''Candy Land'' (also ''Candyland'') is a simple
racing
In sport, racing is a competition of speed, in which competitors try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed to reach a specific goa ...
board game
Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well.
Many board games feature a comp ...
published by
Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of ...
. The game requires no reading and minimal counting skills, making it suitable for young children. No strategy is involved as players are never required to make choices; only following directions is required. About one million copies per year are sold.
[
]
Gameplay
The race is woven around a storyline about finding King Kandy, the lost king of Candy Land. The board consists of a winding, linear track made of 134 spaces, most red, green, blue, yellow, orange, or purple. The remaining pink spaces are named locations, such as Candy Cane Forest and Gumdrop Mountain, or characters, such as Queen Frostine and Gramma Nutt.
Players take turns removing the top card from a stack, most of which show one of six colors, and then moving their marker ahead to the next space of that color. Some cards have two marks of a color, in which case the player moves the marker ahead to the second-next space of that color. The deck has one card for each named location, and drawing such a card moves a player directly to that board location. This move can be either forward or backward in the classic game; backward moves can be ignored for younger players in the 2004 version of the game.
Prior to the 2006 edition, the board had three colored spaces marked with a dot. Two of these spaces were designated as "cherry pitfalls" and the other was situated in Molasses Swamp. A player who lands on such a space is stuck (all cards are ignored until a card is drawn of the same color as the square). In the 2006 version, dot spaces were replaced with licorice spaces that prompt the player landing on it to simply lose the next turn.
The game is won by landing on or passing the final square and thus reaching the goal of the Candy Castle. The official rules specify that any card that would cause the player to advance past the last square wins the game, but many plays so that one must land exactly on the last square to win. The 2004 version changed the last space from a violet square to a rainbow space, meaning it applies to any color drawn by a player, thus resolving any dispute about exactly who wins the game.
, ''Candy Land'' is being sold by Hasbro with a spinner instead of cards. The spinner includes all outcomes that were previously on the cards.
History
The game was designed in 1948 by Eleanor Abbott, while she was recovering from polio
Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...
in San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
, California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. The game was made for and tested by the children in the same wards on the hospital. The children suggested that Abbott submit the game to Milton Bradley Company
Milton Bradley Company or simply Milton Bradley (MB) was an American board game manufacturer established by Milton Bradley in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1860. In 1920, it absorbed the game production of McLoughlin Brothers, formerly the ...
. The game was bought by Milton Bradley and first published in 1949 as a temporary fill-in for their then main product line, school supplies. ''Candy Land'' became Milton Bradley's best-selling game, surpassing its previous top seller, ''Uncle Wiggily'', and put the company in the same league as its main competitor, Parker Brothers
Parker Brothers (known by Parker outside of North America) was an American toy and game manufacturer which in 1991 became a brand of Hasbro. More than 1,800 games were published under the Parker Brothers name since 1883. Among its products wer ...
. The original art has been purported to be by Abbott, although this is uncertain.
In 1984, Hasbro purchased Milton Bradley. Landmark Entertainment Group
Landmark Entertainment Group is a global entertainment design firm based in Los Angeles, California, United States, that creates theme parks, theme park attractions, live entertainment productions, and virtual reality attractions. Co-founded by G ...
revamped the game with new art, adding characters and a story line in 1984.
Hasbro produces several versions of the game and treats it as a brand. For example, it markets ''Candy Land'' puzzles
A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together ( or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at the correct or fun solution of the puzzle ...
, a travel version, a personal computer game
A personal computer game, also known as a PC game or computer game, is a type of video game played on a personal computer (PC) rather than a video game console or arcade machine. Its defining characteristics include: more diverse and user-deter ...
, and a handheld electronic version.[
''Candy Land'' was involved in one of the first disputes over Internet ]domain name
A domain name is a string that identifies a realm of administrative autonomy, authority or control within the Internet. Domain names are often used to identify services provided through the Internet, such as websites, email services and more. As ...
s in 1996. An adult web content provider registered candyland.com, and Hasbro objected. Hasbro obtained an injunction against the use.
In 2012, Hasbro announced a film, which triggered a lawsuit by Landmark Entertainment Group over ownership and royalties owned for the characters and storyline introduced in the 1984 edition.[
]
Reception
The Toy Industry Association
The Toy Association is an American trade association
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a s ...
named ''Candy Land'' as the most popular toy in the US for the 1940s. In 2005, the game was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame
The National Toy Hall of Fame is a U.S. hall of fame that recognizes the contributions of toys and games that have sustained their popularity for many years. Criteria for induction include: icon status (the toy is widely recognized, respected, an ...
at The Strong Museum in Rochester, New York
Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...
. About one million copies per year are sold.
Versions
At least four versions of the ''Candy Land'' board game were made. The first dates from 1949. This version, and other early versions, had only locations (Molasses Swamp, Gumdrop Mountains, etc.) and no characters. A board copyrighted in 1962 shows a track layout different from the more recent versions.
In the first edition, the pawns were wooden, but were changed in the 1967 version to plastic gingerbread men.[
The 1984 edition introduced a storyline and characters such as Mr. Mint and Gramma Nutt.][ It has the modern track layout and ends with a purple square.
Some of the characters and place names were changed in 2002. Queen Frostine became "Princess" Frostine, the classic Molasses Swamp was changed to Chocolate Swamp, Princess Lolly was changed to Lolly, and the character Plumpy was removed entirely.
A ]VCR
A videocassette recorder (VCR) or video recorder is an electromechanical device that records analog audio and analog video from broadcast television or other source on a removable, magnetic tape videocassette, and can play back the recording. ...
board game version was released in 1986. Hasbro released an electronic version of the game for Windows in 1998. An animated 2005 feature, '' Candy Land: The Great Lollipop Adventure'', was produced and later spawned a DVD game version of ''Candy Land''.
The "Give Kids the World: Village edition" of ''Candy Land'' was produced by Hasbro especially for the Give Kids The World Village
Give may refer to: making someone get or receive something from someone
Places
* Give, Denmark, a small town
** Give Municipality, a former municipality
Music
* ''Give'' (Balkan Beat Box album), 2012 album by Balkan Beat Box
* ''Give'' (The Bad ...
, a non-profit resort in Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 79,226. It is a Principal City of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area, wh ...
for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Traditional ''Candy Land'' characters and locations were replaced with the venues and characters of the Village, such as Mayor Clayton and Ms. Merry.
There are licensed versions of ''Candy Land'' with characters such as Winnie the Pooh
Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear and Pooh, is a fictional Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic teddy bear created by English author A. A. Milne and English illustrator E. H. Shepard.
The first collection of stories about the character w ...
, Dora the Explorer
''Dora the Explorer'' is an American children's animated television series and multimedia franchise created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes and Eric Weiner that premiered on Nickelodeon on August 14, 2000, went on hiatus on June 5, 20 ...
, and SpongeBob.
Characters
Characters depend on the version of the game.
* The Kids – In the classic version, they are two blonde twins. In 2002, there are four kids of varying races. In the 2013 edition, they are a marshmallow, an ice cream cone, a gumdrop, and a gingerbread girl.
* Mr. Mint – He lives in the Candycane Forest, and is a candy cane "woodcutter". He was removed from World of Sweets and then brought back for the 2013 version as an ice skater instead of a woodcutter.
* Duke of Swirl – Mr. Mint's replacement in the 2010 edition.
* Gramma Nutt – Gramma Nutt lives in a peanut brittle house on the corner of Candy Land. Renamed Nana in the 2014 edition.
**Bazz- the dog and official pet of Gramma Nutt in the 2002 edition.
* King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
Kandy – the king of Candy Land. He lives in a castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
made of sweets.
* Jolly – A happy chubby monster representing gumdrops. He was removed in the 2010 version and then after widespread outcry and demand was brought back for the 2013 edition; however, he was once again removed in the 2014 edition.
* Plumpy – A fuzzy green monster under the gingerbread plum tree. He was removed in the 2002 version and replaced by Mamma Ginger Tree.
* Mamma Ginger Tree – Makes the best gingersnaps in all of Candy Land. She was removed from the game.
* Cupcake Commons – Mamma Ginger Tree's replacement in the 2010 version.
* Princess
Princess is a regal rank and the feminine equivalent of prince (from Latin ''princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a king or prince.
Princess as a subst ...
Lolly – She was renamed 'Lolly' after the 2002 edition and later renamed Princess Lolly in the 2010 and 2014 editions.
* Queen Frostine – She was renamed 'Princess Frostine' in the 2002 edition.
* Lord Licorice
Liquorice (British English) or licorice (American English) ( ; also ) is the common name of ''Glycyrrhiza glabra'', a flowering plant of the bean family Fabaceae, from the root of which a sweet, aromatic flavouring can be extracted.
The liq ...
– He is the villain of Candy Land. He rules the Licorice Castle in classic games, the Licorice Forest in 2002, and the Licorice Lagoon in 2014.
**Spidora- one of Lord Licorice's pets. She is a small red spider with eight legs, black stripes, and yellow eyes.
**Buzzy- Another one of Lord Licorice's pets. He is a brown vulture with gray eyes, a yellow beak and feet, a copper belly, and a pink head.
**Crockett- Lord Licorice's third pet. He is a green crocodile with yellow eyes and a lime spine.
* Gloppy – Friendly monster made of chocolate (originally made of molasses)
*Gingerbread Kids- Young gingerbread people seen in various editions of Candyland, usually as the player's pieces.
**Jib- Gingerbread Boy Jib is the main character and protagonist of Candy Land: The Great Lollipop Adventure, but does not appear in the games.
**Ginga Ninja- an unknown character and child of Mama Ginger Tree.
*Grandma Gooey- Gramma Nutt's replacement in the 2010 edition. Along with Gloppy, she and he are, obviously, both residents of Chocolate Mountain. She is somewhat of an expert when it comes to making cakes.
*Fluffypuffer- a plump character that appears in the VCR board game. Whenever its name is said aloud, it multiplies.
Legacy
Motif
The Candy section of Toys "R" Us
Toys "R" Us is an American toy, clothing, and baby product retailer owned by Tru Kids (doing business as Tru Kids Brands) and various others. The company was founded in 1957; its first store was built in April 1948, with its headquarters loc ...
in New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
's Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...
maintained a ''Candy Land'' theme until losing its license for the characters in 2006. The theme included a colored pathway that mimicked the board for the game, several ''Candy Land'' characters, and candy-themed shelving and ceiling decorations.
Comic book
''Candy Land'' was one of several Hasbro properties featured in the 2011 one-shot comic book ''Unit: E'', which attempted to revamp and tie together several of Hasbro's dormant properties. Princess Lolly is seen in one page, with Synergy (from ''Jem''), the son of Acroyear and his servant Biotron (both from ''Micronauts
Micronauts is a North American science fiction toyline manufactured and marketed by Mego Corporation, Mego from 1976 to 1980. The ''Micronauts'' toyline was based on and licensed from the ''Microman'' toyline created by Japanese-based toy compan ...
'') discussing her and other fairies that have crossed over from their land onto Earth more than once. Synergy believes the creatures of Primordia (an attempted reworking of ''Inhumanoids
''Inhumanoids'' is the title of an animated series and the name of a Hasbro toy property that were both released in 1986. In the tradition of other Hasbro properties such as ''Transformers'', and ''G.I. Joe'', the show was produced by Sunbow Ente ...
'') may have been the result of someone angering the fairies in the past, though she admits she's uncertain if this is in fact the case.
Film adaptation
An animated 2005 feature, '' Candy Land: The Great Lollipop Adventure'', was produced. It was dedicated to Eleanor Abbott, creator of the game, who died before the film came out.
Planned
In February 2009, Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...
announced plans for a film based on the ''Candy Land'' board game. Etan Cohen
Etan Cohen ( he, איתן כהן; born March 14, 1974) is an Israeli-American screenwriter and film director who has written scripts for Hollywood movies, including ''Tropic Thunder'', '' Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa'', ''Men in Black 3'', and '' ...
, a writer for comedies '' Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa'' and ''Tropic Thunder
''Tropic Thunder'' is a 2008 satirical action comedy film directed by Ben Stiller, who wrote the screenplay with Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen. The film stars Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Jay Baruchel, and Brandon T. Jackson as a gro ...
'', was hired to write the screenplay. Kevin Lima
Kevin Rupert Lima (born June 12, 1962) is an American film director who has directed ''A Goofy Movie'' (1995), ''Tarzan'' (1999), '' 102 Dalmatians'' (2000), and '' Enchanted'' (2007). He is married to Brenda Chapman, the head of story for ''The L ...
, who directed '' Enchanted'', was set to direct. However, in 2011, a new screenwriting team was designated, composed of Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger
Jonathan Robert Aibel (born August 6, 1969 in Demarest, New Jersey) and Glenn Todd Berger (born August 26, 1969 in Smithtown, New York) are American screenwriters and producers, who are best known for writing the ''Kung Fu Panda'' movies, '' The ...
. They said, "We don't see it as a movie based on a board game, although it has characters from that world and takes the idea of people finding themselves in a world that happens to be made entirely of candy where there are huge battles going on. We are going for real comedy, real action, and real emotions at stake."
By January 2012 Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
, Happy Madison
Happy Madison Productions is an American film and television production company founded in 1999 by Adam Sandler, which is best known for its comedy films. Happy Madison takes its name from the films ''Happy Gilmore'' and ''Billy Madison'', two ...
, and Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of wh ...
were in final negotiations to develop the film, with Sandler both starring and co-writing the screenplay with Robert Smigel
Robert Smigel (born February 7, 1960) is an American actor, comedian, writer, director, producer, and puppeteer, known for his ''Saturday Night Live'' " TV Funhouse" cartoon shorts and as the puppeteer and voice behind Triumph the Insult Comic D ...
. In July 2014, a lawsuit by Landmark Entertainment Group took place over ownership and royalties owned for the characters and storyline introduced in the 1984 edition.[
]
Television adaptation
A cooking competition show, which was based on the game and hosted by , premiered on Food Network
Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (which holds a 69% ownership stake of the network) and Nexstar Media Group ...
on November 15, 2020. Teams of dessert chefs competed over six weeks for a $25,000 grand prize.
References
External links
*
Official rules of classic version
from the Elliott Avedon Museum & Archive of Games
feature a picture of the classic board
Deeper mathematical analysis of 1 player game
results for ''Candy Land'' differ slightly from others
of Candyland
{{Hasbro
Board games introduced in 1949
Children's board games
Milton Bradley Company games
Race games
Roll-and-move board games
Candy