Does the Library Survive?

Hasbro, the toy maker and recent target of Scrabulous fanatics, announced an update of its board game Clue, first marketed in the U.S. by Parker Brother in 1949.

Here's what's changed.

The characters are given a contemporary gloss.

Miss Scarlet is know Kasandra Scarlet, a famous actress often featured in the tabloids.

Mr. Green is Jacob Green, an African-American "with all the ins".

Colonel Mustard is Jack Mustard, a former football player.

Professor Plum is Victor Plum, a billionaire video game designer.

The cast is "rounded out" by Eleanor Peacock and Diane White. Hasbro's news release doesn't specify their claims to fame.

The choice of weapons increases from 6 to 9. Gone are the pipe, revolver, and wrench. Players of the new version will be able to test out the trophy, dumbbell, and poison.

Here's what a post at avclub.com (just added to my Bloglines account) has to say about the new array of weapons.

Instead of six (rope, candlestick, lead pipe, revolver, wrench, and knife), there are now nine, and each one is a reflection of the way we live now, in the 21st century: The candlestick and the rope are still there because we love vintage. Using either of those weapons is almost an homage to board game character killers of the past. The knife is now a chef's knife, reflecting the societal shift to high-quality cookware, and the revolver is now a pistol, mostly because sawed-off shotguns are too cumbersome. The baseball bat and the ax reflect our fast-paced, hurried lifestyle: who has time to kill someone with a lead pipe nowadays? The dumbell illustrates that the quest for fitness can often turn deadly (very dark, Hasbro), while the trophy simply hammers home the point that everyone in the aughts has been the recipient of a meaningless award. I'm not sure what weapon that gray cylinder is supposed to be, but considering that this is the 21st century Clue, I'm going with a can of Red Bull spiked with Drano. Personally, I would have rounded the 21st century weapon count up to ten with the addition of an Internet Predator, or Crate Full Of Trans Fats, but these weapons are a good start. "Cassandra Scarlet in the Home Theater with the Emmy," has a nice, modern ring to it.

And you'll be able to explore new rooms: a theater, spa, and guest house.

No news if the theater replaces the library. (My Retiring Guy eyes can't make out the detail in the above illustration. From what I can see, though, it doesn't look good.)