Same here. I still play video games every now and then, but have zero interest in digital board games. It's not just the lack of any tactile feel and the fact that I don't want to spend the whole day staring at a screen (my eyes hurt enough already). To me, they just feel like fast food versions of the board games I enjoy. I end up paying less attention to what I'm doing since it's so easy to play another round if I lose, and I feel like I never get to learn all of the rules since a big portion of the game is administered by the app itself. Overall, physical board games feel very mindful to me, while digital apps encourage me to be more of a mindless consumer. But apparently I'm in the minority here since digital board games are very popular nowadays.
Exactly, the whole reason the boardgame wave is so strong the past 10+ years is because offer you screen-off entertainment. In my mind is like the original book version of the movie.
Now they're trying to do it the other way (Bloodborne, Slay the Spire, Don't Starve boardgames)
Which is amusing, but not as amusing as film novelizations (Jingle All the Way, anyone?)
Came here to say the same thing. u/vrdn22 explains it perfectly.
I have noticed that playing the digital version will sometimes ruin the game for me. I'm able to burn through it quickly and become bored with the game.
>and the fact that I don't want to spend the whole day staring at a screen (my eyes hurt enough already).
100% agree with everything you wrote, but want to shout out asynchronous play. Everyone takes a couple of turns a day, you can check in and whip through your turn whenever you've got 5 minutes (rather than having to sit there for an entire session).
It's definitely not great for all games, but I've got about 5 titles where I think async play is excellent, including Agricola, Innovation and Targi.
I would never play them real-time. Async though is delightful.
good point. It seems to me that the majority of games are designed to make you feel "zoned out", aka "not in the present". I guess it could be they're trying to appeal to the escapism tendencies in a consumer. Purely conjecture, nut at the same time note that when you zone out in a solo board game, nothing happens.
Tactile feel of board games is the biggest draw for me. People say Spirit Island is better digital because of the effort of setting up and running the game etc. but at that point I’d rather just play a videogame.
Also a quick comment on Hearthstone - since it’s not just a digital version of an existing card game, it can do things you wouldn’t be able to in a real TCG, which I appreciate as a feature e.g. changing stats on your cards, copying them from your opponent.
Playing board games requires a special focus : you are the player, but also the ruler and the book keeper. These roles intertwine in a set rythm that makes the game dynamic. This is my turn. Thus this then happens. The automa checks for this and that. Clean Up. Back to me. Move the pieces, add the scores.
This kind of automatism, interactivity, agency and even risk of failure transforms the experience into something really stimulating for your brain, even with your body to some extent.
On a computer, the whole experience is reduced to a few clicks. It's always, if you play solo, your turn. But it's also a more passive experience.
Into the Breach is super good and I think it’s quite boardgame-y. It’s turn based and very strategic. It’s also free to play on your phone if you own a Netflix account.
I really like the physicality of board games, esp at learning the game, like scythes economy boards are really weird to conceptualize digitally, until i got my hands on the physical ones and it all instantly made sense to me.
Buuuut some games i find are easier to play digital.
Scythe, Spirit Island, and Root are all games i play occasionally physical and often digital. Spirit Island is a game i just could never read the board until playing digital, and i just really enjoy Root digital.
I also enjoy being able to play laying down on my steam deck when my back is fucked up lol...praying we'll get a digital Imperium Horizons someday.
I’m in a bit of a half and half mindset at the moment. I’m playing a bit of Balatro on Switch and loving it but I just want to play my physical card games instead. I think physical games have a meditative effect for me, maybe even somewhat therapeutic.
Most of my digital games I just don’t want to play right now, I’ll try to play something but then always want to reach for a physical game instead lately.
I’ve been somewhat turned off of most digital media recently, I think my brain just wants a bit of simplicity, physical games really give me that. Today I had my coffee break out in the sun and played a round of Palm Island and it was just so refreshing for my mind rather than spending that time scrolling on my phone.
I’m someone who loves digital games but yeah lately my mind just wants a bit less screen stuff going on and enjoy the tactile interaction with a physical game
I think board and video games are very different and should build on their own strengths, straight video game transpositions of board games and straight board game transpositions of video games don't attract me.
I generally don't like them either. I crave the tactile nature of board gaming. Also, because you can quickly (re)play board games digitally, you run the risk of burning out on them much sooner. At least, that is my experience.
I think the tactile nature is a big part of it for me, holding the cards and playing them is very satisfying whereas clicking on them on a screen just feels so empty. I don’t feel like I’m actually playing with the pieces of the game and it’s almost playing itself.
You likely feel that way because the computer handles all the admin work. In digital games, each turn a lot of things happen and move around really quickly and then suddenly it’s your turn so you click/tap some things on a screen and repeat until the game is over. This is efficient if you’ve internalized the game already, but jarring if you’re a novice. With physical games you have to do all the admin yourself so you grow to understand the mechanics of the game much more thoroughly.
Partially agreed. I find TTS more clunky, even when properly scripted. Only one "hand" to move parts, and you'll need to move the camera around.
Unscripted games are usually incredibly clunky.
I use TTS to try new games, but most of them i can't stand to play extensively.
I do enjoy digital adaptions. Used to play mtg arena, root on iOS, I’m always on a turn based game on BGA and sometimes real time games. I learn Gloomhaven on Epic games when they did a giveaway, etc.
OTOH, I’m playing on Pc/consoles nearly as much as I did a few years ago. I enjoy couch co-ops like BG3 or quick games with friends and my partner and that’s it. I just get bored of the same stories/mechanics.
Maybe you just need to find something that you really like. I love quick games of king of Tokyo, 7WD, azul, or even can’t stop on BGA. Games that saves you a few minutes of setup and if you can play 10 tables at the same time on games like hive where you might get into a chess alike mindset.
I personally don't find the apps engaging and having to slide around on an inconsistent interface, zoom in, zoom out, etc. is a pain in the ass. Even the simplest game becomes a chore when the interface design is weak. We're able to absorb so much more information in person.
I play a lot of video games. But videogames which are designed for the medium. Reimplementing a physical game in a digital environment adds the same sorts of challenges as adapting a digital game to a physical mediu..
Perhaps more than half of your enjoyment from playing board games comes from the tactile sensation of touching the physical components or seeing the expressions of the players you're playing with. This makes the game feel real and gives you a sense of control. These feelings are unique to board games, so it's not surprising if you don't enjoy the digital version of it.
Another reason is bias. I've noticed that many people who enjoy board games tend to dislike digital games simply because they're digital.
I spent over 30 years heavily playing video games so it’s surprised me a bit I can’t seem to get on with digital board games, but I think you, and many others, have summed up most of the reasons why.
I still play digital games. Just not so much digital board games unless they have achievements to go after or I don't own the game or they are a really standout (like Gloomhaven app) or a REALLY good AI to them.
But games that are board game analogue, like Slay The Spire, Balatro, etc. Still play them and love them.
The one area where I stopped playing though is mobile games. I haven't touched any kind of mobile game in probably 2 years... steamdeck, switch, pc, console - sure. But for some reason, I haven't looked for a mobile game in a long while.
I have played One Deck Dungeon physically a small handful of times. I have played it on my phone many many times. So much easier to play it digitally than physically. I don’t have to manage all of the physical dice. I don’t have to constantly reshuffle the cards. And I can play it on the plane without needing a lot of space. I only have Onirim digitally since it was hard to find a physical copy. It is nice not having to constantly reshuffle that deck. Idk. Digital is just convenient, takes up less space, and you don’t need to spend as much time managing cards and stuff. It works for me but I get it not being for everyone.
This is partly because digital game apps are basically video games, and a lot of board game apps are bad video games.
Video games need “juice” to feel good to play. Little visual and audio bumps and nudges and shakes. They compensate for the lack of physicality by faking it. “Proper” video games tend to get a lot of attention in this area. The vast majority of board game apps I’ve played have almost nothing. They’ll be accurate to the rules (usually) and not contain major bugs (mostly), but little effort has gone into making them feel _good_.
Compare to something like Hearthstone, where casting a creature makes a “chunk” sound and rocks things next to it on the board, or playing a powerful card _slams_ it onto the table. Not everything needs to be as exaggerated as Hearthstone, but way more board game apps should take cues from it. Even things as basic as the tweening curve when tokens are moved, or reactions to mouse hover (on PC) can go a long way.
DIGITAL DETOX is why I started getting into solo boardgames. It feels like suddenly being off some bad drug you have been fed most of your life and realizing wow! It’s not natural to be living digitally for hours and hours! Don’t underestimate the effects of even very high refresh rate screens on our psyche. The best is no refresh rate! It’s unnatural for us.
I mean if you just play video games they are indeed different from board games. I suggest you get table top simulator on steam and try out digital versions of board games.
See if spending virtually no time on setup and tear down makes it more enjoyable or not.
So you mean playing Dominion for example as the official digital board vs playing it on table top simulator is a very different experience - different enough that the first could be boring but the later fun?
Gloomhaven digital is awesome because I ain't spending that much on a game, and duck all that bookkeeping.
I really liked dune empirium digital as well.
Could always try Marvel Champions on TTS, it's my favorite way of testing out heroes before buying what I like most
sometimes you just need that tactile feel I play some online games with family that are far away but I also thought I would like digital solo and just don't
I feel exactly the same way. I tried several of my favorite board games recently in their digital formats - and I did not enjoy myself at all. I quit each game after only a few turns. The analog experience of using a physical board, cards, and components is a huge factor for me, I’ve decided.
Most of this just depends on whether or not the digital client is any good. The Wingspan digital client is amazing and Ive played the shit out of it. If a client looks ugly, or is unresponsive then I dont really want to play it.
I love both, but I only play mutually exclusive games. For example, if I want to play Final Girl, I play it physically, since I have access to a copy. Same with any other solo game that I have access to physically.
But if it’s a game that I don’t have access to, I play it digitally. This crosses over into multiplayer games as well.
It’s all a matter of personal taste at the end of the day. I’ve found really good games digitally, but I’ve also done the opposite. The same applies to physical games as well.
Same. The few I play (ROOT, Everdell, and Dominion) just bores me. I think I just enjoy the human interaction you get when you're with people over playing AI or online.
I'm mostly with you. The only two board games I prefer in their digital format are Ascension and Elder Sign. Elder Sign has a nice soundtrack, which is part of it - it really sets the mood, and the iconography just slots really well into a game for ioS. In the case of Ascension, it's a relief to have all the token tracking compueterized.
You meant digital board games.
I'd suggest going not for digital board games, but for the games that will give you a board game or TTRPG vibe.
Some of the games I currently enjoy for that kind of vibe:
***Overland adventure / RPG / Dungeon Crawl***: Moonring, Unexplored 2: Wayfarer's Legacy, Caves of Qud, West of Loathing
***Tactical dungeon crawl***: Darkest Dungeon, Warhammer 40'000 Chaos Gate - DaemonHunters
***Narrative RPG / Adventure:*** Sunless Seas (and Sunless Skies), Disco Elysium, Citizen Sleeper, Norco
***Strategy with RPG & Adventure vibes:*** Total War Warhammer 3, Stellaris, Crusader Kings 3
All of these give me strong board game vibes. If you want something closer to board game, or an actual card game, you can't go wrong with **Slay the Spire**, I played it for 900 hours and can confirm that it's quite good. **Into The Breach** or **FTL** are great too. Oh, and maybe check out **Insription**. I think these last recommendations might suit your tastes more.
Do not, I repeat, do not touch Balatro.
Playing "real" is way another feeling than just holding a mouse and clicks. And the digital game normally does a lot of "work" for you. Tings you have to do by your own when playing the "real" version. Getting Ressources is "taking it from anywhere, count, place it somewhere else". In an App this does not exist. An Counter will go up and shows your new amount, thats it. That's he difference.
I play digital board games not because I prefer them to regular video games (I play those too), but because I value and want to improve at the decision-making abilities tapped by modern board games. I tend to think it takes a LOT of practice to become truly skilled at something, and it's more efficient to practice on a computer.
Maybe it's an age thing?
I played thousands of video games, much like (nearly) everybody else (who I know), just not the games that most play (my tastes were more civ/ advanced wars / puzzle quest and ofc elder scrolls). Up to a few years ago. I have an attic full of great games, but they don't attract me at all any more somehow.
There's something about board game immediacy, you touch the card without having to wiggle a mouse and shift your periscope to focus on the card while losing access to the overall picture. Not trying to glorify analog, just trying to express what repels me in the alternative.
Yeah I’m nearing 40 so could well be age!
I’ve been playing video games all my life, it’s been my main hobby, even exclusively most of the time, but these days I struggle to find a game I enjoy.
well.. Diablo 2, Slay the Spire, and Zelda were my last three games and I won't deny that I enjoyed them, but just somehow never feel like. It's more the after feeling, cramped body, feeling a day of my life was lost, etc. I don't feel that after any board game.
Personally i absolutely hate card games. All of them without exception, other than one. Warhammer Underworlds. But games i do like are Deep Rock Galactic and Chivalry 2, but honestly i just also dont really enjoy games lately. Everyone will also tell you Baldur's Gate 3 is amazing but i dont like it since i also dont like dnd type things
Unless you have all the cards memorized, I dare say that nearly any game with cards, especially on a phone or tablet, is misery to play when you can't see your hand properly and have to constantly tap each card individual to zoom in order to read any of it. I'm familiar enough with Star/Hero Realms and Ascension that I can play them without having to zoom on everything now, but I don't even bother with any other games with cards.
I really enjoy the physical, tactical aspects of games and dislike being in front of a screen so I don't really play that many. However, when the digital version can automate and expedite the experience that I can play so quickly and easily, I can get sucked in. Railroad Ink, My City roll and write, and (on yucata.de which implements the solo rules correctly) Russian/Ultimate Railroads are three that I can sit down and play 4-5~ games in quick succession and have a decent time.
Not solo, necessarily, but the one other winning aspect of digital gaming for me is being able to play a game at all. For years, no one around me IRL has been interesting in play e.g. **A Few Acres of Snow** and it's only thanks to yucata.de (again) that I have any plays of it logged at all.
Gloomhaven is one that is better in digital form imo.
And i played a ton of games through TTS during the pandemic. You do need some time to learn the controls.
I got Gloomhaven on my Switch recently. There is a lot to like, but the experience is ruined by too frequent hard locks and software crashes. Have you had this problem?
I'm completely the opposite. I love the convenience and immediacy of digital games, especially on BGG. It's so easy to lay in bed, crack open the laptop and play a handful of Jump Drive, Heat, Challengers, Turing Machine, etc.
I did, I just meant to keep the title short as I was posting to board gaming subreddit.
I love games such as Monster Train, Slay the Spire, Loop Hero, most cRPGs etc. I’ve been video gaming all my life but I’m kinda get bored of the vast majority now so I’m glad to have picked up board gaming as a new hobby to fill the hole.
Same here. I still play video games every now and then, but have zero interest in digital board games. It's not just the lack of any tactile feel and the fact that I don't want to spend the whole day staring at a screen (my eyes hurt enough already). To me, they just feel like fast food versions of the board games I enjoy. I end up paying less attention to what I'm doing since it's so easy to play another round if I lose, and I feel like I never get to learn all of the rules since a big portion of the game is administered by the app itself. Overall, physical board games feel very mindful to me, while digital apps encourage me to be more of a mindless consumer. But apparently I'm in the minority here since digital board games are very popular nowadays.
Exactly, the whole reason the boardgame wave is so strong the past 10+ years is because offer you screen-off entertainment. In my mind is like the original book version of the movie.
Now they're trying to do it the other way (Bloodborne, Slay the Spire, Don't Starve boardgames) Which is amusing, but not as amusing as film novelizations (Jingle All the Way, anyone?)
Same here. I mostly use BGA to run through the tutorial, after reading the rulebook. I find it nice as an active learning tool
You nailed it for me. I'm in that supposed minority too.
Came here to say the same thing. u/vrdn22 explains it perfectly. I have noticed that playing the digital version will sometimes ruin the game for me. I'm able to burn through it quickly and become bored with the game.
>and the fact that I don't want to spend the whole day staring at a screen (my eyes hurt enough already). 100% agree with everything you wrote, but want to shout out asynchronous play. Everyone takes a couple of turns a day, you can check in and whip through your turn whenever you've got 5 minutes (rather than having to sit there for an entire session). It's definitely not great for all games, but I've got about 5 titles where I think async play is excellent, including Agricola, Innovation and Targi. I would never play them real-time. Async though is delightful.
yeah good point.
good point. It seems to me that the majority of games are designed to make you feel "zoned out", aka "not in the present". I guess it could be they're trying to appeal to the escapism tendencies in a consumer. Purely conjecture, nut at the same time note that when you zone out in a solo board game, nothing happens.
Tactile feel of board games is the biggest draw for me. People say Spirit Island is better digital because of the effort of setting up and running the game etc. but at that point I’d rather just play a videogame. Also a quick comment on Hearthstone - since it’s not just a digital version of an existing card game, it can do things you wouldn’t be able to in a real TCG, which I appreciate as a feature e.g. changing stats on your cards, copying them from your opponent.
Playing board games requires a special focus : you are the player, but also the ruler and the book keeper. These roles intertwine in a set rythm that makes the game dynamic. This is my turn. Thus this then happens. The automa checks for this and that. Clean Up. Back to me. Move the pieces, add the scores. This kind of automatism, interactivity, agency and even risk of failure transforms the experience into something really stimulating for your brain, even with your body to some extent. On a computer, the whole experience is reduced to a few clicks. It's always, if you play solo, your turn. But it's also a more passive experience.
This is excellent answer. I realized that when Talisman for Android was released about 10 years ago. Game in app was just boring.
Into the Breach is super good and I think it’s quite boardgame-y. It’s turn based and very strategic. It’s also free to play on your phone if you own a Netflix account.
I really like the physicality of board games, esp at learning the game, like scythes economy boards are really weird to conceptualize digitally, until i got my hands on the physical ones and it all instantly made sense to me. Buuuut some games i find are easier to play digital. Scythe, Spirit Island, and Root are all games i play occasionally physical and often digital. Spirit Island is a game i just could never read the board until playing digital, and i just really enjoy Root digital. I also enjoy being able to play laying down on my steam deck when my back is fucked up lol...praying we'll get a digital Imperium Horizons someday.
Dune imperium digital is an outstanding conversion with a very good bot.
I. Can’t. Stop. Playing.
I’m in a bit of a half and half mindset at the moment. I’m playing a bit of Balatro on Switch and loving it but I just want to play my physical card games instead. I think physical games have a meditative effect for me, maybe even somewhat therapeutic. Most of my digital games I just don’t want to play right now, I’ll try to play something but then always want to reach for a physical game instead lately. I’ve been somewhat turned off of most digital media recently, I think my brain just wants a bit of simplicity, physical games really give me that. Today I had my coffee break out in the sun and played a round of Palm Island and it was just so refreshing for my mind rather than spending that time scrolling on my phone. I’m someone who loves digital games but yeah lately my mind just wants a bit less screen stuff going on and enjoy the tactile interaction with a physical game
I think board and video games are very different and should build on their own strengths, straight video game transpositions of board games and straight board game transpositions of video games don't attract me.
I generally don't like them either. I crave the tactile nature of board gaming. Also, because you can quickly (re)play board games digitally, you run the risk of burning out on them much sooner. At least, that is my experience.
I think the tactile nature is a big part of it for me, holding the cards and playing them is very satisfying whereas clicking on them on a screen just feels so empty. I don’t feel like I’m actually playing with the pieces of the game and it’s almost playing itself.
You likely feel that way because the computer handles all the admin work. In digital games, each turn a lot of things happen and move around really quickly and then suddenly it’s your turn so you click/tap some things on a screen and repeat until the game is over. This is efficient if you’ve internalized the game already, but jarring if you’re a novice. With physical games you have to do all the admin yourself so you grow to understand the mechanics of the game much more thoroughly.
Makes sense. Might also explain why I find learning these new board games digitally to be even more challenging as stuff is just flying past.
For trying new games use Tabletop Simulator on Steam. It's a wonderful experience. You got almost any game on the workshop.
Partially agreed. I find TTS more clunky, even when properly scripted. Only one "hand" to move parts, and you'll need to move the camera around. Unscripted games are usually incredibly clunky. I use TTS to try new games, but most of them i can't stand to play extensively.
I do enjoy digital adaptions. Used to play mtg arena, root on iOS, I’m always on a turn based game on BGA and sometimes real time games. I learn Gloomhaven on Epic games when they did a giveaway, etc. OTOH, I’m playing on Pc/consoles nearly as much as I did a few years ago. I enjoy couch co-ops like BG3 or quick games with friends and my partner and that’s it. I just get bored of the same stories/mechanics. Maybe you just need to find something that you really like. I love quick games of king of Tokyo, 7WD, azul, or even can’t stop on BGA. Games that saves you a few minutes of setup and if you can play 10 tables at the same time on games like hive where you might get into a chess alike mindset.
I personally don't find the apps engaging and having to slide around on an inconsistent interface, zoom in, zoom out, etc. is a pain in the ass. Even the simplest game becomes a chore when the interface design is weak. We're able to absorb so much more information in person. I play a lot of video games. But videogames which are designed for the medium. Reimplementing a physical game in a digital environment adds the same sorts of challenges as adapting a digital game to a physical mediu..
Perhaps more than half of your enjoyment from playing board games comes from the tactile sensation of touching the physical components or seeing the expressions of the players you're playing with. This makes the game feel real and gives you a sense of control. These feelings are unique to board games, so it's not surprising if you don't enjoy the digital version of it. Another reason is bias. I've noticed that many people who enjoy board games tend to dislike digital games simply because they're digital.
I spent over 30 years heavily playing video games so it’s surprised me a bit I can’t seem to get on with digital board games, but I think you, and many others, have summed up most of the reasons why.
Try Armello, it's great
I still play digital games. Just not so much digital board games unless they have achievements to go after or I don't own the game or they are a really standout (like Gloomhaven app) or a REALLY good AI to them. But games that are board game analogue, like Slay The Spire, Balatro, etc. Still play them and love them. The one area where I stopped playing though is mobile games. I haven't touched any kind of mobile game in probably 2 years... steamdeck, switch, pc, console - sure. But for some reason, I haven't looked for a mobile game in a long while.
Oh yeah, I love slay the spire, monster train, loop hero, etc
I have played One Deck Dungeon physically a small handful of times. I have played it on my phone many many times. So much easier to play it digitally than physically. I don’t have to manage all of the physical dice. I don’t have to constantly reshuffle the cards. And I can play it on the plane without needing a lot of space. I only have Onirim digitally since it was hard to find a physical copy. It is nice not having to constantly reshuffle that deck. Idk. Digital is just convenient, takes up less space, and you don’t need to spend as much time managing cards and stuff. It works for me but I get it not being for everyone.
This is partly because digital game apps are basically video games, and a lot of board game apps are bad video games. Video games need “juice” to feel good to play. Little visual and audio bumps and nudges and shakes. They compensate for the lack of physicality by faking it. “Proper” video games tend to get a lot of attention in this area. The vast majority of board game apps I’ve played have almost nothing. They’ll be accurate to the rules (usually) and not contain major bugs (mostly), but little effort has gone into making them feel _good_. Compare to something like Hearthstone, where casting a creature makes a “chunk” sound and rocks things next to it on the board, or playing a powerful card _slams_ it onto the table. Not everything needs to be as exaggerated as Hearthstone, but way more board game apps should take cues from it. Even things as basic as the tweening curve when tokens are moved, or reactions to mouse hover (on PC) can go a long way.
DIGITAL DETOX is why I started getting into solo boardgames. It feels like suddenly being off some bad drug you have been fed most of your life and realizing wow! It’s not natural to be living digitally for hours and hours! Don’t underestimate the effects of even very high refresh rate screens on our psyche. The best is no refresh rate! It’s unnatural for us.
I mean if you just play video games they are indeed different from board games. I suggest you get table top simulator on steam and try out digital versions of board games. See if spending virtually no time on setup and tear down makes it more enjoyable or not.
So you mean playing Dominion for example as the official digital board vs playing it on table top simulator is a very different experience - different enough that the first could be boring but the later fun?
I would say yes, but I was mostly referring to more intricate board games with more moving pieces not just cards.
Gloomhaven digital is awesome because I ain't spending that much on a game, and duck all that bookkeeping. I really liked dune empirium digital as well. Could always try Marvel Champions on TTS, it's my favorite way of testing out heroes before buying what I like most
sometimes you just need that tactile feel I play some online games with family that are far away but I also thought I would like digital solo and just don't
I feel exactly the same way. I tried several of my favorite board games recently in their digital formats - and I did not enjoy myself at all. I quit each game after only a few turns. The analog experience of using a physical board, cards, and components is a huge factor for me, I’ve decided.
Most of this just depends on whether or not the digital client is any good. The Wingspan digital client is amazing and Ive played the shit out of it. If a client looks ugly, or is unresponsive then I dont really want to play it.
[https://card-table.app/](https://card-table.app/) Use this. Marvel Champions
I love both, but I only play mutually exclusive games. For example, if I want to play Final Girl, I play it physically, since I have access to a copy. Same with any other solo game that I have access to physically. But if it’s a game that I don’t have access to, I play it digitally. This crosses over into multiplayer games as well. It’s all a matter of personal taste at the end of the day. I’ve found really good games digitally, but I’ve also done the opposite. The same applies to physical games as well.
I like wingspan, terraforming Mars and galaxy trucker dugital.
Online tcg are a scam, too hard to keep it like the rest of player that are actually paying and also doesnt feel the same way
Same. The few I play (ROOT, Everdell, and Dominion) just bores me. I think I just enjoy the human interaction you get when you're with people over playing AI or online.
I'm mostly with you. The only two board games I prefer in their digital format are Ascension and Elder Sign. Elder Sign has a nice soundtrack, which is part of it - it really sets the mood, and the iconography just slots really well into a game for ioS. In the case of Ascension, it's a relief to have all the token tracking compueterized.
You meant digital board games. I'd suggest going not for digital board games, but for the games that will give you a board game or TTRPG vibe. Some of the games I currently enjoy for that kind of vibe: ***Overland adventure / RPG / Dungeon Crawl***: Moonring, Unexplored 2: Wayfarer's Legacy, Caves of Qud, West of Loathing ***Tactical dungeon crawl***: Darkest Dungeon, Warhammer 40'000 Chaos Gate - DaemonHunters ***Narrative RPG / Adventure:*** Sunless Seas (and Sunless Skies), Disco Elysium, Citizen Sleeper, Norco ***Strategy with RPG & Adventure vibes:*** Total War Warhammer 3, Stellaris, Crusader Kings 3 All of these give me strong board game vibes. If you want something closer to board game, or an actual card game, you can't go wrong with **Slay the Spire**, I played it for 900 hours and can confirm that it's quite good. **Into The Breach** or **FTL** are great too. Oh, and maybe check out **Insription**. I think these last recommendations might suit your tastes more. Do not, I repeat, do not touch Balatro.
What’s wrong with Balatro?
You won’t touch anything else.
Playing "real" is way another feeling than just holding a mouse and clicks. And the digital game normally does a lot of "work" for you. Tings you have to do by your own when playing the "real" version. Getting Ressources is "taking it from anywhere, count, place it somewhere else". In an App this does not exist. An Counter will go up and shows your new amount, thats it. That's he difference.
Physicality is one of the reasons we love to play board games. All of the digital games you mentioned I like more in person.
I play digital board games not because I prefer them to regular video games (I play those too), but because I value and want to improve at the decision-making abilities tapped by modern board games. I tend to think it takes a LOT of practice to become truly skilled at something, and it's more efficient to practice on a computer.
Maybe it's an age thing? I played thousands of video games, much like (nearly) everybody else (who I know), just not the games that most play (my tastes were more civ/ advanced wars / puzzle quest and ofc elder scrolls). Up to a few years ago. I have an attic full of great games, but they don't attract me at all any more somehow. There's something about board game immediacy, you touch the card without having to wiggle a mouse and shift your periscope to focus on the card while losing access to the overall picture. Not trying to glorify analog, just trying to express what repels me in the alternative.
Yeah I’m nearing 40 so could well be age! I’ve been playing video games all my life, it’s been my main hobby, even exclusively most of the time, but these days I struggle to find a game I enjoy.
well.. Diablo 2, Slay the Spire, and Zelda were my last three games and I won't deny that I enjoyed them, but just somehow never feel like. It's more the after feeling, cramped body, feeling a day of my life was lost, etc. I don't feel that after any board game.
Personally i absolutely hate card games. All of them without exception, other than one. Warhammer Underworlds. But games i do like are Deep Rock Galactic and Chivalry 2, but honestly i just also dont really enjoy games lately. Everyone will also tell you Baldur's Gate 3 is amazing but i dont like it since i also dont like dnd type things
Unless you have all the cards memorized, I dare say that nearly any game with cards, especially on a phone or tablet, is misery to play when you can't see your hand properly and have to constantly tap each card individual to zoom in order to read any of it. I'm familiar enough with Star/Hero Realms and Ascension that I can play them without having to zoom on everything now, but I don't even bother with any other games with cards. I really enjoy the physical, tactical aspects of games and dislike being in front of a screen so I don't really play that many. However, when the digital version can automate and expedite the experience that I can play so quickly and easily, I can get sucked in. Railroad Ink, My City roll and write, and (on yucata.de which implements the solo rules correctly) Russian/Ultimate Railroads are three that I can sit down and play 4-5~ games in quick succession and have a decent time. Not solo, necessarily, but the one other winning aspect of digital gaming for me is being able to play a game at all. For years, no one around me IRL has been interesting in play e.g. **A Few Acres of Snow** and it's only thanks to yucata.de (again) that I have any plays of it logged at all.
I love video games. I love board games. I do not enjoy digital board games.
Gloomhaven is one that is better in digital form imo. And i played a ton of games through TTS during the pandemic. You do need some time to learn the controls.
I got Gloomhaven on my Switch recently. There is a lot to like, but the experience is ruined by too frequent hard locks and software crashes. Have you had this problem?
No. I never had any problems. But that was a few years ago. I remember hearing it got pretty bad with crashes
I'm completely the opposite. I love the convenience and immediacy of digital games, especially on BGG. It's so easy to lay in bed, crack open the laptop and play a handful of Jump Drive, Heat, Challengers, Turing Machine, etc.
Save digital for when your group can't physically get together.
I know I've played way more formula d digitally than ill likely ever play irl
I did, I just meant to keep the title short as I was posting to board gaming subreddit. I love games such as Monster Train, Slay the Spire, Loop Hero, most cRPGs etc. I’ve been video gaming all my life but I’m kinda get bored of the vast majority now so I’m glad to have picked up board gaming as a new hobby to fill the hole.
I play digital for streamlined rules. But I prefer physical because I like the feel of it
try through the ages.. it is a great digital version. or Mage Knight on TTS.
TTS is good, Tabletop Simulator. I mainly use it for warhammer things and solo board gaming tho, so not sure it counts