HASBRO’S TWISTER turns 50

Twister is a classic game that has been bringing the fun since the swinging ’60s! Since its debut, folks have been getting all twisted and tangled up in this hilarious game. It was patented by Charles F. Foley and Neil Rabens in 1966, but it really took off when the fabulous Eva Gabor played it with Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show on May 3, 1966. When Milton Bradley first rolled out Twister, some people raised eyebrows at the close contact it required. But guess what? By early 1967, over three million Twister games had already been snatched up!

Fast forward to 1985, when Hasbro swooped in and became the proud parent of the Milton Bradley Company, and Twister has been a hit ever since! On May 3, 2016, Twister celebrated its big 5-0, and Hasbro, Inc. threw a party inviting fans nationwide to rock those dots and honor the game that has been tying players up in knots for half a century!

Oh, the memories of playing Twister as a kid! If you’ve never had the pleasure, let me break it down for you. It’s a super simple game that involves a spinning board and a giant mat splashed with vibrant colors. You gather two or more friends, and one by one, you spin the wheel to get your instructions, like “left foot on red” or “right hand on green.” The catch? No two players can occupy the same spot, which leads to some seriously funny and awkward positions! The goal is to follow the spins without toppling over or letting any elbows or knees hit the mat. The last one standing wins the game, and trust me, it’s a blast!

Make sure you’ve got plenty of space for the mat and a little extra wiggle room for those inevitable tumbles! When one player takes a dive, you can bet others will soon join the floor party.

Twister is a blast for all ages, perfect for anyone 6 and up! It’s an awesome choice for family game nights or some sunny outdoor fun. Plus, it’s a sneaky way to get the kids moving without them even noticing!

There are two exciting versions of the classic game available today! The retro version takes me back to my childhood days, filled with laughter and tangled limbs. But the revamped version? Oh boy, it’s a whole new ball game! Instead of just placing a hand or foot on a color, you now have quirky options like “in the air” and spinner choices that keep everyone on their toes. Plus, there’s a wild set of commands that mix things up, like “put your left foot on red and bark like a dog.” Talk about adding a zany twist to the fun!

This lively family game is a must-have for any outdoor gathering. Just the other day, my neighbor’s grandkids had a blast playing the updated version of Twister outside, and it was the perfect way to lure them away from screens and into the sunshine.

Do you remember the joy of playing Twister as a kid? Do you still enjoy it today?

Here are a few fun facts about the Twister Game history.

1966: The team brought “Pretzel” and other mat games to The Milton Bradley Company in Springfield, Massachusetts where the executives considered the concepts. Mel Taft, senior vice president of Research and Development, chose “Pretzel” after watching other employees get tangled up while demonstrating it.

The Milton Bradley Company officially changed the game’s name to “TWISTER.” The company faced social issues as it was socially unacceptable at that time to be as close to others as the game of TWISTER required. Taft was still convinced the TWISTER game would sell and The Milton Bradley Company scheduled its first appearance for Toy Fair.

• On May 3rd of 1966, The TWISTER game’s debut on “The Tonight Show” sent consumers rushing to the stores to buy their own TWISTER game. Abercrombie & Fitch was the only store left with any TWISTER games in stock and it soon became overwhelmed with customers. Eventually, Sears changed their minds and restocked the TWISTER games. By early 1967, more than three million TWISTER games were sold.

• 1987: 4,160 students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst positioned hundreds of TWISTER mats together and set a world record for the largest TWISTER game that was ever played.

• 2008: No chalk or sidewalk required! Children could play hopscotch year-round with the TWISTER HOPSCOTCH game. The game was introduced with a non-slip mat surface that’s durable and fits in play rooms and hallways.

• 2015: The TWISTER brand teamed up with singer Thomas Rhett and his fans took part in a huge TWISTER game on the World Record Breaking TWISTER mat which measured 27,159.616 square feet, and The Strong National Museum of Play inducted TWISTER into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2015 alongside Puppets and Super Soakers.

• 2016: The iconic TWISTER brand celebrates five decades of right-hand reds and its 50th celebrate the TWISTER brand’s 50th, Reyn Guyer has written a book called “Right Brain Red” which tells the tale of his creative career and offers the complete story of the TWISTER game’s exciting beginnings.

About Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company’s world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, video games and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its customers through the strategic leveraging of well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. See they inspire play through their brands at hasbrotoyshop.com