The coronavirus pandemic forced society to shut down in March of 2020. When the pandemic forced people to stay at home, many people enjoyed the reprieve from work and school. However, a lot of people started to grow leery of being indoors within the first 2 weeks. The problem with staying at home all the time is that people didn’t know what to do after a while. They get bored quickly. This is one reason why they rebelled against quarantining and stay at home orders.
In December of 2020 and COVID-19 crisis continues to rage on. Many people across the nation are being strongly encouraged to stay at home again. This time around, people are figuring out new ways to deal with this situation. One way they have done this is by turning to board and card games. These old forms of entertainment are making a comeback during the pandemic era. We’ll now take a quick look at board and card games to learn and play in 2021. These games are expected to become a normal part of life in 2021 and beyond.
A Quick Word about the Pandemic’s Affect on Board and Card Games
Video games have been the dominating form of entertainment for many years. This trend first started in the late 1970s and continues today. However, by March of 2020; video game play has been slowly declining. The COVID-19 epidemic forced people to stop being sociable.
While people primarily played video games by themselves; they could still go out and meet other people. They also had the opportunity to gather with others as well. So, it wasn’t that much of a problem to play solitary video games.
People who had to quarantine and stay home for months tired of playing games alone. Keep in mind that not every household has a large family unit. At least 37.5 million Americans (around 28% of the population) live by themselves. During the stay at home orders, many of these individuals had limited or no social contact.
Families with children had social contact but most of the activities had to be centered around kids. The parents in the home have to rely on each other for socialization. At this point, people realized they needed to do something to maintain socialization. One thing they started to do was play board and card games again. People who lived alone and families started to connect with their relatives and friends to bring back this form of entertainment. One option is to do so on a site like new-casinos.ca, but let’s dive into other types of game as well.
Classic Board Games that People Still Play that Never went Away
There are some board games that never died off. They somehow managed to survive the past 40 years of the video game revolution. These games are traditional pastimes that have been around since the early 1900s. Here is a quick list of these games:
- Monopoly – this game never died and there are over 20 versions of this game. These versions include Star Wars Monopoly, Pokemon Monopoly, and you can purchase a NCAA football team version of this game. The Michigan Wolverines have their own version. However, the classic version remains the most popular and is the best. Still, Monopoly is the number one board game of the modern era. People will have one set of this game in their home. Also, they don’t get tired of playing it – no matter how long it takes to win.
- Sorry – this game is a huge hit in schools, daycares, and rec centers across the country. Kids from each generation grow up playing this game and they love competing. This game entertains them and helps them to connect with other kids socially. Many adults can use this game to play with their kids when they spend more time in the house.
- Candyland – was created in the 1940s. This game is for young kids, but it is a time honored game that many American people (young and old) are fond of. This game is great for families that have younger children to keep entertained.
- Chutes and Ladders – This game is similar to Candyland, but it has a different design in terms of how children advance through the board. This game is also for younger audiences between the ages of 4 – 7.
- Connect 4 – this is another highly rated board game that has been around since 1974. This game is easy to play and it moves fast. Adults and children alike will get a kick out this game.
- Jenga – Jenga is family favorite because it simply involves stacking blocks until somebody knocks it over. Jenga is a 20th century leftover that still has an audience today.
- Clue – Clue is a mystery board game that keeps players guessing about who is guilty of a crime. This game has been around for a while and it is more adult orientated.
- Operation – this is simple board game where players have to perform surgery. They must remove parts from a character’s body without causing a buzzer to go off. This game is for young and old alike.
- The Game of Life – Life has been around since 1960. One of the reasons why this game has stayed around throughout the years is because it is a relatable game. The game is based off of real life situations. People have to figure out if they want to raise a family, how to take care of them, and what to do for a career. This game is very enduring and it is primarily for teens and adults.
- Risk – this is a board game version of a Real Time Strategy (RTS) game. Players have to march their armies across the world to eliminate rival armies. This game requires cunning military knowledge and having the ruthlessness to become a world conqueror.
- Scrabble – Scrabble is a game for people that love words. It is an interesting game that will keep a person’s mind constantly working. This game can help young kids to build their vocabulary and it can help older adults to improve their overall word knowledge. Scrabble is a game for adults, but teens and kids will enjoy it as well.
- Jumanji – was originally a book, that was turned into a movie, before becoming a board game. There is even a video game version. However, the board game has been around since the mid 1990s and it has some moderate success. The new Jumanji movies have helped to keep this game relevant today.
- Guess Who – this is a board game that is similar to Go Fish. However, players are matching characters, and it is more suited for younger audiences.
- Battleship – is a strategy game where players have to sink their opponent’s fleet before they sink them. This game is fun, and it requires skill and a good memory to win.
- Twister – this is a game for people of all ages. However, it is best suited for people who are comfortable being around each other. Couples should have a good time playing this game together.
Other games such as Parcheesi, Trouble, and Boggle are also classical favorites as well. These are classic board games that continue to entertain people today. They have never gone out of style though their popularity has waned. Still, in 2021 and beyond they will be making a comeback during the current and post-pandemic era.
Ancient Board Games that have Survived the Test of Time
Ancient board games that have been around for thousands of years will never die. These games were created thousands of years ago (in one form or another) and remain with us today. People also continue to play these games and will do so during and after the pandemic.
Chess – this is the world’s oldest most time enduring game. This game is arguably the greatest game of all time. Modern computer strategy games are designed on chess principles. Also, the game influences other genres of games. Chess is truly a game that will never go out of style and no two matches are exactly alike.
Checkers – checkers is a strategy board game, but it hasn’t been around as long as chess. Think of checkers as Chess’s little brother. This game has a different set of rules and is less complex than chess. Still, this game is entertaining and fun. It will help people to pass the time.
Backgammon – was created in the Middle East. The game has been around for many years and it is a classic game that continues to draw new players from each generation.
Mancala – this marble like board game has been a favorite in Eastern Africa for millennia. Players have to move their pieces through a grooved board to defeat their opponents. While it might not be a favorite American game; it provides enough diversity, entertainment, and challenge to keep people busy.
Othello (Board Game) – this classic game requires players to change their opponent’s tiles unit to their color. Once they have made all their opponent’s tiles their color, they win. This game has some moderate success, and it will provide something different from the games that most people play.
Tic-Tack-Toe – this game probably shouldn’t be mentioned. However, it is a classic game that should be honored. It can be played on a regular sheet of paper and a pencil. It is a good game for younger children. However, older adults will not find it entertaining because they will know how to keep people from winning.
Dominoes – is an ancient game that evolved from China and Italy. This game requires players to use their tiles to score the most points. It is a favorite for many people, and it is sometimes referred to as “bones”.
Contemporary Board Games for the Pandemic Era
Contemporary board games are more complex than their classic and ancient counterparts. These games require more time to play but they are engrossing, and they do keep people entertained. Let’s check out what they are.
CATAN – this is the biggest selling board game of the modern era. With over 80 million sales (and counting) CATAN has become a standard part of the modern board gaming world. This is a strategy-based game where players build settlements and trade resources until somebody wins. While it might seem boring many players find the game play stimulating and hard to turn away. It is recommended for teens and adults.
Pandemic – While we’re living in a pandemic, that doesn’t mean that people want to play a game that has this theme. Still, Pandemic is a modern board game that allows players to find solutions to stop the pandemic from wiping out life in regions of the world. The twist to this game is that everybody has to work together to stop the pandemic – otherwise they all lose. Maybe we should all take a lesson from this game in cooperating with others to defeat the pandemic today.
Betrayal at House Hill – this board game brings horror movie fiction into real life. We’ll, the horror is not real, but it certainly will feel that way once people start to play. This is a game to keep people in suspense and thinking about the best way to survive.
Gloomhaven – this is a tactical game where players take on adventures in a fantasy world.
Scythe – is a strategy board game where players compete to dominate the board.
Other popular board games include Codenames, Tickets to Ride, Pinch and Pass, Blockbuster (yes there is a board game based off the old popular video rental franchise), and the Disney villain inspired board game called villainous. These games might not be for children, but many adults find them to be entertaining and fun today.
Card Games in 2021 and Beyond
Card games are an ancient form of recreation that have been around for a very long time. Card games are popular in casinos, but many households don’t play them like they did from the 1970s to the late 1990s. Many classic card games are still thriving in casinos as a popular form of entertainment. For example, check out the available netent games in 2021 to get an idea.
Here are some popular card based games that are still popular today.
Classic Card Games – these games require a standard deck of cards. The games include Poker, Blackjack, Go Fish, Gin Rummy, Crazy 8, Hearts, War, and Solitary. All of these card games time honored and will be played during the pandemic.
Uno – this is a classic card game that has been around for some time. It provides alternate fun for people who like to play cards. It is also a kid friendly game.
Bingo – Bingo is a cross between a board game and a card game. While traditional Bingo requires cards and chips, there are some versions that use cards. This is another popular game that can be used to entertain families who have to stay at home.
All of these board games can be purchased online or from a retail outlet. Many of the older games can be brought from thrift stores or found at garage sales. Many people might have these games lying around in their home in some box from when they use to play them in the past. Remember, board games help people to be more social. People are also playing board games against each other over Zoom like or video chatting connections. The links listed below will help you to find some of the board games that were mentioned in this article.