Vintage Board Game.

Everyone has at least one board game tucked away somewhere in their house. Although it was in the early Twentieth century that board games became popular amongst middle-class families, it was after the Second World War that the popularity of board games reached its peak making classic board games such as Monopoly, Clue (known as Cluedo in Europe) and' Risk a regular feature in most homes. Hence, these board games became an essential thread in the social and cultural fabric of those times.

Living in the Twenty-first century, we have taken immense leaps. We are no longer limited to spending our leisure time reading books or playing outdoor games, we now gratify our impulses by clicking on buttons be it a game pad, mouse or a remote control - we have shifted our focus towards video games.

Starting from Commodore 64 and Atari, game consoles and personal computers have come a long way. The games a person can play are almost limitless and has resulted in the creation of a diverse set of genres that they can now be classified into. Although board games are now a dying breed, their shift to the electronic medium has enabled them to become a hybrid of old concepts and new technology.

An advantage of playing board games adapted as video games is that one no longer has to spend time and effort in gathering people and convincing them to playa certain game. All one needs to do now is switch on a laptop or a personal computer, assume an identity for the game and set the number of players playing the game before starting the game.

Moiz, an avid gamer plays a short game of Monopoly at least once a week to . relax. He says the reason he plays Monopoly so frequently is because unlike other games, in Monopoly he gets satisfaction out of become rich. And if the opposite happens, than all he has to do is click on the 'quit' button and restart the entire game.

For many people, social interaction in a competitive gaming environment can be quite stressful. It is one thing to play a game with someone across a network, who in most cases is a complete stranger and someone you don't have to deal with outside your virtual life. "I always end up souring my relationship with my husband after a board risk; says Razia, a marketing executive in a multinational company.”After a while, I realised that I became a very mean person during the game as I can't bear losing. Since my addiction to Risk goes far back, I now prefer to play Risk on my computer than with a group of friends and let them see the ugly side of me:'Other than saving face in the social environment, another advantage that may be gained by switching to board games on the computer is that for an experienced player, finding the same or higher level of competition in every game isn't possible. This issue is resolved by playing against a computer. In fact, hard-core strategy players appreciate computer players far more than human ones, as there no feelings to be hurt or mercy to be bestowed.The advances in mobile technology and hand-held computers has made it easier for an individual to playa board game without having to carry the entire kit and caboodle that comes with the conventional version. Nowadays one can play Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit on your mobile while having coffee in your neighbourhood cafe.On the other hand, one must wonder whether there is a social element left in playing board games as video games or has the board game itself become a clone of various mass produced games that require constant dedication and hand-to eye coordination? Would playing a two player video board game with a friend and some computer players ever compare to playing with family members or a group of friends?Board games are inherently social. Throughout history, playing board games has been closely linked with building relationships and reinforcing social hierarchies. However, with their evolving into video games, this aspect of gaming has quickly disappeared. What was once an opportunity for people to bond has now become an isolated solitary act. Then again, times change and so do methods and mediums. If classic games such as Monopoly, Risk and Clue are at the brink of extinction by change in social and cultural trends then so be it.

_{source Spider Mag.}