The History & Resurrection of the Fireball Island Board Game
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
- Use my code TOYGALAXY to get $5 off your delicious, high protein Magic Spoon cereal by clicking this link: magicspoon.thl...
Join us on a thrilling adventure as we explore the story behind Fireball Island, the classic board game that captured the hearts of gamers everywhere in the 1980s. From its rise to popularity to its eventual decline, we'll dive into the nostalgia and examine the game's unique mechanics that made it such a beloved addition to family game nights.
But the story of Fireball Island doesn't end there. With the help of a successful Kickstarter campaign, the game has risen from the ashes and been restored to its former glory thanks to Restoration Games. We'll take a look at how the game's mechanics and gameplay experience have been updated for a new generation.
We'll also explore the legacy of Fireball Island and how it has influenced the gaming industry over the years. From classic games to modern tabletop adventures, the impact of Fireball Island can still be felt today.
So join us on this journey through the rise and fall and rise again of Fireball Island, as we celebrate the enduring legacy of one of the most iconic games in pop culture history.
SOURCES:
en.wikipedia.o...
boardgamegeek....
mojo-nation.co...
en.wikipedia.o...
en.wikipedia.o...
www.oakpark.co...
/ fireballisland
mojo-nation.co...
restorationgam...
Help the channel continue to grow by checking out our Patreon: / toygalaxy
►►►Social Media and Merchandise links◄◄◄
linktr.ee/secr...
Follow Dan on Instagram:
/ toygalaxy
Toy Galaxy
P.O. box 3976
Manchester, NH 03105-3976
Business Inquiries:
toygalaxytv@gmail.com
Thanks for doing this video. FI was a real labor of love for us. Glad so many folks have enjoyed it.
I love the new version! Gave it out as gifts for Christmas last year. I heard there is expansions?
I loved this game as a kid.
I wish the new version of the game was still available to purchase from Restoration Games, but sadly it appears it is no longer in print.
Just came here to say one thing….FIREBALL!
I have it and all the expansions! My family of all ages love it! My avatar is from Batman Gotham City Chronicles so I hope you take that feedback seriously. I love games that draw their players in and Firebl Island is a riot.
Some friends and I busted this out last year and played "Fireball-Fireball Island". Everytime your character got knocked over in any way, you had to do a shot of fireball
I will never forget the pure joy I felt getting this game on Christmas morning 1986. Such a classic board game. Great Video Dan & Greg.
They don't make games like that anymore. So many unique and creative ones.
I have this game! Every time we roll a 4 on the die to go cave-hopping, you are required to say: "I'm dogmeat!" Just like the commercial for Fireball Island.
I worked with Chuck Kennedy at a toy company. He was one of the nicest, most talented and humble people I’ve ever met.
The artwork for Fireball Island was fantastic. I will never forget the picture that displayed the look of pure terror on the explorer's face when the fireball was chasing him.
Don't forget the tiny tiny boat art.
Yeah, the new version isn't much of a replacement because they changed the art and the new stuff just isn't as good. It's too cartoony and misses out on the classic adventure feel.
There's a certain charm to the artwork in that game that you can't recapture the feeling of.
And the intensity of that hand, absolutely GRIPPING the talisman.
I immediately recognized that gem stone for this game as it was originally something else. Back in the 1978, there was a board game from Milton Bradley, called "Laser Attack". The game featured a black space station in the middle of the board that looked kind of like a Death Star. It had windows all around it and there was a light inside. You would spin the knob on the top like a spinner, and the light would always shine out one of the windows. The players controlled these clear, plastic, space ships. I remember that you had to move around the game board and pick up these crystal bombs that were floating out in space and you would stack them on your space ship. Each turn, you would spin the knob on the space station, and if the light was shining on your ship, it lit up, and I recall that you had to drop all the space bombs and go back to your start. You had to get all the crystals and move your ship up to the space station, and stick your crystal bombs in all the windows. When you spun the light in the space station, if the light ended up pointing out a window with one your those crystal bombs in it, you would win the game. The crystal in Fireball Island was those crystal bombs that were used in Laser Attack. They also used those game pieces as jems in the Milton Bradley card came called "Dragonmaster", released in 1981. I actually owned both games. That game piece kept showing up in so many games that they made.
The pathways on the original board were pretty perfect for my micro machines. Loved it.
Oh man, you should have tried another Milton Bradley game, Crash Canyon!
Got to play the prototype when restoration games was promoting the kickstarter, backed it instantly we love this game
Speaking of familiar names, the board game Dark Tower has seen a similar refresh to Fireball Island. Even more interesting is that while Fireball was split up into tiers, thus making a slightly larger game board, it was the tower itself that changed for that game due to newer tech available. Both were brought to life again by Restoration.
I was going to suggest doing this one next - interesting story with a game pitch, lawsuit, and new life years later.
I have a Dark Tower app on my phone. I haven't played it yet but I look forward to trying it out. I've always loved adventure games. I'm fascinated with living out my fantasies about doing epic adventuring crap in a fantasy magic world
As a kid I found this game at a thrift store for dirt cheap, with everything still included. It didn't dawn on me until much later just what an amazing find that was
I was just talking with my Sister about this game the other day, we often bring it up from time to time because it was our favorite board game out of a vast collection from our childhood. It's one of the few games where we ziplocked all the pieces up, never losing anything.. must be because we cherished this game and thought it was extremely special, which it definitely is!
I would like to see a look back at the horror board, SHRIEKS AND CREAKS. It involves a tombstone connected to a stereo
We had a similar game, but it was a skull and you Pressed one of three switches with a crucifix.
Is it where there were like Pantheon of creatures. As you moved through a haunted house?
The history of Milton Bradley sounds surprisingly interesting. Any chance of doing a video specifically about them?
Now we’re talking. One of the greatest games/toys of all time. So glad to see this episode.
We had fireball Island back in the day. It was a massive box, but the game was so much fun. Eventually, we got bored with the base game play and came up with our own cards and "expansions" that we made with Legos and construction paper. I don't know what happened to it. Recently, I was able to play the Kickstarter version at a friend's house. It felt like a completely new experience. The more fleshed out cards and different modes really impressed me.
This and HeroQuest were my white whales of board gaming as a kid. Thanks for another great trip down memory lane.
💯
I have never been able to play HeroQuest with someone else, but I do have an old Amiga version I play solo. It's fun. I like HQ a lot. It's just a fun game
I've pieced together a coherent set over the years of the original, and even picked up a secondhand copy so I've got sort of a giga set now. I also kickstarted the recent rerelease. As an old D&D player HeroQuest has been fantastic, especially with a now ten year old in the house.
Fireball Island's the one I always wanted to play and just never found a complete copy or people to play.
Oh yeah? Does your kid play? Do they enjoy it? That's pretty sweet that you assembled a giga set. Did it take long to get it all together?
@@hezekiahramirez6965
When my son was in Pre K his teacher told me he was having trouble concentrating when they were going over numbers. So, I pulled out the old Dungeon board game, it came out in the mid 70s and was/is related to Dungeons and Dragons, but it's just a board game. Fun and simple.
He was enthralled and perfectly behaved for an hour while we played.
So, I introduced him to Dungeons and Dragons proper, when he turned 6 I ran him through the first adventure I played through, the Village of Hommlet.
I had shelved a lot of my games when my wife got pregnant, there were more important things to worry about. But now that he's older we've been going through them here and there. Super Dungeon Explore, Hero Quest, Space Hulk, Dungeons & Dragons, etc.
My wife's a teacher, so I run games for the local high school kids sometimes and I'm working on a campaign with the town librarians + friends and family.
As far as the Giga Set. I first picked up a rather forlorn copy at a yard sale in the mid 90s. It was only missing the dice, but it was clear it had been loved and forgotten. Over the years, I picked up any cheap remnants I found here and there. Including a box of D&D books that had the dungeon tiles/boards for HeroQuest inside for $20. I don't go out of my way to pick them up, but when I see them I get them. I've given away a couple of sets but my "stock" remains pretty solid.
Dang, I totally forgot about this game. I have barely started the video, but here's an updoot right away for bringing back the great memories!
Very happy to see you spotlighting board games - especially Restoration Games. Thank you!
I owned the original as a kid, and now I own the new version. Great game.
I always loved fireball Island and was ecstatic when the new version came out as well. I still own both versions. When I saw this channel that I've been following for a while did a video on it I legit squealed with glee.
The TV commercial for this game was so epic that 10-year-old me fell for it hook, line, and sinker. I got it for my birthday and I remember being pretty underwhelmed by it and only played it a couple of times. I ended up selling it at a garage sale a few years later for like $5. I kind of wish I still had it I have a feeling that adult me would appreciate it a lot more now than I did as a kid.
A board game I always wanted as a kid because of those epic commercials
😂😂😂😂
Loved this game as a kid. I wish I still had it, but it belonged to my brother and he isn't terribly nostalgic about holding onto stuff like that, pretty sure our mom gave it away. Meanwhile I still have most of my board games that weren't destroyed by mildew in the basement.
Restoration Games' version is wonderful. Just played it with family and friends not long ago!
So glad that this got another shot recently! Probably my favorite game from back then. I don't think I ever knew/met anyone else that had it either.
Awesome video!!! Loveee playing Fireball Island thanks to a friend who introduced it to me a few years ago and it has easily become one of my favorite games since then. Really enjoyed this breakdown of the history of the game 🥰
I have never even heard of this board game at all. The name Fireball Island sounds like a 60s action movie where the hero is on an apocalyptic island where everything is on fire.
The trees? On fire.
The grass? On fire.
The rocks? On fire.
The board game is dope af in its own right, but man, I can still vividly remember that commercial.
Oh, I loved this game as a kid. My friend had it and I always wanted to play it when I went over. Though most people don't even remember it's existence when I mention it.
I managed to "rescue/borrow" my FI from my parents house days before most of my childhood toys were all destroyed in a fire. It's officially an heirloom now.
Had the original as a kid. Loved it.
Got the remake now, and it's awesome.
I had That One Friend That Has Every Toy, and he had this game. Even at that age I felt like it was a little too simple rules-wise, but it was dope just for its presence on the table and getting to roll the marble down the hill to fling your buddy's explorer off the bridge.
I don't remember the original game, but I played the recent version with my friend and his two young sons nearly two years ago. We had a blast! Thank you, Restoration Games, for bringing this one back to life!
Loved hearing the history of this game from my childhood. Playing as a kid was amazing and I was so excited to back the new version by Restoration Games.
Thanks for unlocking yet another childhood memory for me Dan!
I was lucky enough to have FireBall Island as a kid and it got a lot of use. Whenever the extended family got together the kids would play. We were competitive and it was always great fun. It remains in my collection to this day and sooner or later will get a BattleReport over on my channel.
I literally remember the commercials for this and I remember maybe seeing them in the stores at the time too.
But I never actually played it, and never knew anything about the restoration games version. Truly fascinating.
I had never heard of this game until I saw this video, and I feel like I missed out on something incredibly cool as a kid. What an excellent idea for a board game, I'm really glad it didn't just fade away like so many others did.
My cousin had this game. It was super fun, yeah. Worth playing today, I think
Check out Board James episode on this AVGN
Never heard of it either. Glad to know I am not alone.
I had fireball island as a kiddo in the early 90s. It really was the most amazing board game for a kid.
Got this for Christmas when it came out. It was the only board game that also worked as an action figure landscape!
What is it with red plastic marbles knocking over tiny plastic men that makes kids so BLOODTHIRSTY and HAPPY at the same damn time?!
It was this game, and Weapons & Warriors, and by God, Im glad I got a chance to play both of these as a kid. I consider myself lucky. :)
Thanks as always for coming out with these incredible nostalgic videos you guys!
One of my absolute favorites as a kid. My parents bought it for me at kings castle land toy store. It was the greatest boardgame ever to a 8 year old.
One of the best Christmas presents I ever got! From the moment those commercials aired I had to have it. I think it was the only thing I put on my Christmas list at age 7 or 8. And you’re absolutely right that it doubled as a toy. When my younger sisters didn’t want to play and no friends were around I was content just moving the pieces around and fireballing them to my hearts content. Such an epic game and life experience. Haha. And that is no exaggeration!
Got the game for my birthday in the 80's and I still have it today, in box, all accessories there. A few years ago I brought it to a game night because it had such a mythic aura around it that they were chomping at the chance to play.
As a kid the marketing worked. I saw the commercials and asked for it.
Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers made our weekends so much fun in the 80's. Tables full of family or friends rolling dice, joking and munching. No phones, no social media, no cares in the world. What a great era to be alive.
I got this for Christmas in the late '80s and man what a gift. My favorite board game I've ever played.
I used to drive micro machines on the fireball island board. It was definitely a toy cross over for me.
I had a friend who had the game, we played it together. I was always enchanted by the physicality of the board, it felt almost like a turn-based variation on Donkey Kong: ascend, dodge the projectiles thrown from the top, get to the objective.
OMG this video is amazing. I got Fireball Island for my 10th birthday in 1986. It was the coolest thing ever. Until no one ever played it with me. This game board was about the coolest thing I had ever seen when I was 10 LOL
Man, I loved those vacuform games as a kid. I got Fireball Island after playing it at my cousin's house. Later, my parents got me Crash Canyon, which featured a vacuform game board, but in this one you were the fireball. Well, not exactly. In that one, you were a car driving around a track that was often sloped. Once you reached your final space, you had to let your car go, which meant you might roll forward, backward, or even off the track. Also had Tornado Rex, which was awesome.
I remember the commercials when I was a kid, but never played it. I have The Curse of Vul-Kar now because I'm a sophisticated adult.
Great video, brought back fun memories of this and Crossbows & Catapults.
I didn't have friends to play this game, so it frequently was terrain for Transformers and Sektaurs and various dinosaurs. This is absolutely one of my favorite toys of the 80s.
My father picked up the board at a garage sale in the ‘90s, but we never had any of the other pieces or knew how to play. Pretty sure we used it as a base for Lego figure adventures. Then a few years back I got to play the recreation at a board game cafe and had a great time!
I love any game that includes the theme of a quest of some sort. Sounds really wild and dramatic! I like the spooky mountain design, very dark and mysterious! I will certainly look this game up in the future.
I was obsessed with this game as a kid. A year or so ago, I found a kick starter to remake the game, and got myself a brand new copy from them.
I had this game as a kid. My older brother and I played it all the time. One of my favorite games
My brother, sister and I had the original Fireball Island back in the 80s, and of course, besides playing the game as intended, we would also use the island 3-D board for other playing purposes.
A little fun fact: in the 1988, Tom Hanks film, "Big," during the time when Hank's character "Josh" is a "grown-up," the box for "Fireball Island" can be seen on a shelf in the larger, second apartment that Josh rents.
I have my original Fireball Island from when I was a kid. It is still complete in the box. I have fond memories playing it with my friends back in the day.
Awesome video- please do Dark Tower!!!! I was OBSESSED with that game as a kid, and still remember it fondly. Thank you all so much for making these amazing videos.
Bought the original for $20 in ‘86 and still have it. Still fun as an adult and always a hit at game night. Sponsored the new kickstarter on principal alone though I’ve only played the new version once or twice because everyone wants to play the OG. We really need a straight reissue.
One Christmas I was gifted a magic set. You know, one of those “150 illusions” in a box? Bottom line, I wasn’t a fan, so I returned it to Toys R Us, then I looked around to see what else I could buy with my newly acquired cash.
A box in the game aisle caught my eye: “Fireball Island”. I bought it, I loved it, and I protected it through the many moves my military family undertook.
My copy of the game survived for decades until a family member tripped and fell onto the game board. I went ahead and bought a pirate-copy of the game board so I could continue to play it to this day.
It's a little more niche, but if you're doing board games I used to play a game called Star Fleet Battles. It's still out there, but it's not nearly the same level of glory that it was back in the day. I've always wanted to have a comprehensive history of the game, even though I don't play any more.
10:03 - "We'll see who brings in more _honey!"_
-- "He's still thinking about bees..."
My older brother had the original Fireball Island. We haven't played it in years, but we still have it and love it.
I picked a near mint game from a garage sale for $15 back in the late ‘00. Never played it, no wanted to with me, and it just sat in the basement. Eventually sold the game for a bunch of Real Ghostbusters toys (some in box) to my local retro toy store. I wish I could have played it, but the fun of playing with my ghostbusters with my youngest kid was worth it way more then a game sitting on a shelf.
Now that you did this video. Are you going to do a video on "Tornado Rex?" I would absolutely love to see that. It was and remains my favorite board game of all time.
I got this for Christmas when I was 9 and I was the coolest kid in the 3rd grade.
Aww, no mention of Crash Canyon. Still, Fireball Island is a timeless classic.
I had 6 games I collected for my SNES . Getting a new game was rare and when it happened it was a glorious event. Super Mario World, STG (Strike Gunner), and Turtles In Time got played over and over and over and somehow I never felt like I didn’t have enough.
I had this game and LOVED IT. So amazing.
Now do videos for Dark Tower, HeroQuest, HeroScape, Forbidden Bridge and Key to the Kingdom.
My parents bought me this for Christmas from Fedco back in 86. My kid brain was too dumb to understand the rules and had never actually bothered to learn to play the game. However I loved the sheer novelty of having a "3D" board to play on, and mostly served as a play area for my cousin's GI JOE figures to set up base before launching an attack against "He-Man's base" which was really just the He-Man Fright Zone playset with the plastic snake puppet.
Man that snake puppet could sure eat alot of Joes.
I always wanted the original as a kid. As an adult I wandered into a game shop while on vacation with my kids. Found the new one and bought it. Me and the kids love it. Takes up a lot of room though. 😃
Forever remember one visit to my grandparents. They said to my brother and I to chose one thing each (anything) in Toys R US. I chose Torpedo Run (pleasing gramps who was a WW2 Navy Vet). My brother chose Fireball Island.
I love how deep cut these videos are getting!
I had the original bought from a toy store. I sold it on eBay years later for a tidy sum. Of course, I had to but it when Restoration Games brought it back to life. Fun game!
I played the original, but never owned it… but I found a copy of the remaster at a discount store near my house and scooped it right up. It’s my 4yr old’s favourite game to play!
I loved this game as I kid. Such great memories playing this when my friends came over. This was the main event of many a sleepovers! This and Hero Quest!
Broadsword!!🗡
I had one as a kid. I think tried to play it twice. It ended up becoming a “set” for my toys to play on. Soon after my dog chewed the demon head and eventually my mom threw it away. Saw a copy at my local game store. I’m still tempted to pick it up and actually play it this time.
Last Sunday, I set up a copy of Fireball Island on a table in our board games library at C2E2!. It drew a bunch of kids, who were thrilled to put balls in Vul-Karr's head and even some adults who were trying to play the whole game.
I had an original! One of my favorite childhood "board" games.
It wasn't just enough to take out your opponent, it was to dump massive fireballs of doom upon them to send a real message. The game really was massive for it's time. I played at a few friends house before my family eventually got our own copy of it for Christmas. I had no idea what came of it, as I would be surprised if we had all the pieces to after this many years.
I didn't realize they made a new version of of Fireball island. I might have check it out at some point in the near future.
Fireball Island was my favorite board game for many years. Eventually I lost the human figures for it and supplemented them with figures from another game I loved, Parker Brothers' DYNAMITE. I shock even myself when I say I have not yet picked up the new Fireball Island.
When I was a kid, all I got for Christmas one year were two toys and a paint set to share with my sister. I wanted this game more than anything that year, but I gave up by the following Xmas.
Friends would regularly make flea market trips and one day he brought this to our board game club and we had a ridiculous blast with it despite missing pieces and a worst for wear board. That would have been 2009. I had to kickstart it lol. Bless Restoration games.
The thing about this this redo I like, it doesn’t necessarily replace the original. I still have my childhood survivor and I have the new version I got for my board game club at school. I still prefer the presence the original delivers, but I appreciate the chance to share this game with a new generation.
You are KILLING IT on these videos!
I had this as a child, and many of my friends from elementary school and even JHS remember coming over to play the coolest board game ever.
I got it when I was young. I don't remember playing a single real game.
But I played with the board hours and hours with Micromachines small characters! ^^
I got the original for Christmas in 1987, and I definitely used the board as a staging ground for action figure roleplay as often as I played the game itself. (If you flipped the board over, it was a very cool wintery hellscape). I also stored the gem in the chest cavity of my Sixshot toy.
100% forgot about this game until viewing this video. now the memory is coming back to me.
Owned it, sold my classic copy on eBay years back. Glad to see the game still endure!
Every time i think you must be running out of ideas that delight me you go and do something like this episode. 10/5 stars
My buddy had FB Island back in the 80s. Every time we pulled out that giant box it blew my mind.
I never owned nor even got to touch this game as a kid, but I was ALWAYS obsessed with it on the shelves.
Had the original edition and have an all in Kickstarter edition. My kids love it today as my brother and I did back in the 80’s
Never heard of that until now. Fascinating info secret galaxy
I had this game as a kid and I loved it. Though I can't recall ever playing it with anyone.