The Game of Life

Lore & Background

Like many 19th-century games, such as The Mansion of Happiness by S. B. The game board resembled a modified checkerboard. As in snakes and ladders, some spaces caused the player to move up or down to a different space. A player could gain 50 points by reaching 'Happy Old Age' in the upper-right corner, opposite 'Infancy' where one began, and if they landed on the 'Suicide' space, 6 right and 2 up from 'Infancy', they would be out of the game. Instead of dice – which were associated with gambling – players used a six-sided top called a teetotum. A collaboration between Reuben Klamer and Stephen Withers, it consists of a track which passes along, over, and through small mountains, buildings, and other features. A player travels along the track in a small plastic automobile, according to the spins of a small wheel on the board with spaces numbered one through ten. Each car has six holes into which pegs are added as the player 'gets married' and 'acquires children'. The modern game pegs are pink and blue to distinguish the sexes (blue for male, pink for female). Each player starts the game with one peg. Other tangibles vary between versions of the game. The rules in all different modern versions of the game are generally the same, even though they may have different cards and spaces. The winner is the player who retires with the most money. Smith ruled in favor of Hasbro, explaining that while developing a game is a collaborative effort, copyright law assigns the copyright only to one entity.

Reader's Guide

The game's inclusion in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History and the National Toy Hall of Fame underscores its historical and cultural importance. The game's adaptability and enduring popularity make it a key example of how board games reflect and shape social values.

Did You Know?

• The modern game's plastic cars have six holes for pegs representing marriage and children, with pink and blue pegs distinguishing sexes.