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Board games. A reasonable alternative?


zombieksa

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So over the span of the last 6 months I have become a bit of a board game geek. I have always been a huge fan of the classics like chess, monopoly, risk. You know, the staples that everyone has played. I also have a decent collection of Saturday night funny party games; cards against humanity, apples to apples, etc.

But then I began watching Wil Wheaton's 'Tabletop' on youtube and realized how many board games were actually out there. So after watching a majority of the channel I went out and purchased Ticket to Ride and Settlers of Catan. That weekend my family played these games and we ended up spending about 16 hours total at the dinner table from Friday to Sunday.

Several weeks later I picked up Tsuro, Escape the curse of the temple, and Alhambra, and played these games several dozen additional hours since. Last night I actually ordered Betrayal at House on the Hill as it was one of the games I wanted to try the most and has been out of print for months.

The biggest thing I noticed is that my family has grown a lot closer and alcohol use in minimal compared to weekends in the past. Also, I have barely played any video games over the last few months. I downloaded Stick of Truth and have maybe put 2 hours into the game in the last week and a half, and that is probably the most I have played in months.

Has anyone else had this experience? With the extensive list of strategic and addictive board games available, are video games even necessary? What are some of your favourites?

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Civilisation as a board game was fantastic. Probably the best part is the trading of goods among players.

If your a shifty bastard you can slip a disease, or plague card in with your trade, causing destruction to the other players civilization.

The interesting part we found out quickly wars don't help, but trading and cooperation does.

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Civilisation as a board game was fantastic. Probably the best part is the trading of goods among players.

If your a shifty bastard you can slip a disease, or plague card in with your trade, causing destruction to the other players civilization.

The interesting part we found out quickly wars don't help, but trading and cooperation does.

I've heard a lot of good things about Civ. but the board looks terrifyingly complicated which I would love but I don't think many of my most common opponents would enjoy as much.

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I was much like you where I realized I loved board games and started watching Tabletop as well. I even bought the same board games as you, in Ticket to Ride and Settlers of Catan.

The game I love right now though is Axis and Allies 1940 Pacific & Europe. It was insanely expensive for a board game and is extremely long but if you are a WWII fanatic, love games like Risk and have enough people to play, it is pretty awesome.

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Settlers

Ticket to Ride

Carcassone

Alhambra

and now we're on to Kingdom Builder

Since getting Kingdom Builder, we haven't touched any other game for weeks hahah

I love the scoring metrics of Carcassone and will probably pick that one up next. There are just so many games to choose from. I am hoping betrayal can give me a dozen playthroughs before I make another purchase, I LOVE the idea of the 50 scenarios mechanic of the game. My mom loves horror stories so I know she'll be on board to play. My dad is a simpler mind who gets confused as you add rules but he just broke his ankle and will probably be pretty bored and will enjoy an escape.

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Ticket to Ride is immense, even with 5 players it only takes an hour. I have three variations of the game now, and each game is new, fresh, challenging. Much more fun than Monopoly ever was. And even better, no-one loses early. You play to the very end.

But it would take something serious like death, or losing both my arms, to stop me playing video games.

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Ticket to Ride is immense, even with 5 players it only takes an hour. I have three variations of the game now, and each game is new, fresh, challenging. Much more fun than Monopoly ever was. And even better, no-one loses early. You play to the very end.

But it would take something serious like death, or losing both my arms, to stop me playing video games.

Oh I'll never stop playing video games. I still bust out my favourites like Banjo-Kazooie and DKC2 all the time but I find myself a lot less excited for new video game titles recently. For the first time in 10 years I am not invested in any MMO.

And yeah ticket to ride is awesome. Even though I was the only person who knew how to play to start, I think I have only won 3 out of the 15 or so games we've played.

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Cities and Knights makes Settlers of Catan x1000 times better. I guarantee you will not regret buying that expansion.

Ticket to Ride is a also a great game. I think the European version is the best, but that's just my opinion. I'm a big fan of party games like Funglish, Cards Against Humanity, and Catch Phrase. Usually seems to bring the best out of people when you play party games. :)

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I love board games (and card games). My brother and I used to spend entire weekends playing Axis & Allies. I'm still a big fan of classics like Monopoly and Scrabble.

Another fun card game to add to the list is Fluxx. They've added a few alternate versions but I still use my original deck. It always comes with me when I travel.

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Ticket to Ride is immense, even with 5 players it only takes an hour. I have three variations of the game now, and each game is new, fresh, challenging. Much more fun than Monopoly ever was. And even better, no-one loses early. You play to the very end.

But it would take something serious like death, or losing both my arms, to stop me playing video games.

When family/friends do get together we usually play cards of some sort, but if I were to look at a board game I'd want basically those three things you described as requirements:

  1. Reasonable and predictable game time
  2. Replay value
  3. Continued player involvement

I haven't looked at board games for years, in fact the last time I really played one was when a buddy and I went and played in a live action Clue game as a team and won the board game when we finished first. Played it a few times but never really got a good enough group together to keep playing it and got bored.

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for me, board games do not satisfy the same itch as video games. because i primarily play games online, i do it to satisfy my competitive nature. not for fun and socializing

but if you're looking for a really fun game, i suggest you guys check out Dominion. lots of expansion packs and stuff, too.

very addicting, very fun, very easy to pick up. i play this from time to time with a few friends/family, and everyone seems to enjoy it.

The game was released at Spiel 2008 in multiple languages and voted best game of the fair by the Fairplay polls with a rating of 1.75 from 147 votes.[3] In 2009, it won the prestigious Spiel des Jahres and Deutscher Spiele Preisawards. It was one of five winning games in American Mensa's 2009 MindGame competition. By the end of 2010, more than one million copies of it and its expansions had been sold worldwide.

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Brother in law got me into a game called "Dixit." Pretty much Apples to Apples with picture cards. Very, very fun and quick. Unlike other games, it is not terrifically competitive, but there is a winner at the end. However, nobody really cares who the winners or losers are, because it's all about seeing what cards people put down, and finding out later why they played that card in particular. highly, highly recommend.

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Guest Gumballthechewy

My older brother had a bunch of board games he'd let me play with his friends when they came over. Mostly they played Risk and Axis & Allies but they had a bunch of other ones too I can't really remember.

Also does anyone know where I could pick up Cards Against Humanity?

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Brother in law got me into a game called "Dixit." Pretty much Apples to Apples with picture cards. Very, very fun and quick. Unlike other games, it is not terrifically competitive, but there is a winner at the end. However, nobody really cares who the winners or losers are, because it's all about seeing what cards people put down, and finding out later why they played that card in particular. highly, highly recommend.

I watched the gameplay for that one and I love the need to be descriptive and creative in your phrasing, It was quite expensive for what was offered when I saw it in my local shop. Still, I'd like to try it sometime.

Two more to add to the list:

Pandemic

Citadels

Both are a lot of fun! Pandemic is nice because it actually forces cooperative play.

Pandemic is extremely difficult both to figure out for non-players, and to beat even for experienced players, depending on the person playing that could be a plus or minus.

Never player citadels actually.

My older brother had a bunch of board games he'd let me play with his friends when they came over. Mostly they played Risk and Axis & Allies but they had a bunch of other ones too I can't really remember.

Also does anyone know where I could pick up Cards Against Humanity?

My girlfriend and I had to order CAH online for a christmas present. Hours of laughs, reaaaaally pushes some boundaries especially if you have some conservative friends.

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Guest Gumballthechewy

My girlfriend and I had to order CAH online for a christmas present.

Ok. Think I could find it in one of those mall stalls that sell tons of board games?

Hours of laughs, reaaaaally pushes some boundaries especially if you have some conservative friends.

That will not be a problem with the people I know.

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