KerPlunk (game)
Encyclopedia
KerPlunk is a children's game first marketed by the Ideal Toy Company
in 1967.
The game consists of a transparent plastic tube, plastic rods called straws (normally numbering 26 to 30 in total and of various colours - yellow and red predominantly) and a number of marbles
(usually around 32 in number). The plastic tube stands upright on a base that contains four separate numbered trays and the straws are passed through holes midway of the tube to form a lattice "web". The marbles are then placed in the top of the tube and held in place by the web.
At the start of play, the entire tube is rotated so that a hole in the base of the tube is aligned with the active player's tray. Players take turns removing a single straw from the tube while trying to minimize the number of marbles that fall through the web and into their tray. Once a player has committed themselves to a particular straw by touching it, they must remove it. The player who accumulates the fewest dropped marbles wins.
The onomatopoeic name of the game derives from the sound of the marbles tumbling to the base of the tube when a straw is removed.
The game is still available today, manufactured and marketed by the Milton Bradley Company
in the UK and by Mattel
in the USA, although the modern version uses a pink tube rather than the original purple-colored tube. There are also other versions of it, such as a Toy Story
-inspired version that uses a tube shaped like a rocket ship and Little Green Men figures instead of marbles. In addition, the KerPlunk Game to Go features a collapsible tube, making it more portable than the standard version. Another game has also been released known as KerPlunk 2. The rules are the same, except the marbles that come with the game are colored and, after falling, move around a spiral pathway similar to that of a Gumball machine
. It also has flashing lights and an assortment of sounds.
Ideal Toy Company
Ideal Toy Company was founded as Ideal Novelty and Toy Company in New York in 1907 by Morris and Rose Michtom after they had invented the Teddy bear in 1903. The company changed its name to Ideal Toy Company in 1938...
in 1967.
The game consists of a transparent plastic tube, plastic rods called straws (normally numbering 26 to 30 in total and of various colours - yellow and red predominantly) and a number of marbles
Marbles
A marble is a small spherical toy usually made from glass, clay, steel, or agate. These balls vary in size. Most commonly, they are about ½ inch in diameter, but they may range from less than ¼ inch to over 3 inches , while some art glass marbles fordisplay purposes are over 12 inches ...
(usually around 32 in number). The plastic tube stands upright on a base that contains four separate numbered trays and the straws are passed through holes midway of the tube to form a lattice "web". The marbles are then placed in the top of the tube and held in place by the web.
At the start of play, the entire tube is rotated so that a hole in the base of the tube is aligned with the active player's tray. Players take turns removing a single straw from the tube while trying to minimize the number of marbles that fall through the web and into their tray. Once a player has committed themselves to a particular straw by touching it, they must remove it. The player who accumulates the fewest dropped marbles wins.
The onomatopoeic name of the game derives from the sound of the marbles tumbling to the base of the tube when a straw is removed.
The game is still available today, manufactured and marketed by the Milton Bradley Company
Milton Bradley Company
The Milton Bradley Company is an American game company established by Milton Bradley in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1860. In 1920, it absorbed the game production of McLoughlin Brothers, formerly the largest game manufacturer in the United States, and in 1987, it purchased Selchow and Righter,...
in the UK and by Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
in the USA, although the modern version uses a pink tube rather than the original purple-colored tube. There are also other versions of it, such as a Toy Story
Toy Story (franchise)
Toy Story is a CGI animated media franchise created by Pixar and distributed by Disney, beginning with the original 1995 film, Toy Story. The franchise focuses on a group of toys that secretly come to life and end up unexpectedly embarking on life-changing adventures...
-inspired version that uses a tube shaped like a rocket ship and Little Green Men figures instead of marbles. In addition, the KerPlunk Game to Go features a collapsible tube, making it more portable than the standard version. Another game has also been released known as KerPlunk 2. The rules are the same, except the marbles that come with the game are colored and, after falling, move around a spiral pathway similar to that of a Gumball machine
Gumball machine
A gumball machine is a toy or commercial device, a type of bulk vending machine, which dispenses gumballs, usually for a small fee.Originally one penny, the standard cost of one gumball in the United States is now one quarter.-History:...
. It also has flashing lights and an assortment of sounds.
External links
- Product Detail: Kerplunk! (Product#: 37092). MattelMattelMattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
Consumer Relations Answer Center. Accessed 2010-03-29. - Ker Plunk BoardGameGeekBoardGameGeekBoardGameGeek is a website that was founded in January 2000 by Scott Alden and Derk Solko as a resource for the board gaming hobby. The database holds reviews, articles, and session reports for over 45,000 different games, expansions, and designers. BoardGameGeek includes German-style board games,...
. Accessed 2010-03-29.