Games to Play for Fun & Competition
Playing a game can mean heading outside to run around or sitting in front of the TV and blasting away at zombies. Today there are countless opportunities for game play, and many people enjoy playing these games both for fun and competition. Some games can be divided into four categories: outdoor games, video games, board games, like Monopoly, and athletic games.
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Outdoor Games
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The sun comes out and everyone itches to get outside. Outdoor games are some of the easiest to play. In Tag, one player becomes "It." The rest of the players scatter, and the person who's "It" chases them and tags (touches) them. Another popular outdoor game is "Hot Potato." Fill a water balloon with cold water. Players sit in a circle, and toss the balloon -- the "hot potato" -- around the circle. Players compete to see who will drop the balloon first, causing it to burst. A third possibility is "Drag the Body." The group is divided into two teams. Each team receives an old blanket. A player from each team lies down in the blanket. The first team to drag the player in the blanket past the finish line wins.
Video and Computer Games
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In the 1970s and '80s, video games exploded in popularity. People became captivated by the adventures of "Miss Pac Man," the UFOs from "Space Invaders" and the saga of a plumber who saved maidens from a crazy monkey; Mario, Princess Peach and Donkey Kong. Video games today are even more popular. The current trend is toward motion-sensitive games that allow players to directly compete with each other, like "Wii Fit" and "MotionSports." In these games, players complete athletic feats and tasks using just the video game system's remotes. First-person shooter (FPS) games like "Halo" and "Call of Duty" remain popular. These games put the players through a series of adventures and levels following a traditional narrative arc.
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Board Games
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Even when the Ancient Egyptians were bored, they played board games. Today, the evolution of these games require an exact set of pieces and a game board. Classical examples are checkers, chess and backgammon, which novices to experts play. Many people consider board games to be more like Monopoly, which was the first modern board game. In Monopoly, players try to buy as much "property" on the board as possible while forcing their opponents out of the game with high rent prices when owned properties are landed upon as the players make their way around the board. Risk is another fun and competitive board game, where players participate in long-term strategy to control the board, which is a map of the world, with their armies.
Athletic Games
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Just like board games, athletic games have been around since ancient times. The Greeks held the first Olympics in the 8th or 9th Century B.C. Since then, people have turned athletic events into games. Today soccer (as it's called in North America) is the world's most popular game. Soccer is relatively inexpensive compared to other athletic games. At most, soccer players wear shin guards, but most amateurs just need a ball to kick and a make-shift goal. Baseball is another highly popular athletic game. Baseball is slightly more expensive, as it requires at least a bat and a ball -- as well as potentially baseball gloves -- to play.
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References
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