Ludus Luderia: Sao Paulo

When I was a kid, our family had a Nintendo that we played so much it started acting up early on its life, eventually refusing to accept cartridges unless we performed a special trick involving making ourselves dizzy to make it work. One year later, with a totally non-functioning machine, we rediscovered the joys of Monopoly and Uno. I have more fond memories associated with those times playing games in front of a board instead of a TV.

I’m definitely not alone. That explains the excitement around the newly-opened Ludus Luderia in the old Italian district of Sao Paulo, a house converted into a gaming (of the traditional, non-digital kind) cafe and bar with stacks of games that number in the hundreds, imported and national, like Clue and Twister. Special attendees help you pick out or join in on a game. Call me old-fashioned, but what better way to break the ice and meet people than through a couple of caipirinhas and crashing in on a game like O Sanduíche Maluco (The Crazy Sandwich)? It’s already easy to meet Brazilians because they’re so nice and friendly, so I imagine some lifelong alliances being formed at Ludus. There’s definitely enough room on this planet for both board and video gamers.