Ameritrash
 This article is a stub. You can help 1d4chan by expanding it |
Ameritrash: One of the common classifications of board game stereotypes, usually as a distinction from "Eurogames" and "Wargames".
To quote Boardgamegeek:
Ameritrash is "a catchphrase for 'American style boardgames.' In general, this means games that emphasize a highly developed theme, characters, heroes, or factions with individually defined abilities, player to player conflict, and usually feature a moderate to high level of luck."
There is a great deal of dispute over what Ameritrash means, even when it is accepted as a meaningful term. Many gamers would never call the "old" Avalon Hill a producer of Ameritrash. Ameritrash means something to most hobby gamers, but what it means still varies somewhat across communities.
In sum, the concrete definition of "Ameritrash" is considered by some to be hazy.
What Makes a Game "Ameritrash"
As a general rule, mechanically, the more mechanical problems a game shares with how Monopoly as usually played, and the more style is emphasized over substance, the more likely a game is to be called "Ameritrash". These common problems include heavily luck-based mechanics, overly-long total play-time, nothing to do or think about when it's not your turn, very little direct player interaction, and significant problems with Kingmaker scenarios. (Aside: These issues derive from Monopoly as usually played.)
Ameritrash, as you can probably guess, is a derogatory term. Games are called Ameritrash based primarily on their common flaws, and thus the term can be thought of as both an accusatory insult and a working genre title. That being said, there are good games that are frequently classed as "Ameritrash"; for example, Talisman is usually held in high regard. The '-trash' part of the moniker comes from the fact that the vast majority of Ameritrash games are either shit, lack any real depth, or both.
The 'Ameri-' part of the term comes from directly from the huge number of these games made or popularized by companies like Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers during the course of the 20th Century. See below for a non-comprehensive list of Ameritrash games, and take note of how many were popularized by American toymakers between 1918 and 1999.
List of Ameritrash Games
- Monopoly
- Snakes and Ladders
- Talisman
- Sorry!
- Candyland
- The Game Of Life
- Yahtzee!
- Cluedo or Clue
- Hi Ho! Cherry Ho!
- Mousetrap
Additional Information
"Ameritrash" is only a name, derived from the general tendencies of the two continents. It does not actually mean "a game from America". European games have been classed as "Ameritrash", and American-designed games have been classed as "Eurogames" (and the oldest known example of Ameritrash comes from India). Talisman, for example, is usually classed as Ameritrash, despite originating in England. It doesn't necessarily refer to all games created in America, rather of a certain style that these games seem to share that make them easy to classify.
For a common mechanic in Ameritrash, see Roll and Move; for the oldest known case of Ameritrash, see Snakes and Ladders.