Every year on Christmas Eve, my brother and I are allowed to open one gift addressed to the both of us. There isn't much mystery involved, since we both know it's going to be a board game or table top activity for the whole family to play, but it's still exciting to see what new choice my mom has picked out for us.
My favorites have definitely always been the classic options from the past. There's a reason standbys, like Scrabble and Monopoly, never go out of style: they're always a guaranteed good time!
Looking at the options below, though, I wish some of these were among the vintage finds still lining toy aisles today. Well, except for the ones that have anything to do with math, but I could see my brother having fun being better at that than me.
Did we miss your favorite game that's long been forgotten? Let us know in the comments and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
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1. The Game Of Hollywood Stars
After starting out as an extra in Tinseltown, the players work their way through the celebrity ranks until they've won the game by both being given an Academy Award and having $12,000 in their bank account.
2. Luckie Strike
The aim was to create matching sets of four cards by passing your unwanted ones to your left on each turn. Once you had a set, you would lay it down and everyone would grab for the sticks in the center of the table — leaving one without a stick.
The first player to pick up a stick earned the first letter of "Luckie" and one point, while the one without received the first letter of "Strike" and negative one point.
3. Skill-Drive
Long before video games took over for simulated driving, kids enjoyed this charming magnetized game that offered fun for more than one player. You could enjoy a variety of game plays, like timed races or applying a point system.
4. Charge Account: Jan Murray's TV Word Game
This game based on '60s comedian Jan Murray's hit TV show at the time is essentially a combination of Bingo and Boggle: an MC calls out the letters and it's up to the two players to place them on a 16-cubed grid in such a way that they can create the most combinations of three or four letter words.
5. Number Please!
No, this isn't a simulation of waiting in line at the deli counter like the name might make it seem, but it is perfect for math fans or kids attempting to master simple equations. There were seven different games in each box, but the one that was also named "Number Please" involved rolling five colored die and one standard die.
Then, you would attempt to make an equation from the numbers in the colored ones, which equal the number of the standard.
6. Space Bug
The adorable critters helped younger players learn to associate numbers with objects — each number of the dice matching to one area of the bug's body. With each roll, they would place a peg in the designated area until the winner filled theirs completely.
7. Boris Karloff's Monster Game
This game was perfect for busting out around Halloween with lots of spooky detours on your way across the board with the face of the original Dracula staring back at you the whole time.
8. Steeplechase
This simple game dates back to the 1950s where the objective was to get your colored disc all the way to the end of the board before your opponents.
9. The Beatles Flip Your Wig Game
The Fab Four weren't shy about cashing in on their newfound fame in 1964, slapping their faces on multiple types of merchandise throughout the decade. This game had players assume the role of John, Paul, George, or Ringo, and strive to collect a set of their Beatles' picture card, signature card, instrument card, and record card.
Do you remember any amazing games from the past we missed? Let us know in the comments and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
