2025 Platy Hall of Fame Inductees

ALA’s Games and Gaming Round Table (GameRT) announced in April its second cohort of classic titles—games that are more than 10 years old—to be included in the Classics Hall of Fame for its Platinum Play Award (the “Platy”). GameRT’s Awards Committee chose these titles based on their historical and ongoing excellence for library use, whether in collections or programs. Board games, card games, videogames, tabletop games, and games in other formats are eligible. For more information on the Platys, as well as a link to the nomination form, visit bit.ly/AL-Platys.

The 2025 inductees are:

Car Wars

2–8 players
30 minutes and up
Ages 10+
Now in its sixth edition, the tabletop combat simulation game Car Wars has a simple premise: Each player has a heavily armed and customized vehicle, and the last one standing is the winner. The game has a rich history of add-ons and support; 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 well suited for library programs.

Ticket to Ride

2–5 players
30–60 minutes
Ages 8+
With rules simple enough to fit on a train ticket, this elegant and highly engaging board game is easy to learn—but full of strategic choices. Players collect train cards to claim routes across the map, aiming to complete longer paths for more points while blocking rivals from key connections. The game builds tension as players manage limited trains, with the final round triggered when a player’s supply runs low. Over the years, numerous editions have been released, each featuring a unique map and new challenges.

Zork

1+ players
4–8 hours
Ages 13+
One of the first widely popular games for the 1980s PC market, Zork set the mold for text-based computer adventure games. The player (or group of players working together) assumes the role of an explorer in an underground empire, collecting treasure and fighting monsters by solving puzzles and overcoming obstacles. Smart, funny writing and a magical sense of immersion have kept Zork a fan favorite for decades.

You don’t need a 1980s-era IBM machine to play Zork today, as text-game enthusiasts have migrated it to the internet for current fans to enjoy. Searching “play Zork online” will identify several free sites that host interactive fiction. Or, for the truly nostalgic, eBay offers many copies of Zork on floppy disks and other legacy formats.

ESPN Fantasy Sports

Player number varies
Time frame varies
Ages 16+
On ESPN Fantasy Sports’ online platform, players act as the manager of a virtual sports team. They create their roster by drafting players, making trades, and signing free agents, all based on real-world athletes. Teams are placed in leagues that play a regular season, with each team’s weekly score based on how their chosen players perform in actual games. At the end of the season, the highest-ranked teams advance to the playoffs, a single-elimination tournament that decides the league champion. This appealing game combines strategy, competition, and real-world sports knowledge, letting players test their decision-making skills while enjoying friendly rivalries.

Madden NFL

1–4 players
Time frame varies
Ages 10+
Launched in 1988 for the Apple II (and now purchasable via digital download), Electronic Arts’ Madden NFL videogame franchise is one of the most popular and enduring ever released. Players take control of NFL teams in realistic simulated football games, calling plays, managing rosters, and competing in full seasons or single matches. Online multiplayer mode allows fans to challenge friends or players around the world. Madden games get yearly updates to reflect changes in team lineups and new gameplay features.

Uno

2–10 players
30 minutes
Ages 7+
In this fast-paced card game, players try to discard all their cards first by matching colors or numbers. Special action cards—like Skip, Reverse, Draw Two, and Wild—add surprise and strategy. If a player can’t make a match, they must draw a card, lending even more tension to the race to discard. Uno’s simple rules make it easy to learn, while its mix of luck and tactics keeps it exciting. Uno has inspired more than 35 variants and countless themed editions.