Games are an inseparable part of our lives, even as adults. They have somehow become part of the normality… they have always been there. So, few of us ever stopped and thought about the evolution of gaming and the origin of games. It is a quite interesting topic if we have to be honest. Humanity is bound to play, nature is also bound to play. Have you ever watched a dog or a cat on the street? Even animals have primal instincts about it! We, people, just developed it a bit more and now we will try to follow the background of games, the way we know them today.
The game that is believed to be one of the eldest, is called Senet and it was played in Egypt around five thousand years ago… The world moved forward and so did the games. Mesopotamia and Egypt gave the start to it all, but soon it spread all over the globe. India, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and America joined the race and more games were developed, reaching the peak of today. Some became not just a way of having a good time, but also a way to relate to gods, spirits and even read the future and predict war actions!
The history of games began with sticks and stones used for Senet. Then they were replaced with dice. Pawnes were invented, together with tokens and other gaming pieces, eventually, also cards were crafted. In all means, the world needed some fun and discovered how to get it. Now, most of the ancient games are forgotten or modified to an extent that they are not even close to the original. Some of the ones who remained more or less intact are chess, backgammon and go, so if you are a regular player be proud – you are playing a game existing since a millennium! The fact that we had many didn’t make us stop though…
We keep inventing more and better games that require speed, strength, logic or knowledge. Children have an outrageously big number to choose from and the same is valid for adults. Since technologies developed too, the two things intertwined, giving even more space to creativity. You can enjoy literally every single game on your computer or smartphone. Children can benefit from great educational resources. For the latter, you can give a check to these history of games site filled with amusements that can teach your child a lot.
Except for children, games are an alluring option nowadays for adults that seek to spend an evening filled with some diversity. It is always great to have a drink with friends, but it can get only better if you add to the equation some fascinating board games too! From group activities to solitary time, games turned out to be the everlasting cause of smiles for thousands of years already.