30 Classic Board Games Everyone Should Own

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Classic board games to break out on game night

Who doesn’t love a classic board game? A night in with friends or family becomes a trip down memory lane when you’re getting competitive over games that have been popular for decades. Their longevity speaks to the level of entertainment they provide. Take, for instance, chess. Though not the oldest board game—that honor goes to the ancient Egyptian game Senet, created in 3,500 B.C. and originally played on rectangular slabs made of wood, limestone, or faience—the classic two-player game is old.

Chess was first played around the sixth century A.D. and is to this day the top-selling board game of all time. Sales have soared since the release of Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit. In fact, Goliath Games revealed to the New York Times that sales of chess sets were up more than 1,000 percent shortly after the series released in 2020. Following chess, checkers, backgammon, Monopoly, and Scrabble are among the top five most popular board games.

Whether you like to play the best card games or prefer to think ten steps ahead in one of your favorite strategy board games, one of these classic board games will suit your taste. So press pause on the online board games tonight and settle in with an oldie but goodie. And get ready for the most fun game night yet.