One of senior Arthur Morris’ childhood memories is racing against his mother to create the most matches in the game Set. As he got older, his father would challenge him at chess, and he would compete against his older brother playing Dominion. Even now, board games continue to be an integral part of his life.
For many, board games still stand the test of time. English teacher Theresa Shaw-Iyer enjoys playing them due to their competitive nature, particularly in social environments.
“I like to be a little competitive. I like the competition,” Shaw-Iyer said. “I always had fun with the social aspect. I like playing with other people, whether it’s my family or my friends, that was always fun.”
Because of the social aspect, board games allow families to foster deeper connections, no matter the constraints they may face. Freshman Skylar Nguyen experiences this whenever her sister comes home from college.
“It’s just a fun way to spend time with my family, especially if I have my sister visiting since she goes to college in Irvine, which is in LA,” Nguyen said. “She doesn’t usually visit, but when she does, it’s a fun way to spend time with her.”
The community that many find by playing board games does not always stop at immediate family and friends. Some games hold the power to bring cultural communities together. Junior Diego Silva plays a Portuguese game with his family similar to Sorry but on a larger scale. Silva believes the game’s characteristics make it a particularly eventful game for his family.
“It really brings our family together because there’s around eight people that can play at a time, and it lasts at least four hours,” Silva said. “It’s crazy, but it’s really fun because you get to interact with your family and have fun all together.”
Besides being a fun pastime with family, board games are a way to connect with new people. Sophomore Maya Gat explained how although having guests over can be awkward, playing a game with them can provide a buffer.
“It’s just a good way to talk to people while still accomplishing something, doing something together, so you’re not just sitting there staring at each other, having a boring conversation. It lends the conversation into something about the game,” Gat said.
In terms of board games themselves, Morris dedicated his AP Research project trying to find out if the cost, average length of a game, player count and complexity contributed to its popularity. Although he did not find any strong correlation, there was still a “sweet spot” for each game: a board that cost $60, with a recommended player age of 12 or higher that averaged 70 minutes of play time and was moderately complex.
As a board game enthusiast himself, Morris prefers strategic games over the more classic ones. One of his favorites is Unmatched, where one can pair up random characters and use power cards to win. He enjoys the game’s replayability, made possible by the numerous game boards and expansion packs available to add on.
“That leads to so many different ways the game can be played that you’re never really stuck in playing this loop of playing over and over,” Morris said. “That’s what I enjoy, trying to find a way to optimize, or find a way to win at something when there’s set factors, but also, there’s so much randomness that you have to think about.”
With other strategic board games, however, Morris acknowledged that they may be difficult for the general population and discourage players. For his own board game indulgence, he still finds the creativity involved to be important.
“It’s hard to get into strategic games if you’re not a person who likes to think. It’s definitely not for everyone,” Morris said. “There’s a lot you have to think about and account for when you’re playing a more strategic game, but I do personally enjoy it when there’s still some factors of randomness.”
When board games have a highly specific or niche audience, it can similarly discourage some from playing. Silva agrees, explaining that he believes it is the generalizable audience of a board game that makes it a worthwhile and strong one.
“I guess it depends on who you’re trying to play with. A game that could be played with everyone isn’t catered towards a specific audience,” Silva said. “For example, in the morning, I was playing Sorry, and I played with anyone. It’s pretty simple, and it doesn’t specifically cater towards an audience like Clue – that’s catered towards people who like to think further ahead.”
Despite some avid fans, not everyone still indulges in physical board games. In fact, some believe that society’s love for board games is fading away. Freshman Sheldon Katlik reflected on his family’s dwindling game nights and enjoyment for the physical media.
“My family always says we’ll buy this (game) and then we’ll play it at home for a week, but we play it once, and then it collects some dust after that,” Katlik said. “We used to try to do family board game nights, but it usually doesn’t end that well.”
Although she still plays them, Shaw-Iyer admitted that she has noticed the popularity of physical board games rapidly decreasing.
“I think board games are still selling. I think they’re still relatively popular. I mean, I still see them when I walk into Target – they’re still there – but I think it’s shifted a little back,” Shaw-Iyer said. “I don’t think it’s (game nights) quite as common, but I know it’s still happening. I think a lot of times, especially as kids get older, we become more isolated, so now game time is anytime.”
New online games have begun to overshadow board games, contributing to their decreasing popularity. Apps such as GamePigeon and Steam games like Jackbox are some of the most common digital replacements for physical games. Katlik explained that many individuals prefer participating in other activities instead of playing a physical game.
“People aren’t playing board games anymore because there’s just a lot of other stuff to do, rather than picking it up and actually socializing in real life,” Katlik said. “I have a shelf full of board games, but they’re all just picking up dust on the wall because I could just play it online with friends. I just downloaded an app, and then it’s already ready.”
Many also prefer online games because they are more convenient. Gat mentioned how physical games can be more time consuming, especially because one has to take time to learn the game before being able to play it.
“It (online games) takes less (time). You can set it up once, even if you’ve never played before, and win the game,” Gat said. “With chess or Monopoly, you have to at least have some background knowledge on the game or else there’s less of a chance you’re gonna win because you actually have to know what you’re doing.”
Despite the possibility of decreasing interest in physical board games, some have learned about certain games through media and online resources. Silva discovered his favorite board game this way.
“I first learned about Catan through a discord server because they have the little activity. It was me and my friend who were playing it, and then he taught me how to play. That’s what led me to buy the actual physical game, so I could play with my family,” Silva said.
Although online games can be more enjoyable, human interactions and connectivity are often sacrificed for the sake of convenience. Morris explained how online games can make one miss out on group activities and challenging plays.
“In my opinion there’s a lot you miss out on playing a board game if you’re not playing it in person,” Morris said. “There’s conventions that people can go to. I haven’t personally gone to one, but I know some people that have, and there’s a certain aspect of getting to know people and having fun moments in the game, where you outsmart your opponent, or you get outsmarted.”
Nguyen believes that the types of board games each person should play depends on what they prefer.
“I really think it just depends on the person. If you prefer digital games over physical games because there’s not enough space in the house, you can,” Nguyen said. “It’s definitely preferable to have a digital game, but I guess it’s just really based on preference, if you want to do physical or digital.”
Ultimately, although the future of board games seems to be shifting toward a more digital medium with apps like GamePigeon, Shaw-Iyer believes they still provide a way to keep the essence of board games alive.
“It has that social aspect that a physical board game would have, but it also marries it with the digital version and that you have in your pockets all the time,” Shaw-Iyer said. “It’s a good balance.”