30 Classic Board Games We’ll Never Stop Loving
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When I was growing up in the 1960s, computers and cable tv did not exist. Our television only had four channels, so there wasn't much entertainment at night except for books or listening to music on the radio. But we did have an amazing collection of board games that we played with family and friends on game nights. These games lasted well into the evening, and we laughed for hours while playing.
While some games such as Chess have been around for thousands of years, board games similar to what we had in the 1960s and ’70s appeared as early as 1894 when a game called The Mansion of Happiness was played in parlors all across America. Today, some of the most popular board games were created 80-plus years ago, including Monopoly (1935), Sorry (1934), Clue (1949), Scrabble (1938), Yahtzee (1956), Checkers (1948), Candyland (1948), and Chutes & Ladders (1943).
Board games have always brought families together while educating players on a wide variety of topics such as real estate, adventures, war, the fine arts and even helping young children with hand-eye coordination. Luckily, I still have several vintage game sets in my collection that I bring out for my grandkids to enjoy. Here are the top 30 classic board games originally created in the 1960s and ’70s — with many still available today! — that I ranked from fun to play on a monthly basis.
30. Stay Alive
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Year released: 1971
No. of players: 2-4
Skills required: Strategy, luck
Why it's a classic: Stay Alive is a game of survival. The objective is for players to keep their marbles from falling through the holes in the game board. Slider settings can be changed to open new holes, enabling players to make their opponent's marbles fall. The last to play wins. Unfortunately, the game is no longer being produced. However, it is still considered a classic since, in 2003, it won Japan's Boardgame Prize – Best Japanese Game Nominee.
29. King Oil
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Year released: 1974
No. of players: 2-4
Skills required: Strategy, negotiation
Why it's a classic: This three-dimensional board game is set up for players to acquire properties, drill for oil and collect royalties — yes, it definitely dates itself. It also comes with wild cat cards to complicate maneuvers as players try to dig for oil. The goal is to become the richest oil king by pushing opponents into bankruptcy. Oil King was popular among all age groups in the mid-1970s, even more so after "Dallas" first aired in 1978.
28. D-Day
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Year released: 1961
No. of players: 2-5
Skills required: Strategic war tactics
Why it's a classic: This historical game portrays the D-Day invasion of Europe with Allied forces landing in France to face the German opposition. It was also the first war game to feature a hexagonal grid, making it very popular during the post-war era. But what makes the game unique is that the Allied player can choose which section he wants to invade first while the German player has the freedom to decide where to place his starting pieces. These rules make the game quite challenging. The winner is the one who contains and destroys the enemy.
27. Battle Cry
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Year released: 1961
No. of players: 2-4
Skills required: Strategic war tactics, critical thinking
Why it's a classic: Released the same year as D-Day, Battle Cry was yet another war-themed game that became very popular, but this one centers on the Civil War rather than WWII. Each player commands 22 war pieces and is given cards to determine specific troop orders, such as hit or retreat. Several historical scenarios appear in the game rules, including Antietam, First Battle of Bull Run, Gettysburg, etc. The first player to eliminate the enemy army is the winner.
26. Go for Broke
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Year released: 1965
No. of players: 2-5
Skills required: Bluffing, chance
Why it's a classic: In Go for Broke, each player is given $1 million from the bank with the intention of one player hitting bankruptcy first. This was a unique concept at the time since most board games determined winners by the player who was most successful financially. In this game, players can bet money at a casino, race track, make a charitable donation or risk playing the stock market. The goal is to spend a lot of money as quickly as possible, giving players a glimpse into a fantasy life where money is abundant and meant to be spent. Go for Broke was awarded the Arets Spil Best Family Game Winner in 1988.
25. Simon
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Year released: 1978
No. of players: 2-4
Skills required: Memory, quick thinking
Why it's a classic: Simon is a circular, electronic game with four press pads (each a different color) that light up and play a specific tone. Players must match the sequence of Simon's flashing lights and sound by repeating the same pattern commanded. The sequence becomes faster as the game progresses, making it more challenging for players to keep up. The last one remaining in the game wins. In 2016, Simon won the Fall Parent's Choice Fun Stuff Award.
24. Kerplunk
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Year released: 1967
No. of players: 2-4
Skills required: Probability, hand-eye coordination, dexterity
Why it's a classic: Similar to the idea of Jenga, this game is a bit of a nail-biter. Several layers of marbles are precariously balanced on thin plastic sticks that extend from a clear, upright cylinder. One by one, the sticks are removed, disturbing the marbles. If a player pulls the wrong stick, the marbles will tumble down, and he loses the game. Challenging to be sure, but oodles of fun which is why this classic game has been around for a long time.
23. Which Witch
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Year released: 1970
No. of players: 2-4
Skills required: Chance
Why it's a classic: This three-dimensional haunted house game came out in two editions. The first in 1970 was a box version with an unfolded board, and in 1971, it was released again but with a folded board. Half the fun is in setting up this game! The objective of Which Witch is to make it through the haunted house and be the first to reach the "Charmed Circle." Pawns are used as well as dice and cards that cast spells, break spells or drop a "Whammy Ball" down the chimney. Geared for younger players (age 6-12), this game was trendy to play during Halloween.
22. Rock Em Sock Em
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Year released: 1964
No. of players: 2
Skills required: Manual dexterity
Why it's a classic: Although Rock Em Sock Em is considered an action toy rather than a board game, it is still a competitive game that features fighting robot boxers. Each player commands their own robot by pressing the buttons on a joystick. The object is to win the round by punching the opposing robot and causing his head to pop up. Interestingly, the game has been credited for introducing the phrase, "Knock your block off," which is still popular today.
21. Hi-Ho! Cherry-O
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Year released: 1960
No. of players: 2-4
Skills required: Counting
Why it's a classic: Hi-Ho! Cherry-O is a young children's cooperative game that teaches counting skills. A spinner dictates the number of cherries the player (called a "cherry picker") can retrieve, and the goal is to be the first to get 10 cherries into a basket. The spinner lands on specific commands such as "take one cherry off the tree" or "spilled basket — return all cherries to the tree." This popular game is still used today to teach counting skills to preschoolers.
20. Aggravation
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Year released: 1962
No. of players: 2-6
Skills required: Chance, strategy
Why it's a classic: Similar to the game, Pachisi, the goal of Aggravation is to be the first player to have all four playing pieces (usually marbles) reach the home section of the board. After a roll of the die, if one player's marble lands on another participant's occupied space, the player can "aggravate" his opponent by sending him back to the base. This game is a lot of fun but also a bit frustrating for competitive players.
19. Masterpiece
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Year released: 1970
No. of players: 3-6
Skills required: Bluffing, negotiation
Why it's a classic: In Masterpiece, paintings of famous artists such as Van Gogh and Rembrandt are up for auction, with sales going to the highest bidder. The game ends once the stack of cards (paintings) has been used. The winner is determined by the amount of cash and valuable paintings he has collected. Masterpiece is a high-stakes, entertaining game that educates players on the fine arts.
18. Stratego
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Year released: 1961
No. of players: 2
Skills required: Memory, abstract strategy, bluffing
Why it's a classic: Similar to the International Spy game from the 1940s, Stratego was produced by Milton Bradley in 1961. Each player in the game is given 40 pieces (army men) to arrange however they choose on the battle board. The object is to capture the flag on the opponent's territory (while defending your own). The strategy is also similar to catching the king in a chess game. However, there are bombs set along the way to challenge players to reach their objectives. The first player to capture the opponent's flag wins. This popular game was the 2016 Fall Parents' Choice Classic Award Winner.
17. Ants in the Pants
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Year released: 1969
No. of players: 2-4
Skills required: Dexterity
Why it's a classic: Ants in the Pants is a great starter game for preschool children and is as easy to play as Tiddlywinks. Each player is given four plastic ants that can be made to jump into a freestanding pair of plastic pants. The concept is simple — the first person to get all four ants into the pants wins the game. This is a perfect, stress-free game for small children that causes a lot of laughter.
16. Whosit
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Year released: 1976
No. of players: 2-6
Skills required: Deduction, luck
Why it's a classic: Like Guess Who, this character-guessing game has each player randomly selecting his own character and trying to figure out his opponent's secret person. The objective of Whosit is to be the first to discover everyone else's identity through a series of questions on cards asking about gender or physical features. But the game has a unique twist; some of the characters are secretive, which makes it all the more challenging. This game is perfect for you if you're good at character analysis!
15. Perfection
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Year released: 1973
No. of players: 1-99
Skills required: Memory, dexterity, shape recognition
Why it's a classic: Designed for young children, Perfection is reminiscent of toddler toys that require fitting odd-shaped pegs into matching holes. Each player must be quick to fill all the little shapes into a matching hole board. Whoever gets the most shapes matched before the tray pops up wins the game. It's a great educational tool for preschoolers but can also be played solo if other players are not available to join.
14. Hands Down
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Year released: 1964
No. of players: 3-4
Skills required: Bluffing, dexterity
Why it's a classic: Described as the "slap happiest game ever," Hands Down is a high-energy game inspired by the children's game Snap and Slap Jack. It comes with a deck of cards and a plastic "Slam-O-Matic," a circular unit with four colored hands attached to it. If a drawn card matches another player's card, he must be quick to slap the hand. But players can also fake a non-matching card, and if the opponent falls for the trick, he loses a card. The game's object is to own the highest amount of matched pairs. Hands Down won the Fall Parents Choice Fun Stuff Award in 2015.
13. Guess Who
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Year released: 1979
No. of players: 2
Skills required: Deductive reasoning
Why it's a classic: Guess Who is another mystery face game similar to a combination of Whosit and 20 Questions. Players flip over a collection of faces with different characteristics to guess who their opponent's secret person is. The hooked tiles reveal questions about a character's features to help players guess the person's identity. Several special editions have been produced recently to include more diversity and gender equality in the face cards. This popular game won the Arets Spil Best Children's Game in 1989.
12. Park and Shop
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Year released: 1960
No. of players: 2-6
Skills required: Luck
Why it's a classic: The objective in Park and Shop is for players to drive their game-piece cars from their home to the closest parking lot and then move their pedestrians to all the stops on their shopping list. Once a player has completed their shopping tasks and returned home, their points are calculated. Whoever has the highest score wins the game. Interestingly, Park and Shop is based on businessman Donald Miller's model concept of attracting more shoppers to downtown Allentown, Pennsylvania, for free parking. Although the game's origins date to 1947, Milton Bradley produced and sold the game in 1960.
11. Operation
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Year released: 1965
No. of players: 1-6
Skills required: Dexterity
Why it's a classic: The strategy in this battery-operated game is pretty simple; players must extract "ailments" with a small tool from a patient's body without getting "buzzed" by the buzzer. Players who grab the ailments successfully get paid for the operation, and whoever has the most money wins the game. Operation has been around for decades and is still a favorite among young players because it's laugh-out-loud funny.
10. Mystery Date
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Year released: 1965
No. of players: 2-4
Skills required: Chance
Why it's a classic: A white door sits on the center of the game board and is the featured piece in Mystery Date. Depending on how the knob is turned, a different male appears behind the door for a date. Players are given four cards corresponding to one of the dates hidden behind the door. The board squares feature instructions that tell you when to draw more cards that might reveal their date. But there's a funny twist; one date is the "dud" who no one wants. So the player who reveals him must discard their set of cards and pick a new hand. The player with the correct matched date wins the game. In the 1970s, Mystery Date was revamped to keep up with current dating trends and was a big hit at slumber parties.
9. Pay Day
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Year released: 1975
No. of players: 2-6
Skills required: Negotiation, trading
Why it's a classic: Pay Day is a unique game board designed like a monthly calendar and challenges players with various financial pitfalls. Participants can take out loans from a bank (or borrow money from other players) to make property deals and earn additional money. Salaries are paid at the end of each month, and the earnings are used to pay off expenses. In the end, the player with the most money (and least amount of debt) wins the game. Pay Day was a popular game in the mid-70s for the younger set because it made adulting fun.
8. Uno
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Year released: 1971
No. of players: 2-10
Skills required: Probability, strategic thinking
Why it's a classic: Similar to Crazy Eights, Uno is a very competitive card matching game. The object is to be the first player to get rid of your cards. When a player is down to their last card, they must call out "Uno" to warn others that they are on the verge of winning the game. The opponents will try to prevent them from laying down their last card by switching the colors or numbers on the draw deck. Perfect for larger crowds and especially fun at parties, Uno is a simple game and easily transportable to play on the go.
7. Trouble
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Year released: 1965
No. of players: 2-4
Skills required: Chance
Why it's a classic: The object of this classic game is to get all four playing pieces around the board and back home again before any of the other players. However, the game is based mainly on luck with the roll of a die that's encased in a plastic bubble. Players press the bubble, which pops the dice into place, revealing a number that will advance them on the board or send them back to home base. Since Trouble is a fun, addicting game with minimal strategy involved, this classic is still enjoyed today.
6. Mousetrap
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Year released: 1963
No. of players: 2-4
Skills required: Dexterity
Why it's a classic: This simple but fun game for young players begins with building a mousetrap together in a specific order. Then, a roll of the die advances the mouse game pieces along a path on the board. The objective is to be the first player to go around the board and collect the cheese tokens. Players can also capture their opponent's mouse in the trap. The winner is the last one remaining after their opponents have been trapped. Mousetrap has been around for decades and is still a favorite among young children — mainly for the game's setup alone.
5. Boggle
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Year released: 1972
No. of players: 1-8
Skills required: Vocabulary, spelling
Why it's a classic: If you're creative with words, Boggle is the game for you. It begins with 16 letters on a tray that are scrambled, then a timer is set while players make a list of words from the letters. The player with the longest list of words (which can be made horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, but not repeated) wins. This word search game has been around for ages and is the perfect game to play with people who have a fun sense of humor.
4. Battleship
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Year released: 1967
No. of players: 2
Skills required: Strategy, luck
Why it's a classic: The original designer of Battleship created the game in 1931, but Milton Bradley introduced a new version in 1967 with a plastic game board and pegs. Players target each other's naval warship until one player sinks their opponent's vessel. This game is ideal for people who prefer one-on-one games and is an excellent way to test your naval combat skills.
3. Connect Four
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Year released: 1974
No. of players: 2
Skills required: Memory, abstract strategy
Why it's a classic: Another classic game, Connect Four, involves dropping tokens into circular slots on an upright, plastic game board. Similar to the concept of Tic-Tac-Toe, a player must be the first to connect all four tokens — either horizontally, vertically or diagonally. However, a player must also block their opponent from connecting their tokens on the board. Connect Four is a legendary game played by young children and is a great learning tool used in schools today.
2. Twister
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Year released: 1966
No. of players: 2-4
Skills required: Flexibility, balance
Why it's a classic: Although not a "board" game, Twister is a physical game that tests a player's flexibility and balancing abilities with a large, plastic mat and spinner. Players follow directions given by the spinner to place their hands and feet on specific colored circles without falling over. What makes the game so interesting is the funny positions players find themselves in while bending and stretching over one another. The challenge is to keep your balance, and the last person standing is the winner. This iconic game is a wonderful icebreaker at parties and one that keeps participants laughing for hours.
1. Life
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Year released: 1960
No. of players: 2-6
Skills required: Counting, reading
Why it's a classic: Bill Markum designed the game in 1860, but the updated version did not hit the market until 1960. Based primarily on luck, each player is given a certain amount of fake money to budget and must navigate their way through life with a spinner that determines which path they will take. Financial bumps challenge players throughout the game (cash for a new car, a mortgage, college tuition, birthing twins, etc.) that can impact their future just like in real life. Let's be real: We need to start teaching kids about life's realities as soon as we can. This classic game has been a top favorite for decades and has been updated to match more modern times.