Today when you say games, everyone thinks about Xbox, PS3 and Wii. Back in the day that wasn’t the case. As a child, most of us remember the hours spent playing board games with friends and family. Simple games with rules and strategy were the highlights of the evenings and weekends. In a world of electronic games and consoles, we should all take a minute to remember the board games of yesteryear. Here are a few of the more popular games that we might remember:

The Game of Life

This game was a great way to prepare for life. As you took your trip around the board, you ran into situations and surprise that only life can bring. Originally created in 1860, the game was reinvented in 1960 to the more modern version we all know. This game has continued to evolve into game consoles and even the iPhone.

You start at the beginning of your life where you earn a degree, find a job, and even get married. You can run into expenses and even get surprise rewards. Land on certain squares and you might end up with a child or two. The only thing it was missing was child support.

Monopoly

This game was highly popular and still is. The cutthroat game was created in 1904 and originally called The Landlord’s Game and commercially made in 1924. In 1941 The British Secret service had a special version of the game made for soldiers held captive during WWII, where they hid compasses, maps and real money for them to use to escape.

The version we learned to love today wasn’t created and distributed until the 70’s. Since then there have been many versions made for many countries and niches.

Operation

This chubby red nosed patient had a lot of problems. Using your skill and steady hand, you had to operate on the various parts of his body without touching the sides of the incisions. When you slipped and touched the sides, hit red nose lit up and a loud buzzer startled you. The person with the most body parts at the end of the game won.

Invented in 1965 by John Spinello, this comically drawn character has never left the operating table. Nicknamed “Cavity Sam” he has been in movies, TV, and now re-drawn for the modern game, which now has him dressed in shorts.

Clue

This marvelous murder mystery was created by an English solicitor’s clerk in 1944 and originally named Cluedo. It was originally made to give people something to play while waiting our air raid drills in underground bunkers during WWII. Sometimes people would have to wait hours for indication that it was safe. In 1947 it was published simultaneously by Parkers Brothers and Waddingtons.

There were different variations between the English version and the US release. Some of the original weapons and characters were omitted. The original version created in 1944 included weapons such as a bomb, a fireplace poker, poison, and an axe. There were ten characters and the one that was murdered was picked blindly by drawing a card. There were also 2 more rooms, the cellar and the gun room that were not published in 1947.

You never know where you’re going until you know where you have been. Remembering the games of the past can bring back fun and family entertainment. Taking time away from modern technology can help bring back the childhood many of us miss.

Author Tony Pomilia also enjoys writing for Brainz, an interesting website that suggests we learn something new, then share it; whether it’s the best board game of all time or 33 ways to fund your startup business.