Twister game once too 'sexy' for Sears

Twister is one of the most recognizable games in the country -- we all have familiar memories of flicking the spinner and placing a foot or hand on whatever color the peg lands on. Apparently, the childhood favorite used to be too sexy for some. When the game came out in 1966, the department store Sears thought it was to risqué to put on their catalog!

KARE spoke with one of the games' co-creators Neil Rabens, who still can't believe the success of the game.

"I had no idea," he said.

His co-creator, Charlie "Chuck'" Foley, passed away last year at the age of 82 years old, according to The New York Times. Back when Twister was still in development, Foley and Rabens had different ideas for the game.

"I initially came up with he hand and foot thing," Rabens says. Where Rabens envisioned players twisting separately in a game they first called "Pretzel," Foley suggested rearranging the dots to tie players together.

Despite innocent intentions, the game was scandalous when it was released in the 60s and was even called sex in a box. As a result, it did not sell well in its first year, but once it was featured by Johnny Carson, it sold like hotcakes.

As for Sears, it revoked its original stance, and Twister is available for purchase there today.