It’s a good time to be a gamer. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find any period in gaming history that’s quite as enjoyable as today’s gaming climate. After all, there are more devices than ever on which to play games, and there are more new games released than ever, too. Each year, some 15,000 new titles are released on Steam alone, meaning that there’s always something new to play.

But it’s not just new steam titles that gamers get to enjoy. The internet has breathed new life into classic games that have been around for centuries (and, in some cases, even thousands of years), helping to bring these titles to a whole new audience. 

And those titles are showing their worth. If people are still playing you many generations later, then you’re certifiably a great game. It’s interesting to think that probably none of the games released this year will still be played fifty years down the line, let alone hundreds of years.

The ones on this list? They’re arguably more popular than ever, and there’s every chance that they’re still being played well into the future. Give them a try, and you’ll likely see just what we mean. 

Solitaire

Solitaire is an interesting game. Since it was included in the earliest versions of Windows computers, most people are familiar with how to play the game, having done so for many hours when they were younger.

The game is perhaps due for another revival. This fun, one-player game hits all the right notes; it’s challenging but enjoyable, strategic but not time-consuming. It’s also been around for hundreds of years, with the first documented recording of the game dating all the way back to 1746. If you’re looking for games that are like classic solitaire but slightly different, then check out Freecell, Spider, or mahjong. 

Blackjack 

You can see why blackjack has stood the test of time. Despite dating back more than three hundred years (it was invented around 1700 in France), it remains highly popular. That’s because it offers the perfect combination of accessibility (you can learn how to play in minutes) and strategy. You can begin playing blackjack immediately and have a good sense of how to play the game within a few rounds, though if you want to improve your gameplay, then we’d recommend learning basic blackjack strategy. 

It is one of the most popular casino games, too, perhaps because it offers a better chance of victory than other games — though if you’re planning a trip to Vegas, then we’d advise playing plenty of games online before you go in order to ensure that you’re fully ready for action once you’re there. 

Chess

Is chess the ultimate game? It’s hard to argue against it. It dates back to the 6th century, when it was first developed in Northern India, and since then has developed into a global powerhouse. Despite being more than 1500 years old, it remains more popular than ever before.

The downside to chess is that it can be a little tricky to learn, but that’s easily overcome by using one of the many chess trainer apps available for smartphone devices. Once you’ve got the basics down, you’ll have a game that you’ll be playing for the rest of your life. Plus, the fact that it’s available online makes the learning process so much more straightforward; unlike in the past, you don’t have to find a partner to play with in order to improve your skills. 

Poker

You have to play poker, which might just be the most iconic card game on the planet. It was invented in the late 1700s, spreading throughout the saloons of the southern part of the United States in the 1800s. Today, it retains some of its rough and ready vibe, but the game has progressed significantly, especially in recent decades. It’s estimated that 100 million people regularly play poker online, which is another way of saying that you won’t find it too challenging to find a game! With that said, as with blackjack, it’s best to play online for free against a computer before putting your money where your mouth is, since the standards of poker are higher than ever. 

Bridge

Bridge has a bit of an intimidating reputation, and for that reason, it felt for a while as if the game might die out. It was simply too difficult for newcomers to learn the game when the standard of in-person gameplay was so high (and intense!). The internet has helped to remove that problem, with new players able to find their footing with the game without worrying that they’ll annoy their playing partners. 

If you like bridge, then you may also enjoy playing whist, which is a precursor to the game and also slightly less complicated (but still pretty complicated!). In any case, once you’ve passed the admittedly high learning curve, you should discover that you have a fun and social game that you can enjoy with others. 

Go

When people think of the oldest games in the world, they normally think of chess. But actually, there’s another game that’s even older, and it’s also extremely widely played. Go was invented some 5000 years ago in Ancient China, and remains popular, especially in Asia. 

One of the reasons why Go has such an enduring appeal is that it’s somewhat deceptive. It’s easy to learn, which makes it easily accessible, but it’s also very difficult to master. You’ll start playing, realize that you’ve got the hang of it and are playing well, and then slowly but surely understand that you still have a lot more to learn. 

Roulette

Roulette, like blackjack, is an iconic game that has a longer history than many people think. The roulette wheel was originally invented by Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, who was not trying to create a game. Eventually, the fun people took over, created roulette in the 1700s, and then the game spread across the world. It’s a fun one to play online or in casinos.