Hasbro Gaming
Hasbro Gaming Trouble Board Game
The Pop-O-Matic dice dome is the entire pitch: no turn-taking arguments over a lost die, just a satisfying click and a number. A simpler, younger sibling to Sorry! for a kid who still loses small pieces.
See current price on AmazonAbout Trouble
Trouble first launched in America in 1965, developed by the Kohner Brothers (Frank Kohner, Paul Kohner, and Fred Kroll). The game's signature feature, the Pop-O-Matic bubble, was trademarked that same year as an automatic dice shaker built to solve a real household problem: dice that rolled off the table and got lost under the couch. Milton Bradley later took over manufacturing, and Trouble is now part of Hasbro Gaming. Like Sorry! and a handful of other classic race games, its board and "send an opponent back to start" concept trace back to Ludo, the British game descended from the ancient Indian game Pachisi.
The rules stay simple on purpose. Each of 2 to 4 players gets 4 pegs, and a turn starts with pushing down the Pop-O-Matic dome to pop the die and reveal a number, no loose dice to chase, no cup to shake. Players race their pegs around the board toward home, and if you land on a space an opponent already occupies, their peg gets bumped back to the start. First player to get all 4 pegs into their home zone wins. This edition also includes instructions for an optional "Power Up Spaces" variant for families who want a bit more strategy once the classic version feels too easy.
It's a fixture on most best classic board games lists for a reason: quick to teach, quick to play, and it works across a wide age spread at the table, which matters when you're setting up game night for kids who are years apart in age.
The Honest Take
What We Like and What We Don't
What we like
- Wide age range at one table: reviewers report it working well for kids from 5 up through early teens playing together in the same game
- The Pop-O-Matic bubble is still the star of the show, reviewers specifically call out how satisfying it is to pop and how it keeps the die from getting lost
- Fast to learn and fast to play, useful for a spontaneous game night rather than a big production
- Popular as a multi-generational pick, several reviewers mention playing it with grandkids or grandparents
What holds it back
- Construction feels lighter and less sturdy than the version some parents remember from their own childhood, one reviewer called it "a little cheaply made" with small pieces
- The board itself got a mixed note from at least one buyer, functional but not as solid as the older classic version
- The included Power Up Spaces variant adds extra options that at least one buyer found unnecessarily complicated for what's supposed to be a simple game
Is This For You?
Who Should (and Shouldn't) Buy This
Get it if…
you want a fast, no-fuss classic that plays well across a wide age range, from a kid just learning to count and take turns up through older siblings, and the idea of popping that dice bubble sounds as fun to you as it does to them. It's also a solid pick for grandparents keeping a game on hand for visits.
Skip it if…
you're expecting the heavier board and pieces from the vintage version you grew up with, since current production runs noticeably lighter. It's also worth skipping if your household already has Sorry! in the closet, since both games lean on the same "send them back to start" mechanic and you don't need both. Small pegs also mean it's not a fit for homes with a toddler under 3 still mouthing toys.
The verdict
Trouble earns its spot as a family board game staple by staying exactly what it's always been: a fast, easy race game built around one genuinely fun mechanism, the Pop-O-Matic pop. It won't wow anyone with production quality, the plastic is lighter than the vintage version, but for the price of getting a classic that a 5-year-old and a 13-year-old can both enjoy at the same table, it delivers.
What Real Buyers Say
“Loved the game. Perfect for everyone especially the 5 year old boy. He could count and move the colors. We played on Easter. Great fun and the board was ok not like the older version but it worked.”
United States · May 3, 2026
“I got this Trouble game for my kids, who are all different ages from 5 to 13 years old, and it works perfectly for everyone. It's simple enough for younger children, but still fun and engaging for the older ones. The material isn't heavy, not the most solid, but still good enough for everyday use.”
United States · May 29, 2026
“It's a little cheaply made. But we played it repeatedly for three days. My grandson loves it. He is eight. It's a little small but a fun gift. Colors are bright, pieces are small.”
United States · January 1, 2026
“Loved this game with my daughter. Love this game with my grandson. Great family activity and wonderful way for learning to count, take turns, and how to win and lose.”
United States · July 18, 2026
“Way too many game options to set up. Feels like a product made for serious players rather than a quick pick-up-and-play family game.”
France · May 30, 2026
“Received what looked like a used item. The packaging was damaged and looked like it had already been opened before.”
Germany · November 16, 2018
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is Trouble appropriate for?
Hasbro lists this edition for ages 5 and up, and reviewers back that up, with several noting a 5-year-old could count spaces and manage their own turn. It also holds up fine for older kids and adults playing in the same game.
How long does a game of Trouble take?
Games move quickly. The rules are simple enough that most rounds wrap up well within a normal attention span for a young kid, which is part of why reviewers describe it as easy to fit into a weeknight or a quick playdate.
What's included in the box?
The box includes the game board, the plastic Pop-O-Matic dice-roller unit built into the board, 16 pegs (4 per player color), and instructions covering both the classic rules and the optional Power Up Spaces variant.
Is Trouble a choking hazard for younger siblings?
Yes. The packaging carries a choking hazard warning for small parts and states the game is not intended for children under 3, so keep that in mind in a household with a toddler still mouthing toys.
How is Trouble different from Sorry!?
Both are race games where landing on an opponent sends their piece back to start, but Trouble uses the built-in Pop-O-Matic dice bubble instead of Sorry!'s draw-a-card movement system. Trouble tends to feel more luck-driven and faster for younger kids, while Sorry!'s cards add a bit more decision-making for slightly older players.
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