Milton Bradley (later versions are titled as Electronic Mall Madness).
The original game was released in 1988, and an electronic talking version was sold starting in 1989. Milton Bradley updated the game in 1996 with a new design, and another updated version was released in 2004. A third updated version was released in 2020. Most information in this article is based on the original game's version.
The game was designed for players aged 9 and up. The targeted consumer was teenage girls, usually 11 to 16 years old. Milton Bradley made several commercials for the game. Arguably the most memorable one was from 1990. The camera showed alternating shots of four girls shopping in a real mall, and playing the game at home. After one girl moves her pawn to the game board's parking lot she exclaims: I win! The other three demonstrate dismay at having lost. The commercials last line is "Mall Madness, it's the mall with it all!" Another version has recently been released; a Hannah Montana special edition. This version of Mall Madness was unique in the respect that it specifically targeted Hannah Montana fans, and it was the first version to picture a male on the front of the box.
Mall Madness was sold with all of the following pieces; Box, game board, electronic computer, instruction manual, four rubber pads to prevent wall pieces from slipping, six plastic wall pieces, four cardboard shopping lists, two sale & one clearance signs, eight plastic pawns (two for each colour; red, blue, yellow and green, one was female the other male), forty-two plastic pegs (used to mark shopping lists), paper money, four cardboard credit cards, and 29 pieces of cardboard which held the game board together and provided necessary illusion.
The board is a three-dimensional field representing a mall with two stories. The bank and the speaker are located in the center. Some of the stores and locations are on the second floor and can only be reached by stairs or elevator.
The game featured an electronic computer which dictated game play. Its colour varied from game to game, but was almost always peach or grey. The computer uses four AA alkaline batteries. All computers in the early version of the game were manufactured in the U.S.A., and Milton Bradley copyrighted the computer in 1989. The computers complied with Part 15 of the FCC's rules. The top of the computer featured three buttons; one to start or reset game play, one to begin and end turns, and one to repeat the last announcement. The computer has two voices, one is female, the other male. The male voice announces errors and sale/ clearance items, and the female voice dictates actual game play (in the 1989 version, the voices were swapped). There are two slots on the computers top. Both of these slots were designed for the credit cards that accompanied the game. One slot was to buy items, the other was to use the banking feature.
The 1989 and 1996 versions only had an on button and no off switch, and simply shut off automatically after five minutes. Beginning with the 2004 version, an on/off switch was added to the side of the computer. This was once again removed in the 2020 version, which can simply be turned on and off by holding down the celebration button for two seconds.
The 1989 version was orange, while the 1996 version was grey. The computer received a vast redesign in the 2004 version, resembling an atrium with a fountain in the middle which acts as the enter button, with the ATM and food court spaces adjacent on either side. The buying slot was changed to resemble a swiping slot, with the ATM slot alongside it. The 2020 version received another vast redesign, which is smaller and resembles a fountain with the enter button in the middle. The buying and ATM slots are once again apart, and are opposite of the enter button. There was also a new button, the celebration button, which is pressed when someone wins the game. Said button also acts as the new button, used to start a new game or start the game over from the beginning when held for two seconds during gameplay.
The game had two components of currency; paper cash and credit cards. These were used together to accomplish the game's objective. Four credit cards were included, one for each player. The names of the credit cards are; Fast Cash, Quick Draw, MEGAmoney, and Easy Money.
In the 1989 and 1996 versions, the shoppers were unnamed.
Beginning with the 2004 version, there were eight unique shoppers, two for each color. Each has a distinct personality:
Red shoppers:
Blue shoppers:
Green shoppers:
Yellow shoppers:
In the 2020 version, the number of shoppers has decreased to four, one for each color.
Mall Madness featured eighteen stores: Template:Div col end
Players could also visit four other areas: Template:Div col end
A limited variety of items could be purchased, the most inexpensive being pizza, which is five dollars, and the most expensive is a regular priced exotic parrot, which is two hundred dollars.
The object of the game is to be the first player to purchase six items on the player's shopping list and get back to the parking lot. For a more challenging game play, the goal can be increased up to ten items.
Beginning with the 2004 edition, the object is to be the first player to buy six items and get to your final destination, which the game will assign you. However, with the 2020 edition, it was changed back to the parking lot for the final destination.
The game takes place on a board representing a two-story mall.The game is designed for two to four players. Each player receives 200 dollars from one player who is designated to be the banker. The banker dispenses cash in the following manner; two $50 bills, three $20 bills, three $10 bills, and two $5 dollar bills. The first player presses the computers gameplay button; which directs the player to move a random number of spaces. When arriving at a store, each player makes purchases with a cardboard credit card, and the computer tracks the game play. After the player purchases items with credit card he/she will pay the banker with the appropriate amount of cash. At the start of each turn, an electronic voice announces a clearance at one store and sales at two others, players can use these sales to their advantage, since it takes up a turn to get to the ATM.
At random intervals, a player may be given a clearance or a sale at a store that does not currently have one. Other times, a player may have to pay an additional fee for the item.
Sometimes, the game will refuse a sale, or will refuse to dispense more cash. Occasionally, the game will randomly instruct players to move to the bank, the arcade, restrooms, or to various stores.
Once a player gets all of the items on their list, they must be the first to reach the parking lot of their respective color. Beginning with the 2004, the game will assign the player their "final destination", which is where they have to go to win.
The first person to accomplish this wins the game.