One of the most well known toy and games manufacturers is Parker Brothers. Established in 1883, the company’s reputation was largely built on a series of classic Parker Brothers board games. Amongst an output totaling 1,800 games, there are some that many people have grown up with and delight in passing these on to their children. In an age of computer games, families still like the tangible experience of throwing dice and moving around a board.
The most successful game internationally is probably Monopoly. It is very popular in the United States and the UK with several versions set in different cities. There are also editions for cities in Canada and Australia. Special versions are on the market too, such as a Junior Edition and a Disney theme edition. The basic premise of this Parker Brothers board game remains the same however. Players move metal tokens around the board and the object is to buy and rent as much property as possible. The goal of every player in the London version is to buy up the expensive areas of Mayfair and Park Lane. Hopefully, opposition players will go bankrupt!
Cluedo is another popular game, a murder mystery waiting to be solved, harking back to the days of Agatha Christie novels. The plot involves the murder of the owner of the mansion where the game is set. The board shows nine rooms of the house, six different characters or suspects, and six items, one of which will be revealed as the murder weapon. It brings out the sleuth in everyone and is a lot of fun. There is a movie based on this Parker Brothers board game and many television game shows. The company also brought out themed editions, such as Cluedo Dungeons and Dragons, the Alfred Hitchcock Edition, and The Simpsons, based on the animated TV show.
For lovers of military strategy, there is Risk. A game for players aged ten and above, the object is for the player to use their armies to gain territory from opponents and eventually conquer the world. The map on the board is from the age of Napoleon and has 42 territories and six continents. Armies are divided into Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery units. Games can be long and intriguing as the fortunes of player’s wax and wane. Themed versions of the board game from Parker Brothers include tie ins with movies and television. There is an edition for Lord of the Rings, the Transformers movie, Star Wars and a Junior Narnia edition.
The 1980s brought a general knowledge based game to the fore. Trivial Pursuit is played at parties and family get togethers. It blends a board game with question cards, divided into the categories of History, Geography, Science and Nature, Arts and Literature, Entertainment, and Sports and Leisure. The trick is to focus on your own strengths and evaluate what your opponents’ weaknesses are. Special versions of the Parker Brothers board game include a Junior, Disney, and Lord of the Rings edition. Supplemental cards on different themes can be added.
