A few vintage board games from the Moonbase attic. Of all toys from the Sixties and Seventies, it seems to me that Board Games have survived better than almost anything, passing from generation to generation. Wonder why? Any ideas? What's your favourite?
Still got my Escape from Colditz. Hated it though. Took ages to play and then the one playing the German would call a rollcall and you had to start again. Aaargh. The do or die card had to be used a lot.
ReplyDeleteBattle of the Little Big Horn Waddington's.....quality board, would be great if I stil had it now for abstract wargaming..EB
ReplyDeleteI think James May echoed your thoughts about Colditz in one of his programs about toys. Pity really, because from the outside it does look to be an exciting game.
ReplyDeleteIt was always that "look" of a game which would attract me. If a game had nice playing pieces, I'd want it. "Take the Brain" was one such ... the Brains were such a good shape, and the Ninnys and Numbskulls were fun too.
Camelot was another I longed to play ... just because of the pieces ... but never got to do so. It was always hogged by the cool kids in primary school. Sigh.
Woodsy ... I've often seen KIMBO, but never played it. I wonder, could you show some more it it, please? I'd love to read the rules.
Bugger - i was just going to say Take the Brain! Have to say i still love Monopoly, that feeling when your 9 year old son lands on Mayfair when ive developed it with four hotels is priceless. Mousetrap and Flyin Hats were great too. I always went for the games with the good accessories in them! Airfix Dont Break The Ice was always good violent fun and Dont Let the Leaves Fall. Think i must have always been a subversive at heart.
ReplyDeleteThat's the thing about games - you do them with other people, so you can have Take the Brain too, Wote.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, you always was a subversive - I've read your borstal reports. (grins)
One thing that always bugged me about Take the Brain - the Brain features prominently on the box lid and i thought the face represented a pair of stairing eyes and an alien, tentacled mouth like the Ood. It was only years later that i realised its just a pair of specs and a floppy mustache. Bah. Xenophilia i guess.
ReplyDeleteLOL - course it was glasses, ya dope. Sign of intellect, and book-learning and stuff. (holds up her glasses)
ReplyDeleteXenophilia. (smiles) I like it. Personally, I thought the Brain looked like Clive Sinclair.
Always fancied Booby Trap too after seeing it in the back of DC comics along with the Zeroids adverts. Yount beat a good game of Tiddlywinks or Draughts or that game where you build a Beetle out of parts at the roll of a dice!
ReplyDeleteBeetle Drive? Yesssss, that was fun.
ReplyDeleteDon't know Booby Trap tho. What was that?
Booby Trap was a tray filled with coloured disks that you took turns to remove. If you werent dead careful, a spring trigger at the side was released upsetting the whole board and that was you consigned to sitting in the corner sulking coz you lost again and should have stuck to I Spy.
ReplyDeleteNot fair! You said you'd never tell about me sulking in the corner. And I only sulked half the time anyway ... and, and, and, I was real good at I Spy! So there! Nyah nyah.
ReplyDeleteI remember getting "Campaign" because I just loved the two piece board/territory map and all the little pieces and generals,
ReplyDeleteNever did have a proper game with it though...I have this memory that it was very complicated and had lots of rules but not sure if that was the case or not.
The game still intrigues me...wonder if I can find the rules online and see what I missed...still wish I had that game...nice box too!
Sent you the rules via the magic of email, eviled.
ReplyDeleteI do have a copy of the game. Not sure what condition it is in ... bought with other stuff at a toy fair ages and ages ago ... but you are most welcome to have it if you wish.
ReplyDeleteWe had Campaign, it was too complicated! Dad always wanted to win but couldn't get his head round the rules and would cheat, my brother and I would always argue and mum would give her army to the person doing least well before going off somewhere!
ReplyDeleteThe above also describes Monopoly in our house!
PS - you answered your own question re, the number that have survived...every generation of every family has the 'games' cupboard or drawer or box, suitcase etc...and/or inherits it from the previous generation, so while some unbelievable dealers on evilBay think they start at 20 quid and go rapidly to £60, the fact is they really aren't rare, just stashed in a half a million homes!
ReplyDeleteWhile wait long enough and/or get up early enough and you'll find them all at car-boot sale for between 99p and a fiver...max!!
'Comals'...seasonal games stashes...