At first glance, Talisman looks harmless; a fairy-tale spiral of adventurers, monsters and magic. But anyone who’s sat at the table knows this is no stroll through central park. Beneath its nostalgic artwork and relentless dice rolls lies one of the most unpredictable, polarising and enduring fantasy board games ever made.
With over 275 million copies sold globally across more than 100 countries and translated into over 45 languages, Monopoly is not only the most popular board game released in the last 100 years, but it’s also one of the most frequently modified, with more variations than Barbie has outfits.
From Abraham Lincoln to Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein to Stephen Hawking, John Lennon to Ray Charles, William Shakespeare to Oscar Wilde – chess has permeated the very fabric of culture, politics, science and art. It has inspired poems, revolutions and even a few bar fights.