The bright and multifaceted world of Sagrada is a good metaphor for the breadth and variety of Canadian games
As we retreat from the heat of last month’s Saudi Arabia, we find our pilgrimage passing through the cooler climates of Canada. This vast country, scattered with grand lakes and boreal forests, is the birthplace of the classic Crokinole – a tabletop dexterity ‘flicking’ game. Like a merging of Carrom and curling, Crokinole sees players shooting their disks across a typically circular board, aiming to bounce off opponent’s pieces and reach the central scoring pit. One of the earliest examples of Crokinole exists in the form of a handcrafted board made by Ontario resident and talented craftsman, Eckhardt Wettlaufer in 1876. Today, the game is experiencing a minor renaissance, and thankfully, the obvious craftsmanship that went into those early examples has largely been retained. Companies such as Masters of Games and Taran Games produce some exquisite boards and components, albeit with a substantial cost to match, although cheaper examples can be found.
Whilst Crokinole may be the most interesting and undeniably attractive contribution to early Canadian game design, there are still a number of highly popular games which appeared in the following century. Family classics such as Pictionary, Balderdash, Yahtzee, and Trivial Pursuit all have their roots in Canada, before their success spread overseas.