Life Board Game Rules: How Do You Play The Game of Life. Game Overview: Life is a two to six player game about money. Your score is represented by the wealth your token car collects as it travels through the board, with the overall goal being to retire the wealthiest player at the end of the game.
Old Milton Bradley logo
This is a list of products produced by the Milton Bradley Company.
Board games[edit]
- 13 Dead End Drive (1993)
- The Adventures of Superman (1940)
- Superman and Superboy Game (1967)
- Superman II (1981)
- Aggravation (1962)
- The American Dream Game (1979)
- The American Heritage historical war-game series:
- Battle Cry, American Civil War (1961)
- Broadside, War of 1812 naval (1962)
- Dogfight, World War I aerial (1963)
- Hit the Beach, World War II amphibious (1965)
- Skirmish, American Revolution (1975)
- The Amazing Spider Man Game with the Fantastic Four! (1967)
- Spider-Man game (1995)
- Animorphs: The Invasion Game (1998)
- Annie Oakley Game (1950)
- Ants in the Pants (1969)
- Ask Me Another (1984)
- Axis & Allies (1981)
- Back Off! Buzzard (1990)
- Backgammon Tutor (1975)
- Bali (1978)
- Bargain Hunter (1981)
- The Barnabas Collins Dark Shadows Game (1969)
- Barrel of Monkeys (1965)
- Baseball: Approved by Little League for Little Leaguers and their Fathers (1958)
- The Batman Game (1966)
- Battle Cry: A Civil War Game (American Heritage magazine) 1961-1965
- Battle Masters (1992), produced in conjunction with Games Workshop
- Battleship (1967)
- Battleship Galaxies (2011)
- Bed Bugs (1985)
- Beetle (a.k.a. Cootie) (1927)
- Beetle Bailey: The Old Army Game (1963)
- Benji Detective Game (1979)
- Bermuda Triangle (1976)
- Big Foot (1977)
- The Bonkers Game (1993)
- Bratz Passion for Fashion (2002)
- Breaker19 (1976)
- Broadside (American Heritage magazine) 1961-1965
- Buckaroo! (1970)
- Yahoo Buckaroo! (1991)
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Game (2000)
- Bugaloos Game (1971)
- Camp Granada (1965)
- Candy Land (1949)
- The Captain America Game (1966)
- Captain America Game (Featuring the Falcon and the Avengers) (1977)
- Carrier Strike (1977)
- Casino Bingo (1978)
- Casper the Friendly Ghost Game (1959)
- Catnip (1996)
- Championship Baseball (1984)
- Charlie's Angels (1977)
- Checkout Game: 4 Square Food-Market Shopping Game (1959)
- Cheyenne (1958)
- Chicken Limbo (1994)
- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe Game (2005)
- Chutes and Ladders VCR (1986)
- Clix (1938)
- Columbo Detective Game (1973)
- Connect Four (1974)
- Connect 4x4 (2009)
- Conspiracy (1973)
- Cootie (1927)
- Crack The Case (1993)
- Crash Canyon (1989)
- Crocodile Dentist (1990)
- The Crocodile Hunter Outback Chase Game (2000)
- Cross Up (1974)
- Cross Up Poker (1968)
- Crossfire (1971)
- Crossword (1978)
- Curse of the Idol (1990)
- The Dark Crystal Game (1982)
- The Dark Tower (1981)
- Daytona 500 (1990)
- Deflection (1981)
- Disney board game series:
- 101 Dalmatians Game (1991)
- Aladdin: The Magic Carpet Game (1992)
- Aladdin: The Series (1994)
- Chip'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Game (1991)
- Cinderella Storybook (puzzle game) (1989)
- Disney Presents Cartoon Classics VCR Board Game (1986)
- Disney Presents Movie Classics VCR Board Game (1980)
- Disney Princess Gowns & Crowns Game (2005)
- Disney's All Aboard Game (1986)
- Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- Disney's DuckTales Game (1989)
- Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame Festival of Fools Card Game (1996)
- Disney's The Lion King Circle of Life Dominoes (2003)
- Disney's Talespin Game (1991)
- Euro Disneyland (1992)
- Follow That Mouse (1986)
- Gettin' Goofy Game (1992)
- The Lion King (1993)
- The Lion King Matching Game (1994)
- The Little Mermaid (1990)
- Mickey Mouse & Friends Light & Learn
- Mickey Mouse Follow the Leader Game (1971)
- Mickey Mouse Memory Game (1990)
- Mickey Mouse Spin-A-Round Game
- Mickey's Stuff For Kids Hoppin' Checkers (1993)
- Pinocchio Game (1992)
- Pocahontas Game (1994)
- Spinning Wishes (2002)
- Walt Disney Productions' Robin Hood Game (1973)
- Walt Disney Rescue Rangers
- Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom Game (1972)
- Walt Disney's Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Game (1992)
- Dogfight (American Heritage magazine) (1961-1965)
- Don't Break the Ice (1968)
- Don't Spill the Beans (1957)
- Double Frustration (1995)
- Doubletrack (1981)
- Down the Hatch (1983)
- Downfall (1973)
- Dragon Strike (2002)
- Dragonmaster (1981)
- Dragster (1976)
- Drive Ya Nuts (1970)
- Easy Money (1966)
- El Tigre Crucificado (Colombia) (1983)
- Electronic Arcade Mania (1983)
- The Emergency! Game (1973)[1]
- Enchanted Palace (1994-1995)
- Fat Chance (1978)
- Feeley Meeley (1967)
- Felix the Cat Game (1960)
- Fireball Island (1986)
- Fishin' Around (1997)
- Five Star Final (1937)
- The Flintstones Game (1971)
- Flivver Game (1922)
- Forbidden Bridge (1992)
- Fraggle Rock Game (1984)
- Fraidy Cats (1994)
- Frantic Frogs (1965)
- Frustration! (aka Trouble) (1965)
- The Gamemaster series:
- Axis and Allies (1984)
- Broadsides and Boarding Parties (1984)
- Conquest of the Empire (1984)
- Fortress America (1986)
- Shogun (1986)
- G.I. Joe Adventure Board Game (1982)
- G.I. Joe Combat Fighters (2002)
- G.I. Joe Commando Attack (1985)
- G.I. Joe Live The Adventure (1986)
- G.I. Joe Mission: Cobra H.Q. Game (2002)
- Game of Games (1986)
- The Game of Guided Missile (1964)
- The Game of Life:
- The Checkered Game of Life (1860)
- Game of Life (1978)
- Game of Life (1992)
- Game of Life (2000)
- The Game of Life 100th Anniversary Game (1963)
- Game of Life - A Jedi's Path (2002)
- Game of Life - Pirates of the Caribbean (2004)
- Game of Life - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
- Game of Life - Twists and Turns (2007)
- Game of the States (copyright 1940)
- Ghosts! (1980)
- Go For Broke (1965)
- Go! Go! Worms (1993)
- Go to the Head of the Class (1936)
- Godzilla (1998)
- Good Ol' Charlie Brown Game (1971)
- The Goonies game (1985)
- Goosebumps: A Night in Terror Tower Game (1996)
- Goosebumps: One Day at Horrorland Game (1996)
- Goosebumps: Terror in the Graveyard Game (1995)
- Guess Who? (1982)
- Hands Down (1988)
- Hang in There! (2000)
- Hangman (1976)
- Happiness (1972)
- The Harlem Globetrotters Game (1971)
- Headache (1968), first published by Kohner Brothers
- Heads Up
- HeartThrob (1988)
- HeroQuest (1989), produced in conjunction with Games Workshop
- HeroScape (2004)
- High School Musical 3 Mystery Date Game (2008)
- Hit the Beach (American Heritage magazine) 1961-1965
- The Hobbit: The Adventures of Bilbo in Middle-earth from The Lord of the Rings (1978)
- Hopalong Cassidy Game (1950)
- Hotel (1986)
- Hotel Tycoon (1974)
- The Houndcats Game (1973)
- Huckleberry Hound (1981)
- Huckleberry Hound Tiddledy Winks Tennis (1959)
- Huckleberry Hound Western Game (1959)
- Hungry Hungry Hippos (1978)
- I Dream Of Jeannie (1965)
- Ice Cube (1972)
- Input (1984)
- Inwords (1972)
- Itsy Bitsy Spider (2002)
- James Bond Secret Agent 007 Game (1964)
- James Bond 007: Goldfinger (1966)
- James Bond 007: Thunderball (1965)
- Jenga (1986)
- Jenga Casino (2001)
- Jenga Jacks (2002)
- Jenga Truth-or-Dare (2000)
- Jenga Ultimate (1995)
- Jenga Xtreme (2003)
- Throw 'n Go Jenga (1986)
- Jogo X-Men (1996)
- Jumanji (1995)
- Jurassic Park Game (1993)
- Jurassic Park III Island Survival Game (2001)
- Jurassic Park III: The Spinosaurus Chase Game (2001)
- The Lost World Jurassic Park Game (1996)
- Karate Fighters (1995)
- KerPlunk (1967)
- Kick-Off (a.k.a. Gazza! The Game) (1960)
- King Leonardo and His Subjects Game (1965)
- King Oil (1974)
- Knock 'em Out (1980)
- Knock Knock Game (1982)
- Knockout (1991)
- KooKooNauts (1995)
- Kreskin's ESP (1967)
- Laser Attack (1978)
- Last Word (1986)
- Link Letters (1963)
- Little Orphan Annie (1927)
- Little Orphan Annie Travel Game (1930)
- Littlest Pet Shop (1993)
- Littlest Pet Shop Game (2005)
- Littlest Pet Shop Game: Prettiest Pet Show (2005)
- Littlest Pet Shop: Hideaway Haven Game (2008)
- Littlest Pet Shop Mall Madness (2008)
- Loopin' Louie (1992)
- Lost in Space (1965)
- Lucy's Tea Party Game (1971)
- Mall Madness (1988)
- Electronic Mall Madness (1989)
- Littlest Pet Shop Mall Madness (2008)
- Mall Madness (1993)
- Manhunt (1972)
- Marvel Comics Super Heroes Strategy Game (1980)
- Matching Pairs (1981)
- Matchwitz (1970)
- Memory (1966)
- Men into Space (1960)
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Game (1994)
- Milton the Monster (1966)
- Mission Command Air (2003)
- Mission Command Land (2003)
- Mission Command Sea (2003)
- The Monster Squad Game (1977)
- The Moon Mullins Game (1938)
- Mother's Helper (1968)
- Mouse Trap (1963)
- Mr. Pop! (1980)
- Mr. T (1983)
- My First Operation (2002)
- My Little Pony Game (1988)
- My Little Pony Hide & Seek (2005)
- Mystery Date (1965)
- Mystery Mansion (1984)
- New Kids on the Block Game (1990)
- Official Baseball Game (1969)
- Omega Virus (1992)
- Oodles (1992)
- Operation (1965)
- The Outer Limits (1964)
- Pachisi (400)
- Park and Shop (1954)
- The Partridge Family Game (1971)
- Pass the Pigs (1977)
- Pathfinder (1974)
- Pathfinder (1977)
- Perfection (1973)
- Picnic Panic (1992)
- Pirate and Traveler (1908)
- Pirate and Traveler game (1911)
- Planet of the Apes (1974)
- Police Chase (2002)
- Popeye (1981)
- Posse Thirteen Against One (1970)
- Power Barons (1986)
- Prize Property (1974)
- Pretty Pretty Princess (1990)
- Rack-O (1956)
- Ready! Set! Spaghetti! (1989)
- Real Ghostbusters Game (1984)
- The Real Ghostbusters Game (1986)
- Richie Rich (1982)
- Road Runner Game (1968)
- Rock the Boat (1978)
- Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots (1967)
- Rock-Jocks (1994)
- Sailor Moon (1995)
- Scattergories (1988)
- Scattergories Junior (1989)
- Scavenger Hunt (1983)
- Scotland Yard (1985)
- Screaming Eagles (1987)
- Sealab 2020 (1973)
- Seance (1972)
- The Shadow (1994)
- Shark Attack (1988)
- Shenanigans Game (1964)
- Shogun (1986)
- Shop (1981)
- Shrunken Head Apple Sculpture (1975)
- Slide 5 (1980)
- Smuggle (1981)
- The Smurf Game (1981)
- Baby Smurf (1984)
- The Smurf Game (1988)
- The Smurf Game Happy-time Picture Matching (1983)
- Smurf Spin-A-Round Game (1983)
- Snakes and Ladders (-200)
- Space: 1999 (1976)
- Space Crusade (1990), produced in conjunction with Games Workshop
- Spider Wars (1988)
- Splat! (1990)
- Spy vs Spy (1986)
- Square Mile (1962)
- Star Trek Game (1979)
- Star Trek: The Next Generation - A Klingon Challenge (1993)
- Star Wars Epic Duels (2002)
- Stay Alive (1965)
- Stratego (board game) series:
- Stratego (1947)
- Electronic Stratego (1982)
- Stratego (Revised Edition) (2008)
- Stratego: The Chronicles of Narnia (2005)
- Stratego: Duel Masters (2004)
- Stratego: The Lord of the Rings (2004)
- Stratego: Pirates of the Caribbean at World's End (2007)
- Stratego: Star Wars (2002)
- Stratego: Star Wars Saga Edition (2005)
- Stratego: Transformers (2007)
- Stuff Yer Face (1982)
- Stump (1968)
- Sub Attack Game (1966)
- Sub Search (1977)
- Sunken Treasure (1976)
- Super 3 (1978)
- Super Rack-O (1983)
- Supercar (1962)
- Swayze (1954)
- Sweet Valley High (1988)
- Tank Battle (1975)
- T.H.I.N.G.S.: Totally Hilarious Incredibly Neat Games of Skill (1987)
- Astro-Nots (1987)
- Dr.Wack-O (1987)
- E-E-Egor (1987)
- Eggzilla (1987)
- Flip-O-Potamus (1987)
- Go-Rilla (1987)
- Grabbit (1987)
- Jack B. Timber (1987)
- Sir Ring-A-Lot (1987)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Game (2003)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Pizza Power Game (1987)
- This Game is Bonkers!
- Thundarr The Barbarian (1982)
- Thunder Road (1986)
- Thundercats (1985)
- Times To Remember (1991)
- Tommy Twinkles Number Game (1923)
- Torpedo Run! (1986)
- Tower Climb (1971)
- The Transformers Game (1986)
- The Transformers Warrior Robot Game (1985)
- Trouble (1965)
- Tuba Ruba (1987)
- Trump: The Game (1989)
- Turbo Asticot (1994)
- Twister (1966)
- Animal Twister (1967)
- Bratz Twister (2005)
- Uncle Wiggily (1916)
- Underdog Game (1964)
- Upwords (1983)
- Vampire Hunter (2002)
- Voice of the Mummy (1971)
- Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Game (1964)
- The Wacky Races Game (1969)
- Weapons & Warriors: Castle Combat Set (1993)
- What Did Grandma Peterson Do To The Cat? (1976)
- Where's The Beef? (1984)
- Which Witch? (game) (1970s)
- Whirl Out (1971)
- Why (1958)
- Wide World of Sports Auto Racing Game (1975)
- Wide World of Sports Golf Game (1975)
- Wide World of Sports Tennis Game (1975)
- Win A Card (1969)
- Wizzword (1977)
- The World of Micronauts Game (1978)
- Yahtzee (1956, MB from 1973)
- Casino Yahtzee (1986)
- Challenge Yahtzee (1974)
- Family Game Night Book and Game Set: Scrabble, Clue, Sorry, Yahtzee (2001)
- Jackpot Yahtzee (1980)
- Mickey Mouse Yahtzee (1988)
- Showdown Yahtzee (1991)
- Triple Yahtzee (1972)
- Word Yahtzee (1978)
- Yahtzee Deluxe Poker (1994)
- Yahtzee: Dragon Ball Z (2000)
- Yahtzee Jr. (2002)
- Yogi Bear Game (1971)
Jigsaw Puzzles[edit]
MB Product Code | Description |
---|---|
4057-1 | Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) |
4057-2 | Karate Kid Part III, The (1989) |
4057-3 | Ghostbusters II (1989) |
4057-4 | Beetlejuice (1988) |
4057-5 | Police Academy 6 (1989) |
4057-6 | Batman (1989) |
4057-7 | Back To The Future Part II (1989) |
4057-8 | Jetsons (1990) |
4057-10 | Total Recall (1990) |
4057-11 | Jaws (1975) |
4057-12 | Memphis Belle (1990) |
4057-13 | Kindergarten Cop (1990) |
4057-14 | Home Alone (1990) |
4057-15 | Bonfire of the Vanities, The (1990) |
4273 | Batman Returns (1992) |
4286 | Terminator 2 (1991) |
4265 | Home Alone 2: Lost in New York - 300 pc. (1992) |
Handheld and electronic games[edit]
- Bigtrak (1979)
- Bop It! (1996)
- Bop-It Bounce! (2009)
- Comp IV (1978)
- Electronic Battleship (1977)
- Electronic Battleship Advanced Mission (2000)
- Electronic Battleship Advanced Mission (second edition) (aka Deluxe Battleship Movie Edition) (2006)
- Electronic Battleship: Star Wars (aka Battleship: Star Wars Advanced Mission) (2002)
- Electronic Talking Battleship (1989)
- Electronic Stratego (1982)
- Gator Golf (1994)
- Grand Master (1982)
- Heads Up (2000)
- Merlin (1978)
- Milton (1980)
- Mr. Bucket (1992)
- OMNI Entertainment System (1980)
- Simon (1978)
- Skill-it (Frying pan maze)[2][3] (1966)
- Split Second
- Star Bird (1978)
Home versions of television game shows[edit]
- Beat the Clock (1969, two editions)
- Big Numbers: The High Rollers Game (1975, two editions)
- Blockbusters (1982)
- Break the Bank (1977)
- Concentration (1958, 24 editions)
- Crystal Maze (1991)
- Eye Guess (1966, four editions through 1969)
- Family Feud (1977, eight editions)
- Hollywood Squares (1980, 1986)
- Jackpot (1974, two editions)
- Jeopardy! (1964, 13 editions)
- The Joker's Wild (1973, two editions)
- Joker! Joker! Joker! (1979, two editions)
- Let's Make a Deal (1964)
- Match Game (1963, six editions; 1974, three editions)
- Name That Tune (1957, two editions)
- Now You See It (1975)
- Password (1962, 24 editions)
- Password Plus (1979, three editions)
- The Price is Right (1964; 1973, three editions; 1986)
- Pyramid (1974, eight editions through 1981)
- Sale of the Century (1970, two editions)
- Shenanigans (1964, two editions)
- Three on a Match (1972)
- Wheel of Fortune (1975, two editions)
- The Who, What, or Where Game (1970, two editions)
- Win, Lose or Draw (1987, many editions)
- You Don't Say! (1963)
Home versions of television shows[edit]
- Dinosaurs Gotta Love Me (1991)
- Home and Away (1989)
- Mork & Mindy (1978)
- Tom & Jerry Chase Game (1983)
Home versions of video games[edit]
- Berzerk (1983)
- Centipede (1983)
- Defender (1983)
- Donkey Kong (1982)
- Donkey Kong Country (1995)
- Frogger (1981)
- Jungle Hunt (1983)
- The Legend of Zelda (1988)
- Ms. Pac-Man Game (1982)
- Pac-Man (1980)
- Pitfall! (1983)
- Pokémon Master Trainer III (2005)
- Sonic the Hedgehog Game (1992)
- Street Fighter II (1994)
- Super Mario Bros (1988)
- Turbo (1983)
- Zaxxon (1982)
Video games[edit]
- Abadox (1990) for the NES
- Cabal (1990) for the NES
- California Games (1989) for the NES
- Captain Skyhawk (1990) for the NES
- Digger T. Rock (1990) for the NES
- Jeopardy! (1983) for the OMNI
- Jordan vs Bird: One on One (1989) for the NES
- Marble Madness (1989) for the NES
- Spitfire Attack (1983) for the Atari 2600
- Survival Run (1983) for the Atari 2600
- Time Lord (1990) for the NES
- World Games (1989) for the NES
Video game consoles[edit]
- Microvision (1979)
- Omni Entertainment System (1980)
- Vectrex (1983–84)
References[edit]
- ^Coopee, Todd. 'The Emergency! Game (1973)'. ToyTales.ca.
- ^http://gamecatalog.org/results/?publisherid=1086
- ^https://www.amazon.com/Milton-Bradley-Skill-Frying-Maze/dp/B001O8EN2S
External links[edit]
- Voice of the Mummy, the Milton Bradley board game - a website dedicated to the record player repair and Seance board game
- Milton Bradley game listings and information in the Association for Games & Puzzles International's Game Catalog
- Milton Bradley game listings and information at BoardGameGeek
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Milton_Bradley_Company_products&oldid=936144633'
Division of Hasbro | |
Industry | Games |
---|---|
Fate | Purchased by Hasbro and reincorporated as Hasbro Gaming |
Successor | Hasbro Gaming |
Founded | 1860; 160 years ago in Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Founder | Milton Bradley |
Defunct | 1998 (company) 2009 (brand) |
Headquarters | East Longmeadow, Massachusetts |
Products | Battleship Buffalo Bill Gun Connect Four Crossfire Fireball Island Hero Quest Hotel Hungry Hungry Hippos The Game of Life Simon Twister Yahtzee Axis & Allies Gamemaster Series OMNI Entertainment System Body Language |
Parent | Hasbro (1984–2009) |
Website | www.hasbro.com |
The Milton Bradley Company was an American board game manufacturer established by Milton Bradley in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1860. In 1920, it absorbed the game production of McLoughlin Brothers, formerly the largest game manufacturer in the United States.
History[edit]
Milton Bradley found success making board games. In 1860, Milton Bradley moved to Springfield, Massachusetts, and set up the state's first color lithography shop. Its graphic design of Abraham Lincoln sold very well until Lincoln grew his beard and rendered the likeness out-of-date.
Struggling to find a new way to use his lithography machine, Bradley visited his friend George Tapley.[1] Tapley challenged him to a game, most likely an old English game. Bradley conceived the idea of making a purely American game.[2] He created The Checkered Game of Life, which had players move along a track from Infancy to Happy Old Age,[3] in which the point was to avoid Ruin and reach Happy Old Age. Squares were labeled with moral positions from honor and bravery to disgrace and ruin. Players used a spinner instead of dice because of the negative association with gambling.[3]
By spring of 1861, over 45,000 copies of The Checkered Game of Life had been sold. Bradley became convinced board games were his company's future.[2]
When the Civil War broke out in early 1861, Milton Bradley temporarily gave up making board games and tried to make new weaponry. However, upon seeing bored soldiers stationed in Springfield, Bradley began producing small games the soldiers could play during their down time. These are regarded as the first travel games in the country.[4] These games included chess, checkers, backgammon, dominoes, and 'The Checkered Game of Life.' They were sold for one dollar a piece to soldiers and charitable organizations that bought them in bulk to distribute.
By the 1870s, the company was producing dozens of games and capitalizing on fads. Milton Bradley became the first manufacturer in America to make croquet sets. The sets included wickets, mallets, balls, stakes, and an authoritative set of rules to play by that Bradley himself had created from oral tradition and his own sense of fair play.[2] In 1880, the company began making jigsaw puzzles.
In the late 1860s, Bradley became involved in the Kindergarten movement. Deeply invested in the cause, his company began manufacturing educational items such as colored papers and paints. The company was hurt by Bradley's generosity. He gave these materials away free of charge, which cost them. Due to the recession of the late 1870s, his investors told him either his kindergarten work must go or they would go. Bradley chose to keep his kindergarten work. His friend George Tapley bought the interest of the lost investors and took over as president of the Milton Bradley Company.[5]
The Milton Bradley Company took a new direction in 1869 after Milton Bradley went to hear a lecture about the kindergarten movement by early education pioneer, Elizabeth Peabody. Peabody promoted the philosophy of the German scholar Friedrich Froebel. Froebel stated that through education children learn and develops through creative activities. Bradley would spend much of the rest of his life promoting the kindergarten movement both personally and through the Milton Bradley Company.[5]
Milton Bradley was an early advocate of Friedrich Froebel's idea of Kindergarten. Springfield's first kindergarten students were Milton Bradley's two daughters, and the first teachers in Springfield were Milton, his wife and his father.[6] Milton Bradley's company's involvement with kindergartens began with the production of 'gifts,' the term used by Froebel for the geometric wooden play things that he felt were necessary to properly structure children's creative development. Bradley spent months devising the exact shades in which to produce these materials; his final choice of six pigments of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet would remain the standard colors for children's art supplies through the 20th century.[5]
The company's educational supplies turned out to be a large portion of their income at the turn of the century. They produced supplies any grade school teacher could use, such as toy money, multiplication sticks, and movable clock dials. Milton Bradley continued producing games, particularly parlor games played by adults. They produced 'Visit to the Gypsies,' 'Word Gardening,' 'Happy Days in Old New England,' and 'Fortune Telling.' They also created jigsaw puzzles of wrecked vehicles, which were popular among young boys.[2]
When Milton Bradley died in 1911, the company was passed to Robert Ellis, who passed it to Bradley's son-in-law Robert Ingersoll, who eventually passed it to George Tapley's son, William. In 1920, Bradley bought out McLoughlin Brothers, which went out of business after John McLoughlin's death.[4]
Milton Bradley began to decline in the 1920s and fell dramatically in the 1930s during the Depression. Fewer people were spending money on board games. The company kept losing money until 1940, when they sunk too low and banks demanded payment on loans.[2]
Desperate to avoid bankruptcy, the board of directors persuaded James J. Shea, a Springfield businessman, to take over presidency of the company. Shea immediately moved to decrease the company's debt. He began a major renovation of the Milton Bradley plant by burning old inventory that had been accumulating since the turn of the century.
With the outbreak of World War II, Milton Bradley started producing a universal joint created by Shea used on the landing gear of fighter planes. They also reproduced a revised version of their game kits for soldiers, which earned the company $2 million.[2] Milton Bradley did not stop creating board games, although they did cut their line from 410 titles to 150. New games were introduced during this time, such as the patriotic Game of the States,Chutes & Ladders and Candyland.[4]
The advent of the television could have threatened the industry, but Shea used it to his advantage. Various companies acquired licenses to television shows, for the purpose of producing all manner of promotional items, including games.[4] In 1959, Milton Bradley released Concentration, a memory game based on an NBCtelevision show of the same name; the game was such a success that editions were issued annually into 1982, long after the show was cancelled in 1973 (similar practices were used for box game adaptations of the game shows Password and Jeopardy!).
Milton Bradley celebrated their centennial in 1960 with the re-release of The Checkered Game of Life, which was modernized. It was now simply called The Game of Life and the goal was no longer to reach Happy Old Age, but to become a millionaire. Twister made its debut in the 1960s as well. Thanks to Johnny Carson's suggestive comments as Eva Gabor played the game on his show, Twister became a phenomenon.[2] In the 1960s, Milton Bradley games were licensed in Australia by John Sands Pty Ltd.
In 1967, James Shea Jr. took over as president of Milton Bradley (becoming CEO in 1968) succeeding his father. During his presidency, Milton Bradley bought Playskool Mfg. Co. the E.S. Lowe Company, makers of Yahtzee, and Body Language.
During the 1970s and 1980s, electronic games became popular. Milton Bradley released Simon in 1978, which was fairly late in the movement. By 1980, it was their best-selling item.[2]
In 1979, Milton Bradley also developed the first hand held cartridge based console, the Microvision.
In 1983, seeing the potential in the new Vectrex vector based video game console, the company purchased General Consumer Electronics (GCE). Both the Vectrex and the Microvision were designed by Jay Smith.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Milton Bradley marketed a series of games (such as HeroQuest and Battle Masters) in North America that were developed in the United Kingdom by Games Workshop (GW) that drew heavily from GW's Warhammer Fantasy universe, albeit without explicit reference to the Warhammer product line.
Milton Bradley was sued by two men, Alan Coleman and Roger Burten, who claimed to have presented the original concept for Dark Tower to Milton Bradley in the late 1970s, at which point, MB declined to pursue it, but thereafter 'independently' developed the game.[7] One of the Dark Tower game designers claims the court's decision was unfair.[8]
In 1984, Hasbro, ending 124 years of family ownership, bought out Milton Bradley.[4] Wholly owned by Hasbro, Milton Bradley continued to turn out games that capitalized on current trends. The 1990s saw the release of Gator Golf,Crack the Case,Mall Madness, and 1313 Dead End Drive.[2]
In 1991, Hasbro acquired Milton Bradley's former arch-rival Parker Brothers. In 1998, Milton Bradley merged with Parker Brothers to form Hasbro Games.[9] After the consolidation, Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers turned into brands of Hasbro before being both dropped in 2009 in favor of the parent company's name.
See also[edit]
![Game of life rules 2002 Game of life rules 2002](/uploads/1/2/6/3/126360812/301944765.jpg)
- Milton-Bradley Company (building), the company's Springfield factory from the 1880s to the 1960s
References[edit]
- ^'Milton Bradley Company'. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
- ^ abcdefghi'Milton Bradley Company Information'. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
- ^ abPetrik, Paula. 'Exploring U.S. History'. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
- ^ abcdeWhitehall, Bruce (2002). 'Game History'. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
- ^ abc'Milton Bradley Company'. FundingUniverse.com. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
- ^'Milton Bradley Froebel's Kindergarten Gifts'. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
- ^Lee Gesmer, Esq., Triumph v Dark Tower: How Two Inventors Won Their Trade Secrets Case Against a Game Giant
- ^Jim Francis, Triumph: the Origin of Dark Tower
- ^http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=68329&p=irol-newsArticlePR_pf&ID=18538&highlight=
External links[edit]
- Milton Bradley Company at BoardGameGeek
- Milton Bradley Games Information and parts at Gamepart.com
- MB Portuguese edition Games All portuguese list
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