We all love playing games on our phones, especially now regular smartphones are powerful enough to make mobile a legitimate gaming platform of its own. But there are some more old-school games you may not have thought could make it into the digital realm.
Here are three of those classic games that have made the leap on to our mobiles:
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Bingo
Once considered more old-school, bingo has defied the odds and made something of a comeback in recent years, and the average age of a bingo hall has dropped steeply as younger people pick up their dabbers. And, like poker, blackjack, and slots, the game is well-suited to the mobile gaming platform.
Just as online casinos have drawn in vast swathes of players, many of whom have never set foot in a brick-and-mortar casino, bingo has found a new audience of mobile gamers. And there is a crossover appeal, as operators offer a bingo app that also features slot games. Bingo has emerged from the wilderness years of the 80s and 90s, and part of this resurgence is being driven by its entry into the digital realm.
Jenga
A firm favorite, Jenga is a game of dexterity and precision, adding a bit of chaos to a fun night in. If you’re unaware of the game’s simple premise, a stacked tower of blocks with three-to-one layers, where players must push, pull, tippy-tap, or swipe, without upsetting the structure. Then the blocks are placed on top to create a tower with even less structural integrity. The sweet relief when you extract a tricky block and the carnage when it comes crashing down make the game an enduring classic.
You’d think that the tactile nature of Jenga would keep it away from the digital realm. But, thanks to augmented reality (AR) technology, you can actually play Jenga on your mobile, within your home, using intuitive blocks without any of the building or clean up. As well as JengaAR there are loads of other block stacking games to try out on your phone or tablet.
Mahjong
Tile-based games are well suited to tablets and smartphones, with dominoes on perennial favorite. Players of mahjong can find myriad options for their mobile devices, mostly free or with in-app purchases. The game — developed in 19th Century China before spreading to Europe in the 20th Century — is based on both skill and luck and is very simple, and so well suited for themes, levels, and other more involved gameplay aspects, as well as interesting graphics.
Mahjong Solitaire is one of the most popular apps, with daily challenges and special ‘events', such as a Halloween-themed ‘showdown', while other apps combine the game with jigsaw puzzles or quizzes.
Simple games are being brought to life by the power of mobile gaming —and it’s great that the classics we love are getting a shot in the arm from cutting-edge technologies such as AI and AR. There are tons of other old-school games that have made it into the 21st Century, and a quick search may well unearth your favorites from yesteryear as playable apps to carry in your pocket.