National Museum of Play Online Collections

Point of Law: An Exciting Involvement Game

game

1972

The 3M Company, formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, manufactured and sold board games for a short period from 1961 to 1976. Known as the "3M Bookshelf Games Series," these games were intended for adults and families. They were housed in vertical slipcases and meant to be stored on the family bookcase. And they were generally made to very high quality standards. Although anyone could submit a game design, 3M depended heavily on independent game designers such as Sid Sackson and Alexander Randolph. Though easy to learn and play, the games in general involve much more strategy and complexity. The series is still recognized, among the board game community, as very influential. It is considered the forebear of today's German "Eurogames," now popular in Europe and gaining favor in the United States. And today the 3M games are prized as collectibles in that same gaming community. The firm also made a few smaller games, known as the "Gamette" series. These were card games or other more portable games, and they were housed in smaller packages.

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