Kimble (board game)
Finnish pursuit game with a popping dice bubble.
Kimble is a Finnish licensed version of the board game Trouble, manufactured by Tactic Games Group and sold under the Tactic brand. Players compete to be the first to send four pieces all the way around a board, moving according to the roll of a die.
- introduced
- 1967
- country_of_origin
- Finland
- manufacturer
- Tactic Games Group
- known_for
- Pop-o-matic dice container
- sales_by_2003
- nearly a million copies
Lore & Background
Kimble was first introduced in Finland in 1967 and remains virtually unchanged. Its name refers to the hero of the then popular TV show The Fugitive, and it was marketed as the 'Finnish pursuit game'. The game has been highly popular in Finland for its entire existence, with tens of thousands of copies sold every year.
Gameplay allows players to send opponents' pieces back to the start by landing on them, while pieces are protected from capture after arriving in the final few slots. The most notable feature is the 'Pop-o-matic' dice container, a clear plastic hemisphere containing the die, placed over a flexible sheet. Players roll the die by pressing down quickly on the bubble, which flexes the sheet and causes the die to tumble upon its rebound.
The Pop-o-matic container produces a popping sound when used and prevents the die from being lost. The captive die allows for quick dice rolls, and players' turns can be performed in rapid succession.
Reader's Guide
Kimble holds a significant place in Finnish popular culture as a long-running board game that has remained essentially unchanged since its introduction in 1967. Its sustained popularity is evidenced by annual sales of tens of thousands of copies, with nearly a million sold by 2003. The game's most distinctive feature, the Pop-o-matic dice container, not only creates a memorable popping sound but also streamlines gameplay by preventing dice loss and enabling rapid turns. As a licensed version of Trouble, Kimble adapted the core mechanics of sending opponents back to the start and protecting pieces in final slots, while branding itself around the Finnish TV reference to The Fugitive. Its enduring presence in Finnish households and its status as a 'Finnish pursuit game' underscore its legacy as a staple of family entertainment in Finland.
Did You Know?
- Kimble was first introduced in Finland in 1967.
- The name refers to the hero of the TV show The Fugitive.
- The game uses a Pop-o-matic dice container that produces a popping sound.
- By 2003, nearly a million copies of Kimble had been sold.
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