Let’s face it if there is one thing we all know its that growing old is just part of life but there are some interesting new discoveries that will have you rethinking the role of board games in your life.
So if you were looking for a way to get your grandparents into the board game hobby or to play a game of settlers of Catan with you or you are in the latter years of your life and looking for something to keep your mind sharp.
Latest Research Shows Board Games might be the next hobby for you
One of the latest studies from the University of Edinburgh has Revealed a very strong link between Board games and staying mentally sharp into your old age.
The full study titled playing board games may help protect thinking skills in old age had 1000 different participants that had been involved in prior testing going back to when they where 11 years old.
The results of the test found that people who play games such as cards and board games are more likely to stay mentally sharp in later life
The study found that those who regularly played non-digital games scored better on memory and thinking tests in their 70s. The study also found that a behaviour change in later life could still make a difference.
The results did not only affect People who were current board gamers people who increased there game playing during their 70s were also more likely to maintain certain thinking skills as they grew older.
Source:
The University of Edinburgh. “Playing board games may help protect thinking skills in old age.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 November 2019. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191126140413.htm>.
So What Board Games Should you try first?
If you are like a lot of people around have been playing board games for a while, you would have noticed the world of board games has changed a lot in the last 20 years.
A lot of the classic games that connect us and we remember from our childhoods are still out there and most people will be familiar with classic games such as monopoly, chess, bridge, and Scrabble.
With this hobbies new resurgence of popularity, however, here are more and more options being added every year with new games reinventing this hobby into something much more interactive and engaging.
Here are a few options for board games that exciting but maybe not as well known as your monopoly and scrabble but bound to very enjoyable.
Settlers of Catan
Settlers of Catan has become a cult classic in the board game world and has been referred to as a gateway game for beginners into the board game hobby. The rules are simple players build settlements, roads or development cards using the resources gathered from there existing settlements each round. The resources a player gets well that depends on where their settlement is placed and the number the player rolled on there turn. This goes round and round and players attempted to trade resources to try to build what they need to gain 10 victory points and win the game.
The game is fun fast with a huge amount of player interaction and will have you constantly thinking about your next move while you attempt to construct the best settlement.
Skip-bo
My grandparents would have my head if I left this game of the list, (disclaimer its why I also believe the study because I saw the proof in my grandparents playing this game) is not really a new game on the scene by any standards but generally, an overlooked card game compared to uno but so much smarter.
The rules of Skip-Bo are simple and the entry requirement for playing the game is the ability to count to 12 but being able to identify these patterns and really does sharpen the mind and why I think my grandparents are still able to wipe the floor with there grandchildren after all these years.
Tsuro
Tsuro has been described by many as the game with a simple goal: be the last dragon standing.
This game is by far one of the easiest games to teach and I have countless times been able to literally just say the words “stay on your line don’t fall off the board don’t hit anybody” with that being enough of an explainer for players to start playing this game.
The turns are very simple each player gets to play one of three tiles onto the board and move there dragon token to the end of its path. As these tiles connect with each other, the paths on the tiles will intersect and sometimes loop around in complex but unforeseen ways. This will cause dragons to run off the board or find themselves running into each other with the winner being the last player left standing.
This game is great for groups playing up to 8 players during a game it makes, Tsuro is a fast and easy way to introduce elderly gamers to the hobby but its also just great for a large group or a quick family board game when it comes to easy to play great games this one always makes the list for me.
NMBR 9
This game is perfect for the Puzzle lovers out there and they will really enjoy playing NMBR 9.
This board game is a spatial game that has some unique scoring rules attached to it. Players each game will draw random oddly-shaped numbers and try to place them adjacent to each other.
There is a catch however the only way for you to score points is to place numbers on top of each other. Then numbers are scored for each level they’re above the table, so to rephrase it the higher your number the bigger multiplier you will receive for it, but this only happens if they’re completely supported by the numbers that sit underneath them.
A standard game of NMBR9 will only take you about 20 minutes to play bit that is part of its appeal giving you an easy quick to play board game that’s also an excellent way to scratch that jigsaw-puzzle itch you might be having.
Ticket to Ride (New York)
Ticket to Ride is a board game about placing trains to count routes in a city it is one of my favourite games and i recommend anybody getting it however, This slimed down portable version of ticket to ride is perfect for your grandparents as it is not as involved or overwhelming as the classic game it’s a great entry point into the franchise and a gateway game to one of the best gateway games.
This is an easy to play and very portable game that is perfect for camping or to take in the caravan for a holiday and if you really like it make sure you grab a copy of its older sibling.
What’s your Next Game
There are so many great options and board games now around if you are still looking for ideas make sure you check out our post on the top 30 board games for beginners it’s a great place to start and has heaps of other options outside of these ones.