Do you remember CandyLand? It was a game that introduced kids to a world of sugary delights. To win the game, you had to reach King Kandy's castle. While that game is still being sold today, it looks much different than what you and I remember. I did some cyber-research and found that candyland has been around since the late 40s and was originally intended to be a game for kids recovering from polio. The sweet idea became more popular over the years and in the 80s, the characters we've come to love were introduced. Twenty years later, the characters have been reworked several times and some removed completely. The original characters were Plumpy, Mr. Mint, Jolly, Lord Licorice, Gramma Nut, Princess Lolly, Queen Frostine, Gloppy, and King Kandy. I came across the new game site (now a Hasbro game instead of a Milton Bradley) and found to my horror, the worst version of the game yet. From what little there was of the newest version dubbed Candyland: The World of Sweets, I noticed a few key issues.
First, Mr. Mint, is gone and a new, more human man, the Duke of Swirl, has taken his minty place. Why do they need two ice cream characters? The other problem was that Princess Lolly was almost completely pink and her princess tiara was replaced with a candy headband-she didn't look princess-like at all. The third and most horrifying change was to Queen Frostine. In the 2000s game, she was reduced to a pink princess with blonde hair. No one liked this so the new image reminds us of the 80s and 90s look. However, her dress is tight to her body and her skirt has a small slit to reveal leg and white mesh stockings (is she royalty or a hooker) and her blonde hair remains. Princess Frostine's stringy blonde hair is horrible, and with her sultry look, makes me think more of some bimbo than a bubbly queen (which is what she is-she is too old to be a princess). Maybe Queenie got some botox and that is why her face looks the way it does in the current game.
Another problem? Gramma Nut is now an older, more human, Gramma Gooey (though rumor is that she's really Gramma Nut's sister). Jolly, once a cute little purple bug like creature (presumably female) is now a little green dino-thing with no nose (and is presumably male). Lord Licorice went cartoony in the 2000s then back to sinister and realistic in the recent game. This is a change that I like-but I don't get the snake staff. Gloppy, now a chocolate monster, looks now like he should be Chunky and doesn't even get his name displayed, from what I can tell. I would love to buy the new game just to study the differences-then write Hasbro a letter about what they did wrong.
Want to compare for yourself? Check out Mad As A Hatter blog and look at her image of all the game versions, side-by-side. You'd be surprised at how much changed so recently:
Mad As A Hatter Blog
Or, you can check the newly started Candy Land wiki-I can't wait for this to get more members:
Candy-Land Wiki
Or the CandyLand Fanpop site:
Candy Land Fan Club
Is it wrong to despise the changes to a classic board game? Some images invoke childhood memories of happiness and joy. Why would they change it anyway? I understand changing the image of the blond. blue-eyed kids to different races, but still, the characters need to look like they are part of a candy world-not just humans living in it.
This new trend of modernizing classic icons like the Chipmunks, the Smurfs, CandyLand, Garfield, the Looney Tunes, and others is both maddening and saddening. Those that change it will never understand what the original images meant to us and those that see the changed icon will never experience the same childhood joy that we did.
Still, as long as there are those that remember it, there are those that truly appreciate it. If we're lucky, they will return the game to its former clory by 2020. Either way, I'm off to take some pics of my family's CandyLand board while its still in good condition. Now, where is my camera again....?
