Some abstract thinking on a concrete theme
by Bruce Whitehill
An editorial published November 2007 in Knucklebones games magazine
The theme of this issue’s commentary is, well, “themes.” What matters to a game is not just how it plays, or how it’s packaged, but what theme it encompasses. Is it a game drawn from something in history or popular culture? Reality or fantasy? Educational, inspirational or recreational? Or an abstract strategy game?
When we look at games from the beginning of America’s increasing interest in them—somewhere around the beginnings of the second half of the 19th century—we see a preponderance of games about travel and geography, words, history and politics, and morality in a rapidly expanding new land. When we see what’s on the market today, in the U.S. at least, we’re more likely to spot games of television personalities, cartoon characters, and the latest fads.
The best strategy
Abstract games are, by the very implication of the category, theme-less. They give us geometric shapes and structures that need to be moved across geometrically designed playing surfaces, utilizing a play pattern that is intrinsically, if not overtly, mathematical in nature. It is interesting that most of the great old and ancient games that have lasted for centuries are abstract. Chess, though we theme it as a “game of kings” or the ultimate game of war reduced to 64 places, is nonetheless abstract and mechanical in nature; the pieces in checkers are nothing more than just that—checkers; we do not need to assign characteristics to the seeds of mancala; nor do we have to imagine the meaning behind the race in backgammon. People have long forgotten that dominoes are just “flattened dice.” Chinese checkers was themed in the U.S. to fit the popularity of all things oriental in the 1920s, but it is not checkers and never was Chinese, and, in fact, originated as a theme-less strategy game in Germany in 1892, called Stern-Halma (Star Checkers). These abstract games are all games of little luck and much strategy.
Today, in the United States, classification of a game as “abstract” can doom it to the great inventions graveyard. In Europe, the idea of an abstract game is much better received, but the execution must be handled deftly: an abstract game should not suggest a theme, and a themed game had better not be very abstract.
Name that theme
Licensing dominates the American games industry and governs most of the games mass produced by America’s larger game companies. That means games based on whatever is hot in American culture. Or not so hot—for instance, in 1993 Pressman came out with the Dennis the Menace game, touting on the cover that it was “based on the blockbuster hit”; unfortunately, the game was made before the movie came out, and the audience reaction to the comedy meant disaster for the game.
Tying games to popular people and pastimes is not as prevalent in Europe, with only, for the most part, MB (Milton Bradley International) following its American traditions. European players enjoy many themed games, as themes create an atmosphere that encourages players to get engrossed in the game. Popular themes include famous cities in historical games, many depicting medieval times and focusing game play around trading and building—games like Clans and the continent’s most popular, Settlers of Catan. Games with themes of ancient times, such as Caesar & Cleopatra, Tigris & Euphrates, Ra and Lionheart also prevail. Games with a historical and/or geographical connection succeed well, giving us a spate of intriguing strategy games named after places, past and still present: Alhambra, Princes of Florence, St. Petersburg, Carcassonne, Puerto Rico, and the new Guatemala Café.
These European inventions—most of which are available in the U.S.—are, basically, economic games. Which is interesting compared to the difficulty of new games of finance and economy to flourish in America, where the luck-based classics Monopoly and Easy Money still dominate; alas, Finance, and Finance and Fortune, are gone.
What’s in a theme?
Can a game today sell better simply because of its theme? That’s a good question, and I’m not exactly sure of the answer. Games and their themes represent the cultures in which they are produced and played. War games constitute a strong category in the U.S., whereas they are almost taboo in Germany. Word games and parlor or party games are popular from New York to San Francisco but much harder to find in Europe. Skill and action or dexterity games move well in America but (with the exception of Villa Paletti) meet resistance from more serious German players.
Games of old—another perspective
It would take a bit of research to determine exactly what themes were popular in American games generations ago. What’s much easier is examining what themes collectors of today are looking for in earlier games.
Sports games are winners, especially if they refer to actual sports figures. Baseball is the game of choice, but baseball games are so numerous that generic ones from the 20th century have relatively little value unless they name teams or players.
Monsters gross some of the highest prices for collectible games. Games depicting cartoon and comic characters, especially the TV characters created by Hanna-Barbera, are highly sought after. Games of war and military themes enjoy immense popularity among collectors. Games featuring famous personalities and fictional creations, including Disney creatures, the Brownies, and Peter Rabbit, are among the more valuable, as are the stars of film and television. And early Wizard of Oz games can lead to a road paved with gold.
Most of these collectible games, however, are meant only to be looked at; very few play well. And for most of us, the play is the point of the game.
So, what’s in a theme? A good game with any other theme might play as sweet. Then again—maybe not.
