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◆ Did you have this?
👍 I had this💔 I wanted this1960s · board games
KerPlunk
Sticks through a tube, marbles on top, pull carefully until gravity wins. One wrong stick and the room gasped.
- Era
- 60s
- Released
- 1967
- Category
- board games
- Availability checked
- 7/16/2026
From the archive
Watch the commercial
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The pitch
KerPlunk! Fill the tower with sticks, drop in the marbles, then pull sticks one at a time without letting marbles fall! Steady hands and nerves of steel win this classic. When they drop, you'll hear KerPlunk!
Why people remember it
- Suspense built with every gentle tug.
- The marble rain ending was worth the setup time.
- It combined skill and luck without a rulebook novel.
Did you know?
- Ideal Toy Company released KerPlunk as a suspense game similar to Jenga but with marbles and sticks.
- The transparent tube lets everyone watch marbles teeter on remaining sticks.
- The name comes from the sound marbles make when they finally crash through.
- It teaches basic structural engineering concepts to kids who just think they're gambling.
How people search for it
“sticks and marbles game”, “pull stick marble tower”, “plastic tube marble game”
Tags
Questions people ask
- Is KerPlunk still sold?
- Yes, though some modern sets use lighter marbles. Classic clear tubes are best for drama.
- How long to set up?
- A few minutes inserting sticks. Kids traded off because patience varied.
