It dawned on me in the car the other morning: kids today will never know the joy of spotting a Volkswagen Beetle, screaming “SLUG BUG!” at the top of your lungs. And then immediately punching the kid next to you as hard as you could. Boy, were those were some good times. Do you remember playing Slug Bug?

The Volkswagen Beetle first rolled off the production line in 1938. Never mind the car’s popularity on the roads throughout the 50s and 60s. It was the Slug Bug game coming around in 1962 that made this classic car a multigenerational superstar.

Although the game was played the same, the name differed throughout the country. Some families called it “Slug Bug.” While others, “Punch Buggy.” Then there were the families that even made it a requirement to follow with shouting out the color of the Beetle. And what about “No punch backs!” Boom. Instant immunity.

As for my family? Well, we all shouted, “Herbie!” You know, the beloved Volkswagen Beetle with a cheeky personality. And when it was a convertible, “Herbie Ha!” 

But no matter what you called it, no matter what you spontaneously shouted in the car at the top of your lungs, the punch was the same. Hard, and with purpose. Everyone in the car needed to know that YOU were the first person to see the Volkswagen Beetle.

So, did the game carry on with the rollout of the new Beetle? The modernized version hit the market in 1991. But I feel like we tried, and it just didn’t feel the same. The enthusiasm just wasn’t there with the new model. And how many new models are even still on the road today?

In today’s society, there are families who have tried to make their own version using other vehicles. From Waymos, Cybertrucks, and even calling out solo drivers wearing a mask. They are still out there in the wild!

Something I totally miss nowadays… The game of Slug Bug. Same goes for the old Volkswagen Beetles for that matter. Pure nostalgia. Kids today will never know the joy of having “permission” to hit their friends and siblings, all in good fun, while playing Slug Bug. Also, I am very happy to hear that families across the nation have made adaptations to the most popular car ride game of the 20th century.