When I was ten, I couldn’t stand board games. This was largely because I wasn’t very good at them; it was also because they were, well, a bit boring. Games like Monopoly or Cluedo took far to long to play – you seemed to spend the whole time rolling the dice and moving slowly around the board (where else than Cluedo does it take twenty minutes to get from the bedroom to the kitchen?). They also looked really old fashioned – some of them hadn’t changed their designs since the early 1960s. Back when I was in Year 5 (yes, I know that’s before Mr Williams was born) I would much rather play football, draw a picture or play Subbuteo (google it kids!) than face up to an evening of board games.
I’ve been thinking about board games recently because, like everyone, I’m having to spend a bit more time indoors with my children. The thing is, now I’m forty three, I love board games. This is mostly because board games have got better. If you’d asked ten-year-old me to make a prediction, I would’ve said that by 2020 board games would’ve been killed off by computer games – we’d be too busy assassinating space zombies in 3D on our Playstation 9’s to waste time with bits of cardboard (mind you, I’d also have said that we’d all have our own personal lightsabres and be travelling to school on hoverboards, so maybe I wasn’t the best of forecasters). Instead, computer games have forced board games to be more creative and unusual, and they now involve a lot more than rolling a dice and sliding down a snake. I play games where I have to pilot a spaceship (Galaxy Truckers), build an empire (Settlers of Catan) and lead a medieval army into battle (chess). And yes, I’m still not very good at them, but that gets (slightly) easier to take with age.
So although I’m missing some of the outdoor events I’m used to (particularly the sports), I’m enjoying the chance to play a few more games.
In the comments, it would be great if you could share the board games that you enjoy playing.
I totally agree Mr west i prefer playing x box to something like snakes and ladders or jenga
I think you agree with 10 year old me not 43 year old me!
i really loved reading this i personally love cluedo but i know what you mean.
New-style Cluedo is much better (and the characters have slightly less old-fashioned names).
MY FAVOURITE BOARD GAME IS TRIVAL PERSUIT FAMILY EDITION
I love this game too, though some of the questions on American TV are a bit tricky.
I love board games to.
there is no such thing as a ps9
I love that you think I didn’t know this – I’m 43, not 103!
i replyed to my own coment
I enjoy playing monopoly!
Do you know the secret to winning at Monopoly?
No.
What is it?
Mortgage your property! Flip the cards over and get half their value, then use that to buy more property.
But cludo is really fun
I think they’ve made Cluedo a bit quicker now – I played it last week and it definitely doesn’t take as long to get between rooms.
ive never really played cluedo before
i dont really like playing board games but i like some board games.
What’s your favourite board game Hayden?
my favourite game is cludo and frustration
Cluedo is really satisfying when you get it right.
There is no ps9.
Look what I said to Tom!
have yo played the game of life?
My wife loves this game!
no i havent YET
i like SNAKES AND LADERS (mostly because its the only bordgame i play)
I’ve found out lots of new board games such as Galaxy Truckers and Settlers of Catan .
trivial pursuit is eeeeeasy
Only if you know the answers!
yes monopoly is very boring and long
I love boardgames,and I have played ‘settlers of catan’ too.But if you haven’t played it, try ‘risk’ where you have to conqour the world with your troops.
Risk is a fantastic game – my son’s beaten me the last five times we play; he just goes on all out attack from the start and I totally fail to deal with it. Do you have any tips on how I can do better?
Mr West,i do agree with you and i’m not a huge fan of board games and more of a sporty person .Although i do quite like chess but agree with you overall.
Chess is a great game – you have to do a lot of really serious thinking in it!
my favourite game is catchphrase
Does bord games make you bord while you teacher? And do you want to talk about my games?
I would love to know what your favourite board game – I know you like Exploding Kittens.
My favorite bord game is table football
I love table football! I used to work at an office where they had their own table and you could play it at lunchtime. I wonder if Mrs Utting would buy one for the Burlington staff room…
yeah i prefer minecraft than snakes and ladders as well!
I agree with you Mr West- old fashioned games can be tedious however I quite like Trivial Pursuit and that was made before 2000!
I like snake and ladders and football.
I like playing chess/battle on a board and checcers vs an (AI) which is very hard and annoying (Because i put it on hard mode on my step dads ipad pro) hope you read this :]
The chess AI’s now are really, really good!
my favourite game is harry potter trivial persuit
My kids beat me at this every time…
playing cludeo games are better than computer games becase they help you to learn the game rules and learning of how to play it!
Good point Taeho! What’s your favourite board game?
exploding kittens is the best game ever!!!!!
I really like it, but it’s quite stressful when you get down to the last few cards!
but my favourite board game would be harry potter trivial pursuit because im really good at it
I think you’d definitely beat me at this – I just can’t remember the names of all the spells.
No
What is it?
Mortage your property!
i also like catchphrase on the tv or the game
Now that’s a classic game (mind you, it’s also very frustrating).
they should make sea pickle trivial pursuit
I’m not sure they’d sell many copies…
My favorite game is snakes and ladders.
It’s quite fun, but it can be a bit frustrating.
yea they are but not as smart as us humans because we still havnt fully evolved into brainus maximous we still have so many chess combinations to learn and try and make:]
It’s amazing to think the best computers are already way quicker and (in some ways) cleverer than humans.
I do not like it when you fall down a snake
I don’t like bored games but I like playing cards.
My favourite card game is rummy, because it involves a tiny bit of thinking as well as luck.
I disagree 10 year old Mr West. I really like monopoly because I win a lot but also it is very fun.
What’s your secret to winning?