Welcome to Boardwalk, an inside guide to playing (and winning) some of the most iconic board games! Board games are timeless, classic forms of entertainment but sadly, in today’s day and age of technology, they have been pushed aside. You can never go wrong with a board game as they provide an ideal platform to experience the thrills of competition while also having fun and socializing. So, I say, it’s about time to bring them back.
This week, I will be diving into the ins and outs of an architect’s worst nightmare: Jenga.
Gameplay:
Jenga is a tower-stacking game where players take turns attempting to remove one wooden block from any layer of the tower without causing it to collapse. Fifty-four wooden, rectangular blocks are stacked in 18 alternating layers of three, and once a block is removed, players have to place it atop the tower, keeping the game alive for as long as possible (well, for around five to ten minutes because this is a very low commitment game). Obviously, you cannot take a block from the top layer, and you lose the game if the tower falls during your turn.
Strategies:
If you want a high-stress, sitting-on-the-edge-of-your-seat game, pull blocks from the edges of lower levels, so the towers will have an unstable foundation. If you want a longer, more interesting game, choose blocks from the center of a level and try to balance the load. Of course, if you want to win, you HAVE to gently tap different blocks to identify the loosest ones and push the blocks through the tower rather than pulling them. Though some people say that if you touch it, you have to push it, but that is more advanced gameplay. My take is to put the pressure on your opponents; force them to make a risky move so you can secure the win.
Variations:
Since its release in the 1980s, players and developers have added their own twists to the game, making it all the more enjoyable. One of my personal favorites, and a great icebreaker in general, is writing questions or dares on the block, so each time someone pulls a block they are forced to share a bit more about themselves. Hasbro, the manufacturer, has released collaborations with other brands, including Harry Potter and even Bottega Veneta, along with giant, oversized versions of Jenga, with towers stacking up to eight feet tall. I mean, bigger is better, right?
Jenga is an all-time classic, never failing to send my heart rate skyrocketing. You are certainly missing out if you have never played, and if it’s been a while since you last took it for a spin, wipe the dust off your shoulders and get back into the swing of it. My final suggestion for you all is to just hold your breath because you never know when the tower might take its final topple.
