Board Games for Adults

While the general opinion that board games have been reduced to relics of late, finds many takers, there exist people who continue to be fascinated by these wonderful games. Though they don't necessarily have any age restrictions, not all these games are suitable for all age groups.

Strategy-based games, such as monopoly and chess, may fascinate grown-ups, but the chances of them having the same effect on kids are as good as none. The same is the case with snakes and ladders or ludo; just that the things will be the other way round, with adults finding these games boring.

There are several different types of board games; some of which are meant to test your memory and others are purely for fun―the ones that are seen in parties and social gatherings. We have compiled a list of games which are quite popular among adults even today.

Monopoly: Monopoly has a record 485 million players worldwide, which makes it the most played commercial board game in the world. As its name suggests, monopoly is based on the actual concept of market monopoly, wherein the market is dominated by a single entity.

The game, which requires good negotiation and resource management skills, can be played between 2 - 6 players, and the average time required to play it ranges between 2 - 3 hours. The advent of online monopoly has only added to the popularity of this game.

Immensely popular in the United States, Monopoly has been inducted in its Hall of Fame by the renowned US-based magazine, Games.

Scrabble: Since its introduction in 1938, Scrabble has come a long way to become one of the most popular games for adults. Also, known as Literati and Word for Word, Scrabble is sold in 121 countries today. This game can be played by 2 - 4 players, who are supposed to score points by forming words on the 15 × 15 grid game board.

The words that you form, should appear in the standard dictionary. In order to become a good scrabble player, you require strong vocabulary and spelling skills, along with the ability to plan and bluff.

Chess: One of the most ancient board games, chess can give most of the new board games a run for their money. It is played between 2 players, on a 64 squared board of 8 × 8 grid. Being a strategy game, playing chess requires strong tactics and strategic planning. The average time required to play a casual game of chess is about an hour, however, games played in seeded tournaments may go on for hours altogether.

Sequence: Sequence is a board-and-card game, which includes an average-sized board and two decks of cards. The game can be played between 2 or 3 individual players, or 2 or 3 teams. The objective of the game is to create sequences.

If the number of players or teams is 2, the team or player which completes 2 sequences first is the winner. If there are three teams or players, the winner of the game of sequence is the team or player who completes the first sequence faster than others.

Cluedo: Cluedo, also referred to as Clue, is a deduction board game, wherein players are required to disguise as one of the characters of the game and collect clues to solve a murder mystery. Cluedo is an ideal game for those who like suspense thrillers and solving mysteries. The game can be played between 2 - 6 players, with the objective of finding out who killed the victim and which weapon was used for the murder. The average playing time for this game ranges between 15 - 45 minutes.

These board games mean serious business. The challenge they pose to the players, is what makes them so popular among the hordes of games available today. Other games for adults include Life, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Backgammon, Pictionary, Mastermind, etc.

While all these games are played by 2 or more players, there also exist quite a few single-player board games, which are equally interesting, and thus, a good source of entertainment for you when you are alone. At the end of the day, what matters is how much you enjoy, and with all these games to play, there is no need to worry about that aspect.