There are thousands of games released each year, but still, for many people, it’s the classics that are the best. After all, if a game is still being played several hundred years after it was invented, then it must be pretty darn good. Without disrespecting modern games, it’s unlikely that anyone will be dusting off an old PlayStation 5 in the year 2300!
The games we’ll outline below are still widely played, both online and in the real world. In fact, one of the games, blackjack, can be considered one of the most played online games in the world. If you’re looking for an old-school way to pass the time, then give one of the following games a go.
Euchre
For a while, it looked like euchre might be destined for the history books, but it’s experienced a revival in recent years. The earliest incarnations of the game emerged in the 1700s in Europe, with London being particularly captivated by the card game. Though no one can say for sure, it’s thought that the game was based on an even older game, which really would prove that this is a game that’s here to stay.
The game underwent development in the mid-19th century following its arrival in the United States. Players on that side of the water included jokers in the game — in fact, that’s actually why a standard deck of cards includes jokers. Today, the version of the game that includes jokers is no longer played in the States but is played in Europe.
Blackjack
No one is absolutely certain where and when blackjack was invented, but it’s thought to be at least a few hundred years old. Most scholars say it emerged around 1700 in France before making its way to the United States in the early stages of the 19th century. Since then, the game has only increased in popularity. Today, it’s probably the most commonly played casino game on the planet, with many people choosing to play the game online or at a real-world establishment. Part of the appeal of blackjack is that it hits the sweet spot between accessibility and challenge; it’s easy to learn how to play the game but difficult to master.
Solitaire
Did you think that Solitaire was invented by Windows as a way to sell computers? Nope, the origins of the game actually stretch back to at least the late 1700s. That’s the first time the game is mentioned in written form, so who knows when it was actually invented. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the game made it to the United Kingdom and the United States, at which point its popularity exploded.
Generations of people would be introduced to the game by Microsoft, which included the game pre-installed on their computers from 1990 onwards. Fun fact about that: while we’re sure Microsoft loved solitaire, they actually included it as a way to teach people how to use the computer mouse. And that’s a pretty good idea; if you’ve ever played solitaire online, you’ll know just how much clicking and dragging is involved.
Whist
Whist has a pretty fascinating. For one thing, it wasn’t until about two hundred years after its invention that it was given its name. Before they landed on Whist in the mid-18th century, it was known as Trump, ruff, honors, and about a million other names. In any case, this is an old game, the oldest on the list. The game was first mentioned in 1529, which means we’re not all that far away from the game’s five-hundredth birthday. The game is still played, though mostly among the upper echelons of the UK. If you’re looking for a new and fun game to play with a group of four, then give it a try — this game is often touted as being an extremely difficult one to learn for some reason, but it’s actually extremely easy; both to pick up and master. Learn the game, and you’ll be walking in history.