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Board Games That Cross Generations

Board games became popular around the 1920s as more Americans were able to afford leisure items, according to board game expert Bruce Whitehall. Since then, a handful of invented board games have managed to retain their appeal through multiple generations. The common thread among these games, which lend themselves well to intergenerational family game nights, is that each relates to a human experience, whether it be business, literacy, death, life choices or ultimately, competition.

Monopoly
- Monopoly is the best-selling board game in the world, according to maker Hasbro, which estimates that 250 million Monopoly sets have been sold. Its origins trace back to a man named Charles Darrow, who in 1935 invented and patented the game. He ended up selling his creation to the Parker Brothers, who made it the board game the staple that it is today. The goal of the Monopoly is to buy up properties and build them up using houses and hotels to bankrupt the other players. The concept of business and capitalism -- the buying, selling and trading -- makes for an exciting game that can be played by people young and old.
Scrabble
- Scrabble was invented in the 1940s by a man named Alfred Mosher Butts. Initially, none of the big game companies believed that a game like Scrabble could succeed in the game market. It wasn't until the early 1950s, when Selchow &Righter Company bought the game, that Scrabble really caught on. Now owned by Hasbro, Scrabble sets can be found in a third of American homes, according to the National Scrabble Association. The object of the game is to earn the most points by the end of the game. Points are awarded by building words out of seven allotted letters. Scrabble's combination of skill, chance, education and fun continue to appeal to multiple generations.
Clue
- The murder mystery board game Clue was invented in 1944 by an Englishman named Anthony E. Pratt. It was originally marketed by the name of "Cluedo" to the Parker Brothers game company. The object of Clue is to solve the the murder of the mansion's owner. Using the process of elimination, players must figure out who the murderer is, what the murder weapon was, and in which room of the mansion the murder took place. People of all ages enjoy the suspense and competition of trying to be the first player to solve the mystery.
The Game of Life
- The Game of Life, developed by a man named Reuben Klamer in 1960, has been updated through the years. Players must make suitable life choices during the game, including choosing a career, buying a house and paying taxes. The game has endured for more than 50 years and appeals to several generations because of its realistic nature, which people can relate to. The Game of Life mimics real-world choices, but the game offers multiple chances to start over and try different paths. The player with the most money at the end wins.
Sorry!
- Sorry! was invented in 1934 and has been going strong ever since because of the competition it inspires among its players. The game's simplicity makes it appealing across age groups. Players try to be the first one to get all four tokens from the starting point to "home." Players affect one another's game by sending opponents' tokens back to the starting point -- which further adds to the competitive atmosphere.

Board Games