Perfection

Perfection, originally produced by the Minnesota company Lakeside, is a game by the Milton Bradley company. The object is to put all the pieces into matching holes on the board (pushed down) before the time limit runs out. When time runs out, the board springs up, causing many, if not all, the pieces to fly out. In the most common version, there are 25 pieces to be placed (the holes form a 5x5 grid) within 60 seconds. An advanced version (Superfection) requires the player to put together 16 two-piece puzzle cubes within two minutes.

Gameplay

In the original version of Perfection, players, taking alternate turns, must be the quickest to place all 26 shapes into the holes on the game tray.^[1] First, all shapes are placed next to the game unit, in a mixed order, with handles facing up.^[2] Next, the timer is set for the full 60 seconds and the pop-up tray is pushed down.^[3] As soon as the timer starts, the player will quickly start fitting each shape into its matching hole.^[4] If the player completes this before the time is up, he/she pushes stop and records the time.^[5] If the player fails to place all the shapes into the tray and hit stop before the time is up, the tray will pop, scattering pieces around the game tray.^[6] The next player will then take a turn.^[7] The winner is the player to complete the tray full of shapes in the shortest amount of time.^[8]

Jingles

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The original commercials for Perfection in the 1970s were sung by a female chorus, with the following lyrics:

The Game is Perfection "(here's how it goes)"
You have to be quick "(So keep on your toes)"
Press the plunger down, Set the timer, put the pieces in place.
But don't be slow. Cause with perfection you gotta move real fast, move real fast!
Before the pieces pop up before you put in the last and that's perfection.

These were also the lyrics used in the 1970s commercials.

When you're into Perfection, keep on your toes
You have to be quick, 'cuz here how it goes
Push the plunger down, set the timer
Put the pieces in place, don't be slow
In Perfection, you've gotta move on fast, move on fast
Or the pieces pop out before you put in the last
And that's Perfection.

In 1992, the game was relaunched with a new jingle, "Pop Goes Perfection", to the tune of "Pop Goes the Weasel" with the following lyrics:

Put the pieces into the slot
make the right selection
but be QUICK! You're racing the clock
POW! Pop goes Perfection!
This piece here and that piece there
Put those pieces EVERYWHERE!
But be quick, or beware
POW! Pop goes Perfection!

In addition to the new jingle, in 1996, the game has gained a new look, with a man singing the song and the Perfection pieces would pop out of his stomach. The man looked like Jay Leno or Flabber from Beetleborgs. This commercial first aired on Nickelodeon, then on YTV.

References

• Perfection at BoardGameGeek
• Perfection at TV Cream