We have for a while been in the golden age of board games. Growing up, most people would receive a board game during Christmas. For the days that would follow, we would eagerly navigate the mysterious worlds, intricate charades versions, and word puzzles. As we grew up, and as Netflix took over, the time we spent on board games reduced but the interest and excitement of playing board games did not. Every now and then, whether bored with the streaming queue or looking for an excuse to enjoy spiced rum cocktails, people turn to board games to exercise their curiosity and have a thrilling and fun-filled adventure.
As Kyle Engen, the man behind the Interactive Museum of Gaming and Puzzlery puts it, “This is the golden age of board games.” Euromonitor International games and toy analyst, Mathew Hudak couldn’t agree more. Board games have significantly gained popularity over the last decade, reaching a climax in 2016. In 2016 alone, over five thousand board games entered the U.S. market. Traditional board games still dominate the market, but companies are beginning to approach board games as a go-to social activity and launching new products targeted towards this market. A good example is hobby board games.
It’s not clear what or who is driving the boom — millennials preferring social activities at home, the internet, video games — but it all boils down to this: modern games are substantially better. creative game designers are to a great extent worthy of credit for making games more exciting and giving old and new game enthusiasts the incentive to play boardgames more. Some nice choices for beginners include Carcassonne, Pandemic, and Ticket to Ride. Nowadays few people are into Candy Land. More often than not you will ask board game enthusiasts asking for recommendations similar to Pandemic or Carcassonne.
The Interactive Museum of Gaming and Puzzlery is America’s only Board Game Museum. As such, the establishment is eager to share the games and give people exposure to the gaming culture. It was established in 2010, in Beaverton, offering thousands of puzzles and board games in an interactive space where game enthusiasts can indulge in old and new games. Since its launch in 2010, the Interactive Museum of Gaming and Puzzlery has welcomed thousands of visitors from across the country, collaborated with various local entities, and archived thousands of games, making the world a more playful place. The mission of the Interactive Museum of Gaming and Puzzlery is to reach a hand across every cultural, social, and economic boundary to indulge other people in structured play. The Interactive Museum of Gaming and Puzzlery believes that exploring ideas modeled by puzzles and games can encourage creativity, enhance learning, and provide common ground. The Interactive Museum of Gaming and Puzzlery celebrates the historic, functional, and aesthetic beauty of structured play, as well as its components.