Board game:Innocence Abroad

Parker Brothers' 1888 game "The Amusing Game of Innocence Abroad" is unique and groundbreaking in several ways. Most obviously, the game's title draws upon the huge popularity of Mark Twain's book "The Innocents Abroad or the New Pilgrims' Progress," published about 20 years prior. Parker cleverly changed "innocents" to "innocence" in the game title, to avoid a lawsuit. Innocence Abroad is also the first game designed under licence to Parker Brothers. But nothing more is known about the game's designer, "Mrs. Shepherd." And the game's play, simulating activities American tourists might encounter travelling through Europe, also follows a theme in the actual book. Players must guide two tokens apiece around the track, spending money wisely as they go. The first player to land both tokens on the finish wins, unless the second player lands there having spent less than half the money of the first. Parker Brothers advertised this game in the game instruction sheets to other popular games of the period.