Board games are called classic games for a reason- they can never go out of style. Even though video game consoles might get replaced, board games remain a beloved entertainment source for kids and adults. While some of these vintage board games remain the same today, others have evolved into different versions. In this article, we’ll explore five vintage board games and what they look like today.
Scrabble
Invented in 1933 by architect Alfred Mosher Butts, scrabble was called different names before. The game was first called Lexiko, then it was later called Criss Cross Words; the name Scrabble wasn’t copyrighted until 1948.
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Today, the board game remains largely unchanged; it’s still played the same way. However, the board’s appearance has been modified- instead of black and white tiles, the board now has more vibrant colors like blue, red, and white.
The Ouija Board
At the rise of spiritualism in America during the 19th century, Kennard Novelty Company adapted the popular talking boards into the Ouija Boards in 1890. The mystical board was said to name itself when manufacturers asked what to name it.
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The boards were made of wood in the 19th century but are now made of cardboard. However, the letters, numbers, and ‘yes’ & ‘no’ words remain the same on the modern version of the board.
Stratego
In 1961, Milton Bradley developed Stratego, a game inspired by military activities. The goal is to capture your opponent’s flag- but you have to avoid their attacks and bombs. Well, the modern version features a few modifications.
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Today, the Stratego board features extra details like the rankings of all of the game pieces. However, the two bodies of water on both sides remain a constant factor. The system of winning also remains the same today.
The Game of Life
The Game of Life is another board game invented by Milton Bradley. Originally invented as a checkerboard in 1860, the game was patented in 1866. Since dice were associated with gambling, the board had a spinner.
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In 1960, a new version of the board game was designed. The new Game of Life now features turns and twists. However, the vintage-inspired version of the game is available on Amazon.
Monopoly
Parker Brothers bought the Monopoly concept from Charles B. Darrow in 1935. According to a documentary, British intelligence sent faked Monopoly boards to their war prisoners to help them escape during World War II. These doctored boards hid small saws, maps, and real money.
Today, Monopoly comes in several versions with themes from different sports teams, movie franchises, locations, etc. However, the winning strategies for the board game remain the same- although there’s a cheater’s edition today.
