Posted September 16, 2009 

Consider our classic game Fireball Island. Marketed by Milton Bradley in the 80’s, today it is the subject of at least two websites devoted to it exclusively, and considered by some to be the best board game of the 80’s. The initial inspiration was a 3D vacuum formed map that I imagined could and should be a game board the minute I saw it in a catalog. (Catalogs are great sources of new product ideas by the way.)

            

The process of turning that inspiration into a successful product took a bit more time and effort. I sculpted a 3D game board surface of clay with my own hands and struggled with it a long time before having the (now obvious in hindsight) idea to use gravity as the ‘mechanism’ or ‘technology’ in the game. 

We vacuum formed our own board, painted and decorated it, and played it again and again - it was the most boring game I had ever played. Something was missing. 

            

A good friend (R.I.P. my dear friend) suggested I include ladders and obstacles, which ultimately became bridges and caves. Suddenly it was addictively fun to play. Why, I may never know. A game is a machine for human interaction, and the recipe for a good game comes in a multituide of variations. What makes a game fun will likely forever remain a mystery. 

             

If you have never played Fireball Island, you are in for a treat. It is an exciting game to the very last roll. It turned out far better than I had expected, and it was one of Lund & Company's first big successes.

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