Board Games 101
These classic games were there for us before all the technology.
Feb 20, 2017
As children, we didn’t have the technology we have now growing up. Instead, we invented card games and played with an infinite amount of board games. Some of the board games that haven’t lost their flare include:
Cluedo/Clue:
The classic board game has been around since 1949.
Our Rating: B-
In the classic game of WhoDunIt? The players act as detectives, keeping extensive notes and playing close attention to detail as they attempt to find the murderer, their murder weapon, and where the murder took place. Although the game may seem confusing at first, after a couple rounds it becomes easier as you get closer to figuring out who did the crime.
Monopoly:
Monopoly has been around since 1935, about 750 million people have played the game making it the most played game in the world.
Our rating: B
How we all experienced our first bankruptcy: Monopoly. This classic game lets players travel around the board as they take the game by storm. Although the game may take some time to get the hang of, once players understand the rules, it’s pretty fun. One thing many people complain about is that the game often takes too long to claim a winner, but some enjoy this aspect of Monopoly-it really depends on the person. Fun fact: the longest game of Monopoly ever lasted 70 days!
“Monopoly was one of my most favorite games growing up because it was always nice to play with my family. We would have game nights and it was just a fun interesting game,” freshman Avril Fernandez said
Parcheesi
Parcheesi is an American adaptation of the Indian board game, Pachas.
Our rating: A+
An all time favorite, Parcheesi can quickly become a game of betrayal as you race around the board game to get all your pieces back home. With an easy to understand game, Parcheesi can be a little frustrating as each player relies on the roll of the dice to be able to leave their home base. The game uses some strategy as players try to beat each other by forming alliances and making enemies. This game can contain many surprising turns as the winner can come out of nowhere.
Sorry!
Sorry! is also based off of the same game as Parchessi, Pachas.
Our rating: B
Much like Parcheesi, Sorry! has players racing around the board as they try to get all their pieces from the base to their home. Although players don’t rely on dice in this game, chances of winning are very random as players choose cards from a pile and move as the card instructs.
“When I was younger, I used to play Sorry! all the time with my dad. What I loved about it was that I would always get all my pieces at home base before anyone else and I would always win. I always used to be competitive playing but that’s what made it fun,” junior Katrina Darby said
The Game of LIFE
The Game of Life was America’s first parlor game, created in 1860
Our rating: A+
The Game of Life is where we all got a little taste of what our lives would (possibly!) be like. As players pass through the game board, they accumulate money from their jobs, and lose money from expenses such as their family and children’s’ schooling. At one point, players get the option of choosing two different paths of life: the safe path or the risky path. Each players choices in every turn affect how much money they end up with at the end of the game. The one with the most wins!
Candy Land
There are at least 20 different variations of the Candy Land game
Our rating: C-
We may have found it entertaining as kids, but looking back at it now, Candy Land requires very little skill and effort. The objective of the game is for one player to get their piece to the finish line before everyone else. Each player uses the spinner to determine their next move. The game is very simple and can be played by children of all ages.
Every now and then, it’s good to take a break from technology by reliving the good ol’ days when phones and tablets didn’t rule our world. Try gathering some board games, calling over friends, and playing a couple rounds of your favorite games!
