lifestyle
“ The pandemic has put a lot of things in stark focus for lots of people . Many parents are realising that they don ' t normally spend lots of quality time as a family and are finding ways to rectify that ,” she says . “ I keep getting people sending me messages saying how surprised they are that their children sat down to play games with them for hours and what a wonderful time they ' ve had .”
Newcomers & Classics While old favourites like Monopoly , Candy Land , Sorry ! and Connect 4 continue to dominate the best-seller charts on Amazon , new games are making inroads . Codenames , described as a ‘ social word game ’ and played by two teams , is fast-paced and easy to learn . Today ’ s mystery games , such as Outfoxed ! for kids and Hunt A Killer for older players , combine the whodunit premise of Clue with game environments that can be spooky , perplexing , violent and often realistic .
But when it comes to popularity , nothing tops chess , the granddaddy of games . Created almost 1,500 years ago in northern India , the cerebral two-person board game with its iconic pieces is played in every corner of the globe . Its current numbers are staggering : over 20 million users on chess . com ; two different chess sets in Amazon ’ s Top 25 best-selling games ; and , according to an International Chess Federation 2012 extrapolation , 600 million players worldwide .
Suitable for Young & Old But whether the game is two-person chess or team Pictionary , choosing the right game for your family is crucial . As Dix explains , board games differ on so many levels : game time , strategy , logic , general knowledge , and teamwork . It ' s easy to turn people off games by putting the wrong board on the table .
“ I often hear adults making sweeping statements that they ' don ' t like board games ',” she says . “ Usually someone thinks they don ' t like board games when they ' ve only played ones that don ' t suit them . Fortunately there are so many new games on the market every year that there really is something for everyone . Take time to experiment and work out what games suit your family best . Maybe they ' ll like speed games — frantic but quick . Maybe they prefer a multi-player solitaire game with each person working on their own sheet . Maybe they enjoy deep strategy and the ability to ' grow an engine '. Or maybe they just want to have a bit of fun and a party game will hit the spot . Each family is different ; it ' s really important to work out the games that suit your family best .”
And the last key decision is not to make decisions , for your children that is . Once the board is open , the cards are dealt , and the pieces are in place , it ’ s time for parents to let their young gameplayers have a go , on their own . Win , lose , try , fail , experiment , learn , and ultimately choose their own paths . “ When a child wins ,” Dix says , “ having made their own decisions , knowing that their parents are also trying to win , the feeling is fantastic .”
Let ’ s Play ! Looking for a new game to try with your family this Christmas ? Here ’ s a selection of favourites , chosen by our colleagues . “ Rummikub is our family ’ s favourite , we are extra sensitive to numbers and colours while playing it . My brother and I always argue about whether we can combine certain tiles together , and that ’ s one of the fun parts of this game .” Andrea , Writer & Product Developer
“ We love playing Rummikub with family and friends . Similar to the card game rummy . If you get more sets you can have multiple players involved . Really good for kids from 6 years and up .” Roopal , Writer / Editor
“ Dobble is a great game to play with friends ! Fun and fast , this game requires quick thinking and memory skills , great for kids and adults alike !” Natasha , Sales & Marketing Assistant
62 www . playtimes . com . hk