In this digital era when individuality and virtual interaction through modern gadgets get preference grouping and real mingling through real games, the traditional board games are of the utmost value for all age groups. The existence of board games, in one form or the other, like chess and checkers can be traced in almost all cultural settings. Although most of the classical board games either faded or slowly fading from the popular memory, there are still many modern versions which can help you add more fun and laughter in your life.
We, humans, have highly evolved cognitive functionalities to lead the life in the desired way. We learn these skills through formal training and socio-environmental cues. One of the best possible ways to learn the fundamentals of social life, family, friendship, fun, love, trust, happiness, competition, struggle, fight, victory, failure is through board games.
Board Game Benefits
It has been scientifically proven that laughter is the best therapy as it induces endorphins resulting in a feeling of happiness. The board game brings people together to entertain through cooperative and competitive play. This helps you in sharing quality time with family, the most missing element in modern life.
Since most of the board game requires some kind of memory to understand rules and play accordingly using probability, permutation, and combination or simple tricks. Playing games helps you enhance skills further.
The engagement that board game creates helps you strengthen your mental capacity resulting in better response mechanism. Let your child play it as they will learn reasoning, logical and critical thinking along with better focus and concentration.
It has been proven through psychological tests that games help in unwinding the hooked memory resulting in stress reduction and rewiring. Some of the research suggests that board games help you lower or maintain blood pressure.
Enter any new cultural setup and you will find a new board game in action. Each game has its own unique set of rules and characteristics. Although a tough task to ignore one at the cost of another, here is the list of most popular board games in the contemporary world.
All-Time Best Board Games
Codenames: The Best Word Game
If you are looking for a highly entertaining and social board game for a party night, then easy to learn and simple to set-up card-based Codenames is for you. The secret agent theme-based game gives you optimum challenge and engagement to guess the identity of codenamed spies. Starting with just two players you can add more players and form two teams and start the game. Since the game is all about giving and receiving clues, you have to choose your words smartly. A higher number of players makes the guesswork challenging making it more fun and entertaining. This easy to learn the game is suitable for 14 plus age group and one round usually takes 15 minutes.
Spontuneous: The Best Party Game
Spontuneous, popular as song game, is a perfect fit for any party atmosphere. Whatever is the party setup, when someone from the playing group starts singing on trigger word all you hear is laughter. The simplicity of the game makes it one of the most popular party board games. The fun begins on the go and continues for hours, with every trigger word. It is best to play in with 4 to 10 people with team formation. The rule of the game is simple; one player says the trigger word and rest all have to sing a song with that word. One who sings first gets to advance along with the board.
Betrayal At House On The Hill: The Best Cooperative Board Game
If you want to have suspense and thrill in your board game yet want to avoid competitive atmosphere, then Betrayal at House on the Hill is the best cooperative game for you and your friends. In this game, to be played by 3 to 6 players, you cooperate with each other to complete a mission to explore the old haunted house on the hill. As the game progresses, the scenario moves and a betrayal phase comes in the end. The suspense of who is going to betray me makes it really fun to play. Since rule could be a bit tricky, so it is more suitable for adults.
Sequence: The Best Strategy Game
If you are looking for sharpening your critical thinking skill, then the most rated Sequence board game is the best fit for you. The combination of board and card game in the game-play helps you test your strategy skill in a competitive atmosphere. You can play this board game with two people and the resources at hand are a folded game board, sequencing playing cards, 135 chips and of course the rule. The game board has spaces for every playing card, in your turn you have to put down cards from hand and create rows, column, and diagonals of five connected checkers. As the name suggests, it is all about smart sequencing strategy to not just play but block also so that you could win.
What Do You Meme? Party Game: Best Card Game
If you are looking for a party card game, then all new fun-packed “What Do You Meme? Party Game” is for you, your family and friends. The engaging nature of the games helps you maintain the momentum for hours with a burst of delight. You have 435 cards comprising 75 photo and 360 caption cards and game rules to start the game.
The rule of the game that you have to match the seven caption card you get to a chosen meme. The rotating judge will pick the best meme and s/he wins the round. This game is definitely not for kids.
Smart Ass: The Best Fast-Paced Game
Your search for laughter cracker fast-paced board game for a party or home set-up ends at “Smart Ass”. You won’t have to wait for your turn in this board game as it is open for everyone to tell to answer on the announcement of the clue.
You will have a game board, six playing pieces, and stands, 411 question cards, two jumbo dice and instructions in the game pack. You can start the game even with your friend and add up to 6 in total. You can play with two to six people. All you have to do is be quick and vociferous in your answering.
7 Wonders: Duel
With all the fun of the popular 7 Wonders board game, the new “7 Wonder: Duel” has been designed for two-player. This game gives you all the thrill leadership, strategy and resources use with the charm of the ancient world. The dream is building a civilization with challenges of resources, safety, infrastructure, speed and ultimately the chance.
Scrabble: The Best Classic Game
One of the most favorite board games from the list of classics. It is a kind of age-neutral game with very high learning quotient. When knowledge is rewarded, the passion to learn more rises. Scrabble has all the elements in it to be a household board game.
You start with the game board, four tile racks, 100 wooden letter tiles, drawstring letter bag in your hand. Each of the players will draw letter tiles randomly, and then take turns building words on the game board. Word length and letter difficulty help you score higher.
Ravensburger Labyrinth: The Best for Family Game Night
If you are looking for a family game to engage everyone from all age groups, then Ravensburger Labyrinth is best for you. This is a strategy-based board game to keep everyone engaged and entertained. As a participant player, you will hunt for treasure in the fantasy maze and other players will shift paths and walls to create a blockage in your path. You start the game with playing board, 24 treasure cards, 4 playing pieces and 34 maze cards.
You can enjoy the game with total player players. Since it is easy to learn and challenge level is standard, it is a perfect board game for the family.
There is no dearth of board games. Whatever is your mood, taste, temperament, learning needs, you have options to pick. But the unfortunate reality of modern society is the individuality and lack of time for realism. Might be a technology induces phase of transition, but for a healthy lifestyle, it is absolutely necessary to find the balance between tech and real. How to do that? The answers might differ and there cannot be universal applicability of any solution, but the most basic solution would be to give more importance to social learning.
Whatever is your inclination and passion, you can always find someone in family or friends who could come and play with you. The board in, the board game is the bonding factor from where fun and happiness erupts. This fun, laughter, happiness, hug, love, some friction, the competition will make you a better human being. Ultimately, it is just a game which ends in due time, but the emotions you carry for a lifetime.
See this Huffpos article on how to become a better human being.
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