Expand Introduction
Board games have been a staple of family fun for centuries, bringing players together to strategize, compete and laugh. Even before the invention of Monopoly in the early 20th century, parlor-type board games had been around since ancient times. Today, these types of board games still exist, however there is an array of unique new board games that have evolved with time. From fantasy-based to classic strategy type board games, these games provide exciting opportunities for different types of play. With so many options out there it can be difficult to determine which century board game is best. In order to narrow down your selection it is important to consider factors such as theme, objectives and audience appeal when selecting a game. Once you have done your research on a particular game you will have a clearer idea of which one might be the best fit for you and your group.
Include Examples
The board game is one of the oldest forms of entertainment and has been with us throughout the centuries. It is no surprise then that there are different games that have come in and out of fashion over the years.
For instance, one of the most popular board games to originate in ancient Egypt during the Stone age was Senet, a game of chance involving dice and counters. Similarly, a Chinese spiritual board game also that dates back thousands of years called Go (Igo/Weiqi) was also quite popular for centuries.
During the medieval period, Chess emerged as a truly international classic, due to trading routes throughout Europe and Asia. This two-player game pitted wits against one another and is still enjoyed today.
In 1760, the classic French board game Mill (Nine Men’s Morris) and became enormously popular throughout Europe, North Africa, and even America until it fell out of favor in later century. Meanwhile Germany created an iconic competitive strategy game known as The Siegeszug or ‘Conquest March’ where massive armies fought on mathematical fields far away from battle limits.
The 1900s ushered in a whole host of classic board games such as Monopoly first published by Parker Bros in 1935; Cluedo which first appeared in 1949; Risk ” originally released as La Conquete du Monde translated into English as The Conquest of The World from 1954; Stratego first commissioned by Jumbo Games Netherlands from 1961 and Settlers of Catan introduced to North America by 1995. There are so many more modern classics worth including: Agricola (2007); Dominion (2008) Caveman Curling (2019), to name just a few!
Think Outside the Box
– My City: Players must rebuild a city using tiles, resources and their creativity in this challenging board game.
– Euphoria: Build an underground city and acquire resources while trying to control the board and gain the most victory points.
– Attika: Players must construct great cities by strategically placing both terrain elements and constructed pieces such as towers, bridges, acropoli, harbours or walls.
– Arctic Scavengers: Refugees fight for survival in a post-apocalyptic frozen landscape. Assemble your team wisely to gather resources to build powerful scavenging parties before your opponents do.
– New York Slice: A unique game where everyone shares pizza slices within the same pizza with players competing to fill orders with certain combinations of toppings.
– Rise of Augustus: Players become Augustus (the first Roman Emperor) during the Roman Republic era claiming provinces and attempting to control areas near Rome while accruing more power than the other players.
Include Pros and Cons
Monopoly:
Pros: Allows for lots of players, encourages strategizing, and is customizable. Also provides a long and entertaining game experience.
Cons: Takes up a ton of time and can become repetitive or too competitive if played over and over again.
Risk:
Pros: Offers a very fun strategic gaming experience as players maneuver armies around the board. It also tends to be quick-playing and engaging.
Cons: The game requires a lot of strategy, so it may not appeal to younger players who prefer games with more simple rules. Additionally, it may require several hours in order to complete the game.
Catan:
Pros: Has accessible rules yet remains highly strategic, making it appealing to both casual gamers and experienced players alike. Definitely one of the most popular strategy board games available!
Cons: Can get quite complex after several rounds, making it difficult for new players to pick up quickly; also requires four players to play effectively, making it less ideal for those looking for two-player board games.
Illustrations
Monopoly (1920s): Monopoly is probably one of the first board games that come to most people’s minds when thinking about board games. It was originally created in the 1920s and has since become extremely popular among generations of board gamers. The goal of Monopoly is to be the last player with money and assets, by buying, trading and selling real estate until all other players have gone bankrupt.
Scrabble (1938): Scrabble came out a few years later in 1938 and it requires a combination of luck and skill. Players place letter tiles on squares on a game board to form words with different point values. The goal of Scrabble is to create words with high point values while still blocking your opponent(s) from doing so as well. Many great Scrabble players have devised beyond basic strategies such as prioritizing three-letter words, luring opponents into wasting time spellchecking their own word, or trumpeting a false bingo to distract their opponent away from an even higher-scoring one.
Risk (1959): Developed originally by French filmmaker Albert Lamorisse in 1959, Risk involves players managing armies that compete for control over several territories on the game map. To win at Risk, a player must strategically allocate their troops in order to conquer as many territories as possible without leaving any weak spots for others to easily attack them.
Ticket to Ride (2004): Ticket to Ride was released in 2004 and makes players into railroad entrepreneurs during the age of steam railroads. It plays up fast-paced strategy building across North America using colored train cards that give points for laying train tracks between cities about 100 years ago.
Illustration 1: A diagram showing the board layout of Monopoly can help illustrate its gameplay elements.
Illustration 2: A visual representation of how tiles are used in Scrabble can help readers understand how they play a part in this classic game.
Illustration 3: An illustration of Risk’s game map shows how players move troops around the world while attempting to take control over certain territories.
Illustration 4: A simple illustration depicting train tracks between cities across North America’s vast landscape gives readers an idea of what Ticket To Ride involves.
I love playing all kinds of games – from classics like Monopoly to modern favourites like Ticket to Ride.
I created this blog as a way to share my love of board games with others, and provide information on the latest releases and news in the industry.
