No matter how old you are, games are always fun to play! I grew up playing all sorts of games like Go Fish, Uno, checkers and more. Now as an adult, I still love getting together with friends for a game night or playing a backgammon tournament with my family. Engaging in activities that don’t require looking at a screen is also something I’ve been trying to incorporate into my every day. My eyes aren’t a fan of 8+ hours of screen time a day, so in my downtime, I’ve begun swapping out scrolling on my phone with playing games. And let me tell you…it’s SO much more fun!!
Over the years, I’ve noticed a trend where classic games are being revamped and redesigned in super cute new ways. Instead of hiding away my deck of cards and boardgames, I find myself openly displaying them as part of my home decor. Games are becoming as cute as they are fun, and I am here for it!!
As someone who deeply cares about aesthetics (and having fun), I am stoked about the vast assortment of beautiful games on the market today. Checkout the list below to see some of my favorite aesthetically pleasing games to add to your collection! Annnddd, since the holidays are approaching, many of these items could aslo serve as great gifts to buy for those on your list who are tricky to shop for. Because who doesn’t love to play and have fun?!
Bando Floral Card Deck
Kings Cup just got a WHOLE lot more fun. Floral illustrations on the back, and stripes on the front. This deck of cards is the perfect combo of feminine and retro design.
Jonathan Adler Backgammon Set
Jonathan Adler has the CUTEST backgammon sets. Though it is on the pricer side, this board is extremely well crafted and is hands-down one of the prettiest boards to play on. I’m also giving it major bonus points for having a fun, funky design on the back of the board. Gotta love the attention to detail! If pastels aren’t your thing though, there are plenty of other adorable Jonathan Adler backgammon sets available.
Piecework Puzzles
Beautiful photographs meet puzzles. Such a simple, genius idea. Makes me wish I thought of it first! Piecework Puzzles has recently blow up (probably thanks to Covid) and can be found all over the place. They have tonssss of different puzzle pictures to pick from, as well as an assortment of difficulty levels, such as 1000 piece, 500 piece, mini, and kids puzzles. The packaging is also so well done that you’ll be tempted to display it on your shelf instead of hiding it away in your game cabinet.
HAY Play Yatzy
I’m going to be totally honest here and let you know that I’ve never actually played Yatzy before…at least I can’t remember playing it. Sooo truly I can’t say much more than it caught my eye when shopping on HAY’s website. HAY does product design well, so it’s no surprise they made a cute Yatzy game with colorful dice. I’ll have to put this one on my list of games to try next!
Sunnylife Ping-Pong Set
I am high-key the worst ping pong player, so you won’t find me playing with these bats…but for those of you who are skilled in table tennis, look no further! These lucite bats from Sunnylife are fabulous and super unique. They actually kind of make me want to give ping pong another try…
Jonathan Adler Ripple Cards
If you’ve seen my art, you know that I LOVE squiggles. So obviously I freaked out when I saw these. Now just imagine how much more fun poker would be with these cute cards in your hand.
Reccess Pickleball Paddle
Pickleball has newly become ALL the rage! And with an impressive amount of beautifully designed paddles, it’s no wonder so many people have been hopping on the pickleball trend. Recess has some of my favorite paddles on the market. They also have an artists series collection, which I am especially fond of, because I love when brands support the arts. And if that’s not enough to convince you, Recess also offers custom paddles through their in-house design team. Snaps all around.
Sunnylife Jenga
Sunnylife does it again with this cute and colorful game of Jenga! They have SO many great Jenga sets that it’s hard to pick just one, but my color and shape loving heart was instantly drawn to this one. This lucite set is a realllyyy close second though!!
Gray Malin Backgammon Set
If you’re looking for a cute backgammon board, but don’t want to spend too much, this is the board for you. Significantly cheaper and less heavy than the Jonathan Adler board, this Gray Malin backgammon set is great for when you want to play on the go. It’s incredibly light weight, making it the perfect game to throw in a bag to take with you on your next picnic. Plus, it features Gray Malin’s incredible beach photography that I can never seem to get enough of.
Jiggy Puzzles
Where do I even start with Jiggy Puzzles?! I could write a short novel about them, but instead I’ll keep it brief. Here are the top things you need to know and why you too should love Jiggy. First off, the company is founded by a woman named Kaylin, who is an absolute badass. The first time I ever heard of her or Jiggy was when I was watching Shark Tank and she came into the tank by herself, stood her ground, knew her shit, and wowed the judges. The second thing that is so cool about Jiggy is the fact that they support and highlight the work of female artists! All of their puzzles are created by independent graphic designers and illustrators. We love a company that support artists. And the third awesome fact about Jiggy is that once you are finished with the puzzle, you essentially have a piece of art that you can frame and hang on your wall!! HOW COOL.