Usually when you hear about someone who is interested in board games, you immediately picture them playing Monopoly or Scrabble for hours on end when this is hardly the case. These games are some of the ones that people use to introduce friends to the hobby, and this is my personal Top 10 list. So without further ado, here are numbers 10 through 6.
It physically pained me to put this game on the list because I have grown to dislike it so much, but I understand its place in the gaming world. Even people who have never touched hobby board or card games have heard of the raunchy Cards Against Humanity. At its most basic level, it is a completely subjective game, played exactly like Apples to Apples but with cards that are random, offensive, and/or in bad taste.
Positives
Positives
- Accessible
- Portable
- Cheap
- Funny (with the right group)
- Repetitive
- Once it loses its shock value, it’s not as fun or funny
- Can be ruined by “uptight” people
- Pandering (playing certain cards that the person will pick rather than what fits)
Let’s be up front and honest: the game is exquisitely simple and has very little skill. While that might sound like a nightmare to gamers who like to slog through complex games, it’s absolutely perfect for a gateway game! It takes only a minute or two to explain, and the games are so quick that people want to play multiple rounds. It’s perfect to introduce someone to a game that isn’t played with the traditional 52 cards.
Positives
Positives
- Accessible
- Portable
- Cheap
- Plays quickly
- Very little skill
- High luck factor
- A little TOO simple
Party games provide a great opportunity to get people into board gaming, and The Resistance is a wonderful stepping stone. Instead of trivia, drawing, or the typical party game faire, you get to figure out which of your friends are lying spies. Some have argued that The Resistance isn’t a game, just arguing; however, I think you will find that it does have some substance to it and is extremely enjoyable for friends and acquaintances alike.
Positives
Positives
- Simple to teach
- Short play time
- High player engagement
- Players must be able to lie/have a poker face
- Strategy is exclusively in acting ability
A lot of hobby board games can be daunting for newcomers, but, thankfully, there is a solution: Cooperative Board Games. What better way to learn the strategies and appeal of games more complex than Monopoly than to be working with your friends against the game instead of each other? Forbidden Island (and its brethren Forbidden Desert/Pandemic) is a lovely entry-level board game that introduces a puzzle-like atmosphere as players work against a “timer” to beat the game before, in this case, the island sinks.
Positives
Positives
- Removes competition between players
- Cheap
- Variable difficulty levels
- Can be “Quarterbacked” (One player makes all decisions)
- Can feel more like a puzzle than a game