Unbound Edition - Good Old Fashioned Family Fun

Hasbro, the nation’s largest game company, recently released some of its classic games in new and abbreviated formats. Monopoly Express, Scrabble Express and Sorry Express are designed to be played in less than 20 minutes.

This is the first new product announcement that I have been really excited about in a long time. Yes, I know I am a nerd. But in this age where family time is in competition with computers, video games and television, playing board games is a great way for families to reconnect. Board games also provide an opportunity to teach valuable lessons about honesty and good sportsmanship. I try to have a family game night on a regular basis. But when I have roughly two hours between when I get home and when my son goes to bed (not unusual for any working parent), and we have to fit in dinner, homework and others tasks, spending an hour playing a game is simply not feasible.

Kudos to Hasbro for recognizing this consumer need and for allowing me to squeeze in – in the words of Clark W. Griswold – some “good old fashioned family fun.”

New universe, new conversations...
written by Eric Raymond, May 18, 2007 12:37 PM

Mindy, I'm with you on the board games. While I'm not always up for a six hour Monopoly session in which family members come to blows, I might play shorter versions more frequently.

But it gets me spinning: What I've found in most cases is how board games force us to move outside of our normal modes of discourse and conversation. When we submit to the tiny universe of the board game, that group submission seems to have some impact on our capacity for empathy as well as the willing suppression of other group dynamic stresses. (Who cares if Johnny left his milkshake in the car all weekend? I just rolled double 6s and scored free parking!)

People are essentially hungry for connection to one another. Internet culture has elevated the status of the nerd, and I'm reminded of pre-massively online multiplayer games in which dorks (read: me) would sit around not only playing Role Playing Games, but also creating our own together.

(Yes, yes. Line break for the laughing to subside.)

But what I'm wondering is: Will people become so hungry for their connection fix that they'll want to start to translate their Second Life existence into... say... a Third Life? I.e. back to the real world with new perspective? They already enjoy media-customized versions of old school games. (See: The Simpson's Monopoly).

It's not the "bored" game any more, kids. Now pay up for rent on Boardwalk whilst I take a card from the Community Chest.

E.

we weep
written by lady humps, May 20, 2007 09:25 PM

oh, the mixed emotions on this one. yeh, great we can breeze through the game...I understand families are time pressed and some is better than none. but isn't the whole point of a board game to "turn off" for a bit? we have got to stop "speeding things up." slow down...or the engine will just flat out hit redline one day and sputter out for good.

...
written by Mindy, May 21, 2007 11:01 AM

Lady Humps - I hear you on the mixed emotions, which is why I think it is key to note that they are not replacing the traditional games with the express versions, simply adding options for those of us who just don't always have the option "turn off" during the week. I certainly will still be playing the classic versions regularly as well.