Thrift Treasure: Avalanche Board Game

There’s not much that excites me more than running across a board game that brings back youthful memories. Especially games I’ve forgotten about. Seeing an example again triggers something. I must own it. This time it was a vintage game of Avalanche by Parker Brothers. Fortunately, it was only $5 at Geekway to the West‘s flea market.

Avalanche was originally published in the mid 1960’s, and most recently in 2004 under the name, “Astroslide”. Featuring an upright plastic board, the full game also includes six pattern cards and sixty marbles in three distinct colors. Printed on the back of the box are three levels of rules. Your experience playing Avalanche will determine which one you choose.

The object of a game of Avalanche, under the standard rules, is to be the first to complete two pattern cards by filling them with matching-colored marbles. On your turn you will drop up to five marbles of any color into the top of the playing field. From there, they will fall and hit one or more tilting arms, which will either catch the marble or let it pass.

Once at least one marble has dropped to the bottom of the board, your turn ends. If you play the maximum of five marbles, and none drop to the bottom, your turn also ends. You will set aside any marbles which cannot be placed on a matching open space on your pattern cards. You must use those marbles first on subsequent turns.

Avalanche supports up to six players who will take turns dropping marbles and filling their cards until one person (or team) has filled everything. They also must not have any extra marbles in their possession. To get rid of their marbles, they will need to take additional turns. The person or team who accomplishes this first wins!

Thanks to its popularity and long publishing window, it isn’t difficult to find complete examples of Avalanche at thrift or online. You’ll find copies of Avalanche on eBay for very reasonable prices. Make sure all of the original marbles are present and check the board for cracked or broken pieces. Maybe you’ll enjoy it as much as I used to!

What’s your favorite game from your childhood?