We all love to play tabletop games but what are some of the classics around the world? The following are ten of the all-time classics, and we’ll show how some of them have been brought to a new audience through the latest technology.
Monopoly
This is part of the economics genre of board games, and its history goes back to the start of the 20th century, when The Landlord’s Game was invented by Lizzie Magie. Since being published by Parker Brothers in the 1930s, it has become a global sensation, with an estimated 250 million games being sold. Recent innovations include online and mobile versions of Monopoly, giving the option of solo play for the first time.
Scrabble
Another game with a long and fascinating history, Scrabble is a word creation game and it’s so popular that it is thought that half of all British homes have a set in them. It has been around for almost a century and players love it so much that thousands of Scrabble clubs have sprung up all over the world, including internet Scrabble communities where players meet and play against each other.
Chess
This strategy game has been traced back to at least the 7th century, although it underwent major changes when it arrived in Europe in the 15th century. One of the most interesting developments in the last few decades has been the introduction of computers that are good enough to beat even the most experienced human players.
Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the UK casino table games that can be played online, alongside roulette, baccarat, and others. While the original game is famous worldwide, different versions, such as European Blackjack, 21 Burn Blackjack, and Pirate 21 Blackjack, can be played online. It can be played in online casinos for free or with real money, and there are guides and explanations if you wish to understand the game better.
Settlers of Catan
Described as a strategy and negotiation board game, Catan is about building settlements and gathering resources to use. Its huge success has seen a variety of spin-offs released, while a holographic game using augmented reality is to be released in 2023 under the name of Catan- Tilt Five AR. The Catan Universe isn’t one of the top ten most downloaded apps of all time but has more than a million downloads on the Play Store.
Table Tennis
Not all tabletop games involve boards and strategies, as we can see with this fast and thrilling sport. Table tennis has been governed by the International Table Tennis Federation since the 1920s and has been an Olympic sport since 1988. Virtual table tennis smartphone apps are available, while it can even be played in the metaverse using virtual reality (VR) technology.
Dungeons and Dragons
The leader in the fantasy role-playing genre, Dungeons & Dragons was released in 1974 and remains the most popular tabletop game of this type despite inspiring many imitations. This is another of the classic table-top games to have moved into the VR age thanks to the upcoming release of Dungeon Full Dive in 2023 following a successful Kickstarter campaign.
Backgammon
One of the oldest games still to be enjoyed in modern times, Backgammon was first played at least 5,000 years ago in places like Persia and Mesopotamia. However, it underwent some major changes when it reached Western Europe more recently. This is a strategy game but it also includes elements of luck in it, and the relative simplicity of the game layout means that it has been transformed into a mobile and online game for players to enjoy at any time.
Risk
This is another strategy board game, and it has proven to be extremely popular thanks to the way that it mixes the need for diplomacy with the idea of entering into conflicts and conquering other people’s territories. The board game can take several days to complete, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming one of the most-sold tabletop games of all time since its release in the 1950s, while its massive popularity has led to numerous online and mobile versions being created.
Battleship
This strategy game involves guessing the position of various enemy ships, and it has been popular since starting as a paper-based game around the time of World War I. Electronic and online versions have been around for a long time, but more recent innovations have seen AR used to produce a holographic game of Battleship.
The classic versions of these games seem certain to remain hugely popular, but the use of cutting-edge technology to update them will ensure that they also appeal to a new generation of players.