Josh Wright spent a decade looking in charity shops and at car boot sales for a particular item from the 1980s, and he’s finally found it at branch of St Elizabeth Hospice Retail Centre
A bargain hunter who spent a decade searching charity shops and car boot sales for one particular item has expressed his delight after finally chancing upon it. Josh Wright admitted he couldn’t believe his luck after spotting it on sale at a much lower price than he expected. “I’ve just found it – £2 for this game,” he began in a TikTok video, recorded at a branch of St Elizabeth Hospice Retail Centre.
Heading to the boardgame and jigsaw section, Josh pulled out a Waddington’s game before giving it the once over. “No way,” he said in shock. “I’ve been looking for this game… £2. Escape From Atlantis – I have to pick that up.”
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He continued: “What a find, it’s from the 70s and it’s coming home with me. I’m buzzing with that.” After handing over his £2, Josh continued to express his excitement: “I’ve literally been looking for this game for 10 years.
“Recently I was very tempted to buy it on eBay – it sells for around £50 to £60 on there. But thankfully I stopped myself from buying it. Now at £2 in a charity shop I’m still shocked I found it.”
Josh closed by telling his followers he’s still on the look-out for two further boardgames on his “thrifting bucket list” – the Lost Valley Of Dinosaurs and Escape From Frankenstein.
“I loved that game!” penned one TikTok user. A second concurred: “I had that game, loved it.” A third person added: “Major find in the Atlantis.” Whilst a fourth said of Josh’s wish-list: “I have that Frankenstein game. Great game.”
Several copies of Escape From Atlantis feature in eBay’s recently sold listings, two of which fetched just under £70. Contrary to Josh’s dating, the boardgame in this 3D was first released by Waddington’s in 1986.
It followed an earlier release in the United States in 1982 by Parker Brothers, where it was titled, Survive! Escape From Atlantis.
Gaming website Board Game Geek describes the game as: “An island made up of 37 hex-shaped plastic tiles is slowly sinking into the ocean (as the tiles are removed from the board). Each player controls 12 Atlantean Tribesmen that they try and move towards the safety of the surrounding islands before the main island sinks.
“Players can either swim, latch onto a dolphin, or use boats to travel but must avoid sea monsters, octopuses, and sharks on their way to safety.”