Board games conjure up images of a bygone era, the annual Christmas Monopoly tournament or family holidays spent playing Snakes & Ladders. But in 2013 more money was raised on Kickstarter for tabletop games than video games. How has the digital world instigated nostalgia for the past?

Card games may conjure up images of innocent family fun, but they’ve undergone a mature makeover in recent years, with Exploding Kittens the latest title to gain popularity through its violent and somewhat taboo subject matter. Why are card games becoming as controversial as video games?

Despite living in the digital era – with note-taking apps offering a high-tech alternative to regular notepads – manufacturers of writing tools and planners are experiencing a boom. So what’s behind the return of pen and paper? And is this revival anything more than a hipsterish fad?

For the third year running, Cards Against Humanity has taken a stand against the horrors of Black Friday, this year offering bargain hunters the deal of a lifetime – $5 for absolutely nothing. But why were 11,248 people willing to trade their hard-earned cash for thin air?