Board games are not a crazy new fad for Indians. There are historical records that show how ancient Indians enjoyed playing board or dice games. However, the recent outburst of board games is no secret. There are many factors that led to the board game boom of 2020-2021. That is a topic for another day. In this post, we will share with you the 5 most popular board games in India.
Before we get started with our list, we would like to explain how we got this data:
We scoured the Internet for the major shopping e-commerce sites, and read the reviews for the games that they sold. In addition, we sent a survey to obtain feedback from gamers in India. We combined the inputs from both the sources and came up with our list of the favorite board games that Indians love to play.
5 Most Popular Board Games in India
1. Monopoly
The classic business tycoon game gave birth to millions of similar counterparts. It is one of the most popular board games of India recently and of all time. In general, 2-4 players can play the game, but more players are always welcome.
Every player begins the game with a limited amount of money. You then roll a dice and buy properties wherever you land. The objective of the game is to become a tycoon and force the remaining players into bankruptcy. The game can go on for a long time. However, not many people play the game by the official rules.
Nearly every household in India has a copy of the game. While the original game is based in England, there are many variants that include Indian cities and states.
Monopoly is a fun and ruthless game for someone who knows what they are doing. The game is a bit complicated since you have to manage your finances as you play along. Nonetheless, kids love this game, and it’s an all-time favorite across all age groups.
Most modern-day board game lovers tend to have a hate-relationship with Monopoly. Most of these emotions are due to the linear nature of the game, and players being subject to the roll of the dice.
2. Chess
Chess is a game that needs no introduction. It is considered among the best board games in India. It’s a classic hit that is played by two players. Chess can be the simplest and the most complicated game at the same time. Even now, after all these years players are discovering new strategies to play the game.
The goal is to capture the enemy king and veteran players use a plethora of moves and strategies to corner their enemy. Each chess piece is bound by rules that dictate how and where it can move over the checkerboard. The game ends when the king has no squares left to move that are not threatened by an enemy.
Chess is a classic battle of wits where two minds clash in mind games and foresight. Experts play another variant named ‘times chess’ which requires them to play moves within a given time. If you love puzzles and strategy, then you’ll love playing chess.
There is a classic argument that Chess is not considered as a board game. But the counter to that is to look at the board on which the game of Chess is played. It is a board game indeed.
3. Ludo
Ludo is yet another classic game that has been around for a long time. You will also find this game in nearly every home. The digital counterpart became quite popular thanks to the pandemic.
Ludo is a game that can be played by 2-4 players. The goal of the game is to liberate all your pieces, go around the board once, and reach home. The first player to house all their four pieces wins the game.
Like chess, Ludo is a classic game, minus the strategy part. It’s a simple game that people of all ages can enjoy with equal fun and enthusiasm.
Similar to Monopoly, most modern board gamers have a hate relationship with Ludo. The lack of strategy bothers many players. However, if you are looking for some good fun, Ludo is very quick to setup and play.
The origins of Ludo can be traced to another game called Pachisi. This game was played during the times of the Mahabharata and some evidence of this historic game is found in the caves of Ellora.
4. Snakes and Ladders
As far as dice games go, ‘Snakes and Ladders’ is also one the most famous board games in India.
In Snakes and Ladders, the board is divided into 100 squares. Some squares are connected by ladders while others by snakes. The game can be played by 2-6 players, with provisions for more with enough tokens. You roll the dice to progress through the board. You ascend to the connecting square by landing at the base of a ladder and descend when you land at the face of a snake.
The simple climbing up and down nature of the game makes it super entertaining and fun to play with others. It’s a simple game, with no skill ceiling whatsoever. Just let the dice roll and move up and down the game board.
5. Risk
Conquer the world with your army and become the top civilization.
The goal of the game is to defeat other players by invading their territories. Although it’s based on dice rolls, there is a decision-making element involved when it comes to army management.
Overall, it’s a nice game and a must-play for strategy lovers.
Conclusion
These are some of the best board games that are available in India. This list includes a number of board games that you can buy and enjoy playing. Hopefully, you can find one that suits your taste.
The games in this list are not consider ‘modern’ board games. They are, however, the ones that have been selling a lot.
We as a publisher of modern board games are looking to add to the list of board games that are available in India.
You can also read more about some of our new games, including Go Goa – Roll & Write.
