Everyone loves a rebel and in the world of board games, it’s hard to beat Twister in the rule-bucking stakes.
The game we all know and love was the first in history to use humans as the game pieces and its ability to entangle limbs in compromising positions meant it was labelled by some as “sex in a box.”
Because of this perceived risqué nature, the game was largely shunned my consumers not long after its release in 1966.
It took a televised appearance on The Tonight Show, where presenter Johnny Carson challenged his celebrity guest Eva Gabor to a game, that the social resistance instantly melted away.
The audience roared with laughter watching the two celebrities bend and stretch in challenging positions while trying to keep their balance, and Twister was forever saved!
People flocked to stores the next day demanding their own game and by 1967, more than three million Twister games had been sold.
Not bad for a game that took the traditional rules of board games and smashed them to pieces!
Although the game is celebrating its 50th birthday this year, it has the staying power of Madonna and always seems to stay relevant.
The cast of FRIENDS made Twister the ‘it’ game in the ’90’s after the popular characters played it in an episode.
While the level of her celebrity might be questionable for some, (this author included) Kirsten Stewart shone the spotlight on the spotted mat earlier this year when she helped Jimmy Fallon recreate Johnny and Eva’s magical television moment but with a twist similar to what you would see at a 21st birthday party.
The Tonight Show saw them team up for a game of Jell-O Shot Twister, where the only change to the normal game was the addition of shots of alcohol and “the first one to fall down loses.”
Although that’s not how those under the age of 18 should play Twister, it just goes to show how versatile it can be!
Who would’ve thought that the game, originally called King’s Footsie (because you could only use your feet), would end up being played by more than 65 million people in 50 years?
Reyn Guyer, Charles Foley and Neil Rabens probably couldn’t fathom those sorts of numbers when they presented the re-worked concept to Mel Taft at the Milton Bradley Company in 1966.
Hasbro Australia brand manager Tiffany Vibert says Twister broke the rules from the very start and it has continued to bend them for the past five decades.
“Over the years, we have connected with Twister fans on new levels by teaming with their favourite celebrities, working together to challenge world records and by incorporating today’s hit music into new products. With multiple platforms to tap into fans’ interests, we strive to keep the one-of-a-kind Twister brand as popular as ever with the modern gaming generation,” she says.
Fans of the four-option spinner might lose their bearings to hear two new moves have been added to the game Spinner’s Choice and Air.
With the former, the spinner makes up a move for the other player to do and in the latter, the player must put a foot or hand up in the air this is next-level biz the whole family can enjoy.
I still remember the first time I played Twister.
It was at a friend’s slumber party and we had such a hard time staying upright because of all the laughter that was going on. And you know what it’s like, once those giggle kick in, it’s hard to shake ’em off.
As I got older, parties began to involve Twister in more creative ways and now that I am a mum, the game is sitting in the cupboard, waiting for my preschoolers to have long enough legs to reach from the red spots all the way over to the green spots so we can start get another generation hooked onto it.
Now that I’ve got some of you running for the cupboard to play Twister, there might be others who are dismayed there isn’t one to find”¦ yet.
Because the game is as popular as ever, you can head down to your nearest major retailer and pick one up for RRP$39.99 and you can #Twister50 with the best of them.
If you don’t want to join the pre-Christmas shopping rush (raise your hand if you hate trawling for car parking!), you can visit here: CLICK ME! and have easy access to all of the retailers’ online stores and have Twister delivered straight to your door.
