Ok, tough one... this was a small handheld toy, possibly mechanical. There was a standard, small silver ball that would have rolled past a series of obstacles, there was one button at the bottom, and when you pressed it, it would make a variety of things all happen at the same time (tiny bridge would shift, parts would move, etc) so the ball could be guided towards the goal at the bottom/top. It was easy to cheat by just using gravity. But, it was a ton of fun. Anyone know what this was called?

I know what you are talking about.. kind of like pocket pinball??

something like that, yeah, although you didn't try to keep the ball up, you had to guide the ball to a goal location...

Was it a round/spherical maze?  If so, SuperPlexus dates back to the 70s.

Or was it a flat/square maze, sort of a handheld version of this labyrinth game? (I've also seen something like this in the form of a flat maze with a tiny ball bearing mapped onto the six faces of a plexiglass cube, but I'm damned if I can find a picture of it.)

Any of these ring a bell?  (1966's "Avalanche", 1965's "21 Skidoo", 1966's "Dr. Nim" come to mind, but are probably too old to be the thing you're looking for.)

I know what you are talking about.. kind of like pocket pinball??


Pocket handheld pinball games were very common. They were pretty generic so I doubt you'd find a specific brand name. Are you talking about the ones with a metal ball which you release from the right had side with a coiled spring? Like this...

http://www.cradlerock.com.au/www/189/files/blastopinballthumb.jpg

Thanks for the follow ups. From memory, it was something a bit more complex than a simple handheld pinball game. It was about that size, but much thicker, and had obstacles you had to navigate the spherical ball past (like a bridge, or a spinning circle with a small slot for the ball, which would carry the ball down to the next level, etc.). I was possibly mechanical, and I think it was released in the early to mid 1980's. Assistance is greatly appreciated! Thank you.

Thanks for the follow ups. From memory, it was something a bit more complex than a simple handheld pinball game. It was about that size, but much thicker, and had obstacles you had to navigate the spherical ball past (like a bridge, or a spinning circle with a small slot for the ball, which would carry the ball down to the next level, etc.). I was possibly mechanical, and I think it was released in the early to mid 1980's. Assistance is greatly appreciated! Thank you.


I am looking for the same toy too!!! Cannot remember its name, but I seem to remember it was double sided, the ball could fall through in one corner and you had to continue on the other side. I remember the spinning circle and a tunnel sort of thing.

Did you manage to find out its name?

Aside from size, that sounds like a game my brother used to have called "Run Yourself Ragged".  I am not sure if they had a handheld version. 

Could this be the game you're looking for?

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i372/ajames0205/runyourselfragged2.jpg

Hey I know that game, had it when I was a kid. Its called Obstacle Course and it was made by Tomy Pocket games. I've myself have been looking for one to buy so if anyone knows where I could find please let me know. My grandma got me that game and now that she is gone I looking for it to have as a memory of my times spent with her. Thanks

Hey I know that game, had it when I was a kid. Its called Obstacle Course and it was made by Tomy Pocket games. I've myself have been looking for one to buy so if anyone knows where I could find please let me know. My grandma got me that game and now that she is gone I looking for it to have as a memory of my times spent with her. Thanks


Thanks!  This won't help you find it, but it might help others who remember it:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f3/Tomy_obstacle_course.jpg

Tomy's Obstacle Course game ca. 2000

"Small hand-held games like this one, also called dexterity puzzles, represent contemporary versions of similar types of games popular throughout the twentieth century. Typically, a small rectangular glass-topped 'box' holds metal balls and the object is to move the box, manipulating the balls into a target. Various versions in the museum's collection feature mice into a trap, baseball games, simpler mazes, and bombs into Japanese cities--an extreme example from 1945. These contemporary modern versions have up-to-date graphics. Some are takeoffs of computer and video games such as Frogger and Space Invaders, others simply mimic old fashioned toys. "

And now that I've discovered the Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum of Fascination (now known as The Strong) and its collections and archives of board games, toys, and electronic games (and 35,000 items listed online), I can feel many hours of my life slipping away into awesomeness. 

Aside from size, that sounds like a game my brother used to have called "Run Yourself Ragged".   I am not sure if they had a handheld version. 

Could this be the game you're looking for?

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i372/ajames0205/runyourselfragged2.jpg


While we're on the subject...

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Run Yourself Ragged was released by Tomy as SNAFU (And when the censors objected, renamed to Screwball Scramble), and judging from the number of videos I found, it's become something of a competitive thing on YouTube.

I remember that Run Yourself Ragged game. I always wanted that toy as a kid, never had it, and I never knew anyone that did.

I know exactly which toy your talking about as I
Am looking for a picture of it on the net.
It was battery operated as the little obsticals would revolve around or move up and down.
You had to hit the one button at the bottom to launch the silver ball though at the right time to get it through to the next one. I think the casing was yellow and there was a plastic screen over the actual ball course so you could never touch the ball or track. I wanna see a pic of it!!!

Found it! It's called TRICKY TRAPS!
Google it!

Found it! It's called TRICKY TRAPS!
Google it!


After almost three years, we have a winner!


Ok, tough one... this was a small handheld toy, possibly mechanical. There was a standard, small silver ball that would have rolled past a series of obstacles, there was one button at the bottom, and when you pressed it, it would make a variety of things all happen at the same time (tiny bridge would shift, parts would move, etc) so the ball could be guided towards the goal at the bottom/top. It was easy to cheat by just using gravity. But, it was a ton of fun. Anyone know what this was called?


Silver ball, check.
One button at the bottom, check.
Tiny bridge, check.

http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Tomy/Tomy-TrickyTrapsBox.jpg

Tomy Tricky Traps.

Tricky Traps (19xx, Mechanical, 1 C Battery, Model# 7023), Battery operated mechanical game. Also called Aaaaghh.

And here it is...

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...in action:

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Hat tip to Handheld Empire and Handheld Museum, but especially to our guest Steven, who nailed it in one, and on whose behalf I'm posting the links to the images/video/proof.

Yes!!!! Yes that's it!!!!! Thank you so, so much to everyone who helped discover this. It's been gnawing at me for 26 years- I can finally put this to rest  :) :) :)