Board games have been around for centuries. The oldest known board games date back to 5870 BC. C. This demonstrates the human need to be entertained and challenged at the same time. Board games, more than any, require a mental strategy. Unlike sports, where the mind is also challenged but more focused on the physical abilities of the player, board games require the proficiency of the player’s thought process and mental acuity to win. This is one of the attributes that sets board games apart from many other games.
Board Games Live and Die
This does not mean, however, that all board games are successful. Board games live and die by how popular they are. If there is an art in playing them, an even greater art is required in creating them. Senet and Mehen are board games that date back to ancient Egypt, but their existence in contemporary or popular culture is almost non-existent, but their evolution may be more recognizable today. To tell the truth, it is the applicability of the game towards modern times that, most of the time, decides whether the game will live or disappear.
The grandparents of board games
Backgammon, Go, and Chess are probably the oldest games still being played today. Backgammon is considered as a racing game. It requires moving the pieces from one side of the board to the other. This game needs to roll dice to determine the game moves. This game dates back to ancient Egypt, around 3000 BC. C., and it is believed that it evolved from the ancient game of Senet.
Go is believed to have originated in China in the mid-2000s. C. specifically, it can be traced back to Emperor Yao, and subsequently its popularity spread to Korea and Japan. Chess, on the other hand, was believed to have originated in India in the 6th century. Scholars consider that chess evolved from an ancient game called Chaturanga.
Clearly Go predates chess by a few thousand years, but they do have their similarities. Each only requires two players, and they have to outwit each other. It is not surprising to know that chess originated in India, a country that shares a border with China. However, one obvious similarity that both Go and chess have is that they are both war games.
Ancient ways, yes, and almost unmatched by the war strategy games that modern times have to offer in video games. Both sets are believed to have originated from tribal warlords who used pieces of the same look to strategize their plan of attack.
In retrospect, having wargames as the oldest and still popular board game today gives people an idea why it is still applicable today.
Modern times, contemporary board games
There have been countless board games that have emerged in our time. But they have little as long as the most popular board games still being played today. The exclusive list includes:
* Monopoly
* Key
*Risk
*Lifetime
* Snakes and Ladders
* Checkers
* scrabble
Of course, Monopoly is almost recognizable throughout the world. This is weird because Monopoly isn’t exactly the easiest game to understand. Despite this, however, the Guinness Book of Records recognizes Monopoly’s worldwide appeal, with more than 750 million having already played the game. Thinking it’s been around since 1935, Monopoly’s staying power is a testament to how real estate, business, banking, and investing apply to our times.
Clue, on the other hand, enjoys murder and mystery to keep players interested. Risk is a perfect example of how ancient games like chess came to be, and Go has evolved to fit its cultural environment. Life, by contrast, predates Monopoly. It was created in 1860 and simulates, well, life. Marriage, career and so on are all part of the game, and people find it enjoyable to imagine what life would be like, or what life might have been like, in this game.
Snake and Ladders is also another popular board game. The problem with this game is that many adults don’t find it attractive. That’s why it’s almost exclusively for kids only. Adults usually find games that depend on chance boring. Relying solely on the dice to determine the player’s fate is not as challenging as most adults would like from board games. The player’s fate in Monopoly is also determined by the dice, but unlike Snakes and Ladders, it still requires players to develop strategies.
Checkers, or draft in English, is another popular game that is believed to have arisen in the form of chess and Go. Even so, it is still considered one of the most popular board games today. In fact, it is more popular than Go, which is commonly associated with Japan.
Finally, there are the puns. Scrabble is the most popular among all word board games. Just like chess or checkers, there are even global Scrabble competitions. Word Factory, which can be loosely considered a board game, is also a popular word game.
