lifestyle
The Board Game Family : Reclaim your children from the screen . She cautions against parents playing poorly for the sake of their child ’ s emotions ( even if it is a simple game of Old Maid !), however , choosing certain types of games and / or imposing some restrictions on adults can make games more competitive for younger players .
“ It ' s actually quite hard to totally level the playing field ,” Dix explains . “ The adult sense of logic and strategy is usually more developed than that of a child . But it is possible to find games where there are lots of different possible routes to victory . One player may take a very strategic path , planning moves carefully . Another may take a more tactical approach and make shorter-term decisions , but both methods of play could each lead to victory . Light strategy games that give lots of opportunities for different ways to gain points are good for leveling the playing field .”
Global Groundswell In the last ten years , the variety and number of board , dice and card games has exploded . In 2019 alone , Dix writes , 4,000 new games were published . This enormous resurgence has been driven in part by the millennial generation ’ s interest in low-cost , non-digital diversions and the corresponding rise of game cafes . While COVID-19 lockdowns and social distancing have put a damper on public game playing , restrictions have only increased game sales as families search for ways to simultaneously bond and escape at home . What better way to spend a shut-in than sailing off to the island of Catan or racing across America or Europe with Ticket to Ride . ‘ The real thing ’ also increases human interaction and takes children away from screens for a while to immersive and imaginative worlds .
The combination of these forces has inspired a new wave of game development and strengthened the tabletop and card & dice markets into multi-billion-dollar industries . With her own Dark Imp games , Dix has seen a significant uptick in engagement – on her website , via social media and with shop orders . She says the general feedback and interest has been excellent .
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