Editing Ameritrash (section)

== What Makes a Game "Ameritrash" ==

Ameritrash, as you can probably guess, is a derogatory term.  Games are called Ameritrash based primarily on their common flaws, and thus the term can be thought of as both an accusatory insult and a working genre title. That being said, there are good games that are frequently classed as "Ameritrash"; for example, [[Talisman]] is usually held in high regard.  The '-trash' part of the moniker comes from the fact that the vast majority of Ameritrash games are either shit, lack any real depth, or both.

The 'Ameri-' part of the term comes from directly from the huge number of these games made or popularized by companies like Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers, now both under [[Hasbro]]'s thumb, during the course of the 20th Century.  See below for a non-comprehensive list of Ameritrash games, and take note of how many were popularized by American toymakers between 1918 and 1999.

For those looking for a more specific guideline, the more mechanical problems a game shares with how [[Monopoly]] as usually played, and the more style is emphasized over substance, the more likely a game is to be called "Ameritrash".  These common problems include heavily luck-based mechanics, overly-long total play-time, nothing (or very little) to do or think about when it's not your turn, very little direct player interaction, and significant problems with Kingmaker scenarios. (In particular, [[Roll and Move]] is a very common mechanic used to destroy any semblance of skill-based play.)

"Ameritrash" is only a name, derived from the general tendencies of the two continents.  It does not actually ''mean'' "a game from America".  European games have been classed as "Ameritrash", and American-designed games have been classed as "Eurogames" (and the [[Snakes and Ladders|oldest known example]] of Ameritrash comes from ''India'').  [[Talisman]], for example, is usually classed as Ameritrash, despite originating in England.  It doesn't necessarily refer to all games created in America, rather of a certain style that these games seem to share that make them easy to classify.

Do note that these games are often meant for young children.  Such as Candyland.