These popular 1950s board games show exactly what was on America’s mind in the postwar era

The range of 1950s board games is wider than people tend to remember. Cold war strategy titles sat on the same store shelves as candy-colored children’s games and real estate competitions for the whole family. The decade was genuinely prolific, and what got made says a lot about what was on America’s mind.

The postwar boom created ideal conditions for the game industry. With more disposable income, bigger houses and a cultural emphasis on family togetherness, Americans were a ready-made market. Companies like Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers were already established, but the 1950s pushed them into overdrive.

Milton Bradley, founded in 1860, had spent decades building its reputation as, in its own words, “America’s pioneer in games” — and by the fifties it was leaning hard into that identity, with full-page ads running in newspapers every holiday season.

Some titles skewed educational — Game of the States sent kids “delivering goods and selling them for profit from coast to coast,” while Pirate and Traveler was pitched as “educational globe-trotting plus the thrill of the pirate chase.” Others reflected the anxieties of the era more directly.

Summit was billed as “a new international relations game of top-level global planning — an adult approach to cold war strategy,” and Battle Cry and Broadside came packaged with American Heritage history books on the Civil War and the War of 1812.

Meanwhile, the titles that needed no such framing — Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, Sorry — were selling steadily throughout the decade. Milton Bradley ads from 1959 noted that every game was “age-identified” right on the box cover, making it easier for parents to shop.

TV tie-ins also found their footing in this era. Two for the Money spun off from a popular quiz program, Alfred Hitchcock‘s Why carried the director’s name and persona right on the box, and Dragnet Badge 714 brought the procedural world of Dragnet to the tabletop. Licensing recognizable names to sell games was already a well-worn strategy before the decade was out.

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Below, we’ve pulled together a collection of original ads and game box images from the period — Milton Bradley newspaper spreads, Parker Brothers classics like Clue and Monopoly, and a handful of titles you may not have thought about in years. It’s a good snapshot of what game night looked like when the fifties were in full swing.

Vintage Milton Bradley 1950s board games: The Game of Life / Square Mile

The Game of Life: Art Linkletter family game revolves around Wheel of Fate. Each player starts with a car and $2000, tries to make a million.

Square Mile: Exciting new land-development game. You buy, develop, wheel and deal — make or lose a fortune — in this family fun game.

Classic games: Go to the Head of the Class / Rack-o

Vintage Milton Bradley board games: Pirate and Traveler / Game of the States

Candy Land / Uncle Wiggily

Easy Money / Chutes & Ladders

Easy Money: Spirited play at building a real estate empire intrigues all ages as they compete for control of buisiness, airline, hotel.

Chutes & Ladders: A delight to small fry who play with up-you-go, down-you-go game. No reading.

Vintage Milton Bradley board games: Alfred Hitchcock’s Why / Concentration

’50s board games: Stratego / Park and Shop

Summit / Battle Cry / Broadside

Summit (Adult): New international relations game of top-level global planning. An adult approach to the cold war strategy. Exciting action, tense decisions.

Battle Cry & Broadside: Games based on authentic strategies of Civil War and Naval battles of 1812. American Heritage outline history books included.

Let’s Face It game from Hassenfeld Bros

Vintage Little Noddy’s Taxi Game

Two for the Money TV quiz game

Dragnet Badge 714 game

Vintage Going to Jerusalem board game from 1956

An old Razzle Dazzle Football Game – Texantics

Innovation Whirly-Bird game

Vintage fifties Keyword Crossword Game – Parker Brothers

Classic Parker Brothers – Sorry

Vintage ’50s board games: Clue from Parker Bros

Go to the Head of the Class – 1955

Vintage version of Monopoly from Parker Bros

1950s Campbell Kids Shopping board game

ALSO SEE: Who were the Campbell Kids? Find out about the vintage cartoon mascots for Campbell’s Soup

Shaper plastic games: Cootie, Stadium Checkers, Mill, Squares, Skunk (1954)

Milton Bradley Games make FUN a family affair! (1950)

“Go-To-The-Head-Of-The-Class” keeps the whole family entertained evening after evening — gives youngsters the big thrill of “stumping” their elders. A sure hit with everyone 10 and over.

Yes, it’s easy to have your whole family looking forward eagerly to evenings at home together — and just as easy to give guests the kind of evening that makes your home the first choice for fun at its best! Modern, fast-moving games exclusive with Milton Bradley are the secret — games that ought to go on your Christmas shopping list right now — at prices from $1.00 to $2.50!

Dozens of games of every kind — action games — “talking” games — games of chance, bear the famous trademark of Milton Bradley, America’s pioneer in games. Every one is a top fun-maker in its class – and they’re ready for you now at your favorite toy, department or variety store. Remember, you’re sure of the best in fun wherever you see this Milton Bradley emblem.

These modern games set a lively pace

Lobby: Here’s top-level Washington at its hilarious best — a sure hit with everyone old enough to read a newspaper.

Easy Money: Teenagers and adults alike get an extra thrill when good judgment parlays a lucky chance into a substantial fortune with “Easy Money.”

Uncle Wiggily: Youngsters from 5 to 10 take a never-failing delight in following the adventures of “Uncle Wiggily” according to the simple directions.

Game of the States: It’s fun for 8 to 15-year-olds to deliver the goods and sell them for profit from coast to coast in competition with friends in the exciting “Game of the States.”

Vintage board games from the ’50s: Fun for every age (1953)

The right game for the right age from the Milton Bradley Workshop

Milton Bradley games are F U N (1951)

They appeal to all age groups — little folks, teen-agers, and mother and dad.

Popular vintage Milton Bradley board games from 1959

A fun-and-learning game for every name on your Christmas list — and look — to make it easy for you to choose the right ones — every Milton Bradley game is AGE IDENTIFIED.

You don’t know what to give… ? Shop this page, and you’ll find a gift of fun – a Milton Bradley game – for every name on your Christmas list. Young and old! You’ll find it easy to choose the right ones, too. Every Milton Bradley game is age-identified: you can see just what age group it’s for, right on the cover. Make your selections now. Then page in hand, hustle down to your favorite store and start your gifts of fun and learning — your Milton Bradley games — on their merry, gift-wrapped way.

FOR THE LITTLE ONES ON YOUR LIST: CANDY LAND (4-8) — players travel along a rainbow-colored path. Nothing to read. Deluxe edition, $2.50. UNCLE WIGGILY (5-9) — youngsters have loved this game for generations. Deluxe edition, $2.50. CHUTES AND LADDERS (4-10) — children never the of its thrills and spills. No need to read. Deluxe edition, $2.00. REDSKIN FINGER PAINTS — America’s largest seller. $1.00 and $2.00.

FOR THE NOT-SO-LITTLE ONES: GAME OF THE STATES (7-14) — highly entertaining, teaches location of states and cities. $2.50. PIRATE AND TRAVELER (7-14) — educational globe-trotting plus thrill of the pirate chase. $2.00. PARK AND SHOP (7-adult) — hustle-bustle traffic game, contest to see who can park and finish shopping first. Lots of excitement for two to six players. $3.00.

ALL ‘ROUND FAMILY FUN. RACK-0 (10-adult) — completely different card game, fast and exciting. $2.00. GO TO THE HEAD OF THE CLASS (8-adult) — fascinating quiz game in classroom setting, includes 792 questions and answers. $3.00. EASY MONEY (7-adult) — fortunes are won and lost in this thrilling real estate game. Deluxe Edition $3.00. Standard Edition $2.00. Manufactured and distributed in Canada by Somerville, Ltd. Prices slightly higher in Western U.S.A and Canada.