I was playing Candyland with my daughter earlier this evening, and suddenly I found myself being shocked. The makers of the game have obviously ripped off Frodo's Quest!!!!!
At the start, you choose a humble gingerbread man (Hobbit). Unless you are extremely lucky, you pass a Rainbow Bridge (Frodo's first glimpse of the Elves). Then you come to Plumpy in the Gingerbread Plum Trees. This is obviously Hobbiton, where the hobbits grow fat and prosperous. Next comes Mr. Minty in the Peppermint Forest. Can we say "Tom Bombadil" and "Old Forest"? Then we encounter Jolly in the Gumdrop Mountains. There is a pass, just like the Redhorn Pass on Caradhras. You can also get stuck there, much as Frodo and his Companions became trapped in Moria. After wandering past Lord Licorice (reminiscent of the Black Riders), you stumble upon the Last Homely House of Gramma Nut. This Peanut Brittle home obviously represents Rivendell. After that, the adventure takes us through the Lollipop Woods. It even starts with an "L", just like Lothlorien! Unwary travelers may find themselves "lost" in the forest. Queen Frostine stands at the edge of the Ice Cream Sea much as Galadriel did, dressed in white on the banks of the Anduin River. Finally, we come to Gloppy's Marshmallow Swamp. Can this be anything other than a child's version of the Dead Marshes? Finally, we reach King Kandy - the end of the line. This evil character is a direct symbol for Sauron, and the Candy Castle is Mordor!
Thus, Candyland represents Frodo's journey.
Posted by Mabus (Member # 6320) on :
o_O
I think this game has changed since I was a child. They've named everything!
Posted by Jess N (Member # 6744) on :
So is the ring a round, yogurt-covered pretzel?
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
That is beautiful, Jenny. You should read that to your class when you discuss fantasy. Seriously.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Jess, Have you never seen a gingerbread man? They have bracelets of frosting.
Posted by Jenny Gardener (Member # 903) on :
"Not my GUMDROP BUTTONS!"
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
You must sacrifice for the greater good, Gingie.
Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
The worst part about CandyLand for me was that the board and pieces weren't edible.
Not that it stopped me, of course. But the taste was disappointing, at best.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Oh, man, Ralphie, I agree. Let's make an edible Candyland board! (I can do absolutely nothing to help.)
Posted by Jenny Gardener (Member # 903) on :
So are you telling me you licked a Hobbit?
(Guess it's not so bad - I used to put the whole piece in my mouth...)
My sister and I also had special rules. It's too easy to win while somebody is way far behind. So, you have to get a purple exactly to win. If you don't you go backwards to the color on your card. That way, the game doesn't end too quickly.
Posted by Jenny Gardener (Member # 903) on :
Yeah, they could at least make the cards scratch-n-sniff!
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Jenny, dear, I think that is every hobbit's dream.
Posted by Anthro (Member # 6087) on :
Who hasn't licked a hobbit at some time or another?
Posted by Jess N (Member # 6744) on :
I've seen gingerbread men, but never with braclets of frosting. Guess I lived a sheltered, Southern life! Posted by Mabus (Member # 6320) on :
Well, I tried at WenchCon, Anthro, when Jenny was being Frodo, but she got away.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Jess, I think the bracelet is just the edge of the mitten on some gingerbread designs.
Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
quote:Let's make an edible Candyland board! (I can do absolutely nothing to help.)
You and I just get by on our good looks and charm, don't we.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
I think we also drink beer well, Ralphie. That is a point in our favor. In someone's eyes, anyway.
Posted by Jess N (Member # 6744) on :
Oh, duh! For some reason bracelets translated to a vision of those things like Conan wears (I know what they are, just can't think of the right word). Now that's a thought!
Gingey the Barbarian!
Master: What are the greatest pleasures in life?
Gingey: 1. To taunt my baker! 2. To run away as fast as I can! 3. To wreak havok and bring fear and loathing to all of Candyland! Only these things will bring me fame and power!
Ok, that beer you're talking about would be appropriate about now.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote: My sister and I also had special rules. It's too easy to win while somebody is way far behind. So, you have to get a purple exactly to win. If you don't you go backwards to the color on your card. That way, the game doesn't end too quickly.
We played that way too! Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
I just threw stuff if my opponent got too far ahead in the game.
Jess, I like the idea of a gingerbread man decked out in warrior garb.
Posted by Jess N (Member # 6744) on :
I might try that for Christmas just to see if anyone pays attention!
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
"Do you know...the muffin man?"
"The Muffin man?"
"the muffing man."
"Yes. I know the Muffin Man. The one on cherry lane." Evil Laugh.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
Jenny, I will never be able to think of this game the same way again. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.
But wow... that's pretty amazing.
Posted by IanO (Member # 186) on :
The reason I love to play this game with my son is that it is very easy and requires no strategy. Pick the cards, move, following the rules on the board for shortcuts. My son (6) loves it.
That said, for some reason, he keeps losing to me. It's strange, since it's not like I have superior card picking skills (like there is such a thing) and there is no strategy at all. I don't get it.
After a couple of games of him losing, I felt so bad I actually began to rig the cards ahead of time to make sure he got sufficiently ahead quickly enough. I wanted him to win a few. It worked, but it still leaves me wondering why I always win normal play.
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
Ooh. This is the coolest thing ever.
Posted by Christy (Member # 4397) on :
We played that way too, Jenny and Rivka! Although, I thought those WERE the rules?! I had a much older version, though, without the fairies and plum man. With two kids holding hands on the front of the box. I'm not as fond of the "new" version.
Posted by Jenny Gardener (Member # 903) on :
Christy, that's because the new version is a knock-off of LOTR. The old version, which I agree was MUCH better, left more room for your own imagination.
Posted by WishfulWiggin (Member # 6823) on :
When I babysat we sometimes played Candyland, and the kids had one rule. That they would win. Any card I got was a bad card, and they automatically got the good cards (i think the ones with the characters on them). I guess thats why I was being paid though!
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
I was babysitting once, playing the game with a kid, and we went through the deck seven or eight times without winning. It was stacked just right so that neither of us would win. How odd.
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