Brief History Of Board Games And Its Influence

How does the picture of pharaoh’s, 2000 years ago, sitting in their chamber, and playing a board game sound to you? Quite amazing, right! Moreover, you though board games are a recent innovation. Board games have been in circulation for the last 4000 years amongst the major civilizations of the world, albeit in different forms.

Our ancestors felt that board games actually helped in developing the literacy skill of the people. Children and adults alike, they were resplendent about board games. Some of the traditional board games of whose we know their modern names are Tabula (1st century AD, now known as Backgammon), Droughts (3000 BC, now known as Checkers), Mah Jong (4000 years ago), and Chaturanga (4000 years ago, now known as Chess).

If you still find it unbelievable, you cannot refute the archaeological evidence unearthed in ancient Egypt, dating back around 3500 BC. Similarly, the American board game Patolli has its origins in the Mayan civilizations.

Traditional board games were prevalent in all major traditions and customs around the world. Therefore, it is not surprising that play puzzle games have gleefully found place in the 21st century. Its influence has been historical, transcending thousands of years.

These days gaming consoles are a passe, it is the age of online games. Board online games are seen in thousands in equally large number of gaming portals. Some come for free and some other are paid games. One can easily download the games and play offline too. Play board games now in either single or multiplayer versions. You play against the computer in single version and you play against other competitors in the multiplayer version, which is online.

Board games are roughly divided into two categories:

- Strategy Games: Also known as Dice Games, strategy games require shrewd thinking and clever movement of board chips. The rolling of the dice makes or breaks the game. If the opponent outwits you, you are sent to the starting place once again. The game conducts with two dices to attain variation of numbers.

- Race Games: It is an easier and uncomplicated version of strategy games. The player moves forward the chips according to the total number shown by the dice. The player reaching the finishing point first wins the game. Strategy games take longer time than race games.

There is no shortage of online board games. Once you find a good gaming portal, you can spend hours churning your mind and getting entertained. If online games do not suit you yet, opt for traditional board games easily available in the markets like Monopoly, Jeopardy, or Cranium.