In many games, manufacturers used the fascination of familiar city names and views. The geographical position of the places in relation to each other was often hardly considered or used as game content. For example, in Geography Lotto (left), the learning objective was to learn the name of the city and its characteristic cityscape. In contrast, however, there were also games such as puzzles in which the geographic position of cities and countries was the decisive game content.

left:
"Geographical Society Game" (Geography Lotto)
Germany or Switzerland, 2nd quarter 19th c.
Chalk lithograph, colored
Gift L. Hermann-Rognon, Arlesheim
Inv. 1973.199.
in the center:
Parlor game "Der Entsprungene"
probably Frankfurt a. M., 2nd quarter 19th c.
Etching, colored; mounted on cardboard, cardboard slipcase
Gift of the heirs of C. Ryhiner, Basel
Inv. 1902.28.b.
In the game "Der Entsprungene" the city views are the decorative background for a rather simple game of chase. Real distances do not matter; it is just as much a single move from Frankfurt to Mainz as from Madrid to Dresden.

right:
Geographical puzzle (138 pieces): Map of Europe
Weimar, Geographical Institute, around 1860/70
Steel engraving, colored, mounted on beech wood
Bequest Julie Hermine Kiku Merian, Basel
Inv. 1972.225.

A map of the renowned Geographical Institute in Weimar serves as the basis for this large-format puzzle. The separating edges of the individual puzzle pieces run partly along the country borders, so that the shape of the countries is also imprinted when playing.