In this age, when games are being played on everything, from a PC, game console, digital tablet, or phone, it’s still possible to appreciate the joys of playing antiquated board games, card games or even crossword puzzle books. What are their advantages over electronic games? We can list at least six.
1. They Don’t Need Electricity
Games like chess, backgammon, and even the still-popular Battleship game doesn’t need to be plugged in, nor do they need batteries to work. A glaring advantage of this is you can still enjoy hours of entertainment, and can still pass the time if the power goes out. And if you happen to be in an emergency, old-school entertainment devices won’t drain precious battery power from your phone.
2. They’re Simple to Play
Most old-school games played on a board, with cards or blocks (like Jenga), can be pretty easy to pick up, and you can increase your skill as you continue playing. More complicated games like chess can be quite challenging, but with practice, you can memorize all the moves of each piece and learn the strategies for winning.
3. They Hone Your Skills
While it’s been proven that video games can improve hand-eye coordination, other old-style games can enhance your other skills, such as memory, cognitive abilities, and problem-solving skills. Games like chess can teach you patience, improve your memory, and teach you to become better at strategy. There are health benefits to some of these games as well; apart from helping you improve your vocabulary, doing crossword puzzles has been found to help stave off dementia and sharpen your problem-solving skills.
4. Few Ever Disappear
Despite being hi-tech entertainment, most video games—even the best titles—become obsolete eventually. Board games, card games, puzzle games, despite being a thing of the past, remain in circulation and get handed down from generation to generation. Some companies that have been creating puzzle games for decades, like the Pennydell Puzzles Company, still produces crossword puzzle books.
5. They’re Nostalgic
Classic games like Monopoly have changed little over the years, and most board games retain their original look. There’s a certain charm to playing with games that haven’t aged, and it makes the people who played them when they were younger feel sentimental. Though that may also apply to video games with the return of some old consoles, they’re not quite the same.
6. They Strengthen Bonds
There are video games that can be played solo, with two players, or with hundreds of players online. Board games, card games, and even crossword puzzles may not allow you to play with that many other players, but most of the time, you play cooperatively. Video games are competitive, and some can come with a high learning curve. Instead of enjoying a video game, it can be stressful sometimes.
Due to the simplicity of old-school games and their cooperative nature, they encourage social bonding and reinforce friendly ties. To have a fun and pleasant experience with old-style games, pick those that are fun and not the games that end up in a fight.
Fun, easy to learn, cheap, enduring, and educational — these are just a few of the reasons you should play old-school games on occasion. Should you get tired of them, you can always find other creative ways to entertain yourself and have fun with your friends and family.
