According to current statistics (as of 2018), every German household has an average of five different card or parlor games in the cupboard or drawer. And this in a digital age dominated by consoles and computer games. In fact, board games are becoming increasingly popular again – especially among young people.
And at least since the Corona crisis forced us into domestic isolation, more and more people – whether young or old – fill their free time with game nights and rummage out their “old” board games again. If your collection isn’t complete or you’re looking for a new game, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for in the following collection of timeless board game classics. Do you already have them all? Test yourself.
It’s hard to believe: Monopoly is a real classic because it was invented in 1933 – and is still one of the most popular board games today. The concept is very simple: The players (two to eight can take part) should drive their opponents into financial ruin with the help of play money and build a veritable real estate empire by buying as many streets and real estate as possible. Here you get the game.
This game is also an old classic that appeared on the market in 1914 – and can still be found in millions of households today. The rules of the game are also simple: Two to a maximum of four people have to transport their four characters to their destination one after the other, using only dice. The danger is that your own pieces can be moved back to the beginning by a fellow player. And that’s beyond annoying. Get the game here.
A strategy game that has it all: As the name suggests, the two to six players have to act strategically and diplomatically in order to conquer the virtual world. All you need is the board, a few pawns, cards and dice – and you’re good to go. To fight battles and conduct campaigns, players should be at least ten years old to understand the game idea. Here you get the game.
Another popular board game classic is “The Crazy Labyrinth”, which has been on the market since the mid-1980s: suitable for two to four players, the game is all about the search for mysterious creatures and objects – which exactly, only every player knows for himself. The only way to get through the labyrinth without any hurdles is to use a path map, which you can use to open the route for yourself and block it for others. Here you get the game.
This board game is an anniversary edition: the special thing about it is that this Scrabble is a faithful reproduction of the first edition, which was launched in 1955. It consists of the original letter set with 119 wooden pieces, small wooden benches for laying out the words and a game board that is lined with linen. For all players from the age of ten who like to use their brains, the thinking game is a real treat. Here you get the game.
The XXL version of Tabu works like the classic version, but has been expanded by three components: In addition to the classic guessing of different terms in a certain period of time, the players must – depending on which field they are (four people are at least necessary) – Draw words, describe them with just 15 terms or explain them with the help of a puppet in the form of pantomimes. Here you get the game.
In order to create new roads and villages on the island of Catan, players must trade and build. Only those who earn the necessary raw materials can found new settlements. The board game is suitable for three to four players (ages ten and up) who want to test their negotiating skills. Even if the name of the game is now just Catan, it is a proven classic. Here you get the game.
How well do you know the 2000s? This board game is all about these categories: here and there, art, entertainment, nature and technology, yesterday and today, leisure and sport – divided into 1800 questions on 300 cards. Depending on which color field the player lands on, he has to answer a question from the respective category. If his answer is correct, he may roll again. The aim is to get a knowledge corner for each category. Whoever gets all six together first wins. Get the game here.
As the name suggests, this classic board game is about getting active – which is certainly not wrong in times of domestic isolation due to the Corona crisis. Here terms can be explained with hands and feet, it is drawn or circumscribed, what the stuff holds. The activity can be played with three or more people. In the end, the person or group that has guessed the most terms wins. Here you get the game.
The game consists only of a jigsaw block, a dice cup, five dice and four pencils. Two to a maximum of six players (per hand) can try in turn to roll one of the combination of pairs of eyes specified on the puzzle pad (e.g. a full house, double or a small straight) with three attempts per person and per round. In the end, whoever has the highest total wins. Here you get the game
The game was actually developed for children, but is also very popular with many adults: Different fruits are shown in different numbers on the cards, which are distributed evenly among the players. Each player reveals a card in turn – if one appears with five of the same fruit, the players must hit the bell provided. Whoever succeeds first gets the stack of cards already revealed. The aim is to have the most cards at the end. Here you get the game.
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