For ages, board games have inspired friends and families to put their lives on hold for a short bit of time, loosen up, have some fun, and maybe even do some bonding and get closer. Board games have developed over the years from basic designs and simple, easy to follow rules into more intricate boards, detailed rules and complex strategies. Some games have even incorporated technology into their format using automated voices, robotic opponents and more. The development of board games over the years is fascinating and very reflective of computers' influence on everyday life. Despite the high tech options, certain vintage board games will always hold a spot in American culture and tradition. Though they have gone through changes to keep them current and in demand, some of the best vintage board games that are still played today remain largely unchanged. The old adage "if it's not broke, don't fix it" applies perfectly and these classic favorites still inspire a healthy competitive spirit.
The single most commercially successful board game in the history of America is Monopoly. You would be hard pressed to try and find someone who hasn't at least attempted to play the game at some point in their life. According to Hasbro's fun fact page on their website, over four hundred and eighty five million people play Monopoly regularly. The 1999 Guinness Book of Records lists Monopoly as having five hundred million people that have played at least once while the seventieth anniversary booklet that was sold with the game cites seven hundred and fifty million people playing at least once. That's a lot of people fighting over who gets to be the thimble! The game's logo and mascot are recognized worldwide, a short man wearing a monocle and top hat and sporting a white moustache and cane. The concept of Monopoly is fairly simple. Try to have the most money by dominating the market by buying all the properties and charging other players when the roll of the die lands them on anything you own. Originally patented in 1935, Parker Brothers and Hasbro have released collectors' editions, themed versions, tributes to movies and classic characters, and anniversary editions. While names, characters, and properties have varied slightly over the decades, the basic concept of Monopoly is identical to the day when the first game was sold. Monopoly is a vintage game that has remained current and truly holds dominance over all other board games.
Another classic vintage board game that has remained a current favorite is Scrabble. In this game, up to four players rack up their scores by combining the lettered tiles they have been dealt with letters already on the board to form words. The bigger the word, along with the location on the board determines the score and more points are dished out when the player runs out of tiles first. History.com states that Scrabble comes in nearly thirty languages in over one hundred and twenty countries. Hasbro and Mattel, the two companies with a trademark to Scrabble claims to have sold one hundred and fifty million boxes of Scrabble, ranking it highly on the list of most popular board games. Scrabble was invented in 1938 and manufacturing began in 1948. Much like Monopoly, deluxe, anniversary, and even large print editions of the game have been sold since its creation, but very little has ever been done to change the game's structure.
These are just two examples of the dozens of vintage board games that have become a part of American culture. What separates these two from the pack is their longevity. A long cry from a game that lost popularity as quickly as it burst on to the scene, both Scrabble and Monopoly are vintage board games that most likely aren't going anywhere for a long time and will be sitting on closet shelves and coffee tables across the world for years to come.
