Chess with a Bear

The 80’s and early 90’s were a weird time for television, and it didn’t help matters that companies like Hasbro, Parker Brothers, and Pressman had money to burn on ridiculous board game commercials. Lets take a look at a few of them, shall we?

Mouse Trap: Good Luck Setting it Up Right

Life: A Depressing reflection on Reality

Chutes and Ladders: Nothing you do matters

Splat: Literally Crush your little sister’s Dreams

Forbidden Bridge: Weird Architectural decisions

Don’t Wake Daddy: You Wouldn’t Like Him When He’s Woken

Candyland: A Game Where you don’t need counting or reading

Connect 4: Fill it up just for fun

Fireball Island: Because the INDIANA Jones License Is Expensive

13 Dead End Drive: Get Really Excited about Murder

I also just want to take a quick moment to appreciate the truly horrifying muppets used in the 13 Dead End Drive commercial that they’ve paired with equally horrible puns.

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Did I miss any of your favorite board game commercials? Are you perplexed as to why Crossfire isn’t on this list? Come to our Reddit Forum to get into a fight about whether or not Crossfire counts as a board game.

I’m not the only poor fool on the internet obsessed with board games. Youtube is rife with board games and board gamers. Here are some of my favorite youtube vids featuring board games.

Random Encounters – Chess

Geek and Sundry – Werewolf

 Key and Peele – Salad Bowl

Rhett & Link – Most Complicated Board Game

Foil Arms and Hog – An Englishman Plays Risk

Alpacalypse Productions Five Stages of Grief – Catan

Hey Ash Whatcha Playing – Risk

Vin Diesel – D&Diesel

Smosh – If Board Games Were Real

 

College Humor Honest Game Night – Funemployed

We certainly see a lot of board games show up in pop culture, but in the world of webcomics there are series totally devoted to them. Below, in no particular order, are some of my favorites.

1.Table Titans

Table Titans chronicles the adventures of Alan, Andrew, Val, Darby, & Darius (the Table Titans themselves), as they embark on many adventures both at and away from the gaming table.

2. Up to Four Players

A group of friends are playing a tabletop role playing game, with all the cool, sometimes frustrating, sometimes surprising things that happen to you when you’re involved in such an activity.

3. Dork Tower

DORK TOWER is the award-winning fan-favorite comic strip and comic book about five gamers, and the real world. It’s also about the worlds they create, the games they play, the technologies they abuse and misuse and the conventions they road-trip to.

4. Order of the Stick

Order of the Stick is a webcomic set in a world that follows Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 Edition rules created by Rich Burlew about six adventurers on their journey to slay the lich Xykon and prevent him from taking over or destroying the world through the use of the gates holding back the creature known as the Snarl.

5. NPC

NPC Comic is a series about the gaming lives of 30-somethings and their cats. It’s part situational comedy, part geeky goodness, and a lot of bizarre feline fantasy. The comic is now over and ran from Feb 2009 until Sep 2016.

6. Rusty and Co

Rusty & Co. is a webcomic about a party of monsters that band together to prove that they, too, can be fearless heroes. Just like all those elves and humans and other “pretty” races.

7. Semi Coop

Semi Co-op is a webcomic mostly about board games started by a couple that became two board game enthousiasts with absolutely no history in comic-making. The definition semi co-op does of course directly reflect to games with a ‘maybe’  coorperative element in them, but it also reflects our relationship in real life – with a wink. With Semi Co-op we like to share our experiences, opinions and hopefully bring a smile on your face or even better: spark your interest in a game that was mentioned.

8. d20 Monkey

d20Monkey focuses on the lives of gamers and longtime friends, Sam and Brett. Throughout the comics contained within you will experience gamer habits and culture, game sessions based on unlkely holidays, witness fist fights with Santa Claus, and the wrath of a heartbroken DM.

9. Tiny Wooden Pieces

Tiny Wooden Pieces is a webcomic about board games and other pop culture fun. But mostly board games. We update every Friday with a comic, and some words from the author and the artist. Tiny Wooden Pieces comes from our love of comics and, of course, board games. We have both always loved comics, and have come to board-gaming more recently.

10. Going OverBoard

Going Overboard was my own personal foray into the webcomic space. The site is a bit in shambles and a big chunk of the last comics were a lead in for a kickstarter attempt, but it was very much a learning experience for me. I think there are a few solid comics in there, and I am constantly pestered by ideas for it. Sadly it lays dormant for a long while to come.

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Have some of your own favorites that you think I missed? Interested in starting up your own board game webcomic and want advice? Start a discussion on our Reddit Forum.