Mystery Date (game)

Mystery Date is a board game originally manufactured by the Milton Bradley Company, first released in 1965. Marketed primarily to young girls, the game centers around the premise of getting ready for a date and then discovering which of several potential dates awaits behind a cardboard door.

Gameplay involves players moving their game pieces around a board, collecting matching clothing cards to complete an outfit for their "date." Once a player has a complete outfit, they get to open the plastic door on the game box to reveal which date they have. Possible dates include the "Dream Date," as well as less desirable outcomes such as the "Dud," the "Beach Bum," or the "Bowler." The specific dates available varied across different editions of the game.

The original version featured a three-dimensional "door" attached to the game box. Later versions often used a simplified cardboard door or other mechanisms to reveal the date.

Mystery Date became a cultural touchstone, reflecting and arguably reinforcing societal expectations and stereotypes related to dating and attractiveness during the eras in which it was popular. Different editions of the game have been released over the years, with some attempts to update the themes and representations of the available dates to reflect changing social norms. The game's enduring popularity has led to its inclusion in discussions of gender roles and consumerism in popular culture.