Board Games Dark Origins
What lies beneath seemingly innocent game boards?
4.7 (39)
64 mins
Explore the hidden and unusual origins behind popular board games that often carry darker inspirations than expected. Discover how historical events, folklore, and social experiments influenced the creation of certain game mechanics and themes. Learn about how entertainment sometimes reflects unsettling truths from real-world history and human behavior.
Ep 1:
Ancient Oracles and Moral Spinners
From soul-binding Egyptian boards to Victorian spinners built to fight sin, discover how today's family games descend from ancient rituals and moralizing machines designed to control behavior.
Ep 2:
Stolen Fortunes and Fatal Rolls
Monopoly's true creator was cheated out of credit, and dice games turned deadly—uncover the theft behind a capitalist classic and the shocking real murders sparked by Monopoly and Yahtzee.
Ep 3:
Séances, Spirits, and a Murderous Board
Grief-stricken Victorians turned to fraudulent mediums and a mysterious talking board—follow Ouija's cursed inventor and the calculated murder plot it helped orchestrate in Buffalo.
Ep 4:
Why Games Get Inside Your Head
Why do games make us lie, cheat, and feel guilty? Explore the psychology behind modern game design and the hidden identities every game secretly assigns us.
Ep 5:
The Cursed Origins of Jumanji
Behind the Robin Williams classic lies a brutal true myth—a grieving craftsman's dark ritual, a cursed African village, and the rigid supernatural rules governing Jumanji's endless game.
Discussions (10)
Lee
Level 5 · 4 mo agoSo Lizzie Magie invented Monopoly, got paid $500 with zero royalties, and Charles Darrow walked away a millionaire?? That man really said thank you, next and bought a yacht.
Carter
Level 4 · 4 mo agoLizzie Magie patented The Landlord's Game in 1903 and again in 1924. Parker Brothers bought her patent for $500 flat. Darrow got $7k plus royalties. That checks out.
Mia
Level 3 · 4 mo agoThe Monopoly tokens being Cracker Jack prizes checks out. Parker Brothers did source pieces from existing manufacturers during the Depression era due to factory constraints. Darrow stealing Lizzie Magie's design is also thoroughly documented.
