Author Topic: Ugliest Board Game (Read 14457 times)

The Ol' Guy · « **Reply #45 on:** August 12, 2009, 12:24:51 AM »

IIRC, Davidson also gave away a Password game during a week with Betty White on board. They took a quick reaction shot, and she seemed a bit...well, it was somewhere between shock and puzzlement.

All but the last Hollywood Squares covers have never been very attractive, with the first MB taking the cake. The lid to The Sky's The Limit looks kinda amateurish.

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #46 on:** August 12, 2009, 10:43:18 AM »

Quote

Can the next off-topic swerve be which games had images from the TV show on its packaging or the game itself?

I only have the second edition, but from GSN reruns, I'm sure the first edition of Joker's Wild had an actual shot from the show.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #47 on:** August 12, 2009, 11:08:07 AM »

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'222752\' date=\'Aug 12 2009, 10:43 AM\']

Quote

Can the next off-topic swerve be which games had images from the TV show on its packaging or the game itself?

I only have the second edition, but from GSN reruns, I'm sure the first edition of Joker's Wild had an actual shot from the show.[/quote]
You'd be wrong.

The two strangest examples that immediately come to mind are the obscure Gamut of Games releases for Dealer's Choice (renamed Place Your Bets as a home game) and The Diamond Head Game. Perhaps even stranger are some games for which there are photographs of the set, but photos that are staged with actors and that clearly didn't come from the actual show. It seems that a lot of the early computer games did that.

joker316 · « **Reply #48 on:** August 12, 2009, 12:50:52 PM »

Although it was never released to the public, Jack Barry did indeed have a home version of TJW on or around the third week of the show (I'd have to dig up my tapes to find the exact dates,etc.). The cover had the logo on the top stripe and a full stage shot on the rest. It also looked to be about the size of MB's Jeopardy! and TPIR games from the 70's. IIRC he also said to look for it in your local store very soon. Of course the one we all (or most) have came out a few months later.

JasonA1 · « **Reply #49 on:** August 12, 2009, 03:49:09 PM »

[quote name=\'joker316\' post=\'222774\' date=\'Aug 12 2009, 12:50 PM\']Although it was never released to the public, Jack Barry did indeed have a home version of TJW on or around the third week of the show (I'd have to dig up my tapes to find the exact dates,etc.). The cover had the logo on the top stripe and a full stage shot on the rest.[/quote]

I remember that, not just for the cool box art, but also because he said to look at your local hardware store, among other choices. I have a screengrab of Richard Dawson with a prototype Feud box that was different than the finished art - a larger, pulled back shot of the set against a blue background. Maybe I can throw it on my photo hosting or something. Were there any other board game prototypes that made it to air? (thread shift #20,512...) The Wesley Eure episodes of Finders Keepers showed a home game box I've never seen anywhere else.

-Jason

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #50 on:** August 12, 2009, 03:56:23 PM »

[quote name=\'JasonA1\' post=\'222803\' date=\'Aug 12 2009, 03:49 PM\']Were there any other board game prototypes that made it to air? (thread shift #20,512...)[/quote]
There is at least one example of a board game prototype that made it to air but didn't make it to stores! My friend (and fellow board member) Bob Zager vividly remembers that the children's game Runaround featured plugs for a home version that, as far as we can tell, was never released.

Bob Zager · « **Reply #51 on:** August 12, 2009, 07:19:18 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'222804\' date=\'Aug 12 2009, 03:56 PM\'][quote name=\'JasonA1\' post=\'222803\' date=\'Aug 12 2009, 03:49 PM\']Were there any other board game prototypes that made it to air? (thread shift #20,512...)[/quote]
There is at least one example of a board game prototype that made it to air but didn't make it to stores! My friend (and fellow board member) Bob Zager vividly remembers that the children's game Runaround featured plugs for a home version that, as far as we can tell, was never released.
[/quote]
Yep, that's right! I remember asking for a copy of the game at Christmas time then (1972)! I not only didn't get one, but I'd never seen it in any stores afterwards.

It was apparantly licensed through Lakeside Toys, and I've been trying to find one of their catalogs from 1972 or 1973 to see if it was pictured, but haven't had any luck there either.

Supposedly, the game was "electric," which leads me to assume that it plugged-in like the "electric," football/baseball games by Tudor, which I had back then. Maybe the game never got released because it didn't meet UL safety requirements.

Just for the record, the UCLA television archives has at least one episode of Runaround on tape! Unless it's the pilot episode, it SHOULD show the game as one of the parting gifts!

While on the subject of prototype box art for games, I also recall seeing a prototype box for the Ideal Hollywood Squares box game, promoted on the show, which showed a rather serious looking Peter Marshall, complete with his eyeglasses!

IMO, that was my least favorite box game version (of HS, at least!)

TimK2003 · « **Reply #52 on:** August 12, 2009, 08:50:11 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'222755\' date=\'Aug 12 2009, 11:08 AM\']The two strangest examples that immediately come to mind are the obscure Gamut of Games releases for Dealer's Choice (renamed Place Your Bets as a home game) and The Diamond Head Game.[/quote]

And wasn't the reason why DC came out as "Place Your Bets" was because there was already a board game out called "Dealers Choice", which in no way was related to the game show?

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #53 on:** August 12, 2009, 09:22:48 PM »

[quote name=\'TimK2003\' post=\'222833\' date=\'Aug 12 2009, 08:50 PM\'][quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'222755\' date=\'Aug 12 2009, 11:08 AM\']The two strangest examples that immediately come to mind are the obscure Gamut of Games releases for Dealer's Choice (renamed Place Your Bets as a home game) and The Diamond Head Game.[/quote]And wasn't the reason why DC came out as "Place Your Bets" was because there was already a board game out called "Dealers Choice", which in no way was related to the game show?[/quote]

Exactly.

alfonzos · « **Reply #54 on:** August 13, 2009, 01:24:10 AM »

I'd like to change my vote from TTD by Ideal Toys to TPiR by Lowell. At least TTD had decent cover art. Lowell's production had a ugly cover with ugly and impractical game pieces.

Sodboy13 · « **Reply #55 on:** August 13, 2009, 01:31:35 AM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'222835\' date=\'Aug 12 2009, 08:22 PM\'][quote name=\'TimK2003\' post=\'222833\' date=\'Aug 12 2009, 08:50 PM\'][quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'222755\' date=\'Aug 12 2009, 11:08 AM\']The two strangest examples that immediately come to mind are the obscure Gamut of Games releases for Dealer's Choice (renamed Place Your Bets as a home game) and The Diamond Head Game.[/quote]And wasn't the reason why DC came out as "Place Your Bets" was because there was already a board game out called "Dealers Choice", which in no way was related to the game show?[/quote]

Exactly.
[/quote]

I picked up the "other" Dealer's Choice at a garage sale when I was a kid. Game was forgettable, but the play money was cool. Very minimalist and '70s. I'm sure it's still around my parents' house somewhere.

Neumms · « **Reply #56 on:** August 13, 2009, 12:31:59 PM »

[quote name=\'gamed121683\' post=\'222691\' date=\'Aug 11 2009, 08:35 PM\'][quote name=\'vtown7\' post=\'222682\' date=\'Aug 11 2009, 09:01 PM\']Didn't HS '86 give out board games that weren't their own at one point?[/quote]

I'm going by memory, but I remember when watching a rerun of Davidson's Squares on USA 'back in the day', I do recall Davidson giving out a copy of The $1,000,000 Chance of A Lifetime home game. I recall asking myself, "Wouldn't a copy of there OWN home game been more appropriate"? Odd just...odd.
[/quote]

Not to defend John Davidson, but that was a joke. He said they didn't have a home game of their own, so he'd give out the home game for another show. There was a home game later, but presumably after he made the (tiny) joke.

We played the original Family Feud game at a cabin over the weekend. Hands down, that's the ugliest home game of its era. The board apparatus is a mess, the box is just a nightmare, especially with the crabby disgusted older lady on the right. Poor illustration. Just awful.

clemon79 · « **Reply #57 on:** August 13, 2009, 12:54:50 PM »

[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'222881\' date=\'Aug 13 2009, 09:31 AM\']We played the original Family Feud game at a cabin over the weekend. Hands down, that's the ugliest home game of its era.[/quote]
Don't agree. I love that they made an effort to simulate the gameboard with the slidey things.

Mike Tennant · « **Reply #58 on:** August 13, 2009, 02:08:40 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'222886\' date=\'Aug 13 2009, 12:54 PM\'][quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'222881\' date=\'Aug 13 2009, 09:31 AM\']We played the original Family Feud game at a cabin over the weekend. Hands down, that's the ugliest home game of its era.[/quote]Don't agree. I love that they made an effort to simulate the gameboard with the slidey things.[/quote]Oh, come on, Chris. Everyone knows that writing the answers on a dry-erase board is so much faster and more appealing!

BrandonFG · « **Reply #59 on:** August 13, 2009, 03:30:13 PM »

[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'222881\' date=\'Aug 13 2009, 12:31 PM\']The board apparatus is a mess, the box is just a nightmare, especially with the crabby disgusted older lady on the right. Poor illustration. Just awful.[/quote]
I always got a kick out of any board game with cover art. Wheel and J!'s home games in the 80s gave me a chuckle; a brunette serving as the letter turner, and then on the J! box, a lady who can't wait to shout her answer out, and some yuppie opponent having this weird "Can't win for losing" expression on his face.

All this gameplay, but never a host to be found. Ray Combs once made fun of this on Feud, by pasting a picture of himself on the front of the box.