A recent moment in nostalgia had me wanting my children to learn to play the games that I played as a kid. So we headed to the store, which is where I got to see that while my favorite board games are still in existence, nearly every single classic also has a newfangled, tricked-out version perfectly tweaked for appealing to today's tots. Which they did, by the way, as my daughter was less than thrilled when I chose good ol' Candy Land over the glittery Disney Princess version. It's fun to see how things have changed, so take a walk down memory lane to see some of our favorite games then and now.
The classic Twister game ($13) uses a mat and a spinner and provides hours of simple fun.
Forget simplicity; Twister Dance Rave ($15, originally $35) is the dancing version of the classic game. Learn dance moves by following the lights and stepping on the moveable spots, all while connecting to an MP3 player.
In the classic Jenga game ($6), players stack the wooden blocks into a tower and then take turns pulling out blocks one by one until it crashes down onto the table.
Just like the original game, except there are earthquake tremors involved. In Jenga Quake, ($20) kids have to move fast and get their block out before the tower vibrates and the stack literally quakes and crumbles.
Sorry ($12) was, and still is, fun because you just drew cards to see how far you got to move one of your pawns on the board. If you landed on a Slide, you got to zip to the end and metaphorically bump off the other pawns.
The classic game has been tricked up with Sorry Sliders ($20), except kids literally take aim and slide their pawn down the track in order to score big points and slam opposing pawns out of the game.
Candy Land ($10) is an adorable classic board game with Peppermint Forests, the Lagoon of Lord Licorice, and Princess Frostine's Ice Palace.
The description of Candy Land Disney Princess Edition ($17) says it all: "Will you be the first princess to dance at the Candy Land ball? Move along the sparkling Candy Land path with all of your favorite Disney Princesses — and have lots of sweet adventures along the way!"
Afraid of stressing out your kiddo with all that learning and waiting? No Stress Chess ($15) has kids today playing chess instantly.
In The Game of Life ($16), you'll get the chance to make big decisions (go to college, have a family, etc.) and do good deeds to earn game tiles.
Will you be a supermodel, pop singer, pro athlete, or movie star? In The Game of Life Fame Edition ($12), kids get to travel along the star-studded path in a stretch limo while hiring agents, building an entourage, and making it rain in order to elevate themselves to megastar status.
Grab your tweezers and hold your hand steady as you play doctor to Cavity Sam in the classic game of Operation ($13). Don't let your tweezers buzz!
Forget Cavity Sam; Stuart the Minion's the one who needs help in Operation Despicable Me 2 ($23). Beware of the electric shock that kids get when they aren't steady enough with the tweezers — just joking, but that wouldn't be too far off these days.
Scrabble ($18) is the classic game where players compete to see who can earn the most points by placing letters strategically on a board.
In Scrabble Flash ($18), players user the interactive SmartLink tiles to build words, and the tiles will flash and beep with each word that's made. The tiles also automatically time turns and display the score with the maximum possible score.
Dominoes ($15) are plastic tiles with multicolored dots that can be played in various ways. What's more? Kids can even stack them in a pattern to watch them fall onto each other.
Forget all that boring linear stacking; the Dominoes Rally ($20) comes with four custom tracks and speed dominoes crafted to fall as fast as lightning.
The original Monopoly ($9) is a property trading game for the whole family that involves making deals and staying out of jail.
Monopoly Millionaire ($19) ups the ante as the Top Hat is no longer the best part for kids, it's sending the economy into an economic depression all while earning $1 million.