A Gamer Almost as Far Back as I can Remember.

My Earliest Memory on File in my head is of Disneyland, I think. I distinctly Remember the 360° Theater (Circle Vision). I was standing next to a Stroller, my Stroller. There was a forest of legs and some Bars that people could hold onto. All I remember of the Film was countryside and sheep. I also remember a portion of the Main Street Electrical Parade: Specifically Elliot. I think this was the same vacation that I famously, or infamously, rode Berry Tales over and over and over and over and over and over ... again. That Dark Ride was AWESOME!!! I could go for a spin or two right now, seriously—too bad it's gone. Last time I was at Knott's it brought back memories just going on the lame ride that is in the same space (it uses the same track) and I rode that one a second time, just so I could think about Berry Tales the whole time...

That's not the memories I came to discuss however. 

The Girls got Candyland for Christmas and we finally got around to playing it. The first shock was the Pawns. They're not Flat anymore. And the Board is different, I couldn't remember the board I played with though—not until I did some Research at Board Game Geek. I had read somewhere recently that there had been a rule change in Candyland in 1994; but again, for the life of me I couldn't recall the difference.

So this got me to thinking about childhood games. I am unable to remember anything from when we lived in Ogden (I do remember living in Ogden, but that's for another time—I've digressed a lot already). I recall from living in Rexburg (4-8 years of age [possibly earlier depending on the travel itinerary]), Grandma's Playroom floor; so Checkers, Tic-Tac-Toe, Chinese Checkers and Hopscotch (a training excercise for Roman soldiers if Wikipedia is to be believed). It had Parcheesi as well, but no one knew how to play, or even what it was—it was just the part of the floor that had no purpose. I remember that she had a Chutes and Ladders game board, but we didn't play it for a long time because it was just a board, so "we" didn't know the rules and we didn't have Pawns or Dice, then one day we cannibalized Sorry and finally played Chutes and Ladders.

Hilariously enough I always wanted to play Sorry but the rules intimidated me (Reading them on my own at least—and I couldn't talk anyone into teaching me though I'm not sure I asked; I do remember just looking at the box longing to try it])

Then there was Monopoly, I wanted to play Monopoly for the longest time. It was one of those Adult games that I just knew I could handle. It didn't help that my parents had three copies (a wedding present fallout by my understanding) I don't remember the first time I finally talked someone into teaching me Monopoly, but for a long time It was a favorite—theoreticly. 

There were all kinds of "treasures" at Grandma's house. Stuff that belonged to Aunts and Uncles of which I wanted to be a part. There was the Atari of course: Pacman, Asteroids, Basketball, Combat, Breakout, Chopper Command (my favorite), Skiing, Spiderman, and That Space Game that Made no Sense to me whose name I cannot recall.

There was the Bumper Pool which, to this day, I still don't really understand. There was a Handheld electronic space game, and a football one as well.

And the whole reason I started writing this blog was this game that was in the Closet located in the Front Room. The really Cool closet, that housed an entrance to the Attic—not the only super cool hidden place at Grandma's House mind you. When we got Othello out (a classic and a favorite mind you) I saw that another game there Time and Time again, and I was dying to play it. And one day I finally asked if I could get it out and play it. I read the rules and tried to play it, I conned my cousins into joining in the fun and we had an afternoon of land development and litigation. 

I have been trying to remember the name of this game for a couple weeks now and it just wasn't coming to me. I could remember the Board, and the Parcels of developed land, and the excellent quality Cardboard buildings.

I have tracked down the name. None of my keyword searched were working, so I had to do a search on Board Game Geek 1970-1980 and page through until I saw the Box Art. I'd almost given up when I saw it, Prize Property. I had forgotten about the Gavel with the marbles in it. I think I recall liking the game, but not being able to convince anyone to ever play it with me again. All this "remembering" made me think that I really have been a Gamer for a long time.

I played Chess Over and Over and Over with my Dad until he was probably sick of it. We played Waterworks, Quicksand, Connect Four, Score Four, Tri-Ominoes, Super Mastermind, Go to the Head of the Class, Zaxxon the board Game (A thrift store find), Cloak & Dagger another thrift store find. See what I mean. I know people that haven't even heard of this many games, and I haven't even mentioned anything I've played post 80's.