Board Games Defined: What Am I Getting Into?

Light, heavy, Eurogames, Ameritrash, dry, thematic, dice chucking, deck building, party game, co-op game, hidden traitor, social game...what are you getting yourself into with this whole board game thing?

Photo: The History of Board Games

Yes, there are dozens of different board game categories. Yes, it can get a bit confusing at times. But the great thing about having so many choices is that there's going to be some game out there that lines up perfectly with your own, unique tastes, if not several. There are so many categories and each category has so many more sub-categories, so I will do my best to list the main categories I think most of you will come across, along with an example of each. 

So without further adieu, what's out there?

Eurogames

Made popular in Germany, Eurogames are perhaps best known for their emphasis on strategy as opposed to luck and typically have simpler rules and less-hefty duration. There is typically no player elimination and normally some facet of scoring is kept secret in order to prevent opponents from identifying the clear winner.

Example: Ticket to Ride

Tricking Your Spouse Into Games with Co-Ops

If your significant other doesn't want to play games it could be because they picture hours of trading money back and forth in Monopoly, or getting demolished one hour into a four hour bout of Risk. This should go without saying, but there are still so many people out there who haven't partaken in modern board games, so I'll say it: board games are different now!

I don't care who you are, what you're interested in, or your personal prejudices -- there's a board game for you. And, more importantly, there's a board game for you and your spouse to enjoy together. In this post I'm specifically going to talk about three (ish, you'll see why) cooperative games that are very similar in play but have completely different themes that I think are a great start for couples who want to get into gaming.

Real quick, here are five things you can tell your significant other to convince him/her that you should be playing these games together:

1. I want to spend quality time with you that doesn't involve sitting in front of a screen.
2. We can invite friends over and have a double-date game night.
3. Don't you want to do something together?
4. It's only $15 and it has a lifetime play value (specifically Forbidden Desert for our fellow cheapskates).
5. Board games are cool now. No, really!

Married with Board Games: Five Tribes

Not a surprise since I just announced it as one of my favorite games on my Top 20 list, Five Tribes is one of my all-time favorite games to play with my boyfriend. Perhaps my enthusiasm is partly due to the fact that he's never beat me...maybe? Nah, it's probably just because it's an incredibly beautiful and well-designed game. Right?

Look at it! Now go to the website and see what's inside the pretty pretty box...seriously go ahead...some pretty pretty pieces! If you need something to draw you to a game, the aesthetics and art work in Five Tribes might just be enough for you. Seriously, look at these:

Now, why do I think this is the perfect game to play with your spouse? 

• It plays well with two people: Most strategic games have some sort of two player variant but they can be extremely disappointing. For example, as much as I love 7 Wonders, playing with one dummy player does not make a two player variant. Sorry. Five Tribes actually has differences to change up the strategy of the game when you play with two people.

My Top 20 Board Games...and Why You'll Disagree

http://www.destructoid.com/blogs/sheppy/conversion-of-a-board-gamer-202369.phtml 

Any legitimate board gamer out there will most likely look at my list and scoff at the number of party games that made it to my top 20 (or the fact that I play party games at all!), but I must include a disclaimer here about my list. I ranked all the games I own and all the games I can remember playing by how much fun they were and how much I look forward to playing them again.

That's it.

I didn't take into account design, length, theme, my own game group, etc (though these all add to my experience so they are included overall). All I did was gauge my own fond memories and excitement to play again. Part of me feels like I need to defend this and part of me feels like it speaks for itself. Why do we play games? To have fun! To be social! To make memories! To me, that's what this list represents.

Allow me to make a quick comment on behalf of anyone who has ever done this before. I basically rated all of my board games on BoardGameGeek, meaning I had about 30 games that were ranked between 9-10. I had ten games that I like very much which had to be cut. I can only imagine that's akin to picking a favorite child.

Drum roll, please.

20. March of the Ants: This is a great light option with a lot of theme. There are only four rounds, there are only a certain number of turns you can take, and each action allows non-active players to take a counter action, so AP is much less painful in this game. There can be as much or as little conflict as you like and it is simple yet addicting enough to be a gateway game.

Ticket to Ride: 10 Reasons You Must Add it to Your Collection

Far be it for me to tell you how to live your life, but GET TICKET TO RIDE RIGHT NOW.

I mean it.

I am not exaggerating when I say Ticket to Ride is one of my favorite games of all time, and probably the game that I've played the most. I've decided to dedicate my first game suggestion for those Married with Board Games to Ticket to Ride because it is beloved in my home and in the gamer world in general. You will likely have to search far and wide for a gamer who has not heard of or played Ticket to Ride. That sounds like a poem.

You will likely search far and wide

For a gamer who has not played Ticket to Ride

Okay, someone else finish it. I'm no poet.

But, seriously. TTR is the best option for couples, families, friends, new gamers, light gamers, Euro gamers, and non-hipster gamers. I include that last one because the more popular certain games get, the more hipster gamers feel they have to shun it, i.e. Settler's of Catan (or is it just Catan now?).

Married with Board Games: An Introduction to Converting Your Spouse

I love board games. My boyfriend loves board games. We're a happy couple, 'nough said. Okay, maybe that's not all there is to it...but it helps.

 

So why doesn't everyone play board games instead of sitting silently in front of the TV or spending an intimate evening with their phones? My theory is that they haven't found the right games to play. In this blog thread I will suggest games for couples to play together to introduce the idea of gaming and hopefully start a life-long hobby. 

So. Without further ado, why should you be playing games?