Description

An extraordinarily rare game I recall playing as a child, Winflation' is little more than a fond memory for me now. It belonged to a childhood friend--a gift from the designer, if I recall correctly--and I've never seen it in a store.

To the best of my recollection, there were similarities to roll 'n' move games such as PayDay or Life: The board was a simple figure-eight track around which the playing pieces would move, and each space had some sort of action or consequence for the player; there were also free spaces that required no activity. In addition, there were stock certificates that could be purchased and/or traded as well as cards to be drawn at certain points; the cards also had ramifications for the player, similar to the Chance/Community Chest cards in Monopoly.

I'm afraid I don't recall the specific mechanics--obviously the notion of inflation was part of the game--but the essential goal was to remain solvent and earn more money than your opponent(s). My recollection is that the game ended when a certain period of time had passed, most likely defined by a set number of laps around the board. I enjoyed the game quite a bit when I was a kid: It seemed more sophisticated and complex than its roll 'n' move cousins, and I recall there being a number of potential activities to be undertaken with each turn.

I would love to hear from anyone else who has played this rare gem. It was published by a company called Zany Eights Productions, Inc., in Pottstown, PA; I suspect that the first-and-only print run was very limited, and Zany Eights never published any other games, as far as I know.

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From the Rules:
The object of the game is to be the last remaining played on the board who has survived week after week of spiraling inflation. As inflation becomes worse and the cost of living increases, each player must meet his daily expenses, while making sure his salary keeps pace with current prices. Most Importantly, each player must keep his job in order to avoid certain financial disaster. Although provisions have been made for only six players, any number may participate. The amount of time required for each game varies with the rate of inflation.