Four Great Retro Board Games to Play Online
That was not always the case; once upon a time the only way to play a game against someone was to sit in the same room as them. Back then, the board game was king and whilst online gaming has brought people closer together, many of those games are still as popular today as ever before.
Even games such as the humble trivia quiz are still popular both online and offline. In recent times, Zoom has facilitated quizzes across the world, with people beating restrictions to test their knowledge over the video call platform. Other platforms such as TicTok have played with the same themes first introduced by Trivial Pursuit but brought them up to date for the modern world.
The same can be said for a host of classic board games that once had families hunched around tables until late into the evening, pitting their wits against each other. There are plenty of new, shiny online versions of some classic games, as we explore here.
Boggle
Word games are a particular favorite online with Scrabble perhaps the one that sees the most amount of imitation. Whether it is a dedicated Scrabble title or spin-offs such as Words with Friends, it seems to be extremely popular within the online market. One vastly underrated physical game which has had a makeover is Boggle. It works on a similar principle to Scrabble, making words from the seemingly random letter to score points, but it does it a different way. Once upon a time you shook the box and let the lettered dice land before picking words, but now you can do it without the noise, or being in the same room as your opponent.
Monopoly
Monopoly is a legendary board game, responsible for many family feuds over the years. By playing online, nobody can be stealing from the banker or flipping the board over in disgust, and that is just one benefit. For those who love the Monopoly imagery, but perhaps not the longevity or tactical play, online providers are offering plenty of games that have the brand, but not the exact structure. There are a collection of games hosted on Cheeky Bingo that draw from the game's branding, such as Monopoly Slingo and Monopoly Big Win, whilst the board has long been used as a setting for trivia games both online and as arcade-style machines. Luckily, if the spin-offs and reimagined themes are not for you, there are hundreds of providers willing to send you to jail for $200.
Clue
Clue, also known as Cluedo around the world, is another old-school board game that saw a bump in popularity post-war. The race was on to get around the rooms of Tudor Mansion (also known as Tudor Close, Tudor Hall, Arlington Grange, Boddy Manor or Boddy Mansion) and find out who had murdered Dr Black. Was it Mrs. White in the Library with the dagger? Or Prof Plum in the kitchen with the rope? You do not have to wait until the festive period to out-detective your family now, with a great online version to keep you hunting that killer throughout the year, wherever you are.
Scattergories
Scattergories is a game of imagination, in which you are searching for a correct answer to a category that differs from your opponents. The Android version pits you against a guest, and you must ensure you come up with a unique answer within the time limit. For instance, if you are asked a color, you are looking to find one that your opponent is likely not to find. Blue might be a bit obvious, but mauve would be great. Online does limit how many players you are up against, but it is a great way to hone your skills for after your Thanksgiving dinner.
