1960s · board games
Mouse Trap
Build a Rube Goldberg chain, then hope it runs when you finish the game part. The boot-kick-bucket sequence was engineering theater.
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Image: flickr / unloveablesteve (by-nc-sa) · License
◆ Did you have this?
👍 I had this💔 I wanted this- Era
- 60s
- Released
- 1963
- Category
- board games
Before you buy
- For an original edition, compare the model name, packaging, and release details with the seller’s photos.
- Check the condition, included accessories, delivery cost, and return terms on the listing before ordering.
From the archive
Watch the commercial
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The pitch
Mouse Trap! Build a crazy contraption piece by piece, then crank the handle and watch the marble roll through buckets, poles, and a diving board to finally trap the mouse! Rube Goldberg engineering for kids.
Why people remember it
- Setting up the trap took longer than playing, which was fine.
- When it worked, everyone screamed like a sports goal.
- When it failed, you rebuilt and tried again.
Did you know?
- Ideal Toy Company designed Mouse Trap as a 3D board game with a working chain reaction machine.
- You actually build the trap during gameplay, which takes longer than playing the game itself.
- The contraption has over a dozen moving parts that must align perfectly.
- Kids often just built the trap and skipped the board game rules entirely.
How people search for it
“crazy contraption board game”, “mouse cage trap game”, “rube goldberg board game”
Questions people ask
- Can you still buy Mouse Trap?
- Yes. Modern sets simplify some pieces, but the chain reaction idea remains.
- Do you need the game to run the trap?
- Kids often ignored scoring and just built. That was half the fun.
