The Best Board Games to Play at Christmas
The festive season is fast approaching, and whilst digital devices will undoubtedly be high on the lists of almost all the mail being delivered to the North Pole in 2021, the age-old tradition of playing a classic board game at Christmas appears to be holding strong in most parts of the world.
But just which are the best board games to play at Christmas? New versions of classics such as Monopoly and Clue continue to be released each year, and are as popular as ever, but what else is out there? The classics are perhaps always worth having on hand, as they are loved by members of every generation, but it’s always worth checking out a few new releases as well.
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Monopoly
Undoubtedly the most well-known board game of all time, Monopoly’s enduring appeal shows no sign of slowing down. Even in our digital age, Monopoly remained the best-selling board game of 2020, and sales of the new Pacman edition are looking particularly strong in 2021. Rights holder Hasbro has also just released a bargain basement priced “classic” Monopoly set, which is expected to be the biggest selling board game of 2021.
Simply counting the number of editions of Monopoly is a daunting task – the game is licensed for sale in 103 countries and has been translated into 37 different languages, but the number of board layouts that have been produced since the original 1935 London version is far higher than even this.
Monopoly was also one of the earliest board games to be converted into the digital realm, with versions reportedly released on machines as old as the venerable BBC Micro, Amstrad CPC, and ZX Spectrum. The consoles weren’t left out either, with a version for the Sega Master System released in Europe in 1988.
There are countless slot machine variations of Monopoly too – Unibet NJ has no fewer than eight different versions currently available including Epic Monopoly II, Monopoly Big Spin – The Megadrop, Monopoly Bring The House Down, Monopoly Electric Wins, Monopoly Utility Trails, Monopoly on the Money, and of course – Monopoly Megaways.
Dungeons And Dragons
If you are looking for a fun and competitive board game to play with your family and friends, then look no further than Dungeons & Dragons! In this game, players take on the role of adventurers as they explore mystical dungeons, fight dangerous monsters, and loot treasure. The possibilities are endless, and there’s something for everyone. Best of all, you can find all the resources you need to get started right away because there are endless books, guides, and videos on the web to help you. You can as well-read character guides such as dnd 5e Rogue guide and Ranger guide for everything you need to know about these amazing classes. So, what are you waiting for? Grab some friends and start your next adventure today!
Pictionary
Another family classic that is particularly popular at Christmas is Mattel’s Pictionary, which has seen a huge increase in sales this year of over 125% – perhaps boosted by a modern set that features erasable boards. This addition should mean that this version of Pictionary will survive many Christmases to come, and multiple sets of clue cards ensure that even the youngest members of the family should be able to enjoy this traditional classic.
The Crystal Maze
The Crystal Maze may not seem the most obvious candidate to translate into a board game, but sales figures indicate that nostalgia for the much-loved Channel 4 show has shown no sign of waning, despite a less than stellar attempt at a reboot in recent years.
The creators of this game cleverly chose to include perplexing puzzles from the show which could be easily converted into a textual format with the minimum number of accessories needed. An accompanying app supply’s theme music and an official timer, so the pressure of being locked in is every bit as prevalent here as it was on the show.
Fans of the TV show are sure to be delighted to find this under the Christmas tree, and reviews of the game from verified purchasers are overwhelmingly positive, suggesting that this could be a future Christmas classic in the making.
Wooden Topple Blocks Game
You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to work out where the inspiration for this game came from – it would seem the trademark on the original Jenga has now expired, allowing other companies to create their own versions. This has, of course, driven the price down to bargain basement levels – the version I saw for sale was being sold in the UK by John Lewis & Partners for less than ten pounds, which is absolutely outstanding for a game with so much fun potential.
Jenga is deceptively simple, yet aids in the teaching of concentration, attention, fine motor skills and hand-to-eye coordination. The challenge of creating the tallest tower possible never goes away, making this one of the most addictive board games you will find anywhere – one game will never be enough, especially if you are amongst the losers!
