Rather than reinvent the wheel in the world of gaming, the creative minds out there have opted to take what works and twist it into something new, different, and altogether exciting. As the old adage goes, why fix what isn’t broken? What that adage doesn’t grasp, however, is the fact that you can throw a coat of shiny paint on something (in addition to a number of other upgrades) and make it that much more compelling. And in this post, we’re going to take a few instances of where this has successfully taken place, from the oldest of the old school to some games you may still be playing in your down time.

Let’s start at the beginning, as in the first game that came to mind when thinking of overhauled classics (and, really, the oldest one I could find). It’s bingo, the game you probably played in school, with your friends in your younger years, or with your grandparents if they’re fond of it. According to About.com, bingo’s roots can be traced to a 16th century Italian lottery “called ‘Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia'” that’s still played today. It reached the rest of Europe in the ensuing centuries, though these days it’s consumed in a very different way. While it’s true that you can find bingo halls around your town or city, the Internet has taken over when it comes to the classic game. This is evident at betfair bingo, a platform that takes the traditional approach to bingo and flips it into a more user-friendly experience. To be fair, this isn’t the most technically challenging game in the world, but it can be tiresome if no one wins in a reasonable amount of time. However, by playing on the go (via a mobile device, for example), you can play at your leisure over an Internet connection.

Moving forward several hundred years (in terms of its creation), we have everyone’s favourite/most hated board game, Monopoly. LandlordsGame.info points to the fact that Monopoly, as we know it, was invented in the early 1900s, though the original version has gone through quite a few changes over the years. That goes well beyond the fact that new features have been added, too, because most Monopoly players know there are a slew of varieties out there based on a number of pop culture topics. Also, just like with bingo, Monopoly has made its way to the virtual gaming sector. Namely, developer/publisher electronic arts reimagined the board game for iPhone and iPad users who want to play with up to three friends (who will no doubt turn into enemies depending on how the game goes).

Continuing our way through the 20th century into more modern times, we find ourselves planted in front of the TV, controller in hand, and the world’s most famous plumber hopping about to save Princess Peach. Yes, that’s a reference to good ol’ Mario, whose original title (Super Mario Bros.) turned 30 years old (!) this year. And over time, he has gone through quite a number of different looks, job titles, and much more—you can learn more about all that at Make Us Of. However, it’s the recently releasedpunktendo version of the classic Nintendo game that really gives Mario (and others on the console) some new life—and a much harder edge.

Looking ahead, it’ll be interesting to see how and when these games, and other classics, will be reinterpreted for future generations. I mean, if something as straightforward as bingo can get overhauled, other games can’t be far off, right?