9 board games we had as kids that were actually pretty violent

We still can't believe our parents bought us games that included hammers, dynamite, and mice traps.

As kids, there were two types of board games. There were the classic family games like Monopoly or LIFE, where we patiently waited our turn and strategized each move. But there was also the sort of these nine games, which were over stimulating, loud and a total blast to play.

Our parents bought us these board games because they seemed pretty harmless at first glance. However, when we started to play them, things could escalate pretty quickly. Do you remember things getting heated over these games? Which ones were your favorites?

Image: Mears Pop Culture Auctions

1. Swack!

 

We don't know who was inspired to make a board game out of a device that kills rodents, but who cares? The threat of losing a finger didn't stop kids from trying to collect the most cheese from a mousetrap without setting it off. 

Image: Board Game Geek

2. Booby Trap

 

Not only did we have to worry about getting our fingers caught in the tension bar, but if we removed a piece just right, others would shoot out like tiny rockets. It was considered a good game if we didn't get hit in the face with one of the pieces.

Image: Board Game Geek

3. Pie Face

 

It was messy, it was unpredictable, and chances are your mom was not a big fan of this game. It didn't hurt to get pied in the face, but if we weren't prepared, we'd be rinsing our eyes out for the next couple of hours. 

Image: YouTube

4. Cold Feet

 

This one's another game that involves unpredictability and a mess. We secretly hoped we'd have to shoot the water gun at our mom or dad, but we usually ended up spraying ourselves. 

Image: Board Game Geek

5. Dynamite Shack

 

Okay, so maybe this game didn't have real dynamite. But that didn't stop our parents from buying us this gem of a game. With Dynamite Shack, we had to wear oversized thumbs and fit our small sticks of dynamite into the chimney of a house before it exploded.

Image: Board Game Geek

6. Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots

 

This game was a great way to take out our aggression against our siblings. The hardest part was not letting the fight spill over into real life. 

Image: YouTube

7. Bang Box

 

Bang Box starts off innocently enough, with players having to fit tiny balloons into a box. The game takes a violent turn when players also have to hit nails into the box and try to avoid popping them. 

Image: Board Game Geek

8. Kaboom

 

Two common themes of children's board games back: unpredictability and balloons. This game had both! In Kaboom, each player had to take turns slowly filling up a balloon until it popped. But kids are eager, so most of us raced to see who could pop the balloon the fastest. 

Image: Board Game Geek

9. Operation

 

Did anyone actually enjoy this game? Most of us dreaded hitting the side, sending a jolt of electricity pulsing through our bodies. Plus, we had to be extra careful we didn't pull our arm back too fast and accidently hit our mom. 

Image: Etsy

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7 Comments

BruceBaker 29 months ago
Nothing worse than getting zapped with 1.5V DC. Hook the game up to an outlet and then you got 120V AC of crispy critter making fun!
KevinHartford 29 months ago
Nobody ever got shocked playing "Operation"!! Fact Checkers??
Amalthea 29 months ago
I had Booby-Trap, Rock'em Sock'em Robots, Kaboom, and (of course...who didn't?) Operation. I was REALLY good at Operation and Booby-Trap. I was also really good at a game that Booby-Trap brought to mind, Perfection. I could do that game in 1/2 the time the timer had. I kept setting the timer less & less, and kept beating it.
KenM 43 months ago
"Operation" didn't send a shock through your body; it just made a God Awful buzz sound and lit up Cavity Sam's nose.
RedSamRackham 43 months ago
* Rock Em Sock Em Robots had Bobby Buntrock in its TV commercial! Comedian Joel Hodgson challenged an audience heckler to a fight with this game! ☺
Joe 43 months ago
Are these toys really board games?
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