Board games BOARD GAMES

Haunted House

Haunted House was a game played with a 3D board. When set up, it consisted of 4 rooms, a staircase, and a central chimney. The game pieces moved round the board; you drew cards which would turn you into a mouse (which meant you couldn't move) or turn you back into a child, or let you drop the Whammy Ball down the chimney - this was a steel ball that could come out in any of the 4 rooms, and triggered a moving piece that knocked down any game pieces in the vicinity, forcing them to go back to a safe spot on the board.

The ultimate goal was to make it up the staircase to the Charmed Circle where you were safe - the first person to get there won, but you weren't safe on the way up the stairs... "Be very careful on the stair, The whammy ball could get you there" was one of the pieces of doggerel you could come across in the game.

Most of the web pages I found gave the name "Which Witch" - I thought I was going crazy, as it was obviously the right game, but I was sure it had been called 'Haunted House'. I finally found a site that said "Which Witch" had also been sold as "Haunted House". To add to the confusion there was a different game also called 'Haunted House'.

The one I'm thinking of is pictured on this web page: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/12472

I loved the game, and played it on my own when no-one else wanted to play.


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Do You Remember Haunted House?

Do You Remember Haunted House?

  • Anonymous user
    on
    This was a brilliant board game, had many hours of fun with my sister and mum and dad playing this. Our version was simply called Haunted House, don't remember the ghouls and witches on the box cover, but do remember one of the cards was 'Ghastly Arthur (whom my Dad re-named ghastly farter) says drop the ball down the chimney' if you were on the springboard when the ball came down, then you were done for!
  • Anonymous user
    on
    I loved this game too. I got it for my 6th birthday in 1970. I cant remember what the 4 rooms were called but there was a hall, a kitchen and a ballroom. I may be wrong but I think the other one was a bedroom. For some reason this game reminded me of going on the ghost train at Blackpool and I found it really scarey :)
  • Anonymous user
    on
    We had this game, also Haunted House, though a friend remembers it as Ghosts Castle. I have the fondest memories of playing with my nana and every time anyone picked a Ghoulish Gerty card she said, with great relish, "Drops it down the chimney!" Happy days :)
  • Anonymous user
    on
    WOW I also had this game called Haunted House. I loved it me and my half sisters played it so many times. I loved it when the metal ball fell down the stairs and knocked the players figure down, brilliant.
  • Anonymous user
    on
    I got this one Christmas! It's great to see the picture of the actual game. My version was called Haunted House.
  • Anonymous user
    on
    I remember this too... Haunted House back in the mid 70's... The Witches were: Glenda the Good, Wanda the Wicked and Ghoulish Gerty (you can just about make them out on some pictures of the box). Wish I knew where my HH had gone to!
  • Anonymous user
    on
    I too used to play this game and loved it. The last chmaber was the Bats Ballroom can anyone remeber what the previous three chamber were Called ? Katy 2001
  • Anonymous user
    on
    Definately called Haunted house when I had it, the same year we also got mousetrap, I remember the names of witches though Glenda the good etc.
  • tdickensheets
    on
    My sister had this game.
  • McG
    on
    My brother still has his Haunted House game, along with Ker Plunk, Mouse Trap & Alley Cats. They are all mint, and although his (and mine) kids hate to admit it, they do enjoy playing the games.