How the Barbie milestones timeline works

The cards are moments from Barbie's history: new dolls and friends, the Dreamhouse, games, films, a hit song and some headline-grabbing news. A line under each title explains what happened. You order them by year. One milestone starts on the line with its year displayed, and every new card needs a gap. Pick the right one and the year appears; pick the wrong one and the card moves to its real spot and takes one of your three lives.

The early years move fast, as the doll gained a boyfriend, friends, family and a home in quick succession. After that, the line follows changing fashions, careers and attitudes, and questions of representation and inclusion come up again and again. Media cards such as games, films and series can be tricky to place, because Barbie was on screens earlier than you might expect. Dolls described by their look rather than their story often land somewhere surprising.

Want a longer game? On the deck tree you can tick this deck alongside any other one measured in release years and dates, and they shuffle into a single timeline together.

What's in the deck

Here are 28 of the 31 cards you might be dealt, with 3 more in the deck. Their values stay hidden until you place them.

Barbie unveiled at the New York Toy Fair Ruth Handler's doll in a zebra-striped swimsuit
Ken joins the line Barbie's boyfriend, named for the Handlers' son
Barbie Dreamhouse goes on sale A fold-out cardboard dollhouse
Midge, Barbie's best friend Freckled pal doll
Skipper, Barbie's little sister Younger sibling doll
Miss Astronaut Barbie Barbie suits up for space
Twist 'n Turn Barbie Pivoting waist and a Mod look
Christie joins Barbie's friends Among the earliest Black dolls in the range
Malibu Barbie Suntanned beach Barbie with forward-facing eyes
Superstar Barbie Disco glamour and a toothy smile
Barbie video game on the Commodore 64 Published by Epyx
Day-to-Night Barbie Business suit flips into evening wear
Andy Warhol paints Barbie Pop art portrait
Doctor Barbie Stethoscope and lab coat
Totally Hair Barbie Floor-length hair, the best-selling Barbie
Teen Talk Barbie Talking doll that drew math-class backlash
Barbie Fashion Designer PC game for designing and printing doll clothes
Share a Smile Becky Barbie's friend in a pink wheelchair
Aqua's Barbie Girl Danish-Norwegian dance-pop hit
My Scene dolls Teen-styled Mattel spin-off line
Barbie and Ken split up Mattel announces the breakup
Barbie and Ken reunite Back together on Valentine's Day
Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse Animated web series on YouTube
Curvy, Tall and Petite Barbies Fashionistas body types make the cover of Time
Barbie Role Models Dolls honoring real-life women
Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures Animated series on Netflix
Barbie, the Greta Gerwig film Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling star
Barbie with Down syndrome Made with the National Down Syndrome Society