Last Updated on January 25, 2024 by Gamesver Team and JC Franco
While many people derive great fun from playing Musical Chairs, others don’t feel quite as excited about the game. This is because there are several disadvantages and cons of playing the game. If you’re wondering what could possibly be “bad” about Musical Chairs, this article is for you.
Believe it or not, some games just aren’t for everyone. For those who look at Musical Chairs differently, it might not be a fun game at all. It’s important to understand how some people can view the game in a negative light. Let’s look at some of the negative aspects of playing Musical Chairs below.
13 downsides of playing Musical Chairs:
1. For those who don’t like to play group games, it can be overwhelming or daunting.
For some, playing games isn’t all that of an exciting prospect. If you’re into games and activities, you might not understand this.
Have you ever attended a party or a function and just not felt up to playing a game? Some people feel like this all of the time. They would rather have a conversation than getting involved in a game. For people like this, playing musical chairs can feel like torture.
2. Players can get hurt.
There’s a possibility of getting hurt in many physical games, Musical Chairs included. From the first round, players become more and more aware of just how badly they want a chair and how easily they can become the next loser.
As a result, players often tend to get more boisterous as the game progresses. Players are more prone to pushing, shoving, and pulling chairs out from other players, and so on. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for someone to get hurt while playing the game.
3. Losing can create a sense of resentment.
Let’s consider how the game can develop negative emotions within players. Playing Musical Chairs is great fun for those who are winning, but it’s not a lot of fun for those who are out in the first few rounds and have to stand around watching.
People who lose early on can come to resent the winner. In fact, in the end, all the players resent the final winner as everyone else loses.
4. Tempers often flare.
Would you say that Musical Chairs is a game that’s calm and cheerful, or is there the possibility of it becoming an unpleasant experience when some of the players can’t handle their anger, frustration, and emotions?
Because of the competitive nature of Musical Chairs, it is not uncommon for people to lose themselves in the game and actually lose their “cool” at the same time. Players who feel the most at risk or threatened will often be the ones who lose their temper and snap at other people or become so enraged that they cannot continue the game.
5. The game is impossible for someone who is physically disabled.
Most people really appreciate a game if everyone in the group can play. What happens if you have someone with a broken leg or a disability that stops them from moving quickly and freely? Will Musical Chairs really be the right game to play?
If you have a physical disability that makes it difficult or impossible to run or grab a chair, you are going to feel very left out when people are playing musical chairs. As a result, the game is not 100% inclusive.
6. It can cause fights among friends.
Nothing can break a friendship quicker than stacking people up against each other when the stakes are high. All it takes is just one moment of being slow, and you’re out. Now your best friend is a threat, and your acquaintances are an even bigger threat.
When you push your friend out of the way to get a chair before them, what do you think is going to happen? Unless your friend has a great handle on their emotions, chances are that a fight or argument is going to ensue, either during the game or later on.
7. Those who are too embarrassed to fight for what they want will lose out.
Have you ever watched a game of Musical Chairs in action and taken note of who the players are? By observing the players, you can quickly determine who is going to lose first or early on.
You might notice the person who is shy or embarrassed to run around and manically snatch at chairs, and this can make them lose out. In fact, for someone who is shy and reserved, this game can be very uncomfortable and unpleasant.
8. It may drive home an unrealistic sense of life being unfair or of being an actual loser in life.
It’s not a bad idea for people to learn early on that life can be unfair, but playing a game that consistently puts the same people at a disadvantage, it’s going to drive home a negative message about the unfairness of life.
If someone is already feeling negative about life or thinks they are a loser, playing Musical Chairs can only exacerbate those negative feelings. It’s probably better to look for a game that doesn’t make people feel like they are losing out.
9. There are potentially more educational or inclusive games to play.
If you are looking for a game that teaches life lessons, you won’t go particularly wrong with Musical Chairs, but it must be said that there are more educational and inclusive games to play.
By opting for a less physical game that everyone can get involved in, you can eliminate the possibility of people feeling out of place while also increasing the opportunity for people to learn something while playing the game. Let’s take Monopoly or Chess as an example.
10. It can be intellectually boring for some.
If you are the intellectual type that likes to spend your time playing games that give a workout to the brain, Musical Chairs is just not going to cut it. In fact, you’re probably going to get bored quite quickly.
11. Too much competitiveness can be brought to the game.
There’s a trend in playing Musical Chairs for players to become highly competitive. Of course, the chair is seen as a hot commodity that’s in short supply. The value of the chair is not overlooked. In fact, it becomes more valuable with each new round.
As a result, this tends to make people more and more competitive. For people who are not competitive, this can be uncomfortable and unpleasant. Not a fun way to spend one’s time (for those people at least).
12. It can be hard for people who aren’t fit or active.
While it can be a fun and active game for most people to play, those who are overweight or unfit might struggle to cope with the constant moving around and then the mad dash for the chairs when the music stops.
Keep in mind that for those who aren’t fit and active regularly, the game can be seen as something extremely unenjoyable.
13. Playing the game can spark anxiety in those with anxiety disorders.
If someone suffers from an anxiety disorder, chances are that games of a competitive nature where they can lose easily become somewhat daunting. For those with anxiety or nervousness, playing a game of Musical Chairs can be quite unpleasant indeed.
In closing
If you have only ever thought of Musical Chairs as a fun game to play, you might find it quite enlightening to consider it from another perspective. If you haven’t considered that Musical Chairs can come with downsides and disadvantages, you now have a lot to think about.
For many people, the above-mentioned cons and disadvantages are very real. So, the next time someone doesn’t seem too keen to play, you might understand their feelings and decision a little better.
This article was co-authored by our team of in-house and freelance writers, and reviewed by our editors, who enjoy sharing their knowledge about their favorite games with others!
JC Franco
JC Franco serves as a New York-based editor for Gamesver. His interest for board games centers around chess, a pursuit he began in elementary school at the age of 9. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Mercyhurst University, JC brings a blend of business acumen and creative insight to his role. Beyond his editorial endeavors, he is a certified USPTA professional, imparting his knowledge in tennis to enthusiasts across the New York City Metropolitan area.