We all know about dragons, mermaids, and unicorns, but there are plenty of other fantastical beasts handed down through the centuries that don’t get as much as today. Yes, our ancestors had documented bestiaries full of half-understood animals illustrated by people who had never seen them, beasts with unbelievable powers, and made-up creatures from scary tales. Have you ever heard of a Gorgon?
The Gorgon may look like a harmless, scaly cow, but don’t be fooled. “It eateth deadly and poysonfull hearbs, and if at any time he see a Bull, or other creature whereof he is afraid… sendeth forth of his throat a certaine sharpe and horrible breath, which infecteth, and poysoneth the air above his head, so that all living creatures which draw the breath of that aire are greevously afflicted thereby.”
Also read about the Ravenna, the Manticora, the Su (no relation to the Snoo or the Shmoo) and more at Atlas Obscura.
(Image credit: Biodiversity Heritage Library/Digitized by University of California Libraries)
Comments (1)
Also, here's a Scrabble game that broke three North American records.
(Tactics and diplomacy also factor in)
For a good overview of all kinds of boardgames I recommend www.boardgamegeek.com It is the biggest boardgame database I know of with tons of gaming related things.
And for a really good introduction to "new" boardgames I recommend "Settlers of Catan". It's a game you can play with all kinds of people. If you like a really good mostly strategic game, give "Puerto Rico" a try or "Caylus". But these are more for "real" gamers than for the occasional one.
Oh, I like new board games too! I just started with these. I'm Stacy, not Alex, though :)
For a good "new" game my friends and I have had very good luck with Apple to Apples.
REALLY give one of the "new" "german-style" board games a try. Settlers of Catan is a great game and I know several people who didn't really enjoy board games but ended up loving Settlers. Puerto Rico is perhaps a bit hardcore along those lines, but once you do get used to the idea of those kinds of games, Puerto Rico's almost complete lack of randomness and huge number of valid strategies makes it one of the best games ever made.
PS: any game that thinks there are 96 two letter words in the english language is pure and utter crap :)
Thanks for your awesome list. It takes me back. Though I echo what others have said: it's time to update the collection. Wits and Wagers is a GREAT party game. For Sale and Razzia! are fun, too. Settlers of Catan beats the pants off Monopoly (and I'm a former competitive Monopoly player--Illinois is the most landed-on, but St. James is second-most). Bohnanza is the most fun you can have playing cards with your clothes on (but no one says you have to).
I'd love to see a post about your game group tackling some of the post-1960s games!
If the post made in the wrong section, please move