Nothing But Board Games

Here are some fun and intriguing board games that were hits in the 80s to play with family and friends at your next game night by Laurabeth McCabe

Board games are a great way to have fun while spending time with your family and friends. Each person’s strategy for playing is different, allowing for the game to be played in multiple different ways while still adhering to the rules and objectives of the game. Some board games have been played for generations while others have just come out. As the 80s Fashion website states, ¨While video games became popular during the 1980s, board games actually ruled in many households back then.¨

Trivial Pursuit was first revealed in 1981 and was designed by Chris Haney and Scott Abbott. When playing Trivial Pursuit, anywhere from two to four players can play at one given time. Each player will keep picking up cards and will stop when they answer a question incorrectly. Cards picked up will range in difficulty. The end goal of Trivial Pursuit is to collect all six colored wedges by answering all trivia cards picked up correctly. As the Bar Games website states, ¨Trivial Pursuit is one of the few games that really makes general knowledge questions fun! The game is essentially a race between players. And there is a lot of room for strategy as well.¨

Scrabble is a board game that can be played by two to four people involving a lot of critical thinking skills. Words spelled will gain the player points and the person with the most points at the end of the game wins. As the 80´s Fashion website states, “This was a 1980s staple game though it was invented in 1938. People still play it to this day, either as a board game or a computer game. Back in the 1980s, it even became a daytime game show.”

Snakes and Ladders is a board game that originated in India. As the 80´s Fashion website states,¨ For many young kids, it wasn’t Trivial Pursuit or Monopoly which started their love of board games. Instead, it was this very simple game that required mostly luck to win. The roll of the dice determined if you won or loss.¨ A total of two or more players is needed in order to play. In order to win, the player must successfully reach the 100 tile.

Clue was first introduced in 1949 by Parker Brothers. The game can be played by three to six people. The end goal of the game is to solve the murder by investigating six suspects and determining the weapons used out of six possible. As the 80´s Fashion website states,¨This was a murder mystery game that fostered many kids’ aspirations to be detectives when they grow up.¨

Hungry Hungry Hippos was introduced in 1978 by Fred Kroll. As the 80´s Fashion website states,¨When it came to fun in the 1980s, Hungry Hungry Hippos had you covered! This was a 1980s fad game that fascinated many young players at the time, and it didn’t need skill or strategy.¨ This game can be played by two to four people. The game has a total of 20 marbles that each hippo tries to eat by pressing a lever. The goal of the game is to eat the most marbles in order to win.

Alyssa Hellmann, a senior, states that she has played Trivial Pursuit, Boggle, Clue, Snakes and Ladders, Hungry Hungry Hippos, and Scrabble. One challenge Alyssa expressed she faces when playing board games is not yelling when she loses, and winning the board game is what gets her most excited. Alyssa´s strategy when playing board games is to read the peoples faces around her to see what they are doing. The environment Alyssa likes to play board games in is around family.

Aleena Owens, a senior, states that she has played Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble. One challenge Alenna expresses she faces when playing board games is coming up with a strategy, and what gets her most excited is typically the themes. Alenna’s strategy depends on the win criteria for the game, but typically will play a few rounds, and then she will decide what to focus on. The environment Aleena likes to play in is in a large setting with more than four people.

Jazmyn Whittingham, a senior, states that she has played Scrabble and Clue. One challenge Jazmyn said she faces when playing board games is using strategy and thinking quickly on her feet, what gets her most excited is winning and the competitive feel. Jazmyn’s strategy depends on the board game, but usually makes her moves based off of the other person.The environment Jazmyn likes to play in is at a party with friends or any comfortable, familiar, and fun environment.

Victoria Parage-Riboul, a senior, states that she has played Clue, Snakes and Ladders, Hungry Hungry Hippos, and Scrabble. One challenge Victoria expressed she faces when playing board games is getting too competitive, but what gets her most excited is the challenge of playing board games. Victoria’s strategy depends on the board game. Victoria typically plays board games at home or at friends’ houses.