I’ve become the guy whose known as “The Boardgamer” amongst my friend groups. I kind of delight when people who are unaware that board games can even be a hobby come to visit, and they open the doors to reveal my board game collection and see them be just a little flabbergasted. “I didn’t even know there were this many board games!” “How do you remember all the rules?” “Which one is best?” are all common statements, once they get over their shock. I thought I would list out my favourite games to play with board game newbies.
I’ll have another list soon with the best card games to play with newbies too! For this list, I wanted to focus on games that feature cardboard prevalently.
Sagrada
Starting off the list is Sagrada by Adrian Adamescu and Daryl Andrews, published by Floodgate Games. One of the key aspects to a game to introduce to a newbie is that it has to be beautiful. You eat with your eyes first after all, and Sagrada is eye-catching with it’s multitudes of colourful dice. It’s also easy to learn, understand, and offers a little bit of brain pain near the end as players who initially thought the game was so easy is confronted with the sum of their decisions. The ability to enjoy that brain pain is what separates gamers from non-gamers in my opinion. If someone can hold their head in their hand, then say “that was awesome, let’s do it again!”, then I know a new gamer has been born.
Stepping up from Sagrada, I’d then introduce people to Calico, Azul, or The Castles of Mad King Ludwig.
Wingspan
Wingspan, by Elizabeth Hargrave and published by Stonemaier Games is beloved by many for it’s easy of gameplay, beautiful artwork, and satisfying gameplay. It’s ostensibly an engine building game, but with only 4 actions to choose from, it’s easy to teach. It starts off a bit slowly for some, but there is a great progression that leaves players satisfied with what they’ve built, and it’s real easy on the eyes.
Stepping up from Wingspan, I’d then introduce people to Project L, Race for the Galaxy, or Earth
Cascadia
It’s no secret that I prefer Calico to Cascadia, but I know that I’m in the minority. And Calico can be a bit rough as a first experience. Cascadia on the other hand, is really satisfying to play. Designed by Randy Flynn and published by Flatout Games, Cascadia is a tile laying game where the tile you draft and the animal token you get to place are tied together. Each of the 5 animals have different scoring criteria, and the 5 biomes on the tiles score more if they’re grouped together. All these conflicting scoring opportunities create a satisfying experience!
Stepping up from Cascadia, I’d consider Verdant, Trekking Through History, or The Castles of Burgundy
Kingdomino
Bruno Cathala makes great games, and Kingdomino is one of the best for introducing to new players. The math of terrain types multiplied by the number of crowns is simple, yet satisfying, and the tile draft of having the less valuable tiles also dictate who picks first in the next draft is a brilliant mechanism. Kingdomino is one of the games that brought my mom into the board game hobby, and for that, I’m thankful!
Stepping up from Kingdomino, I’d consider Barenpark, Takenoko, or Arboretum
7 Wonders
7 Wonders by Antoine Bauza and published by Repos was the first time I was scared away by a rulebook. the mere concept of drafting cards was too much for my poor little brain to handle at the time. But having someone teach me how to play is what really unlocked the love for board games that I have today. In 7 Wonders you’re drafting cards around the table, picking one to keep, and passing the rest on. At the end of 3 ages, you’ll stand in awe over the civilization you’ve built. 7 Wonders is a great game that scales up to 7 players, and yet retains a 30 minute play time. It’s become a classic for a reason, and if you’re looking to introduce your family to board games, you can’t go wrong with 7 Wonders.
Stepping up from 7 Wonders, I’d suggest Splendor, Century Spice Road, or Alhambra
And that’s the end of my list for now. Look forward to the card game list coming soon! And if you’re wondering where the games like Catan, and Ticket to Ride were, I’d have to tell you that I’m trying to bring people into the hobby, not scare them away. 😉
