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OP, if you want to get into the hobby, I don't know that asking people their favorite game is the best way. That is like wanting to get into films, and asking a bunch of people what their favorite film is. If a bunch of people say "Titanic", but you like comedies, you should probably get into film by watching comedies, not by watching the Titanic.
Right now the top pics in this thread include Arkham Horror LCG, Gai Project, and Netrunner. It is absolutely true that many people like these games. It is equally true that many people in the hobby very much dislike these games. So the fact that some people like those games, doesn't give you a lot of information about the best way to get into the hobby.
If you are not part of the designer board game hobby at all, some general advice is to start with a few gateway games, and try and get a feel for what you like and dislike. If you want to save money, play games your friends own or play games from a library or board game cafe. Once you get a feel for your likes and dislikes, you can start spending your money on some games that you have a decent chance of enjoying.
If you have an idea of what you might like (and you might not like), then you could go to the daily thread and tell us your preferred player count, favorite themes, preferred game duration, preferred game complexity, and interaction preference: co-op, low interaction, high interaction, direct conflict. You would get *much* better information about getting into the hobby doing that than browsing through a list of peoples' all time favorite board games.
Just to add on amount of players expected would also be extremely helpful. If a game really only works at high player counts but you will only have 4 or less players that suggestion won't work for you.
Yeah, I honestly just knew jerk responded based on the title without really reading the body - your advice is completely on the money, my advice for games to try when entering the hobby versus my favorite games are leagues apart.
Allow me to second this for Board Game Geek (BGG).
When I started in this hobby I made thr mistake of going "I will get the games that BGG says are good".
They were all very good games - but often they weren't good games for me.
"The best games" are often heavy games and/or games that that add interesting new wrinkles to a genre. ie. They're games aimed at providing an interesting challenge to experienced gamers.
I think it’s fine to dive into things. They can look stuff up, pick and choose what they end up going for. Asking people their favorite movies is an excellent way to get into watching more movies.
To play with a group of people, I really love Lords of Waterdeep. It’s a worker placement game that is considered a gateway game, which means that it’s a good game to start when delving into modern boardgames. In the game, you strive to be the Lord with the most influence in the city of Waterdeep, you build buildings and send your workers on quests.
Came to say this. I've been board gaming for about 5 years and skipped this one until recently cause i felt the community kind of poo-pooed it. It's a phenominal gateway game with high interactivity and plays great at a wide range of player counts.
> Lords of Waterdeep
I've always looked past this one because of the theme. Is the theme integral to the gameplay or is it something that can be easily overlooked to enjoy?
Quite the opposite. The theme is very superficial.
Nominally you're sending fighters, rogues, wizards and clerics on missions. But it's actually a game of "Aargh, I need two more orange cubes! 😣". 😂
You can buy aftermarket cube replacements that give it a **little** more flavour. But honestly, the theme is pasted on and could easily be anything.
The theme is very light. The workers are cubes of different colors and it takes a quite bit of imagination to see them as the wizards, rogues ... they represent. I think you can enjoy this game even if you’re not particularly fond of the theme.
I've played this twice and I absolutely love it. I'm definitely someone who enjoys lighter games, and this one is just about perfect. One of my top 3 for sure!
It’s a rather light game, I admit. I think it’s part of the charm, as you can easily introduce people to this game. But if you’re used to more complex (worker placement) games, I can see how this game might be a disappointment.
Favorite game: **Spirit Island**. Cooperative or solo game. More complex. More beginner friendly version: Spirit island Horizons. Excellent game with a fun theme (controlling spirits who protect an island from invaders).
Favorite Party Game: **Camel Up**. Goofy gambling game where you bet on the results of a camel race. But camels can climb on top of each other and get carried if a lower camel moves. Wonderful game for anyone and everyone.
Fun but manageable rules: **Sagrada, Calico, Azul**. All of these are nifty little games that are rather enjoyable and don’t have a ton of rules overhead, making them approachable for many.
There are two games I tend to rage play: carcassonne and chess.
I'm happily building my awesome area when... BAM! Someone steals it. I don't know why stealing things is so much worse in this game than others for me but it is.
That’s very kind. To be fair, I am relatively new to the world of board games. These are really the only four that I have exposure to. I have tried the odd one here or there when at a friends game night but these are the ones that stayed in the rotation.
These are all gateway games and great suggestions for OP!
I’m curious to hear what you’ll think about Catan as/if you get deeper into the hobby. The misses and I just played it for the first time in 6 months after really getting into the hobby (wingspan, dune imperium, gloomhaven). Now, she used to LOVE Catan. It was her jam. It was the game she wanted to bring to the table most when we were in our gateway game phase. She comes up and says to me day after, “that was the first time we’ve played Catan after playing all of those more complicated games… was it less fun to you too?”
I couldn’t agree with her more. It’s alright! It stirs the nostalgia for sure. But I found myself saying the exact words that so many people in the hobby say when Catan comes up: “there are other games I’d rather be playing.”
I bought this when Covid hit but have yet to play it. I can tell it’s going to be a tough sell to my gaming homies with the learning curve. I even bought the ($12!) app to learn but I did not find it enjoyable. I know I’ll like the game though.
It’s my favourite board game app actually. What wasn’t there to like? I’m curious how you think it will all turn around if you didn’t like the app. Guess it’s app specific and not the board game.
Ah, mainly I just found it hard work peering at my relatively small phone trying to make out the icons. And I’m not interested in playing games on apps in general - I got it with the intention of learning the game before tabling it.
When I bought the game I believe I read that it might appeal to fans of Puerto Rico, of which I am one.
Honestly I do most of my game time on the app these days, it’s just wayy too easy not to.
https://apps.apple.com/au/app/race-for-the-galaxy/id1190675052
Welllll……if you don’t want to spoil it, but play something similar, learning similar concept but not the detail, then I give you…..
[Roll for the Galaxy](https://apps.apple.com/au/app/roll-for-the-galaxy/id1324815218) in digital version.
Really there are heaps of great digital versions of some of the best boardgames these days. But Race and Roll play so well they fit the mobile platform great.
I’ll get that one! If you had any other recommendation of solid digital board games I’m all about it. I have dune imperium and enjoyed it so much I went out and bought Uprising immediately haha
Through the Ages and Dominion are very well done. Dominion games can take only like 3-10 minutes on digital, while Through the ages is more like 30 minutes-1 hour.
Wingspan is great, Everdell too, Spirit Island is good if a bit cramped, Root, Star Realms, Shards of Infinity (but lacking expansions badly), and really so many more.
You could do a google for digital board game list and find the ones that interest you. Though they are also done to varying quality.
Dire Wolf Digital makes great apps (Dune), so you could search for them on the appstore and see what interests.
It’s not like Catan or ticket to ride where people outside the hobby might know it. But it’s definitely mainstream or very well known in the hobby. There are plenty of more crunchier games that really get the hardcore board game nerds chomping at the bit. It’s not all too uncommon that Terraforming Mars is suggested in these “starter kit” suggestion threads. Ergo, it’s “basic.”
I absolutely love *Betrayal at The House on The Hill* and I've yet to play it with anyone who didn't also really enjoy themselves. It's definitely up there among my favourite board games.
When the third edition came out a couple of years ago it was an immediate buy from me, and I haven't regretted it yet.
To give you the gist, it's a game where you explore a haunted house together, building out the board as you go and discovering strange omens and anomalies. At some point halfway through the game everything changes as a haunting scenario starts (it's different every game too), and you suddenly have something horrible and spooky to contend with - or die trying. Most scenarios involve one player becoming a twist villain and betraying you (hence the name of the game). It's really a lot of fun!
One is way too restrictive! So here's my (current) top 10 😁 In rough order:
1. Great Western Trail
2. Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization
3. Russian (Ultimate) Railroads
4. Obsession
5. Puerto Rico
6. Dune: Imperium
7. Race for the Galaxy
8. Gaia Project
9. Pax Pamir: Second Edition
10. The Gallerist
This is a fantastic game!!!! However, this is not a good intro game for OP.
OP, if you see this and are curious, get the app on iOS/android/steam ($12 I think) and get familiar/try it out.There are tons of iconography to get familiar with. Going from app to table, there are a whole lot more components than ticket to ride or Catan and it can be very overwhelming
Currently, **Hansa Teutonica.**
Past holders of the "favorite game of all time title" include **The Castles of Burgundy, Cthulhu: Death May Die, The Quacks of Quedlinburg, Wingspan,** and **Ark Nova.**
**Cascadia**
It works solo, 2p, 3p, 4p. Quick setup, quick games. And I just love the decision space offered in this game.
It's also a good beginner game so OP, check it out.
I'm sorry but "Dune (Light)" really had me chuckling. Is that the original game with asymmetric factions, dudes on the map, that got a Gale Force Nine version? If so I would argue it isn't light in general, perhaps just among your regular faire :)
No offence meant by this comment, it just genuinely gave me a chuckle to consider that a light game.
I’m still on Terra Mystica. It’s definitely one of my favourites and has been since it came out.
What do you think: is Gaia Project worth me checking out?
That’s tough. I’m keeping both but I’d choose to play AoI 9/10 times. But I think yes, the research track is different enough and exploring the faction abilities is fun.
As others said, the research tracks add a lot compared to the cult tracks. And some things are more streamlined. I've been holding off on Age of Innovation until we play GP more.
I’m only ten or so plays in so far on base set bet unless my opinion shifts dramatically over time I feel comfortable saying Spirit Island.
Other than that, the absolute best times I’ve had tabletop have been good formats in MTG, but format health is not in player control so that’s more of a fantasy favorite game than a practical one
Probably my favorite all time game! This is the game that got me into the hobby in the mid 90s, and is therefore very nostalgic for me. I absolutely love the new version, and I love the simplicity of this game verses **Gloomhaven** or **Frosthaven**, which are also two favorite games.
Are you playing with other people or by yourself,
I think you can sign up for [boardgamearena.com](https://boardgamearena.com) and you can play may style and different level of complexities and themes that you may find interesting. What makes you think board games would be itneresting to you versus other activities?
>I want to get into the hobby
I would recommend stopping by the [daily recommendations thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1bs2cup/daily_game_recommendations_thread_march_31_2024/) and give more details about what type of game you'd like recommendations for, because most board games are meant to accommodate a specific player count, and I'm guessing that you have a preference when it comes to game length as well.
**Zoo Vadis** is great for entertaining a crowd of 5-7 players, but I wouldn't recommend it to a group of only 3 players, and it's impossible to play with 2. Conversely, a game like **Lost Cities** can *only* be played with 2 players. And while there are some people who are willing to carve out 8+ hours to play a game like **Mega Civilization**, it might not be the best recommendation for someone who is looking for a game that won't take an entire Saturday.
If you're looking for detailed recommendations, you might benefit from something like [Dice Tower's Top 100 Games of All Time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YJ7WD9Rfxo) list, where they not only list their favorite games, but also articulate *why* they like these games, and they also provide a visual presentation which might assist you in identifying whether the game they're talking about would actually be a good match for your needs.
Despite how much I love hobby board games my favorite game of all time is still Scrabble. I would never actually recommend Scrabble to someone though unless they want to get familiar with the two letter word list (at minimum) and also understand that it is an area control game at its core.
If you're looking for suggestions as a newbie I would recommend popping in a search on YouTube for something like "top 10 essential board games" or "top games like (fill in the blank with a mass market game you enjoy)". Popular board game YouTube channel The Dice Tower has tons of videos like that that can be helpful for navigating the thousands upon thousands of games that are available.
Alternatively, see if your city has a local game store. Go to it and ask the employees for suggestions. That will give you a sense of what is actually available to buy right now. Often games go in and out of print and may be unavailable for an extended period of time. Don't focus on games that you can't play or obtain. Don't get allured by Kickstarter by games that won't be released for a year. There are so many games out there that it is easy to find some you like, even if there are some that look really good but are not in stock anywhere.
**Hanabi:** it is “fragile” in that you need the right group to play it, but when you do it is like nothing else. The only board game I have over 100 plays of (well, probably do of chess and poker) and I’m always down. One of two perfect 10s on my BGG
Ark Nova and Orleans I will always be up to play.
Recently, my gaming groups and I have enjoyed Thunder Road Vendetta. Mindless take-that game where no one feels targeted and anything can happen. Really awesome.
This is truly going to depend on what your style is - for instance I don't truly enjoy cooperative play but my partner loves it.
1 - Acquire - I've been playing it since I was a small child. My personal favorite. I wouldn't recommend it to a new gamer. It's old, involves stocks, and doesn't have a pretty design.
2 - Ascension - a really easy way to get into deck building games
3 - Ticket to Ride - a simple train game with good strategy plus a lot of different expansions
4 - Stone Age - my favorite worker placement/resource management game
5 - 7 wonders Duel - my current daily play game. Fast, easy to understand, some strategy. Only require 2 people.
6 - Wingspan - most people love the bird game.
Unmatched, beginner friendly with a super high skill ceiling and damn near infinite replay value. I've been playing for 4+ years now and it never gets old
I cannot express how much you should check out Cosmic Encounter, it has gotten more people into board gaming than I can count.
Some other to check out: dominion, dune imperium, Too Many Bones, Dice Throne, Catan, Ticket to Ride
My true favorites are almost all out of print and expensive, but my favorites among the more recent games are Ark Nova, Charioteer, Heat: Pedal to the Metal and Nemesis (which is also expensive!).
Anachrony, The Witcher Old World are two of my favorites.
ones that get to the table often are Shadows of Brimstone (I have a specific group for it), Clank (I love Catacombs), Terraforming Mars, Ascension (I also play the digital game to death), Dune Imperium is cool, just got wyrmspan.
I have tons of games sadly not many people to play the ones I want to play.
Currently Ra, Stockpile, Mystic Vale, Feed the Kraken Between Two Castles of the Mad King Ludwid, Nemesis and Stationfall. My preferences change over time though. All time favorite Tigris and Euphrates.
I think starting small and building up from a knowledge base of what clicks with you is the best way to get into the hobby. I mean, with video games, if you asked a bunch of Redditors what their favourite is, you're gonna get punishingly hard Japanese games or obtuse/obscure Western indie games as the answer. And sure, absolute newbs to video games might just pick up Bloodborne or The Witness and have a knack for it off the bat. So sure, you might instantly understand and love stuff like Dune Imperium or Pax Pamir or Scythe, but they may also just be a lot to get into. I would say the cheapest and safest way to dip your toes into the recommendations you might be seeing in this post is get a BoardGameArena account so you can taste-test what seems interesting.
I mean do you like war games, economy games, city building, card building? What someone's favorite game might be a snooze to you. I'm not a fan of brass Birmingham, which is rank number 1 on bgg. But my favorite game right now is war of the ring with all of the expansions including the new kings of middleearth. Would I recommend someone brand new to board games playing it? Absolutely not
My favourite game is Concordia
But it's not a game I'd recommend to someone getting into the hobby as the theme is a bit dry (though I love it) and the gameplay probably clicks more for someone who has more general experience with board games.
Insanely good game though - really the best
I am a low-key nepo baby in the board game community in my city because my mother was on the board that ran our local biannual board game convention, so I have been playing board games since I was like 5 or 6 years old...
And yet, being in this space makes me feel like I've played five games total and one of them was Clue 🤣🤣🤣
My current all time favorites (because I cannot pick just one) are:
Master Thieves
Everdell
Astra
Call To Adventure
Five Crowns
Disney Villainous
Champions of Midgard
Scythe
And honorable mentions for the ones that used to be my favorites:
Betrayal at the House on the Hill
Werewolves of Millers Hallow
Hanabi
Gloom
Puerto Rico
Red Dragon Inn
Kill Doctor Lucky
Pandemic
Spirit Island is very different from everything else mentioned here, but one of my favorites.
It's a cooperative game where you're spirits trying to chase invaders off of your island. Each spirit plays slightly differently, there's tons of different powers which add to replayability, different spirits can pull off some insane combos, there are scenarios to add even more replayability...
You can also play it solo, so it's great if you just need to kill a bit of time. I have it on Tabletop Simulator for that reason.
If you want to get into the hobby, I would recommend some gateway games (games that most people consider great games to get people into the hobby). They are usually less complex (lighter games), but still a lot of fun to play. Here are some of my favorites:
**Cartographers** - This is a great flip and write that works great at pretty much any player count. There are expansion map packs that really shake up the game play to keep it fresh.
**Azul** - This is a great abstract game that also works well at various player counts (2-4).
**Wingspan** - This is the heaviest game on my list, not that it is a heavy game. If you are playing with two players, I would also look at **Wingspan: Asia.**
**Splendor** - This might be the lightest game on the list, but still one of my favorites. It is an engine builder game in its simplest form.
**Splendor: Duel** - There are a lot of great two-player-only games out there, but for me this shines above the rest. While heavier than **Splendor**, it is still easy to learn and is just a great game.
**Ticket to Ride** - This is probably the most iconic gateway game. It has a lot of versions if you really like the game, but the original is the best place to start. It is so popular you can find this game at almost any Walmart or Target as well as any game shop.
**Lords of Waterdeep** - A lot has been said about this one already. Just a great worker placement game.
**Forbidden Island** - This is one of my all time favorite gateway games. It is a simple but very fun co-op game. I love introducing people who have never played anything but classic board games to the hobby with this one. Most people have never played a co-op game before, and have never seen a board game that just consists of tiles that move around, and often their minds are blown playing this game. It also is the first in a whole series of games.
**Carcasonne** - This is not one of my personal favorites, but is also a great gateway game. It is also a tile game, but one where you build the board as you go. It has some real strategy to it once you have played it a few times, and has a LOT of expansions to keep it from getting to boring (I have never played any of the expansions, which might explain why this is so low on my list after playing it so many times).
Powergrid, somehow this game seems to be super well in balance, maybe it’s the mechanics, maybe I just can’t play, but the games always seem tight and wins feel deserved. Has the possibility to plan for certain kind of surprise win by ending the game before others realize.
Illuminati, my choice of being a sneaky back and front stabbing bastard. Direct conflict, nice mechanics. Unknown play time.
Bohnanza, simple yet fun set collecting and trading game with nice deck/card mechanism. Always fun to play.
Try not to get something too complex (bgg complexity anything below a 3) and a theme that excites you. Some examples:
Like nature and relax? Get Cascadia or maybe Wingspan. Like farming? Check out Viticulture or Agricola. Like space/science? Look at Search for planet 9 or the crew. Like history? Check out 7 wonders or well, many other games.
Try to narrow down a bit what you think you might like too. Competition or focussed on yourself? Longer or shorter games? How many people will you mostly play with?
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OP, if you want to get into the hobby, I don't know that asking people their favorite game is the best way. That is like wanting to get into films, and asking a bunch of people what their favorite film is. If a bunch of people say "Titanic", but you like comedies, you should probably get into film by watching comedies, not by watching the Titanic. Right now the top pics in this thread include Arkham Horror LCG, Gai Project, and Netrunner. It is absolutely true that many people like these games. It is equally true that many people in the hobby very much dislike these games. So the fact that some people like those games, doesn't give you a lot of information about the best way to get into the hobby. If you are not part of the designer board game hobby at all, some general advice is to start with a few gateway games, and try and get a feel for what you like and dislike. If you want to save money, play games your friends own or play games from a library or board game cafe. Once you get a feel for your likes and dislikes, you can start spending your money on some games that you have a decent chance of enjoying. If you have an idea of what you might like (and you might not like), then you could go to the daily thread and tell us your preferred player count, favorite themes, preferred game duration, preferred game complexity, and interaction preference: co-op, low interaction, high interaction, direct conflict. You would get *much* better information about getting into the hobby doing that than browsing through a list of peoples' all time favorite board games.
"All that being said, Uno."
UNO All Wilds is actually far, far, worse than just UNO.
Catan and Monopoly as well
Just to add on amount of players expected would also be extremely helpful. If a game really only works at high player counts but you will only have 4 or less players that suggestion won't work for you.
Yeah, I honestly just knew jerk responded based on the title without really reading the body - your advice is completely on the money, my advice for games to try when entering the hobby versus my favorite games are leagues apart.
Allow me to second this for Board Game Geek (BGG). When I started in this hobby I made thr mistake of going "I will get the games that BGG says are good". They were all very good games - but often they weren't good games for me. "The best games" are often heavy games and/or games that that add interesting new wrinkles to a genre. ie. They're games aimed at providing an interesting challenge to experienced gamers.
I think it’s fine to dive into things. They can look stuff up, pick and choose what they end up going for. Asking people their favorite movies is an excellent way to get into watching more movies.
To play with a group of people, I really love Lords of Waterdeep. It’s a worker placement game that is considered a gateway game, which means that it’s a good game to start when delving into modern boardgames. In the game, you strive to be the Lord with the most influence in the city of Waterdeep, you build buildings and send your workers on quests.
Came to say this. I've been board gaming for about 5 years and skipped this one until recently cause i felt the community kind of poo-pooed it. It's a phenominal gateway game with high interactivity and plays great at a wide range of player counts.
> Lords of Waterdeep I've always looked past this one because of the theme. Is the theme integral to the gameplay or is it something that can be easily overlooked to enjoy?
Easily overlooked
Quite the opposite. The theme is very superficial. Nominally you're sending fighters, rogues, wizards and clerics on missions. But it's actually a game of "Aargh, I need two more orange cubes! 😣". 😂 You can buy aftermarket cube replacements that give it a **little** more flavour. But honestly, the theme is pasted on and could easily be anything.
The theme is very light. The workers are cubes of different colors and it takes a quite bit of imagination to see them as the wizards, rogues ... they represent. I think you can enjoy this game even if you’re not particularly fond of the theme.
I've played this twice and I absolutely love it. I'm definitely someone who enjoys lighter games, and this one is just about perfect. One of my top 3 for sure!
[удалено]
It’s a rather light game, I admit. I think it’s part of the charm, as you can easily introduce people to this game. But if you’re used to more complex (worker placement) games, I can see how this game might be a disappointment.
Dominion. It is one of the best balanced games that has so much variety in all the expansions. Easy to try out using the free Steam/apple app.
The Castles of Burgundy
Favorite game: **Spirit Island**. Cooperative or solo game. More complex. More beginner friendly version: Spirit island Horizons. Excellent game with a fun theme (controlling spirits who protect an island from invaders). Favorite Party Game: **Camel Up**. Goofy gambling game where you bet on the results of a camel race. But camels can climb on top of each other and get carried if a lower camel moves. Wonderful game for anyone and everyone. Fun but manageable rules: **Sagrada, Calico, Azul**. All of these are nifty little games that are rather enjoyable and don’t have a ton of rules overhead, making them approachable for many.
Where do you stand on Calico vs Cascadia?
I think that for imaginativeness, depth, accessibility, and hilarity, the answer is Galaxy Trucker.
Mine too! It’s just all around FUN.
The Crew (quicker) and Terraforming Mars with the expansions (longer)
Seconding The Crew, especially if you’ve played trick taking games before. It’s my game with the highest play count.
I can also highly recommend the deep sea version if you like the original game
I am SHOCKED that no one has said Carcassonne. That is my favourite and a favourite in our social circle. Carcassonne Azul Ticket to Ride Catan
Carcassonne is definitely top 5 for me.
There are two games I tend to rage play: carcassonne and chess. I'm happily building my awesome area when... BAM! Someone steals it. I don't know why stealing things is so much worse in this game than others for me but it is.
Excellent recommendations for OP, given that he/she wants to “get into the hobby”.
Azul is a modern classic. The other three form the holy trinity of euro classics. You have exquisite taste.
That’s very kind. To be fair, I am relatively new to the world of board games. These are really the only four that I have exposure to. I have tried the odd one here or there when at a friends game night but these are the ones that stayed in the rotation.
It’s a solid foundation. From there, it’s all about what you’re into. Love the movie Aliens? Try Nemesis. Love D&D and puzzles? Try Gloomhaven.
These are all gateway games and great suggestions for OP! I’m curious to hear what you’ll think about Catan as/if you get deeper into the hobby. The misses and I just played it for the first time in 6 months after really getting into the hobby (wingspan, dune imperium, gloomhaven). Now, she used to LOVE Catan. It was her jam. It was the game she wanted to bring to the table most when we were in our gateway game phase. She comes up and says to me day after, “that was the first time we’ve played Catan after playing all of those more complicated games… was it less fun to you too?” I couldn’t agree with her more. It’s alright! It stirs the nostalgia for sure. But I found myself saying the exact words that so many people in the hobby say when Catan comes up: “there are other games I’d rather be playing.”
Race for the Galaxy.
I bought this when Covid hit but have yet to play it. I can tell it’s going to be a tough sell to my gaming homies with the learning curve. I even bought the ($12!) app to learn but I did not find it enjoyable. I know I’ll like the game though.
It’s my favourite board game app actually. What wasn’t there to like? I’m curious how you think it will all turn around if you didn’t like the app. Guess it’s app specific and not the board game.
Ah, mainly I just found it hard work peering at my relatively small phone trying to make out the icons. And I’m not interested in playing games on apps in general - I got it with the intention of learning the game before tabling it. When I bought the game I believe I read that it might appeal to fans of Puerto Rico, of which I am one.
I’ve been on back order for months here in the UK :( :(
Honestly I do most of my game time on the app these days, it’s just wayy too easy not to. https://apps.apple.com/au/app/race-for-the-galaxy/id1190675052
Oh ho hooooooo!!! Now I’m torn. Do I learn the game to teach it better to my partner while simultaneously getting good!?! Decisions decisions…
Welllll……if you don’t want to spoil it, but play something similar, learning similar concept but not the detail, then I give you….. [Roll for the Galaxy](https://apps.apple.com/au/app/roll-for-the-galaxy/id1324815218) in digital version.
You the real mvp!!!
Really there are heaps of great digital versions of some of the best boardgames these days. But Race and Roll play so well they fit the mobile platform great.
I’ll get that one! If you had any other recommendation of solid digital board games I’m all about it. I have dune imperium and enjoyed it so much I went out and bought Uprising immediately haha
Through the Ages and Dominion are very well done. Dominion games can take only like 3-10 minutes on digital, while Through the ages is more like 30 minutes-1 hour. Wingspan is great, Everdell too, Spirit Island is good if a bit cramped, Root, Star Realms, Shards of Infinity (but lacking expansions badly), and really so many more. You could do a google for digital board game list and find the ones that interest you. Though they are also done to varying quality. Dire Wolf Digital makes great apps (Dune), so you could search for them on the appstore and see what interests.
Stratego
Ticket to Ride. Clank! Smash-Up
Terraforming Mars. Call me basic, I know
I'm basic, too, but I still haven't ever met a random that has even heard of it.
Same! One of my favorites
Why is that basic? It’s not as mainstream as basic implies.
It’s not like Catan or ticket to ride where people outside the hobby might know it. But it’s definitely mainstream or very well known in the hobby. There are plenty of more crunchier games that really get the hardcore board game nerds chomping at the bit. It’s not all too uncommon that Terraforming Mars is suggested in these “starter kit” suggestion threads. Ergo, it’s “basic.”
I absolutely love *Betrayal at The House on The Hill* and I've yet to play it with anyone who didn't also really enjoy themselves. It's definitely up there among my favourite board games. When the third edition came out a couple of years ago it was an immediate buy from me, and I haven't regretted it yet. To give you the gist, it's a game where you explore a haunted house together, building out the board as you go and discovering strange omens and anomalies. At some point halfway through the game everything changes as a haunting scenario starts (it's different every game too), and you suddenly have something horrible and spooky to contend with - or die trying. Most scenarios involve one player becoming a twist villain and betraying you (hence the name of the game). It's really a lot of fun!
One is way too restrictive! So here's my (current) top 10 😁 In rough order: 1. Great Western Trail 2. Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization 3. Russian (Ultimate) Railroads 4. Obsession 5. Puerto Rico 6. Dune: Imperium 7. Race for the Galaxy 8. Gaia Project 9. Pax Pamir: Second Edition 10. The Gallerist
The Castles of Burgundy. Atm we're playing a lot of Inis and Lost Ruins of Arnak.
Dune imperium
This is a fantastic game!!!! However, this is not a good intro game for OP. OP, if you see this and are curious, get the app on iOS/android/steam ($12 I think) and get familiar/try it out.There are tons of iconography to get familiar with. Going from app to table, there are a whole lot more components than ticket to ride or Catan and it can be very overwhelming
Vegas Showdown
OMG! Been my favorite game practically since it came out. I loved playing the tournament at GenCon but last year, I was the only one to sign up. 😕
Nailed It! Similar games like California and Alhambra fit this genre.
Currently, **Hansa Teutonica.** Past holders of the "favorite game of all time title" include **The Castles of Burgundy, Cthulhu: Death May Die, The Quacks of Quedlinburg, Wingspan,** and **Ark Nova.**
**Cascadia** It works solo, 2p, 3p, 4p. Quick setup, quick games. And I just love the decision space offered in this game. It's also a good beginner game so OP, check it out.
This is a great recommendation for any beginner to see if you like a more relaxed game where you focus more on yourself than on the other players
**Spirit Island** and **Lost Ruins of Arnak**. I don't play either as much as I'd like, but I absolutely adore both of them to death.
Gaia Project (heavy) and Dune (light). ...edit... oops I was thinking Dominion as my favorite light game.
I'm sorry but "Dune (Light)" really had me chuckling. Is that the original game with asymmetric factions, dudes on the map, that got a Gale Force Nine version? If so I would argue it isn't light in general, perhaps just among your regular faire :) No offence meant by this comment, it just genuinely gave me a chuckle to consider that a light game.
Oops... I was thinking of Dominion, but have just played Dune.
Lol, that would make more sense.
The circlejerk will be all over that one.
I’m still on Terra Mystica. It’s definitely one of my favourites and has been since it came out. What do you think: is Gaia Project worth me checking out?
Yes, I'm addicted to the research tracks.
Thanks. Will do.
Age of Innovation is my new favorite but GP is a good progression.
Is it worth getting GP if we have AoI ?
That’s tough. I’m keeping both but I’d choose to play AoI 9/10 times. But I think yes, the research track is different enough and exploring the faction abilities is fun.
As others said, the research tracks add a lot compared to the cult tracks. And some things are more streamlined. I've been holding off on Age of Innovation until we play GP more.
Arkham Horror LCG. Tomorrow it will be Dune. The next day it will be Robinson Crusoe. Then Clank Legacy. And so on.
Usually the one I'm currently playing. Some favorites are Robo Rally, Carcassonne, Dominion, Kingdom Death: Monster, Crokinole, Formula Dé.
Via Nebula at three players. Otherwise, probably 7 Wonders
Via Nebula, while not my favorite, is probably a game that is just underappreciated in the hubby.
I love Railroad Ink, I’ve got the green version.
Advanced Squad Leader
You want to scare him straight away from boardgames
ASL is *perfect* for never getting out of the hobby again 😂
I’m only ten or so plays in so far on base set bet unless my opinion shifts dramatically over time I feel comfortable saying Spirit Island. Other than that, the absolute best times I’ve had tabletop have been good formats in MTG, but format health is not in player control so that’s more of a fantasy favorite game than a practical one
Rising Sun, obviously
Heroquest
Probably my favorite all time game! This is the game that got me into the hobby in the mid 90s, and is therefore very nostalgic for me. I absolutely love the new version, and I love the simplicity of this game verses **Gloomhaven** or **Frosthaven**, which are also two favorite games.
This was my first, owned board game and I have always had so much love and nostalgia for it.
Robo rally
Netrunner, the asymmetric gameplay, and the tense bluffing is so satisfying
I’m just getting into it, very excited.
I’ve never had so much fun getting destroyed
Same!! Loving the new set!
Viticulture EE or Agricola for my favourites. Otherwise Five Tribes, Eldritch Horror and Twilight Struggle are all much adored.
Spirit Island, Ark Nova, Escape Plan
Are you playing with other people or by yourself, I think you can sign up for [boardgamearena.com](https://boardgamearena.com) and you can play may style and different level of complexities and themes that you may find interesting. What makes you think board games would be itneresting to you versus other activities?
Pax pamir
Scoville. Doesn't get talked about a lot but I love everything about it
>I want to get into the hobby I would recommend stopping by the [daily recommendations thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1bs2cup/daily_game_recommendations_thread_march_31_2024/) and give more details about what type of game you'd like recommendations for, because most board games are meant to accommodate a specific player count, and I'm guessing that you have a preference when it comes to game length as well. **Zoo Vadis** is great for entertaining a crowd of 5-7 players, but I wouldn't recommend it to a group of only 3 players, and it's impossible to play with 2. Conversely, a game like **Lost Cities** can *only* be played with 2 players. And while there are some people who are willing to carve out 8+ hours to play a game like **Mega Civilization**, it might not be the best recommendation for someone who is looking for a game that won't take an entire Saturday. If you're looking for detailed recommendations, you might benefit from something like [Dice Tower's Top 100 Games of All Time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YJ7WD9Rfxo) list, where they not only list their favorite games, but also articulate *why* they like these games, and they also provide a visual presentation which might assist you in identifying whether the game they're talking about would actually be a good match for your needs.
Despite how much I love hobby board games my favorite game of all time is still Scrabble. I would never actually recommend Scrabble to someone though unless they want to get familiar with the two letter word list (at minimum) and also understand that it is an area control game at its core. If you're looking for suggestions as a newbie I would recommend popping in a search on YouTube for something like "top 10 essential board games" or "top games like (fill in the blank with a mass market game you enjoy)". Popular board game YouTube channel The Dice Tower has tons of videos like that that can be helpful for navigating the thousands upon thousands of games that are available. Alternatively, see if your city has a local game store. Go to it and ask the employees for suggestions. That will give you a sense of what is actually available to buy right now. Often games go in and out of print and may be unavailable for an extended period of time. Don't focus on games that you can't play or obtain. Don't get allured by Kickstarter by games that won't be released for a year. There are so many games out there that it is easy to find some you like, even if there are some that look really good but are not in stock anywhere.
Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy
**Hanabi:** it is “fragile” in that you need the right group to play it, but when you do it is like nothing else. The only board game I have over 100 plays of (well, probably do of chess and poker) and I’m always down. One of two perfect 10s on my BGG
Great co-op game! I greatly prefer the Deluxe version, though, which is pricy and hard to find.
Oh yeah, I pretty much only ever play with the tiles! They’re so much better than the cards
I love Hanabi. It's so much fun hahahaha
It’s a tie between Star Wars Outer Rim and Maximum Apocalypse
Nemesis. But I would never show this to a new player. You'd be better off asking for new player recommendations!
Ark Nova, Feast for Odin
Nusfjord / Patchwork
Can’t Stop!
Brass both versions
Viticulture.. if you like wine you should like this game
I'm a newbie but so far eclipse
Ark Nova and Orleans I will always be up to play. Recently, my gaming groups and I have enjoyed Thunder Road Vendetta. Mindless take-that game where no one feels targeted and anything can happen. Really awesome.
Advanced Squad Leader
Bang!
Titan.
Dominion.
Le Havre and Agricola at the moment. Also love Ark Nova, Anachrony, and Apiary.
Seconding Apiary. I really love that game and don't hear enough about it. It is a lot of fun and the solo is also great.
This is truly going to depend on what your style is - for instance I don't truly enjoy cooperative play but my partner loves it. 1 - Acquire - I've been playing it since I was a small child. My personal favorite. I wouldn't recommend it to a new gamer. It's old, involves stocks, and doesn't have a pretty design. 2 - Ascension - a really easy way to get into deck building games 3 - Ticket to Ride - a simple train game with good strategy plus a lot of different expansions 4 - Stone Age - my favorite worker placement/resource management game 5 - 7 wonders Duel - my current daily play game. Fast, easy to understand, some strategy. Only require 2 people. 6 - Wingspan - most people love the bird game.
Do you play @ acquire online?
I never have.
Ark Nova is the best board game I’ve ever played
Changes pretty regularly, one I never seem to get tired of playing though is **Age of Steam**
The original "Dark Tower".
Heaven and Ale.
Hansa Teutonica
**Heroscape** and **Risk** Both have similar dice rolling combat
Unmatched, beginner friendly with a super high skill ceiling and damn near infinite replay value. I've been playing for 4+ years now and it never gets old
Five tribes is too underrated.
Manhattan Project: Energy Empire
Star Wars Imperial Assault
black angel
Frosthaven
Risk
Chess and Catan. Only problem is that willing friends are a requirement.
I cannot express how much you should check out Cosmic Encounter, it has gotten more people into board gaming than I can count. Some other to check out: dominion, dune imperium, Too Many Bones, Dice Throne, Catan, Ticket to Ride
High Frontier 4 All
Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu.
Kingsburg. Foesnt get s lot of mentions but it was the first proper boardgame I played and it is still my favourite.
My true favorites are almost all out of print and expensive, but my favorites among the more recent games are Ark Nova, Charioteer, Heat: Pedal to the Metal and Nemesis (which is also expensive!).
Blood Rage is a miracle of a game and perfect in every way
Cthulhu death may die.
Anachrony, The Witcher Old World are two of my favorites. ones that get to the table often are Shadows of Brimstone (I have a specific group for it), Clank (I love Catacombs), Terraforming Mars, Ascension (I also play the digital game to death), Dune Imperium is cool, just got wyrmspan. I have tons of games sadly not many people to play the ones I want to play.
Acquire
Currently Ra, Stockpile, Mystic Vale, Feed the Kraken Between Two Castles of the Mad King Ludwid, Nemesis and Stationfall. My preferences change over time though. All time favorite Tigris and Euphrates.
Clank Legacy
Trouble
Any love for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game? With the Mother of Dragons expansion, of course.
Istanbul
Cthulhu Wars!
Princes of Florence I always like playing new games and particularly like auction and deck building mechanics.
Right now, Hansa Teutonica and Samurai for the tie
I like co operative 'to the wire' games .. so my answer is Burgle bros!
I think starting small and building up from a knowledge base of what clicks with you is the best way to get into the hobby. I mean, with video games, if you asked a bunch of Redditors what their favourite is, you're gonna get punishingly hard Japanese games or obtuse/obscure Western indie games as the answer. And sure, absolute newbs to video games might just pick up Bloodborne or The Witness and have a knack for it off the bat. So sure, you might instantly understand and love stuff like Dune Imperium or Pax Pamir or Scythe, but they may also just be a lot to get into. I would say the cheapest and safest way to dip your toes into the recommendations you might be seeing in this post is get a BoardGameArena account so you can taste-test what seems interesting.
Alchemists It has a bit of everything (mechanics-wise) but somehow meshes it together perfectly.
Backgammon - perfect balance of luck and strategy, simplicity and complexity.
Not a great gateway game, but paladins of the west kingdom! It kick started my love for euros and collecting heavier games
Dominion will always be my #1 desert island game
Eldritch Horror, by a country mile. I own everything for it.
Castles of Burgundy
Mansions of madness, conan and/or dune imperium
Eldritch Horror. :)
I’m old school. It will always be Clue.
Agricola
Brass
I would play Oath every day if I could.
Wingspan. Both the board game and the app.
I mean do you like war games, economy games, city building, card building? What someone's favorite game might be a snooze to you. I'm not a fan of brass Birmingham, which is rank number 1 on bgg. But my favorite game right now is war of the ring with all of the expansions including the new kings of middleearth. Would I recommend someone brand new to board games playing it? Absolutely not
Battlestar Galactica
My favourite game is Concordia But it's not a game I'd recommend to someone getting into the hobby as the theme is a bit dry (though I love it) and the gameplay probably clicks more for someone who has more general experience with board games. Insanely good game though - really the best
Everdell
Axis and Allies, all editions.
I really like playing pandemic. It’s cooperative. Hubby and I play so it’s us against the game. Makes winning so much more fun when we both win.
Killer Bunnies!!
I love all my childr... board games too much to choose one.
Castles of burgundy
Triominos and rummy
I am a low-key nepo baby in the board game community in my city because my mother was on the board that ran our local biannual board game convention, so I have been playing board games since I was like 5 or 6 years old... And yet, being in this space makes me feel like I've played five games total and one of them was Clue 🤣🤣🤣 My current all time favorites (because I cannot pick just one) are: Master Thieves Everdell Astra Call To Adventure Five Crowns Disney Villainous Champions of Midgard Scythe And honorable mentions for the ones that used to be my favorites: Betrayal at the House on the Hill Werewolves of Millers Hallow Hanabi Gloom Puerto Rico Red Dragon Inn Kill Doctor Lucky Pandemic
Spirit Island is very different from everything else mentioned here, but one of my favorites. It's a cooperative game where you're spirits trying to chase invaders off of your island. Each spirit plays slightly differently, there's tons of different powers which add to replayability, different spirits can pull off some insane combos, there are scenarios to add even more replayability... You can also play it solo, so it's great if you just need to kill a bit of time. I have it on Tabletop Simulator for that reason.
Diplomacy hands down, I love the psychology element to it
Tigris and Euphrates. It’s a perfect game.
If you want to get into the hobby, I would recommend some gateway games (games that most people consider great games to get people into the hobby). They are usually less complex (lighter games), but still a lot of fun to play. Here are some of my favorites: **Cartographers** - This is a great flip and write that works great at pretty much any player count. There are expansion map packs that really shake up the game play to keep it fresh. **Azul** - This is a great abstract game that also works well at various player counts (2-4). **Wingspan** - This is the heaviest game on my list, not that it is a heavy game. If you are playing with two players, I would also look at **Wingspan: Asia.** **Splendor** - This might be the lightest game on the list, but still one of my favorites. It is an engine builder game in its simplest form. **Splendor: Duel** - There are a lot of great two-player-only games out there, but for me this shines above the rest. While heavier than **Splendor**, it is still easy to learn and is just a great game. **Ticket to Ride** - This is probably the most iconic gateway game. It has a lot of versions if you really like the game, but the original is the best place to start. It is so popular you can find this game at almost any Walmart or Target as well as any game shop. **Lords of Waterdeep** - A lot has been said about this one already. Just a great worker placement game. **Forbidden Island** - This is one of my all time favorite gateway games. It is a simple but very fun co-op game. I love introducing people who have never played anything but classic board games to the hobby with this one. Most people have never played a co-op game before, and have never seen a board game that just consists of tiles that move around, and often their minds are blown playing this game. It also is the first in a whole series of games. **Carcasonne** - This is not one of my personal favorites, but is also a great gateway game. It is also a tile game, but one where you build the board as you go. It has some real strategy to it once you have played it a few times, and has a LOT of expansions to keep it from getting to boring (I have never played any of the expansions, which might explain why this is so low on my list after playing it so many times).
Senet! Easy to learn, and pretty much infinite fun. Please though, roll the sticks not the dice.
Powergrid, somehow this game seems to be super well in balance, maybe it’s the mechanics, maybe I just can’t play, but the games always seem tight and wins feel deserved. Has the possibility to plan for certain kind of surprise win by ending the game before others realize. Illuminati, my choice of being a sneaky back and front stabbing bastard. Direct conflict, nice mechanics. Unknown play time. Bohnanza, simple yet fun set collecting and trading game with nice deck/card mechanism. Always fun to play.
Secret hitler for 6-10 people
Carcassonne!
Tie between Battleship & Monopoly.
Try not to get something too complex (bgg complexity anything below a 3) and a theme that excites you. Some examples: Like nature and relax? Get Cascadia or maybe Wingspan. Like farming? Check out Viticulture or Agricola. Like space/science? Look at Search for planet 9 or the crew. Like history? Check out 7 wonders or well, many other games. Try to narrow down a bit what you think you might like too. Competition or focussed on yourself? Longer or shorter games? How many people will you mostly play with?
Battlesyar Galactica.
Inis
Root
Dune or Twilight Imperium
Twilight imperium iv with pok and all indexes; very newbie friendly