Everyone loves a good board game. Nothing can bring us together — or occasionally tear us apart! — quite like sitting down to play together.
A new survey from the Entertainer has picked out some of the UK’s favourites:
Some of these definitely seemed like no-brainers when we were discussing them in the office. Others . . . not so much (is “Cards Against Humanity” technically a board game, or a card game?)
But the thing that struck me the most about the survey was that the respondents had to have played the game in the last six months.
That means people still play board games, even though we’re all constantly glued to our phones these days! That made me happy.
It inspired me to ask around the office for everyone’s favourites. Here are the results:
Angela, Editor
As a child, I absolutely loved a board game called “Buccaneer”. I didn’t own it myself, but one of my friends did, and we always played it at her house. The novelty of collecting those tiny “jewels” and barrels of rum really appealed to me, though with hindsight a game that glamourised piracy probably wouldn’t be considered suitable for children today!
When I first started work at DC Thomson, a group of us used to play “Risk” at lunchtimes – it became highly competitive and was lots of fun (and sociable). It certainly taught you quite a lot about your colleagues!
Alex, Features Editor
“Scrabble”! I used to play my grandma, who was the village’s W.I. Scrabble champion. She was ruthless.
We used the OSW (the Official Scrabble Words book) for checking, but Grandma always insisted that you had to know what a word meant to use it. So I would put together what I suspected could be a word, checked in the OSW, then pretended I had to go to the loo. She kept a dictionary in the hall, so I’d look up the meaning, flush the loo, come back and be all like, “Well, obviously it’s one of the proteins produced by our cellular mitochondria”. I’m a terrible human being!
Judey, Production Editor
“Balderdash”, because I can lie like a rug.
Shirley, Fiction Editor
It’s hard to beat “Scrabble” – we started with “Scrabble For Juniors” when I was a youngster. I probably liked it because I was always rubbish at games that required any kind of strategy, even draughts!
Lucy, Fiction Team
It has to be “Scrabble”.
We used to have a little timer, which gave you a maximum of two minutes to form your word. And we still have the Collins “Scrabble Dictionary” — essential for resolving disputes over what is and isn’t an allowable Scrabble word! Back in the day, we also had “Travel Scrabble”, with tiles that are pushed into the board. Brilliant for holidays.
Nicole, Design Team
I would say my favourites were “Monopoly” and “Cluedo”.
But going way back, I would add in “Dream Phone”!
Moira, Design Team
I like “Boggle” (is that a board game?)
And “Connect 4”!
Sarah, Commissioning Illustration Editor
Probably going to have to be “Chess”!
Sharon, Production Team
Here are my top ones:
“Scrabble”
“Articulate”
“Rapidough”
“Cluedo”
Tracey, Fiction Team
“Trivial Pursuit”.
“Monopoly” almost always ended in bad feeling, but with “Trivial Pursuit” it’s 100% bitterness, being pedantic with answers, gloating and smirking.
Usually because men set the tone by taking it far too seriously — and you can quote me on that!
Yvonne, Features Team
I’d say my favourite game is probably “Cluedo”.
It used to be “Monopoly”, but my daughter is a demon at it. She got so good that there was little point in playing against her anymore!
Lisa, Features Team
“Articulate”. Hands down! Favourite family game.
Runners-up are “Smart Ass” and “5 Second Rule”.
Jacki, Production Team
My favourite is “The Game Of Life”.
Click here to read more about the “Friend” team and what we do.
You can also take a look at “the team behind the team” here. Without them, publishing your favourite magazine every week would be impossible!
Iain McDonald I am the Digital Content Editor at the “Friend”, making me responsible for managing the flow of interesting and entertaining content on the magazine’s website and social media channels.
