1. Board Gaming is a Social Activity
Whether you’re at a Board Game Cafe (of which there are two in the Cleveland/Akron area) or just at home playing with friends, board games are a prime activity to crack open some snacks and some beers (if you’re into that sort of thing) and just hang out. Sure, you discuss the game and can be quite focused at times, but at its core board gaming is about being with friends. Once you have some games, it’s an activity that is free and can bring people together to spend some time together. Whether you’re looking for an activity for your friends, your parents, kids, extended family, or even loose acquaintances; there are games that fit all the niches for you.
2. Old Games Suck (Except Clue)
People defend Monopoly and it’s infamous “house rules” (i.e. payments go to the board, free parking gets you free money, etc.) because, frankly, it’s all they know. Life is a game in which you don’t make any meaningful decisions for the entire time you play. Seriously, think about it. Let’s look at what makes these bad: If you keep the money going in Monopoly, the rich can get richer and the game extends from about 45 minutes to 3 hours. That’s not optimal for a game that can eliminate players early, and it doesn’t reward players for doing well. Life is a game that honestly could be automated: Choose highest paying job and best house, then just follow what the board tells you. Risk is as bad as Monopoly: Super high luck, and god help you if you are eliminated early. Hope you like watching TV while others play. I could go on for a while, but I think this gif illustrates my point:
Monopoly is a simulation of how capitalism works. Ticket to Ride is a game that has some elements of Gin Rummy while allowing you to build a network of trains all over the US while taking routes that other players want. Carcassonne lets players build a sprawling countryside tile by tile, earning points by claiming roads, castles, and other areas of the ever expanding map. The Resistance gives each player a hidden role and allows a couple players to try to sabotage missions while the “good guys” try to figure out who the “spies” are.
4. They Aren’t Just for Kids (but there are games for them too)
We think games are for kids because that’s what we did as kids: played board games. Chutes and Ladders, Candyland, Monopoly, Battleship; all busted out when it was a rainy day. These are games that can be explained in minutes and don’t require a ton of thought, but games now are like puzzles. You’re looking for ways to take the best turn, trying to make the best decisions, looking for the best way to throw off your opponents, all while scoring as many points as possible.
Conclusion
If anyone tells you that they board game, please don’t look at them with that look of exhaustion and ever so slight amusement, because it’s not fair.
Questions, comments, declarations of concern for my mental well-being are always welcomed.