Which top board games have successfully branched out into other forms of pop culture?
Playing board games has long been something people have loved to do all over the world. It is because they are lots of fun to get involved with and also offer a social gaming experience. As most are multi-player, they offer the perfect way to bring everyone together for some quality time. Due to their popularity, board games have become central to pop culture over time. This popularity has also seen them branch out into other parts of our culture and make their presence felt there. But what board games have made this leap successfully?
Monopoly
Monopoly, one board game that is very popular around the world, has a long history behind it. It actually stretches back to the 1930s, when the game as we know it was created and marketed by Charles Darrow. Parker Brothers saw the potential of Darrow’s board game and bought the copyright from him before starting to distribute the game around 1935. Monopoly’s success has also seen it branch out into other forms of pop culture over time.
Cluedo
Anyone who likes to keep up with the latest board game news and reviews will also be keen to find examples that they can enjoy in other areas of their lives. Cluedo certainly hits the mark and is a classic murder mystery that traces its roots back to 1943. After this, Cluedo was initially manufactured to great acclaim by the UK firm Waddington’s. It is now manufactured by gaming giant Hasbro and has seen many different versions produced over the years.
But how has Cluedo branched out successfully into other parts of popular culture? A good place to start is the UK TV series based on the game, which aired from 1990 to 1994. It saw the murder of a visiting guest at fictional Arlington Grange re-enacted each week before celebrity guests had to work out who had done it, with which weapon, and in which room.
The worldwide appeal of Cluedo also saw a 5-part Raven Metzner series based on the game called ‘Clue’ run on The Hub from late 2011 to early 2012. Even more impressive was the 1985 movie ‘Clue’, which took its lead from Cluedo and featured top actors such as Tim Curry.
Battleship
Originally played with paper and pencil, Battleship was launched as a board game by Milton Bradley in 1967. It is a game based on naval combat strategy where two players try to guess where their opponents’ ships are on the board and blow them up. If they can do this before their own are sunk, they win!
This classic strategy game made it into film in 2012, when a movie of the same name starring Rihanna was released. The film’s director, though, put a real spin on the standard gameplay and had his cast defend the earth from alien invasions with their fleet of battleships. This film is not only a good watch but also another example of how top board games can make it into other parts of pop culture.
Board games are a key part of popular culture
As the above shows, board games are not only a crucial part of pop culture in their own right but often branch out into other parts of our lives too. It can seem to crop up in things like games, movies, and TV shows. It is not a surprise when you think of how popular the top board games are and the appeal they have with the public.
