Game by game
Do you prefer things “old school”, or do you like to follow the trends? The variety of games is as rich as their history. Allow yourself to be surprised by the old and inspired by the new.
Checkmate
Like storytelling or music, games are a form of entertainment that goes back thousands of years. As long ago as ancient Egypt, players were devising shrewd strategies with the board game “Senet”. Then, in the 6th century in India, the foundations were laid down for one of the most popular and widely played games in the world: chess. The person who wins this game is the one who has put their opponent in checkmate. The expression comes from Persian and means something like: “The king is conquered”. The best players, known as “Grandmasters,” compete worldwide for prizes – and also play for fun.
Alea iacta est
The die is cast – at least when it comes to classic board games such as “Ludo”. As with chess, the origins of this strategy game are also to be found in India; even in ancient times, people enjoyed annoying their opponents when they moved their pieces back to the starting position. These days, several variations of the game exist – whether color- or theme-related differences or adapted rules. Discover what’s on offer and be thrilled by many more games.
Gameplay 2.0
Classic games aren’t just on the traditional board, but also on the screen: Fans had to wait more than 20 years for the comeback of “Baldur’s Gate” when the third part finally appeared this summer. It is now considered the hit of the year among gaming industry connoisseurs. Captivating adventures, profound worlds, complex characters and exciting stories whisk the players away to a fantasy world. Another release this year – but with only a 6-year wait – was “The Legend of Zelda”: On a dangerous journey, the goal is to save kidnapped Princess Zelda and her kingdom once again. A thrilling game series that captivated Zelda enthusiast and US actor Robin Williams so much that he named his daughter after the main character. Those who prefer to take on the role of hero will find their adrenaline kick in a round of “LaserTag” with a laser pointer and jacket, or in an “Escape Room” where the goal is to solve a puzzle in a given setting in a set time.
Next level
Real and virtual games are combined with virtual reality (VR) games. With VR glasses, technology fans are able to immerse themselves in new worlds: Fictional environments are experienced as virtual reality, as if you were actually there yourself. If you’ve always wanted to step on the gas on a race track, for example, you can now do so with the PlayStation VR2 and “Gran Turismo 7” – just put on your VR goggles and away you go! The choice of video games, whether VR or not, is huge. Therefore, if you want to please a gamer, a gift certificate is the best way to go.
In the cloud
Another trend besides VR is cloud gaming: Here, the video games don’t run on a local game console, but on remote servers in data centers. All you need is a device with a stable Internet connection and the appropriate streaming software, and the games can begin – without any storage space requirements and regardless of your location.
