A Board State of Mind
It was the summer of 1976; the East and West forces were in day four of a military siege that appeared to see no end in sight. Hunkered down in northern Alaska, the daring but impetuous leader of the Western forces rolled the dice to invade Kamchatka. A backdoor foothold in the East could provide the needed momentum to turn the tide of this epic battle. Early the next day, however, scouts reported Morse code messages sent from a spy within the camp.
A little-known Cold War battle? No, this was my brother and his friend Steve playing yet another marathon session of the board game Risk, one that would last another four days, thanks to flashlight Morse code messages being sent to Steve from his neighbor’s house (the girl had a crush), revealing my brother’s plan. Other than Pinochle, the summer of 1976 belonged to the game of Risk.
As we approach yet another languid summer, the question thus comes to mind: what to do with all that free time? Well, surprisingly, board games are still a popular activity. In fact, according to some industry reports, approximately 57 percent of households own 1-25 board or card games, with as much as 22 percent of gamers willing to spend over $1000 annually. The global board game market is estimated to reach $12 billion this year, up from $7.2 billion in 2017. And gamers tend to support community businesses; one survey indicated a whopping 88 percent of purchases were made locally.
Perhaps because of the pandemic, perhaps because of expendable time available, or perhaps because people are seeking alternatives to online activities, 82 percent of GenZ’rs (9-24-year-olds) find board games enjoyable. Board games are still popular with preceding generations too, with 78-79 percent of Millenials, GenX’rs, and Baby Boomers partaking, and 67 percent of the Silent Generation engaging in board games. Forty percent of board games are played at home, with 43 percent of gamers playing several times a week.
Board games are divided into as many as 17 different categories. Strategy games, like chess or checkers, do not involve randomness, such as those that may involve dice. Area control games, like Risk, require players to gain more territory or assets. Conversely, cooperative games, such as Pandemic, rely on team-building skills to be successful. Games like Jenga would be considered dexterity games, where physical skill determines who will win. Finally, Roll-and-Move games, such as Clue and Monopoly mix randomness—the roll of the dice—with decision-making skills once you complete a move.
Playing board games offers an array of skill development or reinforcement throughout one’s lifetime. The very young learn to identify colors, count spaces, and develop hand-eye coordination in moving pieces around the board. In addition, lessons in rule-following and waiting one’s turn are introduced and reinforced. Older children can learn planning, organizing, and decision-making skills, as well as boost teamwork and develop an understanding of what a “good loser” means. Additionally, board games can be used as a time-out from digital platforms and a means to decompress from stressful situations for all ages. Finally, board games for older adults have been shown to improve memory and act as a conduit for social interaction.
Some who are reading this may scoff, thinking, “Well, that’s all well and good, but it is not Fortnite.” Consider this: Fortnite is an online, interactive gaming trilogy where players (depending on version) fight to the death or alternatively cooperate in teams to ward off an external enemy, creating worlds or building arenas along the way.
Before there was online gaming or video games, there was Dungeons and Dragons (circa 1974), a dice board game that allowed each player to create their own character who would embark upon adventures within a fantasy setting. A Dungeon Master (DM) served as the game’s referee and storyteller, while maintaining the setting in which the adventures occurred.
Before DnD, there was Age of Mythology, first developed in the 1800s, consisting of a deck of 77 cards, in which players tried to complete a mythological book by collecting those cards corresponding to a particular mythological story. The player with the most books won.
And before that, in 3000 BC, there was the ancient Egyptian boardgame of Senet, a two-person game where the winners were thought to be blessed by the gods Ra, Thoth, and Osiris.
Our current games of fantasy and survival are not new but have their roots in ancient civilizations. So the next time the power goes out or the online activities need to be curtailed or you just need to see who is going to take out the garbage, think of playing a board game. Just be careful of blinking lights between houses. ▼
Sharon A. Morgan is a retired advanced practice nurse with over 30 years of clinical and healthcare policy background.