Many things have vanished into the mists of time. This is certainly not the case with board games. On the contrary, many of them, thousands of years old, are still played today, more or less keeping the original rules. What’s their secret? Read to the end and find it out!
1. The Royal Game of Ur – one of the oldest board games in the world
Many scientists consider the Game of Ur the oldest board game in the world. They’re pretty much right when you consider that it’s about 5000 years old! It was discovered by British archaeologist Leonard Woolley around 1923 while excavating the Royal tombs in the ancient city of Basrah, in southern Iraq.
It was determined that this board game was played for the first time in ancient Mesopotamia during the early third millennium BC. But it was also very popular in regions further away from the place of birth like Crete and Sri Lanka.
The researchers also discovered a cuneiform writing tablet dating back to the 2nd century BC that helped them to decrypt the rules of the game. This fascinating game is considered to be the direct ancestor of backgammon. In the basic game, each player had 7 pawns and used dice in pyramid shapes. There were several versions of the game, which have evolved to today’s versions.
The secret? It’s fun, entertaining, and has simple rules that are easy to learn from children to seniors. You can play it anywhere and anytime: at home, with family, and at a barbecue with your friends, or on the terrace during a summer holiday.
Are you ready to try a modern version of the Royal Game of Ur and go back in time about 5,000 years? Here is a nowadays version, based on the original Game of Ur. You will love it as it stimulates your strategic thinking, your competitive spirit and provides you with a healthy dose of fun. Enjoy it!
2. Pachisi – an ancient Indian board game
Acest joc este cunoscut și sub numele de „douăzeci și cinci”, care este cel mai mare scor pe care This game is also known as twenty-five, which is the highest score you could throw into the game. Initially, the game did not use dice, but shells, 6 or 7. The players threw these shells, and the score was calculated according to the position in which they fell.
Like many other board games, Pachisi has inspired royal figures. The Mongol Emperor, Akbar played in a very unusual way: he used sixteen slave girls from his harem as pawns. It is said that the emperor was so keen on this game that he had a natural board created in the gardens of each of his palaces.
This board game was patented by the English people in 1896 under the name of Ludo. Nowadays it is played in many countries under various names and variations. If you take into account the versatility it has shown over the centuries, as well as the amazing amount of fun this game has offered for so many years, you have discovered the secret of its longevity.
We have also designed a modern version called Go, Go, Bro that focuses more on player interaction. It can be played by adults with children, stimulates concentration, develops the spirit of competition, and at the same time teaches children to accept failure with a smile. Give it a shot; you won’t be disappointed!
3. Chess: trains the brain for centuries
Numerous archaeological discoveries of chess pieces, as well as wall paintings with game scenes, attest the existence of chess since ancient times. There are several versions about the origin of this marvelous game, but the most common consider India, Persia, and China as the country of origin.
During the Middle Ages, the nobility considered chess an elite game, while the church disapproved of it for centuries. Chess has not only inspired challenging minds, but also famous painters who have captured in their canvases game scenes from various historical periods. Chess has thus stood the test of time and continues to engage the minds of people of all ages and cultures.
What is its secret? It is an amazing challenge to the human mind, helping it to expand, see solutions when everything seems impossible, develop strategies and follow rules. Some even say it makes players smarter…
4. Fox & Geese: an inspirational strategy board game
Fox & Geese dates back to the Middle Ages, in Britain. It is a strategy game for 2 players. The fox tries to eliminate the geese, and the geese try to catch the fox. This game was extremely popular with the Royal British family. Seems like Queen Victoria was a huge fan of the game.
In the nineteenth century, was the inspiration for several military strategy games. The number of geese increased from 13 to 15, 16, 17, and even 22 in some variants.
In our collection, you will find a modern version of the Fox and Geese board game with 18 white geese and one sly fox ready to catch them all. The game has simple rules but countless tactical possibilities. If you are keen on both historical and strategic board games, this fascinating variant will meet your demands.
It’s highly engaging, interactive, and encourages healthy socializing. The players’ minds are trained to create strategies and find solutions even when it seems impossible to escape from the most unusual situations. You reveal another secret of the board game when you add lots of laughter and delightful moments they’ve been providing for so many years.
5. The Game of the Goose: simply fun
This game is the creation of the Italians who invented it around 1500. However, it seems to have older roots, being connected with ancient spiral games, such as the Egyptian Mehen.
Only chance governs this game, it involves no strategy at all. Still, it’s a fun and entertaining game, full of challenges, and it was preferred by the regality: the game was given as a gift to the King of Spain by Francesco de Medici.
The Game of the Goose also holds a record: it is considered the earliest commercial game in the world.
We’ve designed an interactive and challenging version of Game of the Goose, with a 3-dimensional board. It is highly appreciated especially by parents and children because it facilitates family bonding and communication. Try it and experience priceless moments of joy and connection with your beloved ones.
Simplicity is the secret of this game. It doesn’t have complicated rules and it doesn’t require much thinking time. Luck leads the players, and the fun is memorable, every time, for more than 500 years.
Conclusion
Our ancestors were different from us, but the board games we have left from them show us that the need for fun and socialization has always existed. In addition, old games connect us to the past and help us better understand where we came from and where we are going.
Which board game do you prefer? Do you know its history? Share your story in a comment.
