Onomatocodeia - Episode 01 - Crazy Climber


In the first episode of Onomatocodeia, Arcade Castle looks at the first board game adaptation of a video game in the form of Crazy Climber, the board game by Bandai from 1981 as part of their Party Joy board game series.

Crazy Climber ( クレイジークライマー ) is an arcade title released by Nichibutsu in 1980 in Japan and 1982 in the United States via Taito. The arcade title has you, the player, climbing a series of towers, navigating hazards, and attempting to reach the hovering helicopter at the roof. Crazy Climber has seen a number of ports over the years (including the Famicom, Sharp X68000, Playstation 2, Playstation 4, and the Nintendo Switch), as well as a number of sequels (Crazy Climber 2, Hyper Crazy Climber, Crazy Climber 2000, and Crazy Climber Wii).

However, in 1981, the board game adaptation was released in Japan. With a cardboard skyscraper that nearly reaches two feet in height serving as the game board, players will be encountering one another as often as they encounter the hazards, and King Kong, as they race from the ground floor to the top of the skyscraper. The first player to reach the landing skid of the helicopter wins!

As players play, they will be playing cards to move their characters, as well as "Crazy Cards" that drop hazards, control King Kong, and move the helicopter. To win this game is a towering feat indeed!


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