Just like people today, the Vikings knew how to amuse themselves. Various finds testify to the fact that they set aside time for social and festive gatherings. Board games and games of dice were played. On festive occasions storytelling, skaldic poems, music and alcoholic drinks, like beer and mead, contributed to the atmosphere.

Board games and dice

During quieter periods the Vikings played board games, which were a popular pastime at all levels of society. Preserved gaming pieces and boards show how highly the Vikings valued such activities. Attractive games boards were made of wood, featuring elaborate carvings, whilst the pieces were mainly made from stone, wood and bone. Glass, antler and amber were also used for gaming pieces, together with materials of foreign origin, such as ivory and walrus tusk.

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This tactical roleplaying series, like the other games on this list, draws from Norse mythology, but leans more towards an appreciation for “Viking culture”, with touches of influence taken. Minnesota Vikings 2021 Schedule and Opponents: The official source of the latest Vikings regular season and preseason schedule.

From written sources we know that the Vikings played “hnefatafl” and “nitavl” (Nine Men’s Morris) and chess also appeared at the end of the Viking period. Hnefatafl is a war game, in which the object is to capture the king piece – a large hostile army threaten and the king’s men have to protect the king. It was played on a board with squares using black and white pieces, with moves made according to dice throws. Even if the game took place at times of relaxation, perhaps it could also teach the players how to plan attacks?

There were also gambling addicts in the Viking period who were not satisfied merely to play for fun. In one saga you can read the following warning: ”There is one thing that you should avoid like the devil himself, that is drunkenness and board games, whores and bets and throws of dice for profit”.

Winter fun

In the winter the Vikings used ice skates, both for fun and as a means of transport. These were made from cow or horse lower leg bones, which were tied to the feet with leather laces.

Vikings have always been popular as inspiration for fantasy stories and historical fiction.

And video games provide an excellent platform for these stark warrior clans.

With massively influential games like God Of War and The Banner Saga putting these seafaring warriors front & center, their popularity is only rising.

Vikings are often seen as violent pagan brutes, and many games thrive in this setting. Still, a lot more care has gone into presenting a more realistic view in recent years – one of close-knit clans made rough and hardened by the harsh lands they inhabited.

Regardless of where you land, Viking video games have most bases covered.

Join me as we take a look at the absolute best Viking-themed games you can play right now.

25. Rune (2000)

Platforms: PS2, PC

Our fascination with Vikings in gaming isn’t a recent development. Even if they weren’t always as notorious as they’ve become nowadays.

To get to where we are today, we’ve tread on many stepping stones, such as the original Rune.

This classic action-adventure follows King Ragnar in his fight against Loki, who’s set Ragnarok in motion.

The locales, enemies, and many story elements are all firmly rooted in Viking lore and shine thanks to the game’s beautiful visuals.

24. Raiders of the North Sea (2019)

Platforms: iOS, Android, Switch, PC

Even before we obsessed over the bearded men and braided women of the north in gaming, they were popular on other media, such as strategic tabletop games.

This is a video game ranking, so we’ll be talking about Raiders of the North Sea’s digital version, which handles calculations and many other technicalities for you, so you can focus on strategy.

This turn-based game is all about allocating your workers intelligently to acquire the resources needed to outfit your crew, improve your longboat, and have the most successful raiding campaign among your friends.

23. The Lost Vikings (1993)

Platforms: SNES, Genesis, Amiga, PC

Another oldie but goody from the past millennium is The Lost Vikings, a puzzle-platformer with a bit of a cult following.

You’ll control three Vikings who’ve lost their way through time and try to lead them back to the right time period.

To achieve this, you’ll have to make use of each of their diverse abilities and make your way through treacherous levels and lots of puzzles.

The game is no God of War.

But if you’re in the mood for something with vibrant 16-bit graphics and a lot of charm, be sure to check it out.

22. Ancestors Legacy (2018)

Platforms: PC

Real-time strategy and historical gaming come together in many well-known franchises such as Age of Empires and Empire Earth.

Ancestors Legacy is a recent offering with a more focused lens. Instead of over 20 civilizations to play as, the roster is reduced to four.

This includes the Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, Teutons, and Slavs.

Each nation has a couple of campaigns to go through, all set in the Dark Ages.

While the campaigns are great, what makes this game shine is its complex multiplayer, which features a day-night cycle that affects gameplay and several other unique twists. Ardour free download mac.

21. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014)

Platforms: WiiU, Switch

Only a tiny percentage of people would link Donkey Kong with Vikings.

But the latest installment in the Donkey Kong Country saga puts the tough-skinned Norsemen front & center as the monkey’s rivals.

After a clan of Viking-themed anthropomorphic animals called the Snowmads arrives to take over the island, it’s up to the DK crew to retake their home.

That includes making their way through some of the most carefully-designed levels in the genre and fighting the Snowmads head-on from time to time.

20. Niffelheim (2018)

Platforms: Switch, PC

For a more grimdark representation of the Viking experience, consider Niffelheim, a charming 2D side-scroller beat-em-up with a gritty aesthetic and lots of Norse mythological themes.

In this game you play a fallen Viking warrior who wakes up in Niffelheim rather than Valhalla.

You’ll need to prove yourself a worthy warrior by surviving the inhospitable landscape and fighting your way up to Odin’s table.

While the beat-em-up gameplay is fun, it’s greatly complemented by other elements such as wave-based survival.

Tip: play it co-op to get the most fun out of exploring dungeons and fighting colossal enemies.

19. Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage (2013)

Platforms: iOS, Android, PC

Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage began its life as a flash-based game.

Now it’s re-released for mobile platforms with a more polished aesthetic and improved mechanics.

The basis of the game is pretty simple: a bunch of Vikings have fallen off their boat and now need your help making it back.

To assist them you’ll have to slice through ice, wood, and other materials in their way and make a path to the longboat.

18. Viking Squad (2016)

Platforms: PS4, PC

One of the least realistic representations of the northern clans can be found in Viking Squad, a cartoonish beat-em-up reminiscent of Castle Crashers.

Like the latter, this game is ideal for playing co-op with friends, and the cartoonish aesthetic is perfect to help you make out what’s going on in the anarchy that these battles can become.

If you’re into chaotic massacres, you’ll love this.

17. Vikings: Wolves of Midgard (2017)

Platforms: All major consoles

Also if you dig action RPGs like Diablo or Path of Exile, you have to give Vikings: Wolves of Midgard a try.

It follows a Viking chieftain on a grief-fueled revenge journey after their people are massacred, mowing down hordes of enemies ranging from mythological abominations to other Vikings.

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Viking Games