Easter games? Monopoly tops family favourites

Researchers found that Monopoly has been voted the UK’s favourite game…

The popular property-themed board game, which was originally launched in 1935, beat off stiff competition from Scrabble (36 percent), Snakes and Ladders (27 percent), Connect 4 (26 percent) and Cluedo (24 percent) to take the top position in the nation’s affection. Traditionally considered the thinking person’s game, Chess (20 percent) appears ninth on the list, just ahead of card game Uno (19 percent) and classic strategy game, Battleships (18 percent).

Hand-eye coordination games make several appearances in the top 20 list with Operation (14 percent) Twister (13 percent) and Buckaroo (12 percent) all featuring in the poll by Holiday Cottages.

The findings also found that even in an era of video games and social media, board games maintain a strong place in the nation’s heart with over half (55 percent) admitting that they are their favourite things to play with family when on holiday (compared to just 15 percent for video games). What’s more, according to the holiday letting agency, it’s estimated that more than 2 million of us Brits will be reaching for a board game over the Easter break.

With April showers currently predicted for the Easter school holidays, two-thirds (60 percent) say that board games have been a regular lifesaver when a holiday is hit with bad weather, with 90 percent agreeing that there is nothing better than playing a game on a rainy day.

Keeping family traditions alive, of the 2,000 Brits polled, 86 percent say that some of their favourite childhood memories feature playing games with their family, while 90 percent agree that a family that plays together, stays together. It’s no surprise that according to those polled the essentials for a classic British holiday are a pack of cards (57 percent), board game (48 percent), raincoats (46 percent), umbrella (41 percent) and teabags (36 percent).

One in three (35 percent) won’t go away without travel sweets, while a further 35 percent always take their picnic blanket. When it comes to the weather, four in ten (46 percent) say that it doesn’t make a difference to the types of activity they choose while on holiday, with 45 percent always opting to do an outdoor activity if the sun is shining. Football (33 percent), frisbee (28 percent), hiking (27 percent), tennis (26 percent) and Swing ball (23 percent) are the most popular outdoor activities.

While playing games remains a popular pastime no matter the time of year, the research did show they can lead to tension for some families.  Eight in ten (78 percent) admit that board games regularly cause arguments with the family with the first cross words beginning at the 23-minute mark. Not following the rules of the game (52 percent), cheating (52 percent), getting angry about losing (37 percent), being too competitive (34 percent) and taking too long to take a turn (33 percent) are the main causes of bust ups.

The heated discussions have proved so divisive that 47 percent of Brits admit that they, or someone in their family, has stormed off during a game. Bristolians were revealed as the most argumentative (20 minutes in), closely followed by those living in Leeds and Sheffield.  Glaswegians are the most patient (26 minutes). 57 percent believe that games reveal how competitive someone is in a way that nothing else really does, while 23 percent think that you don’t know someone fully until you’ve played a board game or cards with them.

One in four (24 percent) Brits say that they secretly get annoyed when they are playing a board game with someone who isn’t taking it seriously. Brothers (23 percent), dads (21 percent) and sisters (16 percent) are the most competitive, while in contrast grandmothers (one percent), aunts (one percent) and grandads (two percent) are the least.

THE NATION’S FAVOURITE BOARD GAMES:

1. Monopoly – 51%
2. Scrabble – 36%
3. Snakes and ladders – 27%
4. Connect 4 – 26%
5. Trivial Pursuit – 24%
6. Cluedo – 24%
7. Solitaire – 23%
8. Guess Who? – 21%
9. Chess – 20%
10. Uno – 19%
11. Battleships – 18%
12. Mouse Trap – 15%
13. Operation – 14%
14. Twister – 13%
15. Hungry Hippos – 12%
16. Pictionary – 12%
17. Buckaroo – 12%
18. Checkers – 11%
19. Top Trumps – 10%
20. Cards Against Humanity – 10%