What's In That Game Box? - The MAD Magazine Game (1979)

1979 The MAD Magazine Game box front

Ever scoured the Internet looking for what exactly you were missing from the old board game you pulled from your closet, only to find no succor in your time of need?  Well, stop that Diabloesque mouse clickfest through endless google results, as this week we look at Parker Brothers’ 1979 zany classic, The MAD Magazine Game.

An more indepth discussion of the game’s play can be found in a previous blog entry, titled, The Best Classic Board Games – The MAD Magazine Game (1979) What’s In That Game Box? deals specifically with the game’s contents, which are:

The game box (featuring Alfred E. Neuman on the front with art by Jack Davis)

The game board (with 60 spaces filled with art from MAD Magazine artists, Don Martin, Sergio Aragones, Jack Davis, among others)

4 player tokens (blue, green, red, and yellow)

2 six-sided dice

A supply of MAD Money (in $500, $1000, $5000 denominations as well as a single $1,329,063.00 bill)

24 Card cards, which are:

• CHANGE CHAIRS WITH ANYONE
• CHANGE MONEY WITH ANYONE
• CHANGE MONEY WITH THE PERSON ON YOUR LEFT
• CHANGE MONEY WITH THE PERSON ON YOUR RIGHT
• FLIP THIS CARD UP IN THE AIR. IF IT LANDS WITH THIS SIDE FACE UP, YOU LOSE $1000 IF NOT, GO TO TOUGH LUCK
• GO AHEAD THE TOTAL ON ONE DIE
• GO TO ANY DOUBLE ARROW SPACE (x2)
• IF ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING LETTERS ARE IN YOUR NAME, YOU LOSE THE AMOUNT INDICATED (‘G’ – $500; ‘O’ – $1000; ‘A’ – $1000; ‘T’ – $2000).  HOWEVER, BEING A GOAT, YOU WIN $500 ANYWAY
• IF ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING LETTERS ARE IN YOUR NAME, YOU WIN THE AMOUNT INDICATED (‘L’ – $1000; ‘O’ – $500; ‘S’ – $1000; ‘E’ – $500)
• IF YOU ARE A BOY PERSON, LOSE $1000
• IF YOU ARE A BOY PERSON, WIN $500
• IF YOU ARE A GIRL PERSON, LOSE $1000
• IF YOU ARE A GIRL PERSON, WIN $500
• IF YOU ARE GOOD LOOKING STAND UP AND IMITATE YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL AND LOSE $2000
• IF YOU CAN JUMP UP AND STAY AIRBORNE FOR 37 SECONDS, YOU CAN LOSE $5000. IF NOT, JUMP UP AND LOSE $500
• IF YOU LIKE THIS GAME, CROSS YOUR LEGS, SIT ON YOUR HANDS, CACKLE LIKE A CHICKEN AND LOSE 1 EGG ALSO $500
• PLAN AHEAD AND MOVE TO ANY SPACE ON THE BOARD
• PUT $1000 UNDER TOUGH LUCK
• PUT THIS CARD ON TOP OF YOUR HEAD AND WALK AROUND THE TABLE BACKWARDS. IF IT DOESN’T FALL OFF BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN YOU LOSE $1000
• STAND UP AND BOO THE PERSON ON YOUR LEFT. ALSO LOSE $1000
• TAKE THE NEXT CARD DON’T PEEK AND GIVE IT TO ANYONE ELSE
• THIS CARD CAN ONLY BE PLAYED ON FRIDAY
• YOU ARE A ROCK. ACT LIKE ONE. IF YOU’RE GOOD, YOU LOSE $1000. IF YOU’RE NOT SO GOOD YOU WIN A ROCK.

The sheet of instructions.

There is a bilingual version of this game that was sold in Canada which features both French and English on the game board, instruction sheet, and money, as well as 24 French-only Carte cards and 24 English-only Card cards. There is absolutely no difference in game play between the US and Canadian releases, aside from the addition of French.

That’s it!

1979 The Mad Magazine Game box contents

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