December 28 is “National Card Playing Day,” but card games are fun any day of the year— and a great brain fitness activity to boot! Over the past few years, there have been many new card and board games released that have become very popular with people of all ages. Some of the best games are enjoyed by games from 10 to 100 (and beyond!). Check out three popular games and see if you find one that might be fun to enjoy with friends or loved ones on National Card Playing Day, or any other day.
Apples to Apples
Apples to Apples is a card game, of sorts, that was once chosen by Mensa as “Mensa Select” prizewinner. It requires a minimum of four players, but can be enjoyed by up to 10. The fact that so many people can play makes it a great choice to pull out after a holiday dinner. It’s recommended for ages 12 and up, but younger kids may be able to enjoy it with some help from a parent or grandparent.
The premise of Apples to Apples is simple: Each player is given a stack of “red cards” that are usually nouns. Then one player each round acts as a judge. The judge draws a “green card,” which is usually an adjective, at random out of the box. The players then choose a red card from their hand that best fits the green card. The players can try for literal matches or funny matches. The goal is to get your card picked by the judge. Then, that play earns a point. The game is played until a certain score is reached.
Settlers of Catan
Settlers of Catan , a name that has been shorted to just Catan in more recent versions, is a strategy-based board game created in Germany in late 1995 (where it was called Die Sedler von Catan). It is designed for 3 or 4 players, though can be played with other numbers when certain expansions in place. It is designed for ages 10 and up, and a game takes around an hour to an hour and a half to play. The goal of the game is to accrue resources and build settlements. There is trading in the game too, which adds another level of strategy as you do not necessarily want to help the other players, yet you do want to add to your resources. The winner is the first person to earn ten victory points by creating settlements, cities and accomplishing other goals in the game.
Mille Bornes
Although Mille Bornes (also call Coup-Fourré, after the game’s trademark free-for-all card) has existed for over 60 years, it has only recently begun to become very popular, leading many people to believe it is a brand new game. In reality, the fame was created in the mid-1950s by Frenchman Edmond Dujardin and was likely modelled off of an even older American automotive card game called Touring
The idea of Mille Bornes is that the player has entered a road race. The race is usually 700 kilometers long, and each turn you play cards that help you move towards that goal. With cards that add to your distance as well as cards that can hinder your opponent and cards that protect yourself, there is quite a bit of strategy in this simple game. At first glance, Mille Bornes looks like a classic card game. However, since it is played with a special deck of cards, it has some added fun and excitement that make it fun for players of all ages.
This December, make the most of National Card Playing Day, and pick up one of these new games to enjoy with friends and family—and give yourself a much-needed brain fitness boost.
