Picture this: It’s a late Friday night and the whole family is seated around the dinner table, card in hand. We’re 2 hours into an intense card match of UNO. My brother slaps down a blue card and shouts, “UNO.”
As laughter ensues, I can’t help but smile and think about just how joyful I feel that I get to spend time with my family. Board games have been one of my favorite ways to make memories with people. Whether it be family, friends, or total strangers, board games are magical. They have the ability to transform relationships and bring people together.
Board games have been a time old family tradition in many households to create fun relationships, and become closer as a family. For years, families have come to play their favorite games at the dinner table. As arguments, debates, laughter, and love ensue, families grow closer.
Yet, it’s as if board games are disappearing from family households. As children begin to turn to online games, endless hours are dedicated to speaking and playing through a screen.
With no real personal connection to others in video games, we’ve lost the idea of board games and the in-person bond it brings. Especially during the holidays, playing games allows families time to come together and create lasting memories, rather than being alone in front of a screen.
So, have board games truly begun to disappear from households?
Board games have been around for longer than most people think. Board games are over thousands of years old, with the oldest known one being called Senet from ancient Egypt from around 3500 B.C. to 3100 B.C.
As board games began to evolve, they included different strategies, philosophies, and tactics for players to learn and develop. Games like Monopoly include much strategy.
Since then have evolved into popular modern-day games like UNO, Sorry, and The Game of Life.
They have become such a popular way for people to connect, reconnect, and just enjoy time with one another.
I’ve noticed, however, that more and more people have begun to turn to video games. Certainly, with the rise of technology and the Internet, video games have become the center of entertainment for many children and families.
There are popular games that many families play like Mario Kart, Wii Sports, and Mario Party.
Yet, it’s as if video games have become the primary source of entertainment, whereas board games have fallen short.
I notice while visiting friends and family that technology has surrounded the entertainment atmosphere.
According to the Entertainment Software Association, in a 2023 report 65% of Americans play video games and that during that year's holiday season, video games and other video game related items were the most requested gift.
It worries me continuously that the leisure time I spend with friends and family has become consumed by video games instead of board games.
What many fail to realize is that video games fall short of providing in-person interaction with friends and family. Instead, people have replaced rolling dice and taking cards, giggling as they watch others around them play for screens and controllers with little to no in-person interactions.
I fear that one day board games will be a thing of the past, as game developers have even replicated online versions of actual board games seen in games such as Mario Party. Mario Party is a classic Nintendo game developed to mimic the idea of a board game. Players choose a character and roll the dice as they travel across the board of their choosing to battle their opponents, compete in mini games, and hopefully come out on top.
It is just one of the many games that game and software developers have created to play like a board game.
While I understand that many video games are created to be family games that the whole family can play together. I don’t think it feels the same compared to playing a board game with family. While games such as Mario Kart and Mario Party were specifically developed to encourage family play together, to me, it doesn’t spark the same fun and thrill that a board game would.
While my worries have consistently grown about the loss of the art of board games, I took a look into just how prominent board games still are.
Surprisingly, board games are still widely played by millions across the globe. In 2022, the board game industry produced $2.93 billion in revenue and the revenue grew nearly 10% each year.
And during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a 20% growth in people playing board games.
So are video games really taking over the love I have for board games?
No!
To my relief, board games are still extremely prevalent and widely played by many. I hope this holiday season, as many go home to visit friends and family, they take some time aside to sit down and play a fun board game.
Some of my personal recommendations for fun games are Connect 4, Qwirkle, The Game of Life, Mancala, and Jenga (bonus if it is the life-sized version).
I guarantee that the time spent with family and friends gathered and seated around the table playing these games will create lasting memories that will be cherished and laughed about for years to come.
Ashley Smith is the assistant editor of The Setonian’s Opinion section. She can be reached at ashley.smith1@student.shu.edu
