What Is The Most Successful Board Game Ever?

Choosing their favorite board games may be easy for some, but deciding on the most successful is most certainly a debate-generating topic. That said, Monopoly is definitely a tough global tender to beat.  

The Guinness World Records, 2019 declared Monopoly as the most successful game ever. The game has been an educational source for children to learn about the concept of money management and trade from an early age. From helping the POWs in the WWII to a great boredom buster, and experience the power of money (although momentarily) are the most intriguing reason that makes this board games a best seller in the world.

Monopoly has been an all-time favorite amongst board game aficionados of all ages, decades over decades. Monopoly is one of the most popular of all board games because of its variations and the thrills to combine strategy, luck, and cut-throat competition. Designed for 2-to-4 players, the game has a banker’s tray, jail, community chest cards, hotel figures, plastic houses, silver-tone playing tokens, and two dices to indulge in hours of entrepreneurial gaming

I have always been a board game enthusiast and believed it to be the best game ever. However, when asked why? I never had an elaborate answer. So I am glad that I finally sat down to create this list to share with you why I believe Monopoly to be the most successful board game in history.

Why Monopoly is the Most Successful Board Game Ever

Here are 10 Reasons why Monopoly has stood above all board games since 1930.

1.      The Adaptability Factor

Monopoly has displayed adaptability like no other board game you will come across. The game is available in many versions that keep it current and interesting. You may have played this game a million times, but every time a new version comes out, you cannot wait. It is the excitement of what new challenges you have to overcome. Hence, you cannot resist the temptation to buy it to try.

2.      A Great Teacher for Generations

Chances are that your grandfather might have played it in his youth; your dad learned a lot from it until the wise board game landed in your collection. In short, Monopoly has been a great way to teach children about financial basics from an early age.

From property acquisition to consequences of bad money management, investment to property development, and banking, this board game has raised generations of financially savvy young ones.

3.      A Great Family Entertainer

Another reason for Monopoly’s success is its appeal to all ages that makes it a perfect entertainer for the entire family. The game has always encouraged family time together away from television screens, phones, and the present world’s distractions such as tablets and smartphones.

4.      An Almost Never-Ending Game Play

Monopoly takes forever to finish, so you can enjoy longer games with your loved ones. An average Monopoly playtime ranges from 60 to 90 minutes. So, if you are a parent who has other important home chores at hand to get over with, this is a great and safe way to get your young ones into some healthy mental exercise.

Whether you are stuck indoors due to a rainy day or have nothing to do on the weekend, a game of Monopoly will keep you busy for hours. This alone makes it a perfect boredom killer because the game is entertaining, engaging and requires your attention to get yourself into a financial position and claim “Monopoly.”

5.      Experiencing Financial Warfare on a Board Game

So, is there a friend or sibling who is great at physical games, but how about the brain muscle? This is your chance to bankrupt that one person without any real-life consequences. This is the best part about playing Monopoly; you can either play nicely or be a ruthless businessman or switch back and forth between the two attitudes.

If you are the nicest person on the planet, showing a harsh side with a hard face will definitely take everyone by surprise, making them nervous about what you are going to do next. This adrenaline of tension with the unpredictability of what comes next is one element that makes it the most successful board game ever.

6.      Veteran from World War II

This may come as a surprise, but Monopoly is a true veteran game in its own rights. The British Secret Servicemen who were held prisoners of war during WWII used this game to escape war camps. How? Well, the Monopoly games available in the Nazi camps had real maps, money, compasses, and other means that helped these servicemen escape – thanks to this iconic board game of all time.

7.      The Educational Element

Suppose you are after a board game that plays perseverance, patience, vocabulary, counting, and so on. However, no many games have been able to stay consistently educational for almost a century. You can visit schools around the US or Europe, and you can easily spot Monopoly in the board game collection.

This is the safest and the most entertaining way to teach your kids about finance, friendships, how to tackle the good times, and the calm their nerves during a crisis.

The Power Element

You will get to see the alter egos of some of the nicest beings when it comes to playing for money (no pun intended). However, you can still get a glimpse of ruthlessness in a child or partner and how temporary power can get to their head and make them into a money-mad businessmen. Although they do not mean it, and probably you would do the same in their position, but it gives you something to tease each other for days to come.

8.      The Cognitive Element

What makes Monopoly a wiser choice of extra-curricular activity for all ages in today’s world is its ability to keep you away from your screens and other modern distractions. You can hone your cognitive skills and boost your mathematical side of the brain, improve your concentration span, and make money choices with full confidence.

9.      A Trip Down the Memory Lane

While the young ones have been able to form new strong bonds of friendships over a game of Monopoly, it is a great way to revisit your childhood memories. The elders and young adults gather up on holidays, and Monopoly is one of the most popular choices of board games with laughter shared about stories of past Monopoly contests in the house.

10.  A Global Phenomenon

Although there are many games available out there that are age-specific or even theme-specific in some cases, Monopoly is one game that has become a global phenomenon. This alone makes it the most successful board game ever (at least on my list). I hardly doubt that you will ever visit a country or a city where no one has heard about Monopoly.

Backpack through Europe, and you can see the elderly and middle-aged men sitting by the café’s playing board games, and you can easily spot a couple of tables with Monopoly. From a child to an adult, this board game has something to offer everyone – so what is your reason for liking Monopoly?