If you’re American, odds are you’ve never given much thought to the board games that are played in other places around the world. You just assume everyone knows how to play Monopoly or Sorry, and scratch your head when you don’t know what that weird board is that someone is looking at in another country. In case you want to win trivia, or know what’s going on next time you travel abroad, here are the seven more popular games from each of the seven continents.
North America
If you’re a fan of board games, you’ll be happy to know that Monopoly is the “favorite” for North Americans. It has sold the most copies of any board game ever, and has probably ended quite a few friendships. If you hate Monopoly, good news: You have about a thousand other games to choose from.
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South America
If you’ve ever traveled to Colombia, Venezuela, or even Brazil, you know that the game of choice is Parques. This game of chance is a family game, but also a gambling game for adults. The boards are highly customized, and many people create their own with colorful wood and dice. In other places in South America, Brazilian checkers is the “go to” game for the older population. Instead of a 12×12 board like in the U.S., this board is only 8×8, making each move much more strategic.
Asia
While this game is most popular in China, Go is a popular “checkers” like game. Essentially, on a 19×19 grid, you place flat marble pieces and try to take a over a larger area than your opponent. It’s a little like checkers and chess, since it takes strategy. Other common Asian games include Mahjong, which consists of matching tiles that have been specifically layered on a board.
Australia
Backgammon is quite the popular game in Australia. While they have a lot of games that are similar to North American and European factory-produced games, this game goes back a ways in Australian history. Many people play this, and it’s considered a pastime for many elders. A lot of Australians also play cards, and strategy games that are similar to Risk and Battleship.
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Antarctica
There is no evidence that anyone plays board games in Antarctica, except possibly the researchers who bring their favorites from home. However, there is a board game called Antarctica. Researchers mine resources, build new ships, earn grants for new research… It’s a thrill! Other than that, the only other games you can play might be with penguins.
Europe
While Europe is quite an expansive continent, and there are a number of cultures encompassed within that continent, one of the most common game threads is chess. This game originated in Persia, but was brought to southern Europe (Spain) by the Moors. From there, it spread through most of Europe, and has become quite an establishment in both private homes and public tournaments. Chess is one of those games that takes strategy and extensive time to master.
