Candyland: Now and Then

[Theophilus Hatta]

Now, I know it is the nature of board games to get plastered over with the new and popular-- I can't count the number of Spongebob/Dora/Barbie/Pirates games-- but to utterly change the image of a classic game for no reason is like a sucker punch to childhood itself.

I am speaking of course about the redesign of Candyland. It isn't exactly a new redesign (started poping out in '02) but it was a big surprise to *me* when I saw it the other week.

It's horrible. Just look at it:




THE HELL HASBRO?
Total destruction of beauty. Half those designs don't even mesh! I can't remember which version I had as a wee one, 80s or 90s, but they both had a classic elegance that the new board seems to have forgotten in it's favoured plastic dough-faced monster look.

Plus...They got rid of Plumpy. PLUMPY.
www.flickr.com/photos/calluna/1926123727/in/photostream/[/img] Sweet, friendly, overweight Plumpy... and replaced him with a tree. An UGLY tree.


In fact, look at all the new, clashing designs:
Princess Lolly, cute nibblet in woods --> Lolly, hideously deformed fairy creature
annapapoutsakis.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54ff1a92f88340120a694dc71970b-800wi
to
nourishedkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/lolly2.jpg images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/2900000/Lolly-candy-land-2980836-307-728.jpg

Mr. Minty, toylike --->> Obnoxious, hamburger-faced Mr. Minty
images2.fanpop.com/images/quiz/46235_1218323568655_121_213.jpg to images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/2100000/Mr-Mint-candy-land-2194615-311-801.jpg

Jolly, chubby gumdrop man---> Jolly... no, I have no idea WHAT that is
www.flickr.com/photos/calluna/1926065949/sizes/m to images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/2200000/Jolly-candy-land-2200498-311-559.jpg

King Kandy, cheerful but manly gingerbread armor ---> King Kandy, fat idiot
to images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/2900000/King-Kandy-candy-land-2980781-305-585.jpg

Grandma Nutt, old granny --------->> Grandma Nutt, fat and younger?
www.flickr.com/photos/lindsaykatai/772495709/ gothangel413.tripod.com/nutty.jpg to images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/2400000/Gramma-Nutt-candy-land-2441074-311-648.jpg

Gloppy ------->> becomes... glopper? I can live with this one.
gothangel413.tripod.com/gloppy.jpg to images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/3300000/Gloppy-candy-land-3326869-450-300.jpg

Queen Frostine, pretty, blue ---------->> Q- sorry, Princess Frostine, some kind of Barbie granny—completely different style as well
www.psychceu.com/super/Frostinesm.jpg to i.somethingawful.com/u/maxnmona/candyland/frostine.jpg

Perhaps the worst offence?

Lord Liquorice.

He was the coolest guy on the board. All suave and dastardly and twisty and a bit romantically evil… took years to realise he was actually the villain but he was so freakin’ cool to look at…

farm1.static.flickr.com/11/16421956_58bf672488.jpg
quizilla.teennick.com/user_images/M/MorePunkThanYourMom/1043943352_eslicorice.jpg
www.soelo.com/uploaded_images/cl2lord-783900.jpg

And now reduced to THIS
petiteshards.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/lord.jpg
A reject Hamburgler.

I find it a real pity that this great, timeless game has been so cheapened. Kids won’t grow up with the simple, retro style anymore.

[EDIT: For some reason, most of the pictures aren't showing up. Changed them to links]

[[EDIT 2: Url aren't working on most either. Terribly sorry on that.

[sgtyayap]

That's one thing I don't like about board games; the design keeps changing for each one. With computer games, at least they only go as far, generally speaking, as updates and patches.

I used to be a fan of Clue the game as well as the film (the latter of which I still do ;D), but, unfortunately, it seems that the good-looking versions of the game are ALSO vintage, not to mention that my family has lost some of the pieces.

[Bampot]

Why do the new characters look so horribly shiny? Like they have an inch of oil on their faces. Someone break out the Neutrogena.

[mistica0christina]

The style almost looks similiar to what Disney has tried to do with TNBC merchandise within the past few years...it's not very appealing personally.

[Theophilus Hatta]

I know. All molded and shiny... it's like they poured plastic over an obese monkey.

That's one thing I don't like about board games; the design keeps changing for each one. With computer games, at least they only go as far, generally speaking, as updates and patches.

I used to be a fan of Clue the game as well as the film (the latter of which I still do ), but, unfortunately, it seems that the good-looking versions of the game are ALSO vintage, not to mention that my family has lost some of the pieces.

I don't mind if they make a commemorative game or something to show off a movie, but messing with the original style is just unbearable. If they had a 'vintage' aisle, I bet shows would go through the roof.