Ever since 1949, Clue has been a staple of every household’s board game pantry. During those 70 years, it has gone through several different variations. From the 1940s to the 2000s, there’s been a new version every decade. Unlike what you see in games like Monopoly and Scrabble, each new game is more or less like a complete overhaul of the previous one in terms of art work. Some are arguably more well know than others because of its years in print and the size of the audience that grew up with it. Here is the list of Clue games that I have been able to find through the years.
Here is Clue the 1956 edition. Since this is the only second version, the box art is not yet that defined. The suspects pictured are not easily distinguishable from each other and the use of orange is an aggressive choice. The logo is simplistic which was the style of games at the time. This particular game was found at a flea market in Ohio last summer. It was on the bottom shelf behind some other items, so it was truly a great find.
After the 1956 edition came Clue 1963. This is the one where Clue started to come out of its shell. By then the suspects were more well known, and thus could shown more prominently on the box. Plus, the general design does and excellent job conveying the general feeling of the 60s with the font, simplistic design, and cartoony characters. With this type being printed for close to 9 years, it is one of the more well known editions. This game was found at a nearby estate sale about 2 years ago. The value was a good deal except for the fact that the Mrs. White piece is missing.
Next is Clue 1972. This game was one of the more experimental ones since they branched out into using real models for the suspects and weapons, a polar opposite of what was used in 1963. Here is the first time the well known logo is used. This is the same logo that was used for over 30 years in the Clue games, movie, book series, puzzles, musicals, and countless other pieces of Clue merchandise. This version holds a special place in my heart because it was the type that I first played with. Like most of the others, I found this game at an estate sale, and after a bit of price haggling took it home.
Clue 1986 is arguably one of the most well known editions out there. The 80s was one of the best decades to be a board game in as a result of the ever growing families and video game crash of 1983. The box design clearly has it inspiration come from the 1972 game. However this time the people are wearing their own color, which was a minor criticism of the former. Unlike the others, my mom actually found this at the Church rummage sale and picked it up immediately.
Ten years after the initial success of 1986’s game, Parker Brothers decided to go in a different direction for 1996. They went out and hired Drew Struzan to draw the characters. The same Drew Struzan who drew the movie posters for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, Back to the Future, and other well known films. There’s a rumor that the dog with the gun was his own personal touch and added without the company’s knowledge. The story of how I found this is one of my favorites. There was this person selling a moderate amount of board games at an estate sale. Now the average game goes for about $3 at most estate sales, but she was selling them for about $10 each which was a bit of an issue. But the Clue game was placed to the side because apparently some pieces were missing. Me being me did not care because there was a Clue game on the line, so she sold it for $2. When I got home and opened it up, the missing pieces were tucked away in the instructions. A foolish oversight indeed!
Clue 2002 is known as the last true game of Clue. The artwork is the most experimental of the bunch, with its cubist style and abstract design. Among the fans, the appreciation of it is typically 50-50, people either love it or hate it. However, say what you will about the pictures, what this version is most well known for its lore and start of the Clue expanded universe. This one will always be my favorite since it was my first one.
Going Through Clue 