weird board games

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does anybody know the name of this game that came out in the 80's, i have no idea what the game was about, but i remember loving it, it involved racing time, there was a clock that you would have to press and if it struck 12:00 then something bad would happen or the game would be over. i am really hazy on the details, i do remember some old lady that you had to help cross the street or something too. yikes this seems like a really scattered description doesn't it? any ideas though?

― Mandi Larson (password), Saturday, 6 May 2006 12:26 (twenty years ago)

Chess?

― Doktor Faustus (noodle vague), Saturday, 6 May 2006 15:37 (twenty years ago)

I think it was Milton Bradley's " Race Against MIdnight with Old Lady Helper Function"

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Saturday, 6 May 2006 19:56 (twenty years ago)

Sounds like a Perfection knock-off.

― DOQQUN (donut), Saturday, 6 May 2006 20:10 (twenty years ago)

I remember Bonkers!, though. That was a fun game! Especially when someone ended up in an infinite loop around the board, and time became permanently affected as we knew it.

― DOQQUN (donut), Saturday, 6 May 2006 20:11 (twenty years ago)

Actually this game might ring a bell. The clock wasn't a clock, but was a doohickey that you plunged and the time changed on it. And you had a set of things you were supposed to do -- tasks on cards, I guess? -- and you were trying to go around and do them before the time ran out?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 6 May 2006 22:33 (twenty years ago)

oh my god it DOES ring a bell! that was the game, do you remember the name of it? I really want to see if I can find it on a vintage game site, for my kids.

― Mandi Larson (password), Sunday, 7 May 2006 10:29 (twenty years ago)

I poked around Board Game Geek for a while trying to find it with no luck. Nor is google helping.

I don't remember the name of it or much beyond what I posted. I probably owned it -- I was "collecting" board games when I was a young teen, somewhat indiscriminately, and so presumably that's why I played it, but if so it's one of the games that I don't remember well. And all of those games got destroyed in a flood-prone basement, so, oh well.

I'll let you know if anything else occurs to me.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 7 May 2006 18:10 (twenty years ago)

Was it the Birds Eye Race Against Time?

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 08:40 (twenty years ago)

That doesn't sound familiar, but I am going to see if I can find that game with that title on-line at the vintage game stores, now that I have at least a title to go by,and see if the display they show with the box cover and pieces look familiar, thanks for the tip! did you have this game you are refering to?

― Mandi Larson (password), Monday, 8 May 2006 09:38 (twenty years ago)

I realized after I responded to your question that you in fact have a link right to your game store, I checked it out, it's not the one I am refering to! :o( I will keep looking. There was definitely a clock device thingy that you had to press, something would happen if the time would reach 12:00 noon or midnight.And I distinctly remember there being an old woman you had to help cross the street. Weird I know, but my brothers and I loved it! It was a game that came out in the 80's I was like 7 or 8 years old, so that it why I am hazy with the details. There was even a commercial about the game featuring the old lady you had to help across the street! Crazy I know!!!

― Mandi Larson (password), Monday, 8 May 2006 09:44 (twenty years ago)

Was it the FUN CITY GAME?

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:00 (twenty years ago)

Game comes with a Town Hall building with time of day, the day starts at 9:00 and ends at 5:00 - each player pushes a button on the clock, it advances 10 or 20 minutes (randomly)
The game consists of players trying to visit locations in the town to pick up cards, the cards have times printed on them and only stay out for short periods of time (say 10a - 2p)

One other feature of the town hall, there is a pop-up SLOG (Somebody's Lost Old Grandmother) indicator, which indicates when the little old lady is crossing the street - you can help her across the street to gain a free trip to any location on the board (if she could take you anywhere on the board that easily, why does she need help crossing the street?

From Games Featuring Time Of Day

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:03 (twenty years ago)

OH MY GOD that's it! Thanks so much! Do you know how long it has taken me to find this?! My quest has now come to an end! Thanks so much, I can't believe you actually figured it out! I appreciate you responding to this! I totally forgot about the SLOG term, but that's exactly what it is, I knew that was a key part of the game! I will be checking it out at your store! Thanks again!

― Mandi Larson (password), Monday, 8 May 2006 19:02 (twenty years ago)

It's not my store! It's just a board game fansite. Guess you might find it on ebay.

Glad I could be of help.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 19:05 (twenty years ago)

Cockles = warmed.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 8 May 2006 19:10 (twenty years ago)

You were a help! Thanks!

― Mandi Larson (password), Monday, 8 May 2006 19:12 (twenty years ago)

Dammit, I even searched there for "city". Bah!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Monday, 8 May 2006 23:25 (twenty years ago)

Casuistry, I appreciate you looking so hard for it! I wasn't even going to continue checking this site until I read your response, so if it wasn't for you I may have never found out!

― Mandi Larson (password), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 10:11 (twenty years ago)

It's all good. Hi-five to everyone.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 10:12 (twenty years ago)

WTF is bowl-a-gnome?

(or even blow-a-gnome, which is what I originally typed, ahem)

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 10:16 (twenty years ago)

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