Death of the Board Game

Growing up in the 80’s, board games were an essential part of our childhood. We had no TV, and recreational activities included climbing trees in the park, construction games, imagination games such as ‘Travel Agency’, ‘bake nasty cookies‘, or ‘pinch your younger sister‘, and of course, board games.

Some board games were more expensive than others, and we loved to receive them as birthday gifts. There were no video games in those medieval times, so we often spent afternoons and evenings sprawled on the cold floor, arguing over Monopoly money and throwing a fit over suspected cheaters in Clue.

My younger sister used to beat us all at Rummikub when she was all but six years old, but she is now 12 and thoroughly focused on her cell phone ring tones, iPod Nano and instant messaging. Technologically advanced children no longer have time for something as banal as a game played with a piece of cardboard and some plastic spot-markers.

Dear younger generation and future child of mine, here is a simple guide to the favorite board games of my youth. Please do not laugh in my face, oh ye Gurus of Hi-Tech.

Clue: This game was made into a movie, but movies are never as much fun as the real thing. The game involves finding the murderer, murder location and the tool he or she used to commit the crime. It is a process of elimination, and more often then not the culprit will be Colonel Mustard in the Study with the Candlestick. It’s not what you’re thinking, you dirty minded you.
Best played with adopted British accent.

Scrabble: You know that online Yahoo! Game called Literati? Yeah, the one with the letters and timer. Well, it is based on the Hasbro board game of scrabble, which is still quite popular amongst us unfashionable nerds. The rules are more serious than Literati’s, and you actually have to shake the letter bag with your own two hands and calculate points with pen, paper, and brain. I know, what a bummer.