Vintage Manufacture Board & Traditional Games

Vintage Manufacture Board and Traditional Games

From Go Fish cards to Risk, board games have long provided a fun way to bond with family and friends. Some people do more than play them and choose to collect vintage board games. Whether collecting rare items for display or finding original game boards for play, this hobby is enjoyable for many people.

Some tile games can be considered art as their design and craftsmanship sets them apart. While many present-day tiles are constructed from plastic or nylon, older rare tile sets can be made from bone, bamboo, wood, or stone. Some tile games include:

• Dominoes is one of the most common games played throughout history worldwide. There are many variations, but they all essentially involve matching numbers.
• Mah-Jongg includes some of the most ornate designs on 144 tiles, each marked with a Chinese symbol. This is a strategy game that involves giving and taking tiles according to specific rules in order to achieve a winning hand.
• Rummikub consists of 104 number tiles with two sets of the numbers 1 through 13 in four different colors. Play involves manipulating tiles in a manner similar to Rummy.

Board games from the 1960s often surrounded themes of war or sports, like football and baseball. While some retro board game titles are familiar, many of the rarer board games were not reissued. As long as the board game is complete, both kids and adults can enjoy playing these vintage board games and might learn some world history or retro culture in the process. Some board games from the 1960s include:

• Wild Wild West is a rare shoot-out-style board game based on the television show of the same name.
• Summit is a game with a board featuring a Cold War-era map and involving war strategy.
• Mystic Skull consists of placing and removing pins from voodoo dolls.
• Strat-O-Matic is a sports-related, vintage board game. It was updated annually with baseball statistics.

Some collectors seek out various rare and vintage editions of the currently manufactured board games, and their collections show how the board, box, and pieces have changed throughout the years. Some board games that have withstood the test of time include Monopoly, The Game of Life, Clue, and Operation.