Buckaroo!
Buckaroo! is a game of physical skill, intended for players aged four and above. Buckaroo! is made by Milton Bradley, a division of the toy company Hasbro.[1]
| The saddle-stacking game with a moody mule! | |
|---|---|
| Designer(s) | Ideal Toy Company |
| Publisher(s) | Ideal Toy Company Milton Bradley |
| Publication date | 1970 |
| Players | 2+ Players |
Description
The game centers on an articulated plastic model of a mule named "Roo" (or "Buckaroo"). The mule begins the game standing on all four feet, with a blanket on its back. Players take turns placing various items onto the mule's back without causing the mule to buck up on its front legs, throwing off all the accumulated items (the toy has a spring mechanism that is triggered by significant vibration). The player who triggered this buck is knocked out of the game, and play resumes. The winner is the last player remaining in the game. In the (unlikely) event that a player manages to place the last item onto the mule's back without it bucking, that player is the winner.
The toy has three sensitivity levels that are adjustable via a switch located on the side of the mule's body, under the blanket. The switch adjusts the location of the lever to which the blanket is attached in relation to the trigger mechanism attached to the spring.[2]
Items
The items which players must place on the mule's back are (variations in names from 2007 UK version in parentheses):
Of these, the saddle must be placed first. It has a number of articulation points on which the subsequent items are hung. These other items may be placed in any order.
History
The original version released in 1989 by Ideal Toy Company contained a white mule, while later editions contain a brown one.
Criticism
In 2006 at America, Buckaroo! was considered dangerous, due to the objects getting flung off the mule when the spring is triggered. On Good Morning America and CTV News, it was mentioned that an object had hit a child in the eye in North Carolina, causing the 8-year-old boy to have surgery. The game was discontinued in America until 2008 when the instructions were adjusted.
