Released in 1964, Kar-Zoom from Whitman was a dexterity game that challenged players to score points by “racing” their cars through a series of underpasses.
GAMEPLAY
To begin, each player selected a coloured wooden disk, representing their car, and gathered around a game board illustrated as a racetrack. Measuring approximately 20 inches long, the playing surface was divided by a series of cardboard partitions arranged in a zigzag pattern. Each partitioned area, or “underpass,” was assigned a point value from one to seven based on its distance from the Start of Turn indicator.
Players took turns finger-flicking their cars through the underpasses to score points. Play continued until one player reached 20 points. Kar-Zoom had shuffle-board vibes as the game encouraged players to knock opponents’ cars out of the way to score points.
IN THE BOX
A complete game included the game board with cardboard partition underpasses, four coloured wooden disks, and four scoring pegs. Printed instructions were provided on the inside of the box.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
Kar-Zoom is relatively easy to find on the secondary market. Expect to pay more for a full intact box, free from splits and detached underpasses.
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