Which Games Are Most Popular Around The World?

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If there’s one thing that’s a constant, it’s the human love for games of all types. 

Of course, video games are a relatively new invention, and are often inspired by the long-standing rules and arrangements of many different ball games, sports games, card games like solitaire, and interpersonal social games that have lasted throughout the ages.

Just like how exploring the world through cuisine can be a fantastic means of learning about other cultures, doing so through games and their practice can be a wonderful use of your time. So, which games are most popular around the world?

Well, we can’t give an exhaustive list of every country, nation and culture that has existed, and of course, tastes and habits change. But in this post, we can show you a few interesting games that might be worth knowing about, and those that have kept people entertained, engaged, and competitive for decades or centuries, even.

So, where to begin? Let’s consider:

Chess

Chess is one of those games that’s been around for centuries, and it’s still going strong. It’s considered one of the grandfathers of strategy games, and better yet it’s played all over the world. You have cool uncles playing it in NYC parks and Chinese prodigies arising every decade, for example.

The cool thing about chess is that it’s pretty simple to learn but incredibly hard to master, some even spend their entire lives on it. Playing chess with individuals can be a great way to bond with them, and travel chess sets are portable and convenient if you’re into it. It’s a truly global game, unlike almost anything else.

Mahjong

Mahjong is a little different, but no less fun. It’s a Chinese game that’s spread all over Asia and beyond, even if it’s less popular in the West. It’s easier to think of it as a kind of mix between rummy and dominoes but with intricate tiles instead of cards. 

First, you’ll use tiles with Chinese characters and symbols, and the goal is to make sets and pairs. It’s usually played with four people, and there’s a whole practice to setting up the walls of tiles as you play. The game’s popularity and relevance come from its rhythm and the notable click-clack of tiles being discarded and picked up.

Go

Amazingly, Go has been around in some form or other for potentially thousands of years, originating in that oldest civilization of China but really taking off in Japan. It looks simple – just black and white stones on a grid, but there’s a good deal more going on here. Go is incredibly complex, with more possible moves than there are atoms in the universe, so you might be learning for a little while.

The simple goal is to surround more territory than your opponent, which sounds easy but gets complex fast. Go is known for its peaceful and somewhat zen-like quality, with much said on the philosophy about how playing it helps reflect the patterns and flow of life itself. That explains why it’s so popular in East Asia.

Mancala

Mancala’s a whole family of games played all over Africa and beyond, but unfortunately, they doesn’t get as much coverage in Western nations. The most basic idea is you’re given a board with little pits, and you’re moving stones or seeds around these pits. It sounds super basic, but there’s a lot of strategy involved in deciding where to drop your last stone. 

What’s cool about Mancala is how it’s adapted in different cultures and little rule twists vary here and there. In some places, it’s considered a kids’ game, in others, it’s serious business for adults where some people even bet on the outcome (as adults sometimes do). Some versions are played in the sand, others on carved wooden boards and crafting an intricate piece is considered a point of pride. It’s one of those games that’s easy to learn but play anyone experienced and you’ll see just how complex it can become.

Carrom

Carrom is best explained as a mix between billiards and shuffleboard but played on a tabletop. It’s incredibly popular in South Asia, especially in countries like India and Pakistan – sometimes the content of master players guessing the final location of a pocket will go viral on social media.

To give a basic outline, there’s a wooden board with pockets in the corners, and you’re trying to flick these little discs into the pockets using a larger disc called a striker. It’s all about angles and precision which makes it very skill-based. What’s most fun about Carrom is that it’s often a social game – you’ll find people gathered around Carrom boards in cafes and making it a social event.

With this insight, we hope you can enjoy games all over the world!