Games Popular Around the World
Games have always been more than simple pastimes. Across cultures, they reflect values, sharpen strategic thinking, strengthen communities, and often carry traces of ritual or education. By looking at which games became emblematic in different regions of the world, we gain insight into the ways societies played, learned, and connected with one another.
Asia: Strategy and Tradition
Asia is the birthplace of some of the most intellectually demanding games ever created.
In China, Go (documented as early as the 4th century BCE) remains one of the deepest abstract strategy games in human history, studied not only by casual players but also by professional masters and, in modern times, artificial intelligence researchers. Mahjong, developed during the Qing Dynasty (19th century), serves a dual role: it is a highly social game played at family gatherings and holidays, and at the same time a serious pursuit with competitive leagues.
Japan has its own signature contributions. Shogi (Japanese chess), which crystallized around the 16th century, adds the unique mechanic of reintroducing captured pieces back onto the board, dramatically expanding tactical complexity. Among simpler but equally fascinating games is Gomoku, recorded in Japan since at least the Edo period (1603–1868), a line-making game on a grid whose elegance lies in the balance between accessibility and depth.
India has a special place in gaming history. It is regarded as the birthplace of chess, which evolved from the ancient game chaturanga (6th century CE). The Indian game pachisi (popular by the 16th century) later inspired the family of cross-and-circle board games, known globally today through variants such as Ludo.
Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, physical skill-based games often dominate. Sepak Takraw, with roots in the 15th century, is still practiced in Thailand and Malaysia, combining elements of volleyball and martial arts, requiring acrobatic control of a rattan ball using only feet, knees, and head.
Europe: From Folk Traditions to Modern Classics
European games often combine strategic rigor with strong social or recreational dimensions.
In ancient Greece and Rome, dice and board games were widespread, with finds dating back to the 5th century BCE. They served both as leisure and as symbolic models of fate. France later popularized pétanque (codified in 1910 in Provence) and helped spread dominoes in its recognizable modern form during the 18th century.
The Nordic countries preserved kubb, a lawn game with Viking roots, possibly dating to the 11th century. Spain developed a strong tradition of regional card games, most notably those played with naipes, a distinct deck that appeared in the 15th century.
In England, games often bridged the gap between leisure and sport. Croquet became fashionable in the mid-19th century, while darts emerged from medieval archery practice. England also codified modern football (1863) and cricket (with formal rules by 1744), both of which became global sporting phenomena.
The Americas: From Ritual to Mass Entertainment
The American continents highlight the transformation of games from sacred traditions to global commercial hits.
For the indigenous peoples of North America, lacrosse was not just a sport but also a spiritual practice, with matches lasting for days and involving entire communities. Early forms are recorded in the 12th century. Today, lacrosse survives both as cultural heritage and as a professional sport in the United States and Canada.
The United States became a cradle of the modern board game industry in the 20th century. Monopoly (1935), Scrabble (1938), and Risk (1957) defined family entertainment, while Uno (1971) became a global export. America also pioneered role-playing games with the publication of Dungeons & Dragons in 1974, laying the groundwork for modern tabletop culture.
In Latin America, traditional card games remain deeply rooted. Argentinians play Truco (dating to the 19th century), Mexicans cherish Lotería, a bingo-like game with illustrated cards first published in 1887, and Brazilians favor Buraco, a rummy-style game emphasizing teamwork and tactics.
Africa: Simplicity and Philosophy
African games frequently emphasize cycles, resource management, and reflection of natural processes.
The most iconic is the family of mancala games, with archaeological evidence tracing them back to the 7th century CE. Played with seeds or stones in rows of pits, mancala embodies ideas of harvesting, sowing, and redistribution. In this sense, it is not just a pastime but also a metaphor for life and community.
In Southern Africa, local variations of dice and card games exist, but mancala remains the most visible cultural symbol, often passed down through generations as an educational tool for counting and strategy.
Oceania: Community and Sport
Games in Oceania often reflect the communal and performative aspects of culture.
Among the Māori of New Zealand, traditional games emphasized coordination, memory, and agility. Activities such as string figures (whai) and ball games with woven flax were recorded by European observers in the 18th century, strengthening both physical and mental skills while reinforcing cultural identity.
Australia is known for codified sports: Australian Rules Football (codified in 1859) and cricket have become more than pastimes, representing national pride and serving as powerful cultural institutions.
On the Pacific Islands, unique card and dice games developed alongside rituals and storytelling, often incorporating mythological symbolism and reinforcing group cohesion.
The Universal Language of Play
Across all continents, games reveal how humanity has expressed itself through rules, chance, and imagination. They are not merely diversions but cultural texts, as telling as myths, songs, or rituals. A stone board for mancala in East Africa, a well-worn set of mahjong tiles in Shanghai, or a backyard lacrosse stick in Canada each tells a story of continuity and identity. Games may differ in mechanics, but they speak the same language: the need to play, to compete, to connect, and to remember. Through them, we glimpse not only how people entertained themselves, but also how they made sense of the world.
