Radiant Vietnam: A board game journey through culture, heritage

In recent years, board games have become increasingly popular among young people. Recognizing their growth potential and inspired by concern for preserving Vietnamese culture and heritage, Tran Ly Phuong Hoa—a fourth-year Tourism Management student at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics—developed a culturally rich board game called ‘Rang Ro Vietnam' (Radiant Vietnam).

Merging knowledge and entertainment

During her intensive studies, Hoa's passion for contributing to the preservation of Vietnam's cultural heritage grew. "Our country’s natural and cultural resources are incredibly rich and beautiful, yet they haven’t been fully explored or widely promoted. Through this board game, I wanted to share our culture and heritage with others in a new and engaging way," Phuong Hoa explained.

The game, designed around a role-playing concept, invites players to embody one of 54 unique characters, each representing a different ethnic group of Vietnam, complete with distinctive customs and regional traits. Set on a detailed map of Vietnam, players place their game pieces in specific cities associated with their characters. To progress, they can use in-game transportation options like airplanes or boats, and answer questions about each destination. The player who travels to the most cities and answers the most questions correctly wins.

‘Radiant Vietnam’ has been meticulously crafted, with attention to both content and design. Each character card is custom-designed, featuring carefully researched artwork representing one of the 54 ethnic groups. The game map is color-coded to reflect Vietnam's seven socio-economic regions, and is decorated with icons for common transportation modes, cultural landmarks, and heritage sites. The box cover showcases a stylized map of Vietnam, with each region illustrated by images that reflect its unique ethnic groups, culture, and landscapes. Through these richly detailed visuals, the creator hopes to deepen players' appreciation of Vietnam’s cultural diversity and help them remember the unique travel highlights of each region and province.

To ensure accuracy, ‘Radiant Vietnam’ draws on information from the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and the Department of Cultural Heritage of Vietnam. To make cultural details memorable and easy to differentiate, the game highlights the most distinctive aspects of each ethnic group and province, carefully incorporating these into the question sets. This approach not only introduces fresh insights but also helps players recall and reinforce cultural and heritage knowledge they may already know or sometimes confuse. According to the creator, this blend of the “new and familiar” is what makes ‘Radiant Vietnam’ so engaging.

Vibrant game sessions

Since its launch in late September 2024, ‘Radiant Vietnam’ has quickly won the hearts of young players. Hailed as the first board game in Vietnam entirely focused on national culture and heritage, it has attracted attention from local and international board game communities, as well as educators across various schools. In just over three weeks, the creator has received numerous invitations for demos and suggestions for wider release and purchase. “It’s been surprising to see how each group brings a unique approach to playing the game. Yet, regardless of style, they all achieve the game’s ultimate purpose—gaining a deeper understanding of Vietnamese culture and heritage,” Phuong Hoa shared.

Though the gameplay style is new and the win conditions are somewhat complex, this hasn’t disrupted the lively atmosphere of each session. Most players get into the rhythm after the first couple of rounds, quickly engaging with the game. “The game does a fantastic job of creating a fun environment that not only connects players with one another but also with the cultural knowledge woven into the experience. Each player, each character, each journey is unique, but everyone leaves feeling like they’ve learned so much about Vietnam for the first time,” said Tuyet Anh, a tenth-grade student at Mac Dinh Chi High School.

With a focus on culture and heritage as a foundation for engagement, the creator of ‘Radiant Vietnam’—like many young people today—is dedicated to fostering a deeper appreciation for the nation's natural and cultural resources. The aim is to shift the conversation around national heritage away from the notion of “gradually disappearing” towards themes of discovery, preservation, and the celebration of the incredibly rich cultural treasures and heritage of the Vietnamese people.

By Hong An – Translated by Thuy Doan