Released in 1977 by Milton Bradley, the Monster Squad board game was a roll-and-move game that challenged players to race around the board and be the first to arrive back home.
The game was based on the Monster Squad television show that aired on NBC in 1976. The series followed the adventures of a criminology student working at a wax museum who inadvertently animated the wax statues of Dracula, Frankenstein, and Wolfman. The group joined forces to fight crime, the premise being that the trio of monsters wanted to atone for their past bad behaviour. With a brief 13-episode run on Saturday mornings, the series did not enjoy a long life, but it did make a lasting impression — for better or for worse — on those who watched it.
GAMEPLAY
The goal of the board game was to be the first player to circle their pawns around the board and arrive back at their original starting corner.
The number of pawns used depended on the number of players: two players = four pawns, three players = three pawns, and four players = two pawns.
The highest roll started the game. Players rolled and moved their pawns along the board. One or two pawns could be used during any given play. Players could tally the dice pips and move a single pawn, or the pawns could be moved the number of pips rolled on each of the two dice.
The game offered two disruption actions: 1) a player missed a turn if they landed on a spot illustrated with a black dot and 2) a player was sent back to their starting position if another player landed on the same space.
The game was light on strategy, weighing more heavily on the luck of the dice roll. The first player to return all their pawns back home won the game.
IN THE BOX
A complete game included a game board, pawns (four red, four blue, three green, two yellow), and two dice. Instructions were printed on the platform inside the box.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
The Monster Squad game makes a nice addition to a collection of games based on television shows. It also fits nicely in a collection based on movie and television monsters. The timeless appeal, nostalgia, range of objects, and ongoing production of monster-themed properties are alluring for collectors. Toys and games such as Universal Monsters from Remco (1980), Monsterizer from Remco (1980), Monsterizer from NECA (2024), and Lincoln Monsters from Lincoln Monsters (2024) satisfy collectors with a tangible connection to their youth and the thrill of expanding their monstrous collections.
Note: If you buy something using the eBay link in this story, we may earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting independent toy journalism!