Playing Backgammon Teaches Basics of Game Design

People should play more backgammon and less video games, says Japanese game designer and the creator of "Ninja Gaiden" Tomonobu Itagaki in an interview to MTV. "Backgammon…. (is) more of an analog traditional game" Itagaki counts the benefits of playing the ancient board game " "It really teaches you the core of game design." 

"Games began with a pencil, a piece of paper and dice" says Itagaki and gives backgammon as an example (though archeological evidences prove that backgammon has actually begun with an ebony board, precious stones pieces and a dice). According to the creator of the successful series of action video games, by playing backgammon one can go back to the roots and learn the basics of game design. "…Playing those types of games gives you the foundation."