As usual, I spotted a retro game at the thrift store and had to spend a whopping $1.99 — and make the someone play it. This time the game was Parker Brothers’ Careers (No. 66) and the victim was the husband, Derek. Fortunately, the only pieces missing were two dice — and, after lengthy searching, I was able to remedy that so we could play. (No one escaped playing games with me that easily!) Overall, I think it’s a very cool game. But then, maybe my standards are low; I just love board games & when they are “old” I’m twice as happy to play them.
Retro parker Bros. Careers Game
The version of the game we played has copyrights of 1971, 1976, & 1979 — however, it seems that there were several versions of the game & the game box during these years, and (at least in 1978), different international versions too, thus making it even more challenging for board game collectors who can’t exactly judge a game by it’s box cover.
1978 International Version Of Career Board Game
In fact, Parker Brothers’ Career board game has quite a number of versions — and the changes aren’t only in graphics.
The board game was first manufactured by Parker Brothers in 1955. Since then, Careers has been reprinted from time to time & you will also find official copies of Careers put out by Waddingtons and others — with the most recent edition of the game being published in 2008 by Winning Moves, who brought back the original version (including refill score pads). This is not only cool for those of us who may not be able to find (or afford) a complete vintage game, but for those of us who do not wish to risk wear & tear on a collectible by playing it with the family.
However, the different versions of the Careers game vary quite a bit — so if you’re at all like me, you’ll want to know more about all the options.
The original version included Farming & Prospecting careers, by 1965 Prospecting was Uranium Prospecting and by 1971 Uranium Prospecting became Sports and Farming was changed to Ecology to reflect that 70’s trend. Other changes also reflected the times. On the original game board, there was a Sea career option which became Teaching — and then was eventually just dropped. Originally there was no unemployment; those without jobs say on the Park Bench corner, which then became the Unemployment Office — which surely shows more sitting than the simple Unemployment of my version. And can you imagine the thrill of playing the 1950’s versions and making an Expedition to the Moon before anyone really had?!
Vintage Careers Game Rules Sheet
Along with changes in the board (many spaces removed entirely), there were changes in scoring (older versions offering a two-player game option requiring 100 points to win, instead of 60), and of course the game pieces & graphics. Check out the reusable scoring sheets with the 1958 version!
1958 Careers Board Game
But arguably the worst change to the Careers game came in 1990 when Parker Brothers thought a hot pink pandering board game would profit big time. It didn’t. Because it was no What Shall I Be? The Exciting Game of Career Girls.
You wouldn’t know it, unless you either obsessively Googled the game or had a 1997 Pressman edition of the game which credits the game’s designer, but the Careers board game was designed by James Cooke Brown, an inventor, writer, university professor, and sociologist. He had even created a more advanced edition in which enlightenment, virtue and power were added to the Success Formula. Sadly, this game re-design was never published. But we can still hope. And perhaps pester the James Cooke Brown Trust for such a glorious thing:
James Cooke Brown Trust
c/o Jenny Brown
1720 NE 75th St
Gainesville, FL 32641
(email info@jobmarketbook.com)
Taking such action is sure to give you 10 Happiness Hearts!
