What Makes a Game Stand the Test of Time?
Timelessness
If you don’t want to take a big risk when guessing what games people have at home, chess or Monopoly are usually safe bets. Fortunately, the two games have very different reputations. While Monopoly tends to divide opinions, chess is often seen as a symbol of intelligence and culture.
From an objective standpoint, chess is a much better-designed game. However, it’s not exactly a go-to for family game night—it lacks luck (which many consider important for equal chances), there’s no buying or trading, and it’s not suited for more than two players.
Monopoly, on the other hand, has been outclassed by modern board games in many ways for decades—and yet it never disappears from store shelves. In many families, an old, worn-out set gets passed down through generations, tied to concrete memories—which might just be the most important part of all. And perhaps the same can be said about a well-loved chessboard.
Monopoly
A commercial game, Monopoly provides a hands-on understanding of real estate and capitalism, and has been a family favorite since the 1930s.
Several modern variations have been created, but the classic foundations remain—those same features that still make it a favorite today, despite the dislike it often receives from modern board game enthusiasts.
Chess
A two-player strategic game, Chess has ancient origins and is known to enhance problem-solving skills. Its standardized rules and global appeal make it a timeless classic.
Even those who’ve never played chess usually know at least a few things about it.
Máté, watching one of the World Chess Championship final matches
—even though he doesn’t particularly like playing chess.
Replayability
With the golden age of board games, replayability has somewhat lost its value. To keep up with trends, we’re expected to buy fast and often, leaving little time to revisit the same game. Still, our favorites do make it back to the table more than once.
(Not so long ago, it would have been unthinkable for a game's main appeal to be that it can only be played once—or a few times during a campaign—but now, that’s a reality we can experience.)
Here, we’ve selected two titles: two longer games—one a milestone in the world of modern board gaming, and perhaps another that marks a turning point in the realm of truly heavy, complex games.
Catan
In Catan, the board's modular design and the dice ensures that no two games are alike. The trading and building mechanics, combined with random resource production, make each game unpredictable.
We might talk about Catan more than we actually play it these days, but many modern games have grown out of its legacy—we owe it a lot, and it's unlikely to ever fade into obscurity.
Twilight Struggle
Twilight Struggle is a card-driven game simulating the Cold War. Its dual-objective cards and real-time events mean each playthrough offers a different strategic challenge.
It held the top spot on the BGG list for a long time and has since slipped out of the top 10—but among the top 50 games, it remains the oldest, with over 20 years behind it.
Accessibility
A game's value amplifies when it presents a dual nature: easy enough for a novice to grasp, yet deep enough to challenge a veteran. Accessibility is about striking the right balance between simplicity and depth. An essential game welcomes newcomers with open arms, guiding them through its mechanics, while still offering layers of strategy to those looking for a more profound challenge.
Othello
A strategy board game, Othello has simple rules where players flip opponents' discs to their color. Yet, its strategic depth offers room for mastery.
Go
An ancient Asian game, Go is about territorial control. With its straightforward mechanics but deep strategic options, it's accessible to beginners and remains challenging for experts.
Máté teaches Go on a 13x13 board to disadvantaged children at a summer camp.
Emotional Engagement
Games that are capable of evoking emotions are much more likely to stay on our shelves. Many games, for instance, become associated with specific groups of people: I play this one with them, that one with other friends, and so on.
When it comes to emotional impact, cooperative games—those where we struggle together, fight against something, or share moments of suspense—can be especially powerful. We win together, we lose together, someone turns into a traitor… all of these can stir up strong feelings.
Can we save the world?
(And of course, it’s fascinating how Pandemic eventually became part of our everyday reality.)
Pandemic
In Pandemic, players work together to combat global disease outbreaks. The game's cooperative nature creates tension and camaraderie.
Betrayal at House on the Hill
A strategy game, Betrayal has players explore a haunted mansion. The changing scenarios and potential for a traitor introduce suspense and intrigue.
Strategy and Balance
Games that present players with meaningful choices, where decisions have tangible consequences, encapsulate the essence of strategy. But it's not just about the depth of strategy; it's about fairness. A well-balanced game ensures that every participant feels they have a fighting chance, making every move, every decision, all the more crucial.
Agricola
In Agricola, players manage a farm, making decisions about crops, livestock, and infrastructure. It requires careful planning and resource management.
Terraforming Mars
Terraforming Mars tasks players with developing Mars. The game's balance lies in managing resources, corporate strategy, and project cards to achieve the most points.
Aesthetics
While the mechanics and rules are a game's backbone, its visual and tactile appeal form its soul. The beauty of a game, from the intricacy of its components to the design of its board, plays a pivotal role in drawing players in. An aesthetically pleasing game offers a multisensory experience, where players are not just strategizing with their minds but also engaging with the art and craftsmanship before them.
Azul
Azul is a tile-placement game with beautifully crafted tiles inspired by Moorish art.
Ticket to Ride
A railway-themed board game, Ticket to Ride uses colorful trains and tracks, making the strategic game visually engaging.
Innovation
The board game industry thrives on the novel and the groundbreaking. Innovative games challenge existing paradigms, introducing fresh mechanics or reimagining traditional themes in unique ways. These pioneers invigorate the landscape, inspiring other designers and ensuring players always have something new to look forward to.
Let’s look at two examples from the world of card games—games that have continued to inspire designers ever since their release.
Dominion
Dominion introduced the deck-building mechanic, where players select cards that define their deck's capabilities throughout the game.
7 Wonders
A card drafting game, 7 Wonders lets players develop one of the seven ancient cities into a powerful civilization, offering varied strategies and paths to victory.