15 Board Games from the Past That Kids Today Wouldn't Even Understand
A nostalgic look at 15 old-school board games so bizarre, clunky, or outdated that today’s kids wouldn’t even know how to play them—let alone why they existed!
- Alyana Aguja
- 5 min read
Before video games and apps dominated the scene, board games controlled family game night, but not every one of them stood the test of time. From awkward mechanics to confusing ideas, most old-timey games would have today’s children scratching their heads in confusion. This list explores 15 odd, forgotten treasures that entertained the masses decades ago but now seem like artifacts from another planet!
1. Cootie (1949)
Image from Wikipedia
Prior to creating a character for video games, children played with constructing plastic bugs. The players would roll dice to obtain bug pieces—body, head, eyes, antennae, and legs—attempting to assemble their “Cootie” first. Today’s children may ask themselves why constructing a toy was made into a complete game.
2. Mystery Date (1965)
Image from Wikipedia
This one involved players drawing cards and outfitting their character in anticipation of a “dreamy” date instead of the dreaded “dud.” The mystery date was discovered by opening a small plastic door, a mechanism that would seem ridiculously outdated today. Contemporary children accustomed to swiping left or right might have difficulty understanding the thrill.
3. Mouse Trap (1963)
Image from Ubuy Philippines
Rather than a straightforward digital animation, children had to build a complicated Rube Goldberg-like trap in segments. The objective was to trap an opponent’s mouse, but more often than not, the trap didn’t function correctly. Children today may be annoyed by how much setup was needed just to witness a plastic cage fall.
4. Kaboom! (1965)
Image from BoardGameGeek
This one involved having players stack sticks meticulously on a small plastic block, avoiding a spring mechanism that would fling all the sticks everywhere. The tension was genuine, but so was the anger when it all fell down. Today’s children might just wonder why they don’t play Jenga instead.
5. Don’t Break the Ice (1968)
Image from Amazon.com
Kids tapped out small ice cubes with a hammer without wanting to cause the plastic character to fall through. The preparation took longer than the game itself, which may be done in seconds. Contemporary children may simply wonder why they cannot play a computer version where they do not need to reset the board.
6. Stay Alive (1971)
Image from Ebay.ph
It is a hand-held survival game in which players move levers to send opponents’ marbles into holes without losing their own. The game was purely strategic, with no electronic beeps or flashy graphics. Kids today would likely demand at least some lights, noises, or a big explosion effect.
7. Go to the Head of the Class (1940s)
Image from Ebay.ph
It is a trivia game where players advance by answering academic questions correctly, mimicking a school experience. Instead of power-ups or exciting gameplay, kids had to be good at math and spelling to win. Modern players might feel like they’re just doing extra homework.
8. Park and Shop (1950s)
Image from Medium
Players had to guide a board of a shopping street, parking their vehicle before they could shop. A large part of the fun was evading parking issues—something today’s children would be baffled by in an online shopping era. They would be asking, “Why don’t they just order from Amazon?”
9. Which Witch? (1970)
Image from Toy Tales
It was a haunted house game where players moved through rooms without getting caught in traps, such as a plastic broom that would knock them over. The 3D aspect was innovative at the time, but kids today might find it resembles a tacky dollar-store toy. In comparison to contemporary horror games, it’s more goofy than frightening.
10. The Game of Life (1960 Edition)
Image from Ubuy Philippines
The early Game of Life required players to choose between college and directly into a career. Life events occurred randomly, and players might get a house full of children, a good job, or a plain bad fortune. Kids today accustomed to limitless choices in RPGs may find the absence of decision-making too formulaic.
11. Battling Tops (1968)
Image from Wikipedia
Before Beyblade, there were these little plastic tops that players spun by pulling a ripcord, trying to knock others out. The tops would spin wildly and randomly, often leading to disputes about who won. Today’s kids might demand better physics and customization options.
12. Crossfire (1971)
Image from Wikipedia
A frantic shoot-’em-up game in which mini guns were employed to blast metal balls onto a puck with the aim of shooting it into the other goal. The advertisements depicted it as some kind of hard-hitting battle when it was simply random ball-blazing. Today’s kids would likely play air hockey or an FPS game instead.
13. Dizzy Dizzy Dinosaur (1987)
Image from BoardGameGeek
Players shifted their cavemen around the board without a wind-up dinosaur that revolved randomly and knocked pieces off. The game was a matter of chance and required no strategy. Today’s children, accustomed to more structured play, might find it useless.
14. Lost Treasure (1960s)
Image from BoardGameGeek
It is a game where kids use little metal keys to attempt to unlock treasure chests containing prize goodies. Essentially, it is a low-technology loot box system; only you can see the goodies in front of you. Today’s kids, accustomed to virtual rewards and game currencies, might be perplexed by the concept of opening something up.
15. Bigfoot: The Giant Snow Monster Game (1977)
Image from BoardGameGeek
It is a board game where players climb a mountain while Bigfoot, a plastic creature, bumps players back randomly. The game’s gimmick was fun at the time, but children today may wonder, “Why isn’t there a movie cutscene when Bigfoot bumps you?
- Tags:
- life
- board games
- Games
- nostalgia
- memories