If you’re from the United States, you probably have quite a few games available to purchase at your local big box store. If you’re not, though, there are possibly only a few games you’ve had access to your whole life. Here, we’ve compiled the 11 essential games that we think everyone should learn to play, if they have the chance.
Chess
This is a universal game that requires a lot of strategy and thorough understanding of the pieces and the board. While it may be harder to learn, it provides hours of entertainment and odds are you’re going to be able to play with people all over the globe.
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Checkers
Now keep in mind that different cultures have different rules and even checkers boards. Learn “your” way of doing it, and then feel free to learn the rules in other places if you like to travel. Chess is just one of those games that never gets old, even when you do!
Go
This Chinese board game is similar to checkers, except that the point of the game is to overtake as much of the board as possible on a 19×19 grid. This game is very, very popular in Asia, and quite easy to learn. It’s all about strategy, though, so make sure you think before you move.
Parques
This game of chance is really popular in South America, and some of the boards are handmade and truly beautiful. Even if you have no intention of traveling to South America, see if you can find one of these games in your area and see what all the rage is about. It’s so fun! If you ever travel to South America, be prepared for gambling that goes on with the game.
Monopoly
Odds are, you’ve played Monopoly and loved it, or you’ve played it and you hate it. If you’re not from the United States, though, you might never have played this all-time best selling board game. Be ready to acquire some property, go to jail, set up monopolies, and probably make your fellow players angry when you overtake the board.
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10 Days
There are tons of variations in this game, from the U.S. to Europe to Africa and so on. Essentially, you have to plan your trip using destination and trip cards. It helps you learn geography, so pick a game from a country or continent you’ve never been to. This is a great way to share time with people who aren’t from the U.S. too.
Jenga
While this may not technically be a board game, it’s an easy to share game all across the board. Three identical wooden pieces are stacked on top of each other in a tower that is about 20 rows high. Each person goes around removing a piece from the tower, and the person who makes it topple wins. There’s no language barrier, no board game or pieces that require explanation – just strategy and engineering! So fun!
