind of a fairly distant but beloved memory of people that played these games as kids. And so it was kind of a no brainer that I would get kind of support on this one.”
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.