Board Games vs. Parlor Games

[Tuly]

I was talking to Bryn about the great entertainment our family has derived from board games and parlor games (even though board games and parlor games are both indoor games, they are still different to me in genre). But at many of our parties we tend to lean towards parlor games since they are less competitive in nature. One of my favorite board games; Outburst, one of my favorite parlor games; Charades and now running Charades.

[Steve]

How are Outburst and Charades not competitive?

Aside from some cooperative games that have been produced (which I enjoy very much), nearly all games are "competitive" by design. Perhaps it has more to do with the way you play it?

When playing a game, the goal is to win, but it is the goal that is important, not the winning. ~Reiner Knizia

I tend to enjoy board games more than parlor games, but it's more difficult to find people to play with. I do enjoy the company that parlor games include. It's much easier to invite family and friends to join you for parlor games than it is to invite them to play—and teach them the more complex rules of—a meaty board game. Once you reach a hobby level, it requires finding others who enjoy the hobby as well. That's proven very difficult.

[John]

Actually, many of the parlor games we play can be successful by diminishing the competitive element. When we play, "in the manner of the word", we are not playing for points or to "best" some other person or team, although I guess you could make a claim that the object is to "stump" whoever is "it." But I don't view it that way as much as an exercise of creative, entertaining expression. Charades can also be played without "teams" or competition. And when we play "The Minister's Cat" we don't always include the "elimination" of those who stumble.

[Edward]

I agree. In fact, I don't enjoy playing those games when they are made competitive. I frankly don't like competition of any kind, so when it is a part of outburst or charades or whatever, it isn't fun for me anymore. That's one reason I REALLY don't like playing board games; sitting around a table dealing cards or thinking too hard just so I can "win" simply doesn't do it for me. But parlour games are totally different. They are basically just people entertaining each other under the basic rules of a game, and you can end it whenever people are tired of it instead of until the game is "over." It's more akin to play than board games, which are closer to strategy, which I find less amusing. Naturally people will like what they like, but as for me, I find competition counter-productive and I do not like activities in which it plays a part.

[Steve]

I still think it's probably just perspective. For instance, in many parlor games, whether or not you view another player or team as competition, certainly you compete with time or your own past performance, etc. In most cases, the activity remains a "contest" of sorts where one strives to meet an objective according to a certain set of rules or criteria. I think most any "game," in order to qualify for that classification, requires a certain degree of competition against some rule, standard, time, predisposition, person, pressure, or opposing force of some sort. I think it may just be that games spread themselves along a "competition gradient" where the degree (or severity of consequences) of competition is diminished.

Hah, perhaps I'm thinking too deeply into this.

[Angela]

Any game, parlor or board or whatever, is competitive. Steve, I agree, I think that there are degrees or levels of competition. I personally like both board and parlor games. I guess I just like to play games with people. It can be fun when the level of competition is very low and everyone really is just playing to have fun. I really enjoy the banter than goes along with games, it's terribly entertaining and can be bonding. Maybe I'm over thinking this as well.

[Edward]

Just so you all know, the Crossing the Plains game is WAY more complicated than the grandkids realize, as the instructions (found by Steve and the grace of Heaven) have made clear. Fair warning.