Iconic Games of the 1980s: Where Poker Fit In

Iconic 1980s Games and Where Poker Fit In History

The 80s defined the decade for all types of games. Arcades buzzed with the sounds of Pac-Man (which entered American arcades in 1980), which became a pop culture icon almost immediately. Donkey Kong (1981) introduced the character who would eventually become Mario, and established the platformer category. It also turned shopping centers and pizza places into social gathering spots for teens to hang out around video game machines and share strategy tips on how to get the best high score.

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Arcades exploded in popularity so fast they changed the entire way young people spent their leisure time. A high score became a status symbol, and when a good player got up to compete against a machine, you could bet your last dollar there would be a crowd of people watching them try to beat the machine's limit. Ms. Pac-Man arrived in arcades in 1982 and became one of the decade’s biggest arcade hits, drawing even more players into the Pac-Man craze.

At home, families huddled around the kitchen table playing board games, while other homes used cartridges in their first video game consoles. Games were starting to be a common vocabulary among gamers — whether electronic or cardboard & dice — it was the same draw: a little friendly competition, a little luck, and lots of laughs.

Board Games That Defined the Decade

If arcades owned the mall, board games took over the living room. Trivial Pursuit hit shelves in 1982, but really peaked in 84 and turned casual gatherings into competitive sessions of trivia. Its unique wedge collecting format rewarded a wide range of interests such as geography, history and entertainment; it helped spark a renewed national interest in tabletop gaming.

Other titles put their stamp on the decade. Risk allowed gamers to engage in long term strategic battles using rolled dice to conquer territory on a global map. Pictionary transformed quick drawings into frenetic guessing games for smaller groups. Party staples kept larger groups entertained. What linked all these games together was their social aspect. They called upon people to sit down side by side, look at each other, and enjoy the unpredictability of chance and skill in each other's company.

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A large part of their charm lay in the fact that they reflected the current culture. They assessed knowledge about the people's music, movies, and news that influenced their daily lives. Others focused on pure strategy, adventure or fantasy. These game nights became a casual ritual with many families as an opportunity to get together with friends and neighbors after dinner. The games were all simple to teach; inexpensive equipment made them accessible to most; and one box provided endless hours of enjoyment.

Where Poker Fit Into the Picture

Amid all the flashing screens and rolling dice, card games have been a constant presence in many American households. Among these types of card games, poker has an enduring quality. A standard deck of cards allows for multiple versions of the game, including five-card-draw style poker and community card-based formats that are often preferred by families. The rules are relatively simple to learn in just one hour of instruction, which lends itself to passing the basic rules from one generation of adult players to the next. Resources listing the best poker rooms show how much the landscape of where to play has evolved since its humble beginnings as simply a home-based game. Even so, a newcomer learning the basic rules of poker can quickly see why this game has endured through the years.

Poker had a practical edge over many other pastimes of the era. Whereas most electronic entertainment such as video trivia boards required specific equipment and could be expensive, a standard deck of cards needed no special equipment beyond a table on which to sit down and play. This ability to bring players together without requiring additional cost or space made the game well-suited for a casual Friday night gathering. In the early 1980s, poker was still quite informal and provided a quiet counterpoint to some of the decade's loud distractions.

The game was part of the social pace of the time; a poker night provided friends with a good reason to sit around, converse and relax at the end of the week. The cards were simply a background for their conversation and light competition. Because one could play poker using almost anything, such as a jar full of pennies, virtually anyone who wanted to be included would have been able to participate. It was this relaxed nature that made poker remain a staple in so many households throughout the decade.

Why These Games Still Matter

While each of the games listed above represent different genres of games, there exists a common theme among all of them. Each brings people into the same physical space and asks them to engage with others directly. Whether it is yelling out trivia answers, planning world domination or quietly considering what to do with their next poker hand, each game relies upon interaction. While technology has changed significantly since the advent of these games, the core enjoyment derived from each remains unchanged: pure fun from interacting with fellow humans.

Some of the games listed above remain very popular even today. Pac-Man has become a recognizable icon for decades now and remains widely recognized today. Trivial Pursuit continues to make appearances at family gatherings and poker draws large numbers of players to tables worldwide. Even though the 1980s did not create these forms of entertainment, it certainly provided a platform for them.