The role of games in human culture is a major part of who we are as a people. There have been many studies showing how game playing is one of the key elements in a child physical and mental development. A lot of the problem solving skills we develop come from playing games, as well as motor skills and coordination. Most unique hits that various cultures have, all stem from the games they play. A good example of this is Canada being known for there hockey players, as other countries are known for producing some of the finest players for there national Game.
The great thing about playing games, is that not only do the participants get pleasure in playing games, but also the people watching them being played. Playing games have such a tremendous influence on us; emotions can often run very high. This will cause the onlookers to group together, to cheer the participants. This can be the source of tremendous solidarity for all participants as well as the fans.
But there is not just playing games of sports, there are games were we might test themselves against the odds like games of chance. Then there are those that test our quickness and agility like pinball and arcade types. There are also board games that allow family and friends to play together, providing many hours of entertainment. All this brings us closer together and allows us a greater understanding and appreciation of each other.
I think one of the greatest games has to be chess; it's a classic game of strategy that brings out the very best in people. I find it keeps offering the player even more pleasure, after you start to truly develop the art of playing it. It is like knowing all the cords on a piano, but unless you have an in depth understanding of music and the instrument you can not make beautiful music. This is how chess is.
As well as others like checkers and strategy type games, they can offer the same degree of pleasure. It allows you to learn about your opponent and how your opponent thinks, and approaches problems. It is one of the few games that you can derive as much pleasure from losing as you can from winning. Then there are games like cards and some of these types can also be very pleasurable to play, as it requires in order for the player to really master the game, he or she will have to develop good memory skills and a good understanding of human behavior in order to gain the needed edge.
There are many things that could be said of playing games that could easily fill volumes of books. They offer us the ability to learn and they bring people together to appreciate one another. With the advent of internet games, that allows us to share time and to chat with our fellow man from all over the world. We are breaking down language barriers and making the world a little smaller. Playing games give us many hours of pleasure and relaxation and the escape that we all sometimes need.