45 Board Games Popular in the '90s That'll Give You All Sorts of Nostalgia
Think back, like way back to the '90s — was that the last time you sat down and played a board game? Because for myself, that's honestly the case. As a kid, I played games like Chutes and Ladders, Sorry!, and Candy Land like it was my job, but as an adult, the only games I play are cards and those that involve my cold, hard cash. If someone asked me to play a throwback board game today, though, I'd totally say yes — because duh, all the nostalgic feels! And in a year filled with so many twists and turns, the one thing myself and so many others can rely on are the cherished memories that our childhood toys, music, movies, and games bring. See our favorite board games we played in the '90s ahead.
Splat!
Everyone in the house knew when you were playing Splat! ($140, originally $175) — you had to yell it so many times!
Pretty Pretty Princess
Who doesn't want to be a princess? Pretty Pretty Princess ($55) was a jewelry dress-up game that made you feel like royalty.
Dream Phone
There was nothing more exciting than finding out who your secret admirer was in Dream Phone ($200).
Guess Who?
While it was first manufactured in 1979, Guess Who? ($30) was a game we all played well into the '90s.
Yahtzee
Yahtzee ($10) was a game of luck, but if you did get lucky, it felt pretty freakin' good.
13 Dead End Drive
The murder-mystery game 13 Dead End Drive ($130), was such a hit, they released a sequel.
Girl Talk
Girl Talk ($147) was basically truth or dare, but with a twist (it told you your fortune).
Ask Zandar
Zandar, the crystal ball in Ask Zandar ($91), would answer all your questions.
Mall Madness
Have a shopping habit? Purchase Mall Madness ($170) and get your shopping cravings filled again and again.
Mouse Trap
The satisfaction of trapping your mouse friends in Mouse Trap ($37) was just too good.
Sorry!
The most frustrating part of Sorry! ($28) was hearing your opponents say "sorry!" and knowing they were winning.
Hungry Hungry Hippos
There was nothing more satisfying than collecting all of the marbles in Hungry Hungry Hippos ($20).
Don't Wake Daddy
Honestly, Don't Wake Daddy ($14) is so relatable. The object of the game is to tiptoe from your bed to your refrigerator to get a midnight snack without waking dad.
Operation
The game Operation ($20) really tested your hand-eye coordination and steadiness, and if you weren't steady enough to do a smooth operation, you lost the game.
Planet Hollywood
To play Planet Hollywood ($5), you really had to be in the know with pop culture. However, if you were (or are), then this game's a piece of cake.
The Wonderful World of Disney Trivia Game
How well do you know Disney? Test your knowledge with The Wonderful World of Disney Trivia Game ($20).
Crackers in My Bed
In the game Crackers in My Bed ($30), it's OK to feed the bear . . . but we don't suggest trying that out in real life.
KerPlunk Game
Skillfully remove sticks from the KerPlunk Game ($13) while dropping as few marbles as possible. We remember it being much harder than it looks.
The Game of Life
If only real life worked the same as The Game of Life ($14) did — things would be great!
Candy Land
Reaching the candy castle in Candy Land ($77) was the most satisfying feeling.
Chutes and Ladders
The ladders were helpful in Chutes and Ladders ($20), but the chutes? Not so much.
Trouble
The Pop-O-Matic Meter in Trouble ($20) was the coolest part of the whole game.
The Starfarers of Catan
While The Starfarers of Catan ($50) took a minute to get the hang of, it was such an addicting game.
Jumanji
If you liked the Robin Williams film, you absolutely loved the Jumanji ($18) game.
Twilight Imperium
It took a few tries to get Twilight Imperium ($130) down, but once you had it, it was hard to stop playing.
Pizza Party
The goal of Pizza Party ($50) was to match your dice to your card's pizza toppings to create an entire pie.
Crocodile Dentist
The Crocodile Dentist ($40) has one bad tooth, and it's up to the player to find out which one that is — before he chomps you.
Taboo
Using words to describe a word on a card, Taboo ($33) was sort of like charades, minus the acting.
Dizzy Dizzy Dinosaur
You never knew which way Dizzy (the dinosaur) would go when he let loose on the game board in Dizzy Dizzy Dinosaur ($29).
Shark Attack
Being a fish in Shark Attack ($21) was a dangerous game — you had to move fast!
Crossfire
You felt like you were in an arcade playing Crossfire ($29). The object of the game was to shoot a small puck into the other player's goal.
Cranium
The game Cranium ($30) featured a mix of word play, sketching, acting, and more.
Tortoise and the Hare
Loosely based off Aesop's fables, the Tortoise and the Hare ($18) required animal betting to see who'd win.
Mr. Bucket Game
There was nothing but fun associated with the Mr. Bucket Game ($20). You'd toss your balls into the bucket, and pray he didn't block or spit them out!
Forbidden Bridge
When the bridge guard awakened in Forbidden Bridge ($23), it was never a good sign.
Don't Break the Ice
It only took one wrong block in Don't Break the Ice ($10) to sink the polar bear.
Mystery Mansion
The best part about Mystery Mansion ($29) was building a victorian mansion room by room (and finding the gold chest, of course).
Mastermind
Do you have the skills to break a code? In Mastermind ($13), you had to use logic, deduction, and luck to figure it out.
Thin Ice
Thin Ice ($11) was an interesting game where you'd place wet marbles on a tissue that acted as ice. Whoever broke the "ice" three times lost the game.
Battleship
If you like strategy guessing games, you definitely played Battleship ($10).
Jenga
To this day, Jenga ($9) remains a hit. Although it's not a board game per se, stacking blocks on top of one another and praying they won't fall is a fun challenge.
Connect Four
The name says it all! The goal of Connect Four ($10) is to connect four checkers in a row.