Retro Games & Toys with NO BOARD but lots of fun!

Not all our childhood retro favourite games have a board. There's KerPlunk, Buckaroo and Operation to name just three classic retro games that still pack a mighty entertainment and good laughs punch today. You will of course have your own games and toys that bring back the best memories for you. And the great news? Most of these games/toys are still available for us to buy today and enjoy with family and friends!

Playing some of these games now as adults, we're not sure if we had a lot more 'dexterity' as children but we did terribly poorly when playing skill-based games (apparently for children!) like Buckaroo and Operation. And we found them quite terrifying when you blow the thing and lose the 'game'! Maybe it's true that children have more courage than adults! Or no fear!

'No Board' Retro Games & Toys we still play today (listed alphabetically)

Buckaroo - KerPlunk - Operation

Hopefully we've included above some of your retro game memories and maybe even future gaming plans! Feel free to shoot us an e-mail if we're missing your favourite entertaining gem that should be on Retro Board Games. As always, we've linked to the reputable UK games suppliers who should have your game or toy in stock. You might be surprised to (re)discover how easy or difficult these games are to play!

Buckaroo

Buckaroo has a long history and it remains not just a cool retro toy but a popular Christmas/party-event game to pull out. Laugh and enjoyment is guaranteed with Buckaroo. And probably a few screams when you pile on too much or too heavily and the mule (named 'Roo', by the way) kick-out his legs and you've lost the game!

Buckaroo involves you gently loading Roo with 12 items - if you can - without setting off him booting his legs out and flinging stuff everywhere. Buckaroo isn't just a random game, as you might assume, where you can just place any item onto Roo in any order. NO! You'll need to place one particular item onto the mule first to enable other items to be loaded. You'll work it out when you play Buckaroo, if your memory has deserted you from playing it as a child!

Buckaroo is supposed to be a 2-4 player game but the very nature of Buckaroo means, we reckon, that solo-play is perfectly reasonable and a good way to spend the evening! Buckaroo!

See today's price for Buckaroo -> Amazon

KerPlunk

With a rating of 4.7 out of 5 at Amazon, KerPlunk is still popular today with adults and children adoring this skill-challenging game. It's scary at times and nerve-wracking but always exciting and even when it's not your turn to pull a straw, the game generates loads of enjoyment from all players.

Created back in 1967, KerPlunk has not changed very much from its original design. It's a perfectly crafted game that stands the test of time and rates as one of the most popular retro games of all time.

Touch a straw and you MUST pull it! That's just one of the beauties of KerPlunk. Once committed, there's no going back - even if you think you're about to cause a cascade of marbles pouring down to reduce your chances of winning. It's a brilliant game and perfect for any retro evening or 'let's do something fun' day. If you can track one down, there's even a Toy Story-themed edition of KerPlunk with the tube shaped like a rocket ship. For those who just can't get enough KerPlunk in their lives, you can play anywhere, even on the move, with 'Travel KerPlunk'!

See today's price for KerPlunk -> 365games : Amazon : Hamleys : The Entertainer

Operation

Operation is another highly rated retro game with hundreds of gushingly-adoring reviews from buyers of this classic piece-of-genius. The idea is simple and if the instructions are to be believed, Operation is ideal for anyone aged between 4 to 99! (Sorry if you're 100 or older!)

Another 'poop your pants' game, Operation puts you in the shoes of a surgeon trying to remove various 'pieces' from the snoozing patient - until your fingers slip or you rush your move and set-off the alarm, wake the patient and send him buzzing, complete with a red glowing nose! Just one slight mistake and you've blown it - time to jump out of your skin!

We hadn't played Operation for a long time and expected to 'beat' this retro game quite easily. No such luck. At times, this is NOT an easy game and you WILL make mistakes. Lots of them! It's certainly not easy if you've had a couple of beers or glasses of wine and you're having a retro games party at home! Brilliant fun and highly recommended for lots of entertainment.

See today's price for Operation -> 365games : Amazon : Hamleys : The Entertainer