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When I was a kid, I was a huge fan of the Muppets. I remember watching episodes each week and being captivated by all the characters. I don't even think I really grasped at how amazing a job Jim Henson and his crew did on bringing those creations of cloth and plastic to life. My smart little child brain knew they weren't real, but I still held Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo on the very same level as Ricky Schroeder and Arnold Jackson...probably even higher.
High school and college came and went. Other new interests such as video games and sports creeped into my life and the Muppets took a little backseat on my somewhat limited memory bank bus. I mean, I thought about them sometimes...remembered all the funny moments, even watched a Christmas special or two. But reruns weren't on anymore, and YouTube didn't exist.
Then a couple years ago Season 1 of the Muppet Show was released on DVD. Season 2 and 3 soon followed and my wife and I proceeded to purchase all three. Our intention was to share the amazingness that is the Muppets with our kids...make it a family thing. Little did we know that our year-old son Blake would make them part of his everyday thought process. Any time the TV was turned on the words "mupp mupps" would come out of his mouth. His little blue Crocs would eventually become filled with Muppet jibbitz. Our Disney trip was filled with hunting down Muppet memorabilia. I was reliving those childhood days all over again.
I don't know if it's because I'm in my mid-30's or what, but I've recently been intrigued with remembering old toys or games that I used to have 20-some years ago. This new family Muppet craze helped me remember the Kermit action figure, the Animal puppet, the Scooter doll. But way back in that memory bank was the fleeting thoughts of a board game I used to have based on the movie The Great Muppet Caper. But this wasn't just any old board game. This was a 3-dimensional board game with buildings, rotating platforms, and a super-cool diamond that fell through a chute in a two story cardboard building that your little character had to climb in order to win the game. I had to find this game.
Google proved not much help. No photos...just a few mentions on a couple blogs. eBay had to be the ticket. Upon searching, I found one copy...WAA-LAAH! There it was. The small "item photo" brought back all the memories. And a Buy It Now price of $15.99 was a sure thing! But wait...the game was incomplete...pretty worn from play...and missing several pieces. I kept searching each week hoping a half-way decent copy of the game would make an appearance. Nothing...
Now this is where the "awesome Christmas gift" part comes in. My brother Micah handed me a gift this year on Christmas Eve that would change everything. I was shocked out of my mind when I opened the gift he gave me and saw The Great Muppet Caper 3-Dimensional Hunt and Capture Game in all its glory. The game was in amazing shape and had never even been put together before. Apparently he had seen it on eBay many months ago, remembered it from his childhood as well, and picked it up. I guess he heard from my mom that I was into the Muppets these days and the rest is history.
I sat at our kitchen table a few days after Christmas and put the game together. Memories...good, good memories. Now I get to play this 28-year-old game with my son who is becoming just as big a Muppet fan as I was. Thanks, Micah, for helping me remember those good times and create new ones at the same time. I appreciate it, bro.
Check out some photos that I took of the game.
High school and college came and went. Other new interests such as video games and sports creeped into my life and the Muppets took a little backseat on my somewhat limited memory bank bus. I mean, I thought about them sometimes...remembered all the funny moments, even watched a Christmas special or two. But reruns weren't on anymore, and YouTube didn't exist.
Then a couple years ago Season 1 of the Muppet Show was released on DVD. Season 2 and 3 soon followed and my wife and I proceeded to purchase all three. Our intention was to share the amazingness that is the Muppets with our kids...make it a family thing. Little did we know that our year-old son Blake would make them part of his everyday thought process. Any time the TV was turned on the words "mupp mupps" would come out of his mouth. His little blue Crocs would eventually become filled with Muppet jibbitz. Our Disney trip was filled with hunting down Muppet memorabilia. I was reliving those childhood days all over again.
I don't know if it's because I'm in my mid-30's or what, but I've recently been intrigued with remembering old toys or games that I used to have 20-some years ago. This new family Muppet craze helped me remember the Kermit action figure, the Animal puppet, the Scooter doll. But way back in that memory bank was the fleeting thoughts of a board game I used to have based on the movie The Great Muppet Caper. But this wasn't just any old board game. This was a 3-dimensional board game with buildings, rotating platforms, and a super-cool diamond that fell through a chute in a two story cardboard building that your little character had to climb in order to win the game. I had to find this game.
Google proved not much help. No photos...just a few mentions on a couple blogs. eBay had to be the ticket. Upon searching, I found one copy...WAA-LAAH! There it was. The small "item photo" brought back all the memories. And a Buy It Now price of $15.99 was a sure thing! But wait...the game was incomplete...pretty worn from play...and missing several pieces. I kept searching each week hoping a half-way decent copy of the game would make an appearance. Nothing...
Now this is where the "awesome Christmas gift" part comes in. My brother Micah handed me a gift this year on Christmas Eve that would change everything. I was shocked out of my mind when I opened the gift he gave me and saw The Great Muppet Caper 3-Dimensional Hunt and Capture Game in all its glory. The game was in amazing shape and had never even been put together before. Apparently he had seen it on eBay many months ago, remembered it from his childhood as well, and picked it up. I guess he heard from my mom that I was into the Muppets these days and the rest is history.
I sat at our kitchen table a few days after Christmas and put the game together. Memories...good, good memories. Now I get to play this 28-year-old game with my son who is becoming just as big a Muppet fan as I was. Thanks, Micah, for helping me remember those good times and create new ones at the same time. I appreciate it, bro.
Check out some photos that I took of the game.
