This game was on display at Reed’s Toy and Hobby Store* in Mayberry Mall, Mount Airy, NC, in the late 1970s. It was right there on the counter so anyone could play with it. So whenever I went to the mall, I went to the toy store and played with it, probably driving the employees nuts. But I couldn’t help it. The game was addicting. Eventually, one of my parents broke down and bought it for me. Or I shoplifted it.
(* Am I getting the name right? Anyone from Mount Airy remember this store?)
My version didn’t have the little basketball players, or as much decoration around the scoreboard dials. To play, you filled the tank with water, and pushed the blue buttons on the left and ride side of the base. This would force air through the water and propel the little basketball (a disk) toward one of the goals. Think underwater pinball.
It required a little finesse to push the button with the correct amount of force, depending on where the disk was in the water. If you were willing to push both buttons at the same time, you could get a nice aquatic tug-of-war.
The game could be played solitaire or against an opponent. Whenever the little disk-basketball dropped through a goal, you rotated one of the dials on the scoreboard. Ten points won the game.
Here’s a better pic of what I had, on the left:
Tomy marketed several games under the Waterfuls trademark, all based on the same game-play principle.
It a little difficult to track down this particular item. One will pop up now and then in an on-line auction or something similar, usually fetching around $40.
To see other entries in the Lost Toys series, use the Search tool at the right. Meanwhile, in the comments tell me if you owned this or one of the other games in the Waterfuls line, and what you thought about it. Thanks!
I’d forgotten all about these! Man, am I old.
I have been looking for this game my sister just passed away and she had bought one back in the late 70′s or early 80′s not sure all the kids have played it till it’s old and well used. All the kids want one they still love playing it. From my oldest which is 36 to all the grandkids they want one. I brought hers home but would love to find some for the grandkids. It looks just like the one on the left in the picture above. Is there any for sale anywhere. The kids still sit for hours playing the one. Do you know of any out there for sale?: