I don’t know about you, but I love that feeling of nostalgia that washes over you when you see things that remind you of your past. Here is a list of games that most of us should remember playing as a child.
If this isn’t enough to slog your memory, then check out our first list of classic nostalgic games!
Balderdash
Balderdash is an old Norse game, involving a mad dash to reach the final destination of Asgard.
Just kidding. A game for folks who know how to fake it to make it, Balderdash is the ultimate game of BS. Yes, that’s right, you win the game by bluffing your way to the most points. Do you think we’d win?
Stratego
Another strategy game designed for two players is Stratego. The game has been around in the U.S. since 1961, and even longer in Europe – since World War II. Each player starts with 40 pieces (officers) under his or her control. The objective is to find and capture the opposing player’s flag.
Alternatively, a player can also win by capturing enough of their opponent’s pieces to restrict their movement. The game is simple enough for young children to understand and play. The depth of strategy has made it a favorite of adults as well.
Clue
Jayne Newsome / Shutterstock.com
It was Mrs. Peacock in the conservatory with the rope!
The original Clue, marketed as the “Classic Detective Game,” is a three to six player murder mystery game. It was first published in 1949, though there have been a number of relaunches, updated versions, and spinoffs since.
Players must figure out which character murdered the victim, in what location, and with which murder weapon. Players take on the role of the suspects and collect clues by moving around the game board.
Sorry
LunaseeStudios / Shutterstock.com
Sorry is a game where the goal is to move your pieces from their start space all the way to their home space. The name comes from the ability to negate other players’ moves, prompting an apology – “Sorry!” The game is based on an ancient game that originated in India by the name of Pachisi.
Pictionary
Everybody’s favorite drawing game, Pictionary is guessing game inspired by charades. Instead of acting out clues, however, players must draw them. Each team moves around a game board, with the colored spaces determining what subject they’ll draw from a list.
If the team guesses their artist’s subject, they can roll the dice and advance. The first team to reach the last space on the board becomes the winner.
Trouble
Trouble, also known as Frustration in the UK) is a game similar to Sorry! And Pachisi. Players must race to send four pieces around a board. The game’s most notable feature is its “Pop-O-Matic” die container. The clear plastic bubble houses the game’s die or dice and acts as a way to cast rolls.
Trivial Pursuit
Trivia nerds, this is your game. Trivial Pursuit is won based on a player’s ability to answer trivia questions in six different categories. Each player begins with an empty piece and must earn wedges in the six categories by correctly answering questions.
In the classic version of the game, the categories are; Geography, Entertainment, History, Arts & Literature, Science & Nature, and Sports. Each category is represented by a color. Correct answers ensure a player’s turn will continue and they can keep moving around the board.
There have been countless themed spinoffs of the game as well. So, if you’re not good at generic trivia, perhaps you can still beat your friends at Star Wars Trivial Pursuit.
Chinese Checkers
Chinese checkers is a deceptive name, as it did not originate in China and it isn’t a variant of checkers. It was created in Germany in 1892 and the name was a marketing stunt to sell it in the US. In fact, it’s a variation of another game called Halma.
The goal of Chinese checkers is to move all your pieces from one point of a 6-pointed star to the opposite.
Parcheesi, one of the most replicated classic board games
The inspiration for countless other games, including Sorry! And Trouble (also on this list), Pachisi is an old Indian classic. Dating back to medieval times, the cross and circle board game has been declared the “national game of India.”
Parcheesi is simply the brand-name American adaptation.
The Game of Life
Often simply called “Life,” this board game, created in 1860 by Milton Bradley, was America’s first truly popular parlor game. The game can be played by two to six players and represents a person’s travels through life. Of course, it hasn’t always looked like it does today. When Bradley first created the game, it looked more like a checkerboard and was called “The Checkered Game of Life.”
The more modern version has players spin a wheel to drive around a track in a little automobile. The car has spaces for blue and pink pegs to represent people that are picked up throughout the game. Pegs are added when players get married or have children. Players can also use play money to purchase insurance policies and stocks.
Like many other popular games, there are many spinoffs as well.
