I bought this for my granddaughter for Christmas 2006. She was (still is) 5 years old.

She enjoyed playing the game. I think this game is good for teaching competition, numbers, and good sportsmanship.

The only thing my granddaughter had trouble with is the bubble in the center. Hard to push. Mom had to help. That's why the 4. I am not sure how that part is going to turn out.

This is just as much fun as you remember. This is another 'must-have' for your stack of games.

A good game for ages 4+.

My kids play this as much as just about anything. Who doesn't love that popper!?

The complaint I have is the flimsy box. Game boxes these days are made out of such cheap material, no thicker than a file folder. The one-piece box does not stay closed as well as the old-time 2-piece boxes. It tends to get smushed easily and come opened/stay opened. We have needed to tape this shut to prevent losing pieces.

Great classic game, classic fun! It is as fun as I remember. The whole family plays it and it does help with improving counting skills. The only downside is that our youngest daughter has a breakdown every time she has to bring a piece home. She is 2! The worst part is that the box is really cheap feeling and looking... it isn't even a normal game box. It is one where you open one side and slide the game out. WHO DOES that to a board game?? Seriously, this game has been around for so long, doesn't it warrant a tin collector's case.

THIS GAME WAS OUT OF STOCK AT WAL-MART, SO AGAIN TURNED TO AMAZON,AND THERE IT WAS!! GREAT! THANKS AGAIN! GOD BLESS YOU!

As originally designed, this game is awful. Any game where a player can go the entire game just waiting to play needs some help. A player needs to roll a 6 in order to start, and if you never roll a 6, then you're stuck. We modified the rules so that if another player lands on your peg, you are sent back to the start area, not home. That way you don't have to wait for a 6 again. This made the game slightly better.

We introduced our kids (now 13, 10, and 7) to Trouble pretty soon after they were able to count. It's a very simple game to learn, yet fun even for the youngest. Game play proceeds in turns, with a roll of 6 on a single die required to move a piece out of the "base". The object is to get all four pieces around the board and safely to "home". If a player lands on an opponent's piece, it has to go back to the base. That's it. Given the bells and whistles on newer games, I don't think Trouble will stay your child's favorite forever. However, it brings enough fun to the table that they might break it out and play on a rainy day years down the road.

Some observations:

1) The single die is "rolled" by popping it inside the little plastic dome in the middle of the board. For this sheer genius alone, the game deserves to be considered a classic. The little dome is easy enough to work that a small hand can click it, yet it is sturdy enough to hold up when slapped hard. Also, having the die encased this way prevents kids from rolling it all over the room or knocking the game pieces over (a pet peeve of mine). It will not get lost.

2) Having a single die is also the right choice for complexity. Kids get practice first in counting to 6, then in recognizing the numerical symbols of 1 to 6 on a standard die. This links the abstract concept of a number like "five" to the real world example of a set of five spaces that they can move. As adults, we don't realize there is a difference, but for a young child it is one of the first big abstract concepts he or she is asked to learn.

3) The game is not totally luck. There are come choices of movements that younger kids might need to be coached through. They will need to choose which piece to move, whether to go for the safety of the "home" spaces or to try to set back the opponent. Again, simple, but this is a great setting in which to introduce the concept of strategy. That said, there is enough luck involved that kids of different ages can sit down together without someone being at a big disadvantage. If a parent is willing to "coach" the moves of the youngest child, there is no disadvantage at all (Note - don't expect older siblings to see the wisdom of this approach).

4) Hand-eye coordination gets some practice. The pieces are little pegs, and they fit into slots on the game board. This makes the counting easier and guides players to put their token in the proper slot. The act of putting the peg in the slot can be a challenge for little hands, but generally, if a child can do the counting, he or she probably has enough dexterity to move the pieces. (You WILL, by the way, eventually lose a piece or two. Luckily, almost any bit of colored plastic can be substituted.)

5) Life lessons. Kids have probably been exposed to winning and losing by the time they are introduced to Trouble. However, in Trouble, not only can you send your opponent back to start, but THEY can do this to YOU. This is momentarily devastating to a 3-year-old. Seriously, don't be surprised if they cry. It's normal. Be prepared to ease them through this with encouragement and by setting a good example of sportsmanship when your pieces get sent back. If kids can learn this lesson early, they will be much less likely to melt down in Tee-ball a few years down the road.

When I sat down to write this, I was planning a 4-star review. As I wrote and thought about it, though, all of these positive aspects literally changed my mind on my rating. I think that Trouble probably IS only a 4-star game in terms of the pure fun. However, as a teaching tool/game combination, only a few games are in its league. 5-stars.

I bought this game for my granddaughter on her birthday and I'm glad I did. It is a simple game and easy for children to play. The object is to get all four of your pegs around the board and home before anyone else. Beware however! If someone lands on you back home you go. This game helps children recognize numbers and teaches them to be a good sport.
The dice popper can be a little difficult at times but other than that this is a great game to play together and have some fun with each other.

I remember playing this at my friend's house when I was a kid, and forgot how much fun we used to have! Bought it for my kids, and we love it. It's really a game for the whole family.

I don't think my young children could have really handled moving the pieces correctly around the board by themselves before they turned 5, and the counting reinforces early math skills. Unlike other games they've played (Candyland, Chutes & Ladders, Hi Ho Cherry-O), this game is dependent upon strategy as much as chance. Perfect for kindergartners and up!

I think the recommended age for this product of 5 years and up is a little off. My son loves this game. He has been playing it since he was 3. The die in the bubble has numbers on it instead of dots which help kids recognize them.

This has improved my sons counting abilities and number recognition. He loves smashing mom and dad's pieces and sending us back to our start positions. He comprehends the concept of the game perfectly and begs us to play with him all the time.

My daughter is nearly 3, but doesn't quite understand the game. She loves to play with us but putting the pieces on her fingers (they fit perfectly!) and pushing the bubble. Soon, she will get more into it and will be able to play with us for real.

This game has increased family time in our house and countless hours of fun. Any household with preschool children must have this game!

We bought this game with the intent to use when kids come to visit. HOWEVER, as we fondly remembered this game from our youth, we opened it right away and we play it ourselves near our pool or out on our front porch.

We laugh as much as kids while we play! And we are (allegedly) sane people in our late 40s!

My only gripe about this game is that the carton it came in (not shipping carton, the game carton Milton Bradley made) was so thin that it was partially crushed. Luckily the game inside was fin.

The clear plastic game board has a printed carboard insert you install yourself that is very cheaply made. I suppose MB did this to cut corners but like so many things from my youth the craftmanship is now so different .

Any matter, for the money it is a lot of fun and the pop cube is sturdy.

If you buy this game, don't just save it for the kids, play it yourself!

I played this at daycare and it was sooooooo much fun to play with. buy this toy for any reason and especially on birthdays the celebrant will love this.(...)

PURCHASED THIS FOR MY GRANDSON AND HE JUST LOVES IT. WE MAKE IT
A FAMILY GAME AND ITS FUN TO SEE MY GRANDSON LEARN PEOPLE SKILLS
AND GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP.

It is the classic game as I remember. My kids LOVE it. I did notice that the quality of the game board and the pieces has declined just like everything else. I also don't like the box - The game doesn't store well inside.

I bought this game for my granddaughter for Christmas. I had this game as a child and really enjoyed it. This game helps her to learn numbers, counting, colors, and taking turns. She enjoys playing this game.

They sure don't make this like they used to. I played this game as a kid and remember it being much more sturdy , with a hard plastic bottom, and the popper not as flimsy. My son recieved this game as a christmas present, and most of the time the popper won't even pop the dice, and the game board it self is very flimsy. It doesn't even come in a hard sided box, just a thinly constructed jacket. Needless to say I'm very dissappointed in the quality.

This is a great game that is good for children of all ages. I can remember playing this when I was about 4 years old, and I would gladly play it now, over 25 years later. It is simple for children to understand, yet the randomness of the die keeps anyone from having a real advantage and anyone can win. A great family game!

I like many other adults rember this game from when I was a child. My wife and I purchased it as a Christmas gift for our kids. My kids love the game, and have they have lots of fun playing it. Educationally they learn to count and strategize as part of the game(which piece to move, what pieces are at risk).

The construction of the game seems quite flimsy compared to the game I had as a young boy. The kids have to really push down on the bubble to get the die to jump.

Another interesting note, this isn't a complaint, just an observation. With four players the game takes a little longer to play, all four of us were knocking opposing players back to home every few turns. This didn't seem to bother the kids too much, they enjoyed forcing their siblings pieces home, but it happened so often that I commented to my wife that the game might take all day...

Overall the game is fun and the kids enjoy playing it. Sometimes a player can get stuck waiting for a six (we allow 1 and 6 to speed up the game), and there are some games where everyone keeps getting their game pieces sent home, in games like that my kids begin to stop sending other players pieces home. The quality of the product itself is rather cheap, and the little ones have to push the bubble with both hands to get it to pop but I wouldn't let that stop me from purchasing this game.

My 8 yr old loves playing this game as it is simple but fun. As others have said, waiting to get a 6 to start can get really frustrating. The popper is definitely tough to push, even for my 8 yr old and sometimes for me. You feel like it if you push too hard it might just crack.

Since the game does not cost much and is even cheaper if you get it during the B1G1F promos, it still is a big disappointment as a parent. I'd like to have a sturdier box that actually had a lid instead of a flimsy one that only opens on the side. The playing board is a single piece of clear plastic that you place the thin cardboard colored piece under and it is held in place by the 4 rubber feet. As another reviewer said, I'd rather pay more money and have a better quality game and box.

Nonetheless, my son likes to play it as it doesn't require a lot of thinking. It has some educational value in helping younger kids learn to count. However, we tend to like Sorry more than Trouble as it has a little more variety and you don't get stuck for too long waiting to play.

My kids are now playing with the game that I had as a child (I'm 40+ now so the game is pushing 35 years old). We still have all the pieces and the popper is going strong. Given that you can still purchase this game for ~$10, or get it during a BOGO Free promotion, I think it is a good investment, even if it's not as durable as the old ones. The kids all love it. My 5 year old started playing it at 3 and it really helped his basic counting skills.

Its a fun game that our whole family would be able to play ecept that it is sooooooo easy to lose the parts! I already lost 3 peices.
The box just totally fell apart and the peices fell out and i think my mom might of vaqumed them. Overall its a good game... if u have all the peices.

The box was smashed, the popper hardly pops and is totally cheap--in order to get it to pop you practically have to use a sledge-hammer. Certainly my very strong four year old son cannot push the popper down--when one can actually get it to pop, the tactile experience is extrememely unsatisfying and the noise is not pleasant either--more like a 'bang' than a pop. Thoroughly unsatisfying. I would rather pay a few more dollars and get a game that is decently made and comes in a real box that could actually store the toy.

My son love playing this game. For weeks that all he want to do. It a good game for the whole family.

My 5 1/2 yr old loves this game. It is really not complicated, yet holds her attention. Yes, the box hasn't held up well, but I simply put all of our little pieces in a baggie so they don't fall out. We highly recommend this game!

To those who remember Milton Bradley's Trouble and Headache, you'll think of this as a sorry cheesy bootleg copy. I recommend this since its all thats available. Headache I cant find. I'm sure if they made the game the way they once did, people would pay more for it.

Trouble is a classic game - Milton Bradley brings us the classic board game that is fun for the whole family to play.
Four players can play this, my only concern is the popper, I wonder how long it will last, the metal popper is a little flimsy and may break over extended use - we'll see. You can always use some dice as a backup. Game is fun for the family to play.

I purchased this along with Connect Four, good games next to Checkers and Chess.

My (6 year old) daughter received this classic for Christmas and we played the game that evening. Suffice it to say, the instuctions are the same and the fun of the game is the same as when I received it as a gift MANY years ago, however the durability has gone down hill big time. I cannot believe how cheap it is now, from the cheesy cardboard used with the graphics under the board, to the cheaper feeling plastic used for the pegs. The popomatic dice keeper even feels cheap and 1/2 the time my daughter pops it, it remains on the same number on the dice. Aren't there any companies out there that take pride in their products anymore? It seems not. I can't wait to open the Connect Four game - hopefully it won't fall apart before we play it.

I'm a 27 year old mother of 3. I remember loving this game when I was a kid. I was so dissapointed when I opened this game. I couldn't believe how cheesey it is. You can barely 'POP' the dice. And when my kids POP the bubble all the game pieces fly around. Plus the bottom of the game has a pop in piece of cardboard. Shouldn't the bottom be covered with hard plastic??

I also wish there was something to hold all the pieces because my kids (like many others) abuse the box and all of the pieces fall out and get lost.
****Can't the board game makers start making harder cases or Tins so we all don't have a stack of smashed boxes and missing pieces.

The game itself is fun...but I ended up throwing it away because pieces got lost way to fast.

Purchased this for my daughter at age 2 1/2. She enjoyed the colors, trying to pop the dice, & understood counting. The chase is fun too. She is now age 14 & we are excited about buying it a 2nd time (X-mas) for my son; however, we will be competing. 1 of my favorite games that can go on.

What a hit this game is with my kids! We purchased it for my son, age six, and he can play endlessly. Concept is not difficult to grasp, nor are the rules. His four and a half year old brother can also play without difficulty, and they delight in sending others back to the beginning. It teaches my older son strategey, and helps the younger one with his counting. What a blast!

I got this game for Christmas, and I have been playing it with my family on and off since. It's kind of hard to "pop" the dice, but I think that's a great idea. You hop from space to space, going around the board. But watch out or you'll get in "Trouble"!

This was a favorite game of mine when I was little, and now my kids love playing it. It is a great first game, since the kids love to pop the popper. It is great for learning how to count.

I loved this game when I was younger and ordered it for my children. But... this game is so cheaply made now! A thin cardboard bottom has the graphics (comes seperated not integrated) and rips VERY easily. The popper is of a thin bent metal tension design that doesn't pop reliably. Very frustrating! We ended up buying a vintage game on [auction site] and love it!

We got this game for our 5 year old daughter, partly for nostalgic reasons, since we remember playing this when we were kids. She LOVES Trouble, and it is one of the few games I actually don't mind playing either! Sometimes the game can go on for a long time, which can be good thing when you want to keep the kids occupied for a while. I highly recommend this game for wholesome family fun.

I got this for my 5 year old this Christmas (2003). One problem we had was pushing the button and she got frustrated on first but I managed to get it working. We had a blast playing it.

THis game is gret for the whole fun. YOu don't really get to role the dice like in this game. i relly enjoy this game. WHen I just want to play a game with my brother I pick trouble.