I don't pay too much attention to what kids are playing with nowadays.  I think the simple stuff had it's advantages though.  It helps develop creative thinking and imagination.  I couldn't even begin to count how many uses a simple stick had when growing up.  Dozens and dozens.  I wonder if kids still play with sticks in the present time.  If they don't, they should.

We were also given a small blob of putty to play with. Silly Putty.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOWPMYmT8Eo
We didn't mind being given a spring, potato, or blob of putty to play with. We had nothing better so we actually liked these low tech toys.  Hard to imagine now.

I'm not particularly old but other than a metal tonka truck and later a bit of knex and lego I never had toys or gameboys growing up. Nothing beats mucking around outside or at least inventing things with lego and the like. If I wanted play-dough 4yo me had to make it himself from flour, salt and water

I can't imagine how the toys, phones and games the kids have thes days teach kids problem solving, improvisation, risk assessment, spatial skills  and whatnot.

Slightly related side-note: give us slingers a large enough ball of string and we'll be occupied for days if not weeks