Tabletop Adventures

Today we are going to take a break from the dungeon, discussing RPG’s and share an ode to last night’s board gaming fun.

One of the younglings loves Monopoly.  So, to indulge her, we brought out our well-loved Monopoly set from the days of yore.  This is the Monopoly set that resided in my parent’s game closet.  It is the set on which I first learned to play.  It’s corners are held together by 1970’s era packing tape that is flaking off the box.  A Gibson’s department store price tag is still firmly affixed to one end of the box, where you can still read the faded $2.97 price.

Our Monopoly Set

Inside, the money is still in fairly good shape but the property cards have become creased and spongy with long use and much trading.  We are missing some houses and hotels from the set, so there is increased pressure now to build early and build often.  We still have the complete rules and the short game rules sets although they are rarely referenced, as a set of house rules has long since taken their place.  In fact, it is normal practice to ask the guest of the house to talk about their house rules at the outset of the game as we decide who will go first and exactly which of the house rules variations will be employed for this adventure into fiscal engagement. My husband loves to find out if there are any new variations on the game that he has yet to encounter. Plus it helps keep the game friendly and the rules-in-play fresh in everyone’s minds.

A score sheet containing my father’s iconic handwriting is also ensconced within this beloved box.  I don’t remember that game, although I still remember one of the two people who shared in that game from days-gone-by.  Having graduated into the unfortunate club of those folks who have lost a parent, keeping that score sheet with the box just seems right and it is a bit of a surprise each time we get out this fabled box. This inherited copy of the game is a well loved treasure and it is still an event when it gets pulled out of the back-up game closet and gets opened up for an evening of family fun.

My sons are still being schooled in the fine art of a good Monopoly game, learning new tricks in trading properties.  One of last night’s most creative trade proposals was to exchange St. James Place (to complete a set) for North Carolina Avenue (which wouldn’t complete a set), $500 and 50 push-ups. They are learning when to extend mercy and when to be ruthless in their collections.  And they are learning that choosing to evolve Pokemon at the Monopoly game table, and missing rent collections in the process, will ultimately result in losing the game you were winning.

I know new game purists with their plentiful choices of good games will not completely understand the concept of Monopoly being called a good game, but who cares.  Today it fits well the stage of life my boys are in, which makes me happy.  That stage is passing quickly.  Perhaps that is why the Whitman copy of Stock Market has scored a place in our prime gaming closet, alongside our copy of 7 Wonders, Wings of War and our original edition double set of Settlers of Catan while the fabled Monopoly set I speak of had to be dug out of the back-up game closet.

My boys’ memories of good games are going to include making up their own RPG adventures in the back of the family van on long trips, playing Pathfinder on Wednesday mornings with Dad, playing Uno with Grandpa, Risk with cousins and multitudes of pizza and game nights with friends.  It will include memories of inviting their friends to our place for video games, board games and games of whole house hide and seek.

Our game closet is burgeoning and ever-evolving with games new and old.  We have a back-up game closet and a shelf or two or three for RPG game favorites.  Not to mention the favorites that reside in the homes of other friends and family members.  These well loved bits of paper and cardboard that are often the most physically shabby are also so very treasured for how intrinsically tied up they are with some of the best memories of times spent with those we love.