What Game Outsold Monopoly in 1967? Probably Twister—But Records Don't Exist

No definitive public record exists. Reliable annual sales data for board games in 1967 was not systematically tracked or published.

Why We Don't Know

• No industry reporting standard — NPD/NPF tracking began later.
• Manufacturer secrecy: Parker Brothers (Monopoly), Milton Bradley, Selchow & Righter (Scrabble) treated sales as trade secrets.
• Monopoly's dominance: Consistently top 3 since 1935; unlikely dethroned for a full year.

Plausible Contenders (Strong 1967 Sales)

• Candy Land — Perennial bestseller for young children; 1960s peak.
• Chutes and Ladders — Same demographic; Milton Bradley staple.
• Scrabble — 1950s–60s boom; Selchow & Righter; ~4M units/year by mid-60s.
• Game of Life (1960) — Strong through 60s; 1M+/year.
• Risk (1959 US) — Growing steadily.
• Twister (1966) — Fad peak 1966–67; 3M+ units in 1967 alone (possible #1 overall).

Best Guess

Twister had a massive 1967 spike (Johnny Carson + Eva Gabor on Tonight Show May 1966 → cultural phenomenon). It may have outsold Monopoly in units that specific year, but Monopoly's revenue (higher price) likely led.

Without audited data, it's speculation. Monopoly remains the all-time cumulative leader.