Vintage 1953 Peter Pan Board Game

Peter Pan was first introduced to audiences in J.M. Barrie’s 1902 novel entitled The Little White Bird.  He later appeared on Walt Disney’s motion picture screens in 1953, and it was this production that spurred the adventurous character  into even greater renown.  Now, and since the movie’s premier, Peter Pan is not only one of Disney’s staple storybook characters, but also a family’s.

In conjunction with the film, a board game was produced by Transogram Company that featured this mischievous Peter Pan. The game gave players the opportunity to bring Peter’s remarkable life, found on the big screen, to the game table.  Playing the vintage game today can still do this, and helps keep players young at heart, and from ever growing up!

The game is a simple style race type.  The first player to return back to the starting space of the Darling’s home, after journeying to and through Never Land, wins the game.  The cover states it is ‘an exciting travel game for 2 to 4 players.’

One of the charming features of the game is the method used to determine movement.  It is called Tinker Bell’s Magic Spinner.  Since Tinker Bell is a magic little pixie who uses her dust to make people fly, the spinner represents this.  Players follow the Stardust Trail (according to their spins) and fly over to Never Isle from the Darling’s House, and then from Skull Rock to Captain Hook’s Ship back to the Darling’s House.

In between Never Isle and Skull Rock are 4 different character paths.  The spinner is still used to indicate the amount of spaces a player moves on these paths, but they are not considered the Stardust Trail.  These paths are particular character treks for a player to travel on, and offer another interesting feature to the game.

Instead of each player choosing a character at the very start of the game, they wait to do so once they reach Never Isle.  The first person arriving here chooses his character of choice and his own path of the four to take.  As other players arrive at Never Isle (with only a chosen colored pawn), they, too, pick a character from those remaining.

The four characters are Peter Pan, Wendy Darling, John Darling, and Michael Darling.  When choosing a character, a player immediately receives an instruction card for that character.  These cards list the main places a player travels and provide special instructions for ‘red dot’ spaces.

John and Michael visit the same ‘red dot’ places on the card as each other; while Peter Pan and Wendy visit different ones.  They all visit Skull Rock and Captain Hook’s Ship, though.  Some of the other places on the board, which are also popular in the movie, are Pirate’s Cove, Hangman’s Tree, Mermaid Lagoon, Lost Boys Forest, and Indian Camp.

Player’s simply spin the spinner, move their pawns, and follow specific directions when landing on certain spaces that require such.  The Peter Pan board game’s enjoyment is mainly found by the various places depicted and the game representing the adventures of both the story and movie.  Each player imagines himself on such a fantastic journey through Never Land and attempts to be the first one back home to the Darling’s house!  It is a game fun for all.