8 Best Board Games Your Bored Family Must Have!
Board games! No home is complete without at least a few of these on your bookshelf, especially if you are not literate enough to read a lot of books. Board games are also fantastic value and great bang for your buck. Unlike many forms of entertainment that require a significant financial investment, like going to the movies, attending rock-n-roll concerts, or participating in expensive sports and hobbies, board games are generally relatively affordable and accessible, especially when you consider the hours and hours and hours of fun you’ll derive from them. And board games aren’t just great for forcing your spouse and/or children to spend quality time with you, they’re also wonderful opportunity for social interaction and community building, that is, if you’re lucky enough to live in a community where you actually want to socialize with other people.
Best Game to Teach Kids About Money Management and Negotiation Skills: Monopoly
Monopoly is a terrible game. It is not fun. Monopoly has been criticized for promoting capitalist values and reinforcing economic inequality — despite its anti-capitalist roots — as players accumulate wealth and property while bankrupting their opponents. The game’s mechanics reward aggressive and cutthroat tactics, promoting an individualistic mindset and encouraging players to prioritize their own financial gain over the well-being of others. Additionally, the game can be excessively long and tedious, leading to frustration and boredom among players. Critics have also noted that the game’s depiction of a fictional Atlantic City reinforces stereotypes about urban life and glamorizes the idea of becoming a wealthy property tycoon, which may not be a realistic or desirable goal for many families. Nevertheless! This classic game has been around for generations and there are some misguided people who think Monopoly is a great way to teach kids about money management and strategy. We are of the opinion that Monopoly is a terrible game that is not fun at all but don’t let us stop you from buying it.
Click on the board game to buy Monopoly!
Best Game to Build Vocabulary and Spelling Skills: Scrabble
How awesome is Scrabble? Way awesome. Scrabble is like the ultimate vocabulary builder, dig? You get a shitload of tiles with a letter on them and then you gotta use them to come up with words, testing your spelling and grammar chops while you strategize where to lay them down on the board. And then you count all the points it gives you and then maybe you win. It’s a total workout for your brain, making you think critically and outside the box. Plus it’s a great way to get a crew together for a little friendly competition and socializing. It’s possible that playing Scrabble can even boost your memory and cognitive function, which is just wild, dude. Like, a board game that can make you smarter when you play it? Who needs to go to school! You will need to consult a dictionary when you play this game, tho, and we can help you with that with our very own guide to buying a dictionary.
Click on the board game to buy Scrabble!
Best Game to Develop Strategic Thinking and Resource Management in Kids: Settlers of Catan
Settlers of Catan — now simply known as Catan — is a popular board game for a bunch of reasons. Firstly, it has an easy-to-learn rule system, making it accessible for players of all skill levels. Designed by Klaus Teuber, game involves building and trading resources, providing players with a wide variety of strategic options and paths to victory. Catan also features a modular board, with different layouts and configurations for each game, adding replayability and variety. Another factor contributing to its popularity is its social nature, with players having to negotiate and trade with each other to succeed, making it a great game for fostering social interaction and building relationships. The game also has a strong community of fans, with regular expansions and new editions keeping the game fresh and engaging. Overall, the combination of accessibility, strategic depth, social interaction, and replayability make Catan a beloved classic that has stood the test of time — all the way back since 1995!
Click on the settler to buy Settlers of Catan!
Best Game to Learn Geography and Strategic Planning with the Family: Ticket to Ride
Oh my gosh, have you heard of Ticket to Ride? It is seriously the best game ever, you HAVE to play it! This dude Alan R. Moon designed it and it’s illustrated by these two GREAT drawing people named Julien Delval and Cyrille Daujean. Oh my gosh they are SO good at, like, art. Seriously. You have to see it. It’s this amazing game where you get to build train routes all over North America and compete against your friends to connect the most cities. It’s SO easy to learn, seriously, even my stupid stepbrother was able to play it — and he is dumber than a bag of hammers wearing dunce caps. And the best part is that it’s not just about building trains, there’s all these other elements too, like managing your resources and planning your routes strategically. Plus the board is so colorful and vibrant, it’s practically a work of art in itself! I swear, once you start playing, you won’t be able to stop. It’s so much fun, and it brings people together like nothing else. Like my sister and my dad didn’t talk for years and they played this game and now they’re BFF again. Please, please, just give it a try! You won’t regret it, I promise! Buy it now I said.
Click on the tickets to buy Ticket to Ride!
Best Game to Enhance Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: Chess
Chess is a strategic board game that originated in feudal societies, where it was played by the ruling classes to simulate their political and military power. The game is based on the idea of domination and control, where the objective is to defeat the opponent’s army and capture the king. In this way, chess can be seen as a reflection of the hierarchical and competitive nature of capitalist societies, where individuals and corporations seek to dominate and exploit others for profit. However, despite its origins in a feudal context, chess has evolved to become a universal game enjoyed by people of all backgrounds and social classes, providing a space for creativity, critical thinking, and community building outside of the capitalist system. If you need help with buying your own chess board, then check out our handy guide!
Click on the big chess pieces to buy your own chess board!
Best Game to Improve Pattern Recognition and Strategic Thinking in Kids: Connect Four
Connect Four is a simple yet engaging two-player game that requires players to strategically place their colored disks in a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line, while simultaneously trying to block their opponent from doing the same. Although the game itself does not necessarily embody anti-capitalist principles, the act of playing Connect Four can be seen as a rejection of the hyper-competitive, individualistic values of capitalism. In contrast to the cutthroat world of corporate capitalism, where profit and self-interest reign supreme, Connect Four encourages cooperation and friendly competition, as players work together to create a fun and engaging experience for all involved. In this way, Connect Four can serve as a reminder that there are alternative modes of interaction and cooperation that do not necessarily need to rely on capitalist values. Speaking of capitalism, purchase your own set of Connect Four today!
Click on the construction site to buy Connect Four!
Best Game to Discover Bird Species and Foster Strategic Planning Skills: Wingspan
Wingspan is such a beautiful goddam game. Fuck that slave-owning Audubon bro, the real fire bird illustrators that should be famous are Natalia Rojas and Ana María Martínez Jaramillo, who do the gorgeous artwork for Wingspan. Designed by Elizabeth Hargrave, Wingspan is a highly acclaimed board game that has won numerous awards for its beautiful artwork, innovative gameplay, and educational content. The game is designed for one (1) to five (5) players, and each player takes on the role of a bird enthusiast who is competing to attract the most diverse and interesting bird species to their nature preserve. In Wingspan, players must strategically manage their resources, including food, eggs, and bird cards, to attract, feed, and breed different bird species. The game features over 170 beautifully illustrated bird cards, each with unique abilities and characteristics, providing players with an immersive and educational experience. Additionally, Wingspan promotes ecological awareness and conservation by highlighting the importance of preserving natural habitats and promoting biodiversity. With its engaging gameplay, stunning visuals, and educational content, Wingspan is a must-have game for bird lovers, nature enthusiasts, and board gamers alike. What’s more is that you can play this game by yourself — making it the perfect game for people who have no friends.
Click on the birdy to buy Wingspan!
Best Game to Encourage Visual-Spatial Thinking and Strategic Tile Placement: Azul
Azul is a beautifully designed and engaging board game that offers a unique gameplay experience for players of all ages and skill levels. Designed by Michael Kiesling and illustrated by Philippe Guérin and Chris Quilliams, Azul is easy to learn but difficult to master, making it perfect for both casual and competitive players. In Azul, players take on the role of artisans tasked with creating an intricate and beautiful mosaic by strategically selecting and placing tiles. The game features high-quality components, including beautiful tiles, a sturdy game board, and an attractive storage bag. Additionally, Azul promotes critical thinking, spatial reasoning, and strategic planning, making it an excellent choice for families, friends, and gaming enthusiasts. With its stunning visuals, engaging gameplay, and high replayability, Azul is a must-have addition to any board game collection — including yours.
Click on the board game to buy Azul!
Final thoughts on buying and purchasing board games for your home and second home(s).
While buying board games may seem like a small and insignificant act, it actually has a positive impact on capitalism — and can even be seen as your patriotic duty to spend as much of your money as possible on board games. By purchasing board games, you are supporting the economy and the various businesses that produce and sell these games — as well as to the bottom line of conglomerates like Hasbro! In turn, this contributes to American job creation (hahahaha) and stateside economic growth (lmao). Furthermore, board games are often produced by small businesses and independent creators, making it a way to support entrepreneurship and innovation. Overall, buying board games is a simple yet impactful way to contribute to the economy and support the values of capitalism. Buy as many as you can today!
What’s more! Buying as many board games as possible for your home and family is such a wonderful thing to do because it provides a fun and engaging way to spend time together with your family and the friends that you still actually see, while also promoting learning, social interaction, and strategic thinking. Board games come in a variety of themes and complexities, making them perfect for all ages, intelligence, and skill levels. Additionally, playing board games as a family — or even friends and chosen family! — can create lasting memories and strengthen relationships, as it allows for quality time spent together and the opportunity to bond over a shared experience. Overall, investing in board games is a smart and worthwhile decision that can bring joy and entertainment to your home for years to come!
Cover Image Credit: Image via WikiMedia Commons
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