CHICAGO, IL – The Games & Gaming Round Table (GameRT) of the American Library Association is pleased to announce its second cohort of classic titles to be included in the Hall of Fame for its Platinum Play Award (the “Platy”).
These titles were selected by GameRT’s Awards Committee based on their historic and ongoing excellence for library use, whether in collections or programs. Classic titles are over ten years old, and many are evergreen selections whether at home or in a Library context.
The 2025 inductees are:
Car Wars
2-4 players
60-180 minutes
Ages 10+
Now in its sixth edition, Car Wars, by Steve Jackson Games, dates back to 1980 and has a very simple premise – each player (up to 4) has a sweet heavily armed and customized vehicle and the last one standing is the winner. The game has a rich history of add-ons and support, particularly in early editions, and the new version is no slouch in that department as well – a library can create a very impressive setup and acquire expansion sets to increase options available to the players. The newest edition also prioritizes learnability and quick starts, making the game that much more suited for library programs.
Ticket to Ride
2-5 players
30 – 60 minutes
Ages 8+
This game is partially responsible for the event that has grown into International Games Month. Simple and elegant, and easy to learn. Players collect cards and use them to claim the train routes across the board. The longer the route, the more points it will score, and when someone runs out of trains it triggers the end of the game. Many versions have come out throughout the years, each with its own map.
Zork
1 player
4-8 hours
Ages 10+
Zork was one of the first broadly popular games for the burgeoning 1980s PC gaming market. Initially a pet project of MIT computer science students, Zork gave rise to the Infocom games company. Infocom would go on to make dozens of beloved – and frustratingly difficult – text-based games, including influential titles like the video game version of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and the Enchanter series, but Zork set the mold for adventure games. You play as an explorer, trawling through an underground empire to collect treasure and fight monsters. As a game driven by inputting text commands, game play revolves around solving puzzles through clever deduction and finding the right items to overcome barriers. Although nominally a single player game, it was not uncommon for groups of players to work together to tackle Zork’s tough puzzles.
The rights to Zork are in legal limbo, as Infocom’s properties have been subsequently acquired by Activision, Blizzard, and most recently Microsoft. However, copies of Zork on floppy disk can still be found on ebay as well as in several library collections. You don’t need a 1980s-era IBM PC to play Zork today, though, as text game enthusiasts (led by the Interactive Fiction Technology Foundation) have kept the text-game lantern burning by migrating Zork to modern computing environments for current fans and game developers to enjoy.
With a relatively low barrier to entry, many aspiring game developers today cut their teeth making text games with tools not unlike those used by Infocom, including Inform and Twine. Libraries planning to host game jams or run introductory game design programming can look to Zork as an example that can still inspire the next generation of game developers.
ESPN Fantasy Sports
Player number: varies
Time Frame: varies
Ages: 16+
Fantasy Sports allows for players to roleplay as the general manager of their own team, managing a team that drafts, trades, and signs players without having any selection limits tied to their real-life team affiliations. Players typically compete in leagues against other players, setting lineups with an eye towards the matchups that each player is facing and the context of matchups that each player in their lineup is facing. Teams compete with the goal of winning their league, which is typically setup through a playoff system where players go head to head against each other in single-elimination competitions. Seeding in these competitions is matched up based on the results of a regular season, and the winner is the last team to remain standing.
Madden NFL
Players: 1-4
Time frame: varies
Rated: E for everyone
Launched in 1988 for the Apple II as John Madden Football, Electronic Arts (EA)’s Madden NFL franchise is easily one of the most popular video game franchises ever released. Madden, who passed away in 2021, is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame both for his outstanding coaching skills and his many years as a football broadcaster. EA Sports has sold millions of copies of Madden games, which now get yearly updates to reflect changes in team lineups, updated graphics, and new gameplay features. A favorite for fans of all ages, the Madden games are an easy choice for library video game collections.
Uno
2-10 players
30 minutes
Ages 6+
Play a card from your hand to the discard pile by matching the color, number, or word on the card. If you can’t play you must draw a card. Who can be the first person to discard all their cards? This game is widely held and loved by libraries around the world. There are over 35 variants on BoardGameGeek.
Find more information on Platinum Plays, as well as a link to the nomination form, please visit https://games.ala.org/platinum-play-game-hall-of-fame/
About the Games and Gaming Round Table
The Games and Gaming Round Table (GameRT) of the American Library Association provides a venue for librarians interested in the use of games and gaming in libraries of all types a place to gather and share. GameRT was formed in 2011, replacing and extending the pre-existing gaming member interest group. As a round table, GameRT is built around our shared passion for games and the use of gaming within libraries. With members from all types of libraries, GameRT encompasses a wide variety of viewpoints, situations, and user types. Look for more information on the GameRT blog.
About ALA
Established in 1876, the American Library Association (ALA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization created to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.
I love seeing Ticket to Ride on this list. That is one of our family’s favorites as well!
UNO is THAT game! Easy to teach, easy to learn, and fun for everyone sitting at the table. Well deserved entry!