Fall is upon us. Are shorter days gloomy? Fear not! Nights may be getting longer but there are plenty of glow-in-the-dark or lighted games to look forward to as evening sets in. Here, I review a few contemporary examples, from simple to unexpected, and mention some historical favourites.
Timeless Childhood Favourites
Outdoor games — or larger games often played outdoors — have recently lit up. There are many versions of glowing ring toss and beanbag tic tac toe, in which the rings or bean bags and the traditional game board grids both glow. A similar softer plastic bowling set for children contains inner LED lights and is perfect for outdoor play at twilight. Today’s glow-in-the-dark chalk allows for illuminated hopscotch — although a blacklight will help the effect. Players can find Glow-in-the-dark Capture the Flag, and large illuminated plastic dice for sale online.
Adventures in the Dark
Teens and adults have enjoyed so-called cosmic bowling, also known as midnight bowling or glow-in-the-dark bowling, since the late 1980s. But other nighttime games for adults sporting specially painted game components and played under a black light inspire memorable games and even glow-in-the-dark themed parties. Instructions for these abound online. Lighted beer pong comes to mind for young adults. One can also find easy online instructions for brightly lit (painted) Jenga and make-your-own glowing Twister board. Special paints and fabrics help create home-constructed glowing beanbag toss, often called cornhole.
Board Game Glow-Up
With one major exception, we have not seen multitudes of commercial glow-in-the-dark games. Vampires of the Night (2009) is a kids’ game featuring glowing tokens and a scary story. Published in several languages, the game won numerous awards. One favourite vintage game called Green Ghost, first manufactured in 1965, advertised itself as the first glow-in-the-dark game meant to be played with the lights turned off. The game found success because of its novelty and through a clever television advertising campaign. Toy Tales founder Todd Coopee authored an article on this fascinating game here. The game was recently (and faithfully) reproduced, and the original has long been very collectible.
It’s no coincidence that glowing manufactured games may carry an eerie or laughably “scary” theme. Unsurprisingly, these games are more popular (and sell more) in the fall, a time of shorter days and Halloween. Perhaps longer nights mean better gaming challenges and nothing to be gloomy about. We players can only hope that more examples will be forthcoming.
