Latin America is known for its hospitality and joy of life as a region of great diversity, culture, and traditions. With 33 countries in Latin America, it is no surprise that the cultures and myths, along with its incredible landscapes, have been influential everywhere. Today you can find everything from movies to video games inspired by the region's language, unique traditions, and ancient civilisations. Our article will explore Latin American-inspired games, including video games, traditional street games, and online games.

Video Games

First, we will discuss video games that are inspired by Latin-American culture. Whether you realise it or not, many popular video games have taken inspiration from this culture. The famous video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare takes place in Brazil. The city of Rio de Janeiro serves as the setting for single-player, multiplayer, and Special Ops game modes. The Brazilian Militia — not military but a gang of criminals — is also based here.

In video games, we can also find Latin American characters such as Corporal Dominic "Dom" Santiago in Gears of War. Dom has a friendly, funny, outgoing personality and is quick to tell jokes. He’s likeable, but there is an inner conflict behind his amiability. This type of influence is subtle, but brings a lot to the games. Other games in which you may find Latin-American influence are Far Cry 6, Overwatch and Driver 2.

Online games

Along with video games, countless online games are inspired by and based in South American countries. One of the advantages of online games is that you don’t have to download anything. Games like the new Mictlan: An Ancient Mythical Tale can be played from anywhere — all you need is an internet connection! You can even find many Latin American-themed app games for your phone to play on the go, such as Mexican Train Dominoes Gold.

There are even online Latin American-themed casino games, including Platincasino Ireland ‘s Lost Riches of El Dorado, Samba Carnival, and Book of Aztec. Other cultures also influence the online slots world, like the Egyptian culture in Book of Dead and the Irish culture in Rainbow Riches.

Old-school games

Cultures worldwide have their own 'street games' they have been playing for generations and this goes for Latin American countries too. Let's look at some of these old-school games that are popular there.

  1. A Pares y Nones — In English, it means evens and odd. In a circle, everyone joins hands and walks singing. When the leader shouts a number, everyone hurries to form a group of as many people as the leader has shouted.
  2. Veo Veo — This game is like “I Spy”, the only difference would be the rhyme at the start.
  3. Chivari Cuarta — This is a hide-and-seek type but the one hiding must touch a "base" before the one seeking starts looking for them.
  4. Mar y Tierra — Traditionally, in this game, you jump between two spaces designated 'mar' and 'Tierra'. By rolling a dice, you jump to the number that appears. If you land on a 'mar,' you are out, but if you land on a 'Tierra,' you play until every other player lands on a 'mar'.

Card games

Cards are top-rated worldwide; the great thing about them is that you can play them with friends or alone. Popular card games include Poker, Bridge and Rummy, and you can find these games played in casinos, at parties with friends and family. When it comes to Latin-American culture, it is all about family, friends and bringing people together. An excellent way for them to do this is by playing card games. Even though these countries still play traditional card games that everyone knows around the world, they also have games that may not be as popular elsewhere.

Card games such as Chinchón, a matching card game, Canasta and Loba (similar to Rummy) are the most well-known games in Latin America. The game Loba originated in Argentina and is probably the most popular. Many of these games are easy to learn, and a simple online search will give you a detailed description of how they work.

Conclusion

Latin American culture influences so many things and it is easy to understand why. It’s a joyful and cheerful culture that you can find this culture in TV and movies, books and music, but sometimes, nothing can beat a good game. There is no shortage of games to choose from if you want to try something different. You can select traditional games such as A Pares y Nones or Chivari Cuarta or modern console games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. No matter what game you like, you can find something with this beautiful culture as an influence.