This photograph was taken at the Toy Story store in Downtown Disney's Marketplace at the Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. The display is one of many game-themed mock-boxes lining the upper wall. The really fun and interesting part is the humorous mock-directions listed on the underside. The unassuming text looks like it would be the real rules of the
game, and only a die hard clue fan might actually read a bit
closer... The text reads:
HOW TO PLAY
This game is unlike any other, which is probably why you bought the darn thing.
All of the characters are fictitious, and are not to be confused with any
person living or dead. Well, unless their name happens to be Colonel Mustard,
Mrs. Peacock, Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, or Mr. Green, of
course. The game takes place in Mr. Boddy's mansion, which is immediately
surrounded by poparrazi and all those tabloid television programs. He is the
victim of foul play and is found in one of the rooms, a chalk line
coincidentally outlining Mr. Boddy's body (we always giggle softly to ourselves
when we say that).
The object of the game is to discover the answer to these three questions:
Who? Where? and How? Those private eyes on TV usually get all worked up
about the "WHEN?" too, but we don't want to be copycats.
The answer lies in a little envelope containing cards which reveal who did it,
where it happened, the weapon used, and the ultimate meaining of life on this
planet (we wanted to something to keep the kiddies interested). The first
player who - by the process of deduction, common sense, or a well-timed phone
call to one of those psychic hotlines - identifies the cards, wins the game.
Losers should feel free to sarcastically address the winner as "Sherlock" for
the rest of the evening.
Players move into the rooms and make suggestions of who, where and how.
Accusing a suspect is one of the most exciting features of this game,
especially if the suspect in question has somehow "wronged" you in real life!
START: The player having the red token, Miss Scarlet, rolls the dice and moves
first. This is the safest way to go because Miss Scarlet has long been
considered a "real diva" by the boardgame community. We don't much care who
goes next.
MOVEMENT OF TOKENS: Tokens may move forward, backward, or crosswise, but never
diagonally (what do you think this is, Extreme Sports?). No two tokens may
occupy the same square - the house is big enough for everyone to have their own
spot, thank you!
WINNING THE GAME: If the accusation is correct, the player wins. The killer
is then locked in the bathroom where he or she must shout "Attica! Attica!" at
the top of his or her lungs. If the accusation is incorrect, however, the
player has proabably opened him or herself up to one whopper of a slander
lawsuit... but that's another game.