Games Archives ~ My Dreams of Disney

Mickey Mouse Skipping Rope by Arco Toys

October 5, 2016 by Lee Beatens

Skipping is one the oldest outdoor activities for children. Most often little girls will play various skipping games together while the boys look upon the ‘sport’ as sissy. But boys have been known to jump in from time to time!

Skipping rhymes have been recorded in all cultures where skipping is played. Examples of English-language rhymes have been found going back to at least the 17th century. But I think this skipping rope might only be from the 1960’s or 1970’s:

Just a little wear and tear

These have a nice little detail in the handles:

This Mickey Mouse skipping rope was made by Arco Toys:

Given the amount of rope attached to the two handles I have to assume that these would have been made for a child between the ages of 5 and possibly up to 8.

So what skipping rhyme would you use to play with this rope? May I suggest this one based on the Disney character of Cinderella:

Cinderella dressed in yellow, went downstairs) to kiss her fellow, by mistake kissed a snake, how many doctors will it take? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 etc. (Go to 20 then go down to the next line)

Cinderella dressed in blue, went upstairs to tie her shoe, made a mistake and tied a knot, how many knots will she make? 1, 2, 3, etc.

Cinderella dressed in green, went downtown to buy a ring, made a mistake and bought a fake, how many days before it breaks? 1, 2, 3, etc.

Cinderella dressed in lace, went upstairs to fix her face, oh no oh no, she found a blemish, how many powder puffs till she’s finished? 1, 2, 3, etc.

Cinderella dressed in silk, went outside to get some milk, made a mistake and fell in the lake, how many more till she gets a break? 1, 2, 3, etc.

Mickey’s Poppin’ Magic Game by Parker Brothers

July 20, 2016 by Lee Beatens

This is a variation of the game Trouble even sporting that little plastic dice bubble that we all loved so much as kids. However this game is much simpler and aimed at the younger 4 to 8 age market.

Here is the box:

The Fab Five play together

The rules are a bit vague. To play each player pops the dice bubble and moves ahead the number of spaces indicated on the die. But if the die shows this:

Oh-oh!

Then you slide the red lever and one or more players may be popped off the board. No one is safe! But here is where it gets confusing. The box says ‘Will you get popped off? And where will you land when you pop back on – ahead of where you were, or behind?’ There is no explanation as to how you can ‘pop back on’.

Fairly generic character art

This game is by Parker Brothers and was released in 1991. You can play as either Pluto, Goofy, Minnie, or Donald but not Mickey as he is the one hosting the poppin’ party:

Is that much butter healthy? Ah, the 1990’s!

I’m constantly surprised, shocked, and dismayed when I realize that a game from 1991 is now 25 years old. The 90’s seem like yesterday to me!

I picked this game up for just $7.50 CAN in a deal of two games for $15.00 together.

Mickey Mouse SPIN A ROUND Game by Milton Bradley

July 18, 2016 by Lee Beatens

It’s time for another post about Disney games! So gather the kids and get ready to see Mickey Mouse deal some cards and match you with some fun:

If magic was only dealing cards…

This game has nothing to do with magic. It is simply a card matching game to help youngsters between the ages of 4-7 develop memory skills.

The rules are simple: The game is played in rounds. In each round of play, the Mickey dealer is spun, cards are picked and the Magic Card is matched or put out of play. For more detailed instructions, please read the following pages:

Produced in 1986 by Milton Bradley Co.

There are 8 Goofy cards, 8 Donald Duck cards, and 8 Mickey Mouse cards to match:

The magic cards are divided into 2 each of double Goofy, Donald, and Mickey cards:

Then there are 2 each of mixed pair Goofy, Donald, and Mickey cards:

And lastly there are 4 triple match cards:

The game I purchased for $7.50 CAN was complete except for some stickers that were to go on Dealer Mickey.

In conclusion, there was also a pamphlet in the box for other Disney games by Milton Bradley:

So which of these games do you have?

The Muppet Show Game by Parker Bros.

May 30, 2016 by Lee Beatens

It’s time to play the music, It’s time to light the lights!

It’s time to meet the Muppets, on The Muppet Show Game tonight!

OK, that was a slight variation on the original opening to the television show that had us all wondering how felt puppets could put on make-up and just what ‘dressing up right’ meant to a bunch of performers who walked around nude most of the time.

Of course, I’m talking about Jim Henson’s The Muppet Show which aired from 1976 to 1981. But the remainder of this post will deal with The Muppet Show Game that Parker Brothers produced in 1977:

Look for Jim Henson as a Muppet on the cover

Box Side

Box End

This game is set up as a theatrical production directed by Kermit the Frog, produced by Parker Brothers, and starring Jim Henson’s Muppets. Even the rule book is actually a working script.

Back of Box

At the end of the post I will include pictures of the complete rules/script so you can get the sense of the play for yourself. Also, if you have the game but have lost the rules, this will make it possible for you to play the game properly.

First, let’s look more closely at the game board by itself, and set up for play:

“It’s time to raise the curtain on The Muppet Show Game tonight!”

Just for fun, look again for Jim Henson as a Muppet in the gallery of Muppets at the bottom of the board. Now let’s have a look at the spinner and rule book/script:

So there are eight characters who play in teams of two and four set pieces, all of which must move around the board to win the game. To win, each player must get his two characters in place for the curtain call, and their set into position as well.

Let’s have a look at the character pieces first. A nice feature of this game is that the playing pieces are double-sided:

In a commercial world where game manufacturers seem to create generic artwork, it’s refreshing to go back in time (to 1977) and see this nice detail of front and back views for the character pieces!

And we can’t forget the sets. Can you match the sets to the characters?

Now as promised, to conclude, here is the entire rule book/script reproduced for you page by page:

Don’t forget to read Kermit’s directions!

20,000 Leagues: Deep Sea Treasure Hunt Game

April 29, 2016 by Lee Beatens

I hate playing board games! But for some unknown reason I love collecting vintage Disney board games. I think it’s because of the beautiful artwork:

There are many versions of this game produced by Disney as this was a very popular property for the studio. This version is a standard board-playing style made in 1954 by Jaymar Games.

Speaking of the artwork, as usual, some artistic license was taken with the images used. For example, there are two different types of underwater suits depicted on the box cover, when only one style was used in the movie (Editor’s Note: Thanks to a knowledgeable reader, Nautilusnut, we have new information about these suits. Please check the comments to learn of their correct use in the film.) Also, this game is based on finding treasure, when only two characters in the movie sought treasure, and this was only a sub-plot in the original movie.

However, this in no way detracts from the fun of the game!

Game board label and playing surface

So what is the object of the Deep Sea Treasure Hunt game? Have a look at the official rule sheet from inside the box:

See a problem?

Again, some license had to be taken to make the game work. The object is to submerge your diver 20,000 leagues (or 60,000 miles) beneath the sea. This is impossible! The maximum depth of the sea is approximately 36,200 miles. So unless the diver is going to dig his way into the ocean floor, he isn’t winning this game!

Getting back to the game in this post, the spinner is quite nice:

That’s a very colorful Nautilus!

I picked this game up for just $15.00 CAN because it has some damage issues on the box. The rest of the game is in very good condition with all of the parts present.

I’m red!

I hope you enjoyed this post featuring a vintage Disney game.

A ‘Trip to Disneyland Game’ by Somerville

March 9, 2016 by Lee Beatens

I have quite a collection of Disney games. With the 60th Anniversary of Disneyland I thought it might be nice to take a closer look at one game that features that iconic park, namely:

Made in Canada by Somerville Limited

This is a very simple game. It can be played by 2 or 3 players. Let’s have a look at the game pieces:

Still on the original card

Note that the wild card is called a Master Card and, of course, it is Walt Disney! I was delighted to find that this game had not even been used, which boosts its value as a collectible. Now let’s see the game board:

That’s one long game board!

Each player puts his pawn on the start area under one of the three lanes and draws 6 cards. The player will stay in this lane throughout the game. The first player spins and moves the amount of spaces indicated. To advance, the player must have a card that matches the character on the space he occupies. If not, they draw a card. If they still do not have the character, play moves to the next player.

There are free spaces and wild cards to help things along. The game ends when someone arrives at Disneyland! Unfortunately, not the real one.

Which color do you want? (I want red)

The game can be won in 19 moves plus however many missed turns a player may get. Again, not the most difficult game in the world, but that’s why it is for ages 6-10.

It is likely that this game is from the 1970’s or 80’s based on the artwork.

FUN FACT: This game was manufactured in London, ON which is under 2 hours away from where I currently live! Well, it’s a fun fact for me.

Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Electric Quiz Game

March 4, 2016 by Lee Beatens

One of my favorite live-action Disney films is 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Nothing brings out the boy in a man like a cool submarine and a giant rubber squid! Add an all-star cast to this mix and you have a film I’ve watched far too many times.

So it should be no surprise that I love finding 20,000 Leagues merchandise. Today, I may have broken the Cool-O-Meter with this great Electric Quiz Game from Jacmar:

Box measures approximately 10″ x 8″ x 2 1/2″

Most Disney board games are great collectors pieces but have little real monetary value. $10 US is about what the average game usually sells for being as they are quite common, and they were produced in such great numbers. Rarer versions can fetch more. A game with an added dimension like electricity can also fetch higher prices, so I think I did OK with a purchase price of $20 CAN for this version. There is very little about this game on the Internet, with one eBay Seller asking in excess of $175.00 US for it, plus shipping.

This game has amazing graphics on the box, and an added bonus is that all four sides of the box have unique designs:

Let’s open the box and see what is inside:

At the top middle of the box you can see a red bulb that lights up when you choose a correct answer. The two red wires with the metal tips (called Selector Tips) are used to give a mild to severe shock depending on how wrong the answer may be. Original versions of this game were recalled as the hair of particularly stupid children were known to smoke after several minutes of play. And if you believe that, please send me $19.95 for your free Gullible Award today!

Actually, they are safely used to select questions and answers. Here are the full instructions from the inside lid of the game box:

Let’s place a playing card on the ‘deck’ for a demonstration:

To play, hold one selector tip in your left hand and place it on a contact station, or question. With the card above, we will select ‘Life Boat’ in the upper left corner. Then, holding the other selector tip in your right hand, place it on another contact station, or answer. In this case, it would be the metal disk just below ‘Anchor’ on the upper side of the Nautilus, between the Vertical Fin and the Rudder & Propeller. When you have made this final contact, the circuit is completed and the red light will glow to indicate a correct answer. If you were to place the selector tip in your right hand on the wrong metal disc, say in the lower left corner by the Anchor, nothing would happen, and you would have given a wrong answer. Play would then pass to the next player.

The whole thing is powered by a 1.5 volt dry cell battery which fits into this apparatus on the underside of the playing deck:

The game comes equipped with 6 cards printed on both sides for a total of 12 question and answer games. They are billed as interesting, fascinating, and educational! This game was commended by the Consumer Service Bureau of Parents’ Magazine and was proudly made in the U.S.A. by Jacmar Mfg. Co., Inc. of New York City perhaps in the 1950’s.

Let’s conclude with a closer look at all 6 cards, both sides:

Interior of Nautilus & Types of Vessels

Geographical Locations & Pieces of Personal Equipment

Sea Life & Isle of Vulcania

More Geographical Locations & Birds of the Ocean

Wonders of the Deep & Characters

Nautical Flags & Exterior of Nautilus

I think a night of watching Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and then a review via the playing of this game is a whale of an idea!

FUN FACT: 20,000 leagues refers to how far the Nautilus had traveled under the sea, not to the depth it had dived. A league is a rough measurement of about three miles, usually at sea. So if they had dove 20,000 leagues straight down under the sea, that would equal 60,000 miles!

The deepest part of the ocean is called the Challenger Deep and is located beneath the western Pacific Ocean in the southern end of the Mariana Trench, which runs several hundred kilometers southwest of the U.S. territorial island of Guam. Challenger Deep is approximately 36,200 feet deep.

So obviously the Nautilus didn’t dive 20,000 leagues down into the sea!

Donald Duck Presents the Wacky Wigwam Game

February 13, 2016 by Lee Beatens

Disney has often gone to the well of stereotypes! Today we visit the year 1972, a time before the world had learned to be considerate of the heritage and customs of others.

Native Americans (or First Nations, being the preferred term in Canada) have been the target of outlandish stereotypical depictions in many Disney productions. Peter Pan comes to mind with the beet-red warriors doing little more than dancing and spouting in-depth dialogue like ‘Ugh’ and ‘How!’

The game I am featuring today does play on the typical stereotype, but not to the same degree as other Disney properties. Let’s have a look:

Wigwam: An Algonquian domed or conical dwelling prevalent in the eastern half of North America. The circular framework of poles was covered with bark or reed mats. A hole in the roof allowed the smoke from the fire to escape.

It looked like this, and not the pointed tipi design used in the game:

Tipi: Also ‘tepee’ or ‘teepee’ is a conical tent, traditionally made of animal skins upon wooden poles. A tipi is distinguished from other conical tents by the smoke flaps at the top of the structure.

Here is how a tipi looks in the real world, and in this game:

I suppose Wacky Tipi didn’t have the same marketing potential

So we have identified the main problems with the game, now let’s look at the remaining elements:

Back and Sides of the box

This game was part of a three-game series marketed under ‘A Walt Disney World Game From Parker Brothers’ promotion. This version was manufactured in Canada, so it came with a set of French instructions in the box as well as the English ones on the box:

If you enlarge and read the instructions you will see the game is easy to play. You start by setting up the play surface like this:

You then use the spinner to determine how many of your ducks you can cover with the wigwams. Once the ten wigwams are used, you must uncover ducks to then cover more of your ducks. But as you are doing this, other players are uncovering your ducks to cover their ducks!

Land the spinner on the ‘Mix Up’ space and every wigwam and playing piece gets shuffled. At this point everyone loses track of which ducks are under what wigwams! So on your next turn, you could uncover one of your own ducks. This has the same vibe as the game Sorry with the added dimension of messing yourself up too!

Donald is ready to play with Huey, Dewey, and Louie

Overall, this is an entertaining game that would work without the Native American theme. But the tipis are cute and the addition of Donald and his nephews would definitely appeal to younger players.