▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁increasing ▁character ▁attributes , ▁but ▁also ▁in ▁receiving ▁new ▁ab ilities ▁or ▁equipment . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁▁ ▁Advent ure ▁board ▁games ▁often ▁integrate ▁various ▁role - play ing ▁game ▁mechan ics , ▁such ▁as ▁experience ▁points ▁and ▁character ▁creation ▁into ▁the ▁board ▁game ▁format . ▁The ▁orig ins ▁of ▁these ▁two ▁types ▁of ▁game ▁are ▁related . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁Dave ▁Ar nes on ▁introduced ▁his ▁role - play ing ▁game , ▁Black mo or , ▁to ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁players . ▁One ▁of ▁those ▁players , ▁Gary ▁G yg ax , ▁collabor ated ▁with ▁Ar nes on ▁to ▁create ▁Dun ge ons ▁& ▁Drag ons ▁( 1 9 7 4 ). ▁Another ▁member ▁of ▁that ▁g aming ▁group , ▁Dave ▁Meg ar ry , ▁translated ▁the ▁experience ▁into ▁the ▁board ▁game , ▁Dun geon ! ▁( 1 9 7 5 ), ▁the ▁first ▁advent ure ▁board ▁game . ▁In ▁fact , ▁the ▁term ▁" ad vent ure ▁g aming " ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁referred ▁to ▁what ▁later ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁table top ▁role - play ing ▁games , ▁and ▁only ▁later ▁became ▁associated ▁with ▁board ▁games . ▁▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁▁ ▁The ▁genre ▁saw ▁a ▁particular ▁bo om ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁when ▁its ▁key ▁sub gen res ▁had ▁been ▁cod ified ▁by ▁three ▁major ▁releases ▁of ▁the ▁de cade : ▁▁ ▁Compet