Tickle Bee from Schaper (1956)
Published by Schaper in 1956, Tickle Bee was a manual dexterity game that challenged children to move a magnetic bee around a maze using a magnetic wand.
Kar-Zoom from Whitman (1964)
Released in 1964, Kar-Zoom from Whitman was a dexterity game that challenged players to score points by “racing their car” through a series of underpasses.
Beyond the Mainstream: Alternatives to Your Favorite Board Games
Nicolas Ricketts recommends lesser-known board games based on popular counterparts.
Knock Out from Milton Bradley (1978)
Released in 1978, Milton Bradley’s Knock Out challenged players to outwit and outflank their opponent by placing “stoppers” in a hexagonal grid.
Don’t Spill the Beans from Schaper (1967)
Published by Schaper in 1967, Don’t Spill the Beans was a family-friendly game that challenged players not to “spill the beans” from an unsteady bean pot.
Godzilla Game from Mattel (1978)
Published by Mattel in 1978, the Godzilla Game infused playtime with chance and suspense as players anxiously awaited Godzilla’s attack.
ZZZoom-It from Mattel (1970)
In 1970, Mattel released ZZZoom-IT, a glorified slingshot designed to resemble an oversized hand-held gun.
Milton the Monster from Milton Bradley (1966)
Published by Milton Bradley in 1966, Milton the Monster board game was based on the Hal Seeger-produced animated television series of the same name that ran for 26 episodes between 1965 and 1968.
Whiplash from Lakeside (1966)
Released in 1966, Whiplash was a double-action Skee-Ball game for two players from Lakeside.
Spill and Spell from Parker Brothers (1956)
In 1956, Parker Brothers released Spill and Spell, a multi-player spelling game where players put their vocabulary skills to the test to score points.
Cinderella from Parker Brothers (1965)
Published by Parker Brothers in 1965, the Cinderella board game used illustrated cards to guide players along on a journey to find their slipper.