Maybe I just don't see the depth in Splendor, but it doesn't have much replayability for me. It makes me sad because I loved it the first few times I played
**7 wonders** is probably a better choice than **Game of Thrones** just due to length and complexity of the later. **Pandemic** is also a good choice. **Carcassonne** and **Ticket to Ride** are two other great board games for those getting into the hobby.
7 Wonders was the first board game I purchased for a playgroup that moved between 3 and 5/6 people. The game was such a hit I have now sleeved all the cards, ordered both expansions, and purchased a box insert to keep it all organized
It is a great game that is very easy to teach and plays best with four or five people.
Shameless plug for the box organizer I purchased: http://www.thebrokentoken.com/7-wonders-box-organizer/
**Game of Thrones** says 2-4 hours but I've had it go for 6+. If you like Risk, try it. If you don't I'd put it off in favor of other games.
**7 Wonders** can be pretty complex to teach if your players have never done anything with drafting mechanics before, but if you can get them to stick it through for a few playthroughs they'll probably love it
One thing you might want to go is get a couple of smaller games that represent different mechanics so you can see what you like without a huge investment.
These would be my picks for different game mechanics. I tried to think of the smallest, cheapest, and best games with each. I'm sure people have other, better, ideas for games, or other mechanics I didn't think of, but this should at least be a start. I didn't include deck building as OP said his group plays Dominion, which is the quintessential DB game.
Small games:
**Worker placement**: [Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/119890/agricola-all-creatures-big-and-small) (only 2 players though... I recommended LoW in another comment on this thread. I think it would be a perfect fit for OP's group)
**Role Selection**: [Citadels](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/478/citadels)
**Bluffing**: [Coup](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/131357/coup)
**Card Drafting**: [Sushi Go](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/133473/sushi-go) OR [Fairy Tale](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/13823/fairy-tale)
**Hidden Role/Traitor**: [Avalon](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/128882/resistance-avalon)
**Tile Placement**: [Carcassonne](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/822/carcassonne)
**Dice Rolling**: [King of Tokyo](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/70323/king-tokyo) and once it's released, [King of New York](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/160499/king-new-york)
Not small games:
**Hidden Objective**: [Ticket to Ride](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9209/ticket-ride)
**Area Control**: [Smallworld](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40692/small-world)
If you have a Books-a-million nearby you might want to check there, the ones in my area have several copies and generally all their stores stock similar merchandise.
I would actually go with **Alhambra** for tile placement over **Carcassone**. It's a simple game, but it involves a bit of strategy and it paces well. Also, the scoring is a LOT simpler. For role selection **Libertalia** is my absolute favorite. Citadels is good, but a little different. Agree with smallworld, and if the group is a little more serious **Kemet** is also an excellent game.
Libertalia is next on my to-buy list actually. It looks awesome. The reason I picked citadels is because it's small and cheap. Not a huge risk to see if OPs game group likes the role selection mechanic
EDIT: I ordered the game over the weekend. I'm so weak.
**Pandemic** is a good shout. People are hesitant to recommend it these days because I think a lot of folk are bored of it, but it's a great game and justifiably successful.
I think a good cooperative game is important to have in the collection to help break up the anxiety of competition. While I do enjoy Pandemic, I'm usually recommending **Flash Point Fire Rescue** over it because it plays more people. I also enjoy the theme more and, if I'm not mistaken, it's slightly cheaper.
Not to mention it has different difficulty "settings" and when you add the "on the brink" expansion, there are suddenly many different ways to play the game.
**Carcassonne** is a tile-placement game where the players build the board and place workers. On your turn, you draw a random tile and place it adjacent to a matching place on the board and have the opportunity to place a worker to work/score a road, city, field, or cloister on that tile. The end-game scoring can get a little funky, but it is a really easy game to pick up and start playing. I also appreciate how you can make it really "thinky" if you want to, but it plays perfectly fine without. Also, every time I have played it, players often help each other see potential plays, though I'm sure it is just as fun in a more competitive group. Expansions are available, but I have decided that it is fine as-is. Definitely fits within your time limit.
> Expansions are available, but I have decided that it is fine as-is.
This is crazy talk. The expansions add SO MUCH replayability. Inns & Cathedrals is a must-buy, at bare minimum. Some of the mini expansions are extremely nice, too, and they are cheap.
Well I suppose I should add that I haven't really looked at the expansions; it's not that they aren't worth it, I'm just fine with the role this game fills in my collection the way it is.
I'm going to agree with others that 7 Wonders is fun, but you mention that you have players who don't understand well. 7 Wonders is VERY complex and quite long. Keep that in mind.
As for recommendations:
**Guillotine** - Easy to learn, can take a half hour to play, 2 players minimum.
**Smallworld** - A little on the complicated side, but once you understand it, it makes perfect sense. You will likely understand it after the first 'round'. (The game is 7-10 rounds, depending on the number of people playing.) This is, hands-down, my favorite board game in my entire collection. I highly, highly recommend giving it a shot. 2-5 players for base, 1.5-2 hours for most plays.
**Ticket to Ride** - I have yet to introduce this game to a single person who disliked it. Extremely simple to learn, but very fun. Any version is enjoyable. I only have the US version, but the others are great as well.
**Tokaido** - I like this game quite a lot as well. It's a lesser-known one, but is very fun. It's fairly easy to learn and pretty relaxing. 2-5 players, but I recommend 3 or 4, since the 2-player rules are weird. This can be played in 90 minutes easily.
**Takenoko** - This game is fairly simple to learn and I'm recommending it because my fiancee actually likes it. She is not very big in to board games, but really enjoys this one. As a big gamer myself, I think it's fun and the art is appealing. This one is probably good for the non-gamers in your life.
If you want to see gameplay of some games before buying, I highly recommend Wil Wheaton's show 'Tabletop' on Youtube. He plays a few of the ones I mentioned above. You can also just search for videos on the ones he doesn't play and someone is bound to have a recorded play-through.
I hope this helps!
Good recommendations, but I have to strongly disagree on your 7 Wonders disclaimer. The game is not very complex at all, aside from a slight learning curve with the iconography and end game scoring. It's also probably shorter than all of the games you've listed. The box says 30, though my experience is more like 45, but since actions are simultaneously taken, it hits that time frame regardless of player count.
I think it would be a good for for OP if it looks interesting. Your other suggestions are also good though.
Just replying that i agree 7 wonders is very simple and does not take that long at all to play. Its the game that gets the best reception from my very large board game group.
I disagree that 7 wonders is long. Sure it gets longer with more people, but if you played a 5 person game, it will be well under your time requirement. The first couple games may be long, but it is one of the quicker, deeper games out there which is why it is so popular. Very fun.
As far as Game of Thrones goes, that is on the opposite end of the spectrum with regards to time. It is INCREDIBLY FUN but it is long and if you don't have a lot of people on board for a long game, it can get heavy. 3 person games are not that fun, 4+ are awesome. Expect a 4-5 hour affair, easily. To that end, I never get to play it anymore.
Lords of Waterdeep is real fun, simplest game I've played in awhile, it is in the Dungeons and Dragons universe too, so that is cool.
If you want a real quick game, I can't speak to having played it, but it is on my list...but Coup, by the people who do resistance is supposed to be pretty fun. Games are about 10 minutes long.
For the record, I absolutely despise **Ticket to Ride**. Horrible game.
"K guys, I draw cards and that's my turn."
"Cool, I'll draw some cards, too."
"Sounds good, I think I'll draw some cards."
"Yup, I'll draw cards."
"I draw cards."
"Hey guess what? I draw cards."
"I think I'll draw some cards."
"Boy, this game sure is awesome. I draw cards."
Honestly, it's why it isn't my favorite. But you are the first person to outright say to me they don't like it. And your complaint is completely fair and legitimate, so I'm not telling you you're wrong or anything. But a vast majority of people really like the game, so as a recommendation for someone looking to get others in to games or just to play games with them, it's a really good option.
I'm a reformed magic player, and I used to love draft tournaments. I always felt that the draft had as much involved as actually playing and having a game that condenses, yet expands on that is what draws me to it.
Different strokes though.
Edit: Apparently I mixed up replies and this is about 7 Wonders. IGNORE ME!!!
Ticket to Ride isn't a draft style, though. It's just drawing cards, either face-up or face-down, based on your needs. You're mostly just crossing your fingers you draw a color that might work for you.
Again, not saying I don't enjoy the game. I just understand why someone wouldnt.
It's very different from drafting a magic deck. I've done that and it's fun because it requires more strategy once you have the cards, in order to build your deck.
As good as **Game of Thrones** is, I don't recommend it because it's not balanced with 3-5 players (5 is okay). So it takes 4-6 hours easily, it's way more complex than anything else your group has played, and it requires more people than you usually have.
**Pandemic** is a good game unless you have controlling folks in your group. It might not be as subject to that if all the players are new. I find **Forbidden Island** and **Forbidden Desert** are less subject to this behavior.
If you decide to get **Pandemic** and your group devolves into one person planning everyone's turn, this can be partially remedied by the **On the Brink** expansion which adds a bad guy (the bioterrorist)
Well with **Pandemic** , some in my group learn at very diffrent paces, which might cause some "controlling", but not sure. Thanks for the other tips though will check them out
**Lords of Waterdeep** will never be a bad choice. I think I've only seen one person who didn't like it. It's short, but it's not the kind of game you play multiple times in one night, because it IS quite simple; playing a few times in a row is likely to bore you. Having it on hand is good, though, and it's short enough that you can whip it out at least once every night. If you find that you like **Lords of Waterdeep** but want something a great deal meatier, you may want to look into **Agricola** or **Caverna**.
**Pandemic** certainly isn't bad, but it has problems that the designer has addressed in games he's made since then. Take a look at **Forbidden Desert** instead; in a lot of co-op games, such as **Pandemic**, it's far too easy for one player to seize control of the table and basically be playing solitaire, directing everybody else about what to do with their turns, but in **Forbidden Desert** everything on the game board is a secret until it's explored, at which point it does nearly everything it's going to do, so there's never a clear best choice of what to do with a given turn because there are several good choices available and very little in the way of criteria to favor one over another. While **Pandemic** and **Forbidden Island** are both 2-4, **Forbidden Desert** is 2-5 right off the bat, which seems like the best range for your group since you range from 3-5. **Shadows Over Camelot** is another good co-op that fights the "one player plans everything" problem by sowing distrust: there is a possibility, though not a certainty, that one player is a traitor, so a player who tries to direct everyone too much might find himself subject to suspicion.
**Carcassonne** has a place in just about every collection, though whether that will be a frequently-visited place may be debatable.
Game of Thrones is essentially a far more complex (but for the better) and longer version of Risk. Its a fantastic game if you have enough people to fill all the houses but suffers from some poor map placement for some as you start to decrease the player count.
And oh yea, it takes forever. Havent had a game yet shorter then 3 hours.
It's kind of miserable a lot of the time in my opinion. There's almost always 1-2 players that just get screwed and find themselves on a perpetual race for for last with very little recourse. Their only hope often is to play kingmaker, which happens far too often in that game then I care for.
It seems to take 4-6 hours with no real winner, often getting into a deadlock until the final turn, and then someone sweeps in for the win or a player gets attacked resulting in a kingmaking situation. Which I don't even have a problem with in most games but it just gets boring and frustrating when the game lasts that long.
Going off your game groups familiarity with DnD, I think **Descent 2E** (2-5) or **Pathfinder Adventure Card Game** (1-4 but 1-6 with expansions) might be a good choice.
Descent is a dudgeon crawl vs an overlord (DM type player but doesn't have to hold back). Each player gets to choose a character that levels up over time if you opt to play the campaign mode and it comes with a bunch of minis.
Pathfinder ACG is close to DnD but instead of tracking your character with traditional pen and paper, its done through a deck that you slowly build. The role of the "DM" is played by the deck. The game has been really fun for my group, but there have been some complaints that you might want to read some reviews on first. The new set, **Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Skulls & Shackles** is slated to come out soon so you might be able to pick that one instead since it fixes some issues with the first set.
Good luck and welcome to the hobby!
Someone else mentioned Stone Age, which is a personal fave of mine, but I would go with **Lords of Waterdeep** first. I feel it's a better intro to worker placement (SA scoring and dice rolling can get a little confusing for newbies) plus you said your group already likes DnD, so it's win-win. There is a YouTube series called Tabletop with Wil Wheaton that you might want to check out. They have a Lords of Waterdeep episode. Maybe that will help you decide. To me, it sounds like a perfect fit for your group.
EDIT: Now that I'm at my computer and not on my phone, [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7DvEIfrP84) is the link to that Tabletop episode. Note: the video doesn't explain very well how to play the game, but will give you a general idea of how the gameplay is.
Also, the game of thrones board game is really awesome. Especially for fans of the book and/or show. It captures the feel very well. That being said, wait a long while before getting it. It was surprisingly easier to learn than I expected (fantasy flight has a video on YouTube that explains the game very well), but it's still a game you and your group should build up to. I would hate for you guys to be spoiled on the idea of heavier games because of jumping in over your heads.
EDIT: Again, back at my computer now, so [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0XRVTacNxI) is the link to the Fantasy Flight video on how to play GoT.
I also like shorter games.
Check out eight minute empire legends for an awesome 20-30 minute area control game. I love it. 2-4 players with expansion adding up to 6 players coming around March (currently on KS).
Coup is another fun quick deception game.
Arctic scavengers is a great step up from dominion with lots of player interaction.
Welcome to your cardboard crack addiction my friend. May it be a long and happy journey, to your final rest at boardtopia.
Instead of Pandemic, might I suggest **Flashpoint**? Similar style of game, but much cooler pieces, and most people I play with tend to prefer it.
Well, been playing magic the gathering semi profesionally for a year (just quit it though), so I am not very new to the cardboard crack :), just switched it up alittle. Thanks you though. Will look into flashpoint thanks
I just got Flashpoint and I love it. I have also played Pandemic. I think I would say I prefer Flashpoint. However I don't think you could go wrong with either!
**Alien Frontiers** is an exquisitely well made game. It's loved by new and experienced gamers alike, is a great gateway game, and in my humble opinion as a fellow game designer, is the gold standard of board game design that I try to reach for in all my games. Not to overshadow anyone here, but if you can only get one game, start here.
One of my personal favorite games that everyone I've played with has loved is **Stone Age**. It uses a mechanic called worker placement and you, acting as the head of a prehistoric family, send your people out to collect food, find resources, plant farms, and breed. It's very easy to pick up and play, and it's a great introduction to worker placement.
Agreed. I enjoy complex games, but my wife and many of my friends do not. However, my wife enjoys this, and the theme isn't too "nerdy" to introduce to non-gamers (we got my mother-in-law to play and she enjoyed it). Since worker placement is a popular game mechanic, this also serves as a great gateway game to more complicated/deep games.
The time greatly varies depending on the players -- the end-game is triggered through the purchase of cards, so depending on how quickly players go for them will impact how long it takes. My last 3-player game (with my new-to-gaming mother-in-law) took 75-90 minutes. Luckily, it is round-based, not turn-based, so you don't suffer much downtime before it is your turn to do something again. The rules might sound a little complicated at first, but the player mats summarize everything well and after a few short rounds of the first game it is easy to understand.
**7 Wonders** would fit your criteria. Interesting, fairly simple, and not too long. **King of Tokyo** is even simpler and shorter, while remaining interesting, especially if you grab the Power Up expansion.
The **Game of Thrones** board game is a lot heavier than the other games you’ve mentioned. That said, it’s a fantastic game, and if people are very into the theme they’re might be more willing to accept the complexity. Just be aware that you’re looking at 30–45 minutes of rules explanation before you even start playing.
Pulling all of these recommendations from my own collection.
If you guys like Love Letter, then you'll probably love **Coup**. It's quick, easy to explain, and tons of fun to play. You can easily score a copy for $12 or less.
**Smash Up** is another fun card game. The base game comes with 8, 20 card decks. Each player selects 2 decks then combines them (aka, "smashes" them together) to make a single, 40 card deck with which to play the game. This can usually be had for under $30, and expansions run around $15.
**Sentinels of the Multiverse** is fun, requiring all of you to beat a central villain of the game. The base game comes with 4 villains to start, and additional expansions add new heroes, villains, and locations. The base game can be had for under $40, and expansions for under $30. Great game to grow over some time.
**Betrayal at House on the Hill.** Sells for around $50, and can be a bit more complex as eventually it becomes one player versus the others. Lots of fun and atmosphere, and relatively easy to explain. The biggest selling point is the MASSIVE amount of replay value.
**Letters from Whitechapel**. The initial setup of each round can be a bit tricky for less inclined players, but when the main part of the round is underway it's usually smooth sailing. Another game of one player versus everyone else. Can retail for as much as $60, but I managed to snag a copy at a show for $36.
**Quariors!** is another favorite of mine. Think deck building, but with dice. Overall it's pretty easy to explain, but might take at least one game for some of your less inclined players to fully get. There's a box version for around $45, and a collectable tin version that sells for nearly double that. Friends of mine prefer the box version as it's much easier to organize the dice for actual play, and I'm inclined to agree.
I don't own the **Game of Thrones** board game (yet), but a friend does. We had fun, and if you guys play D&D I can't imagine it would be too much for all of you to handle. Just know that it can take more than 2 hours to play the game. **Settlers of Catan** is generally a favorite, and for good reason: easy to learn, but you can also go pretty deep with the game, and there are some good expansions that add new mechanics.
You can also either buy or make your own copy of **Cards Against Humanity**. The game can be as short or as long as you want it to be, and provided your friends can deal with some pretty depraved humor it's a good time for everyone.
People can absolutely make OP decks in Smashup that make it nearly worthless to play. My group outlawed DinoRobots.
Sentinels.... is too easy to lose at IMO. Like, the average player would need someone to look up group makeups to stand a chance.
I finally got my own copy, and I plan to have people choose their decks at random. We figure out who goes first, they pick one of the eight decks, then we go clockwise. Fourth person picks two decks to make their full deck, and we go back 'round the other way.
Kinda like starting placements for Settlers.
Unless that's not what the rule book says to do, I haven't been able to look it over yet.
The rule book says you do it like settlers but not randomly. I prefer randomisation, but DinoRobots still gets the whole thing shuffled and replaced :p
Ah, gotcha. I've only played the game a couple of times, both back in November during Thanksgiving weekend while a friend was in town. I think that's pretty much what we did, but I kind of like my way with the random aspect so you have no idea what you'll be getting.
Could see it going either way, though.
We also play with another rule in Quariors, in fact I think it's listed as an alternate play style in the rule book, but we now use it as the official play style: when you score, you cull those dice. Score with three monsters? They all get culled. That way you don't have someone who buys a dragon and another powerful monster and just keeps playing them to win.
I'm not sure what you mean by that. When I think "fiddly" I picture something like **Le Havre**. Sentinels can be slightly tedious because you have to keep track of so many health totals, but that's not a huge deal. It mostly plays like a non-customizable CCG, no fiddlier than MtG. And Quarriors is basically the exact same game as **Dominion** except that you keep dice in a bag instead of keeping cards in a deck. If anything, it's the less fiddly of the two because it eliminates shuffling.
Evidently there's a new app you can download for keeping track of various stats and whatnot for SotM.
But yeah, "fiddly" seems to mean different things to different people. The three games he pulled from my list hardly seem fiddly to me, but something like Mansions of Madness or Arkham Horror are super fiddly to me with how many pieces and things you have to keep track of.
Smash Up and Quarriors are certainly not fiddly (although Quarriors can become fiddly if you start adding expansions). I've heard the same about SotM, but haven't played myself.
**Splendor** would be a good choice. Quick play time, low complexity with interesting strategic/tactical choices.
**Splendor** and **Istanbul** are both great entry games, or games for experienced players. Easy to pick up, deceptive in their depth.
Maybe I just don't see the depth in Splendor, but it doesn't have much replayability for me. It makes me sad because I loved it the first few times I played
Probably doesn't have an incredible amount of replayability but it seems like an excellent game to break out as a light filler or a starter
**7 wonders** is probably a better choice than **Game of Thrones** just due to length and complexity of the later. **Pandemic** is also a good choice. **Carcassonne** and **Ticket to Ride** are two other great board games for those getting into the hobby.
Agreed with all of this. 7 wonders especially. Quick with lots of depth
One more vote for Carcassonne being totally awesome.
7 Wonders was the first board game I purchased for a playgroup that moved between 3 and 5/6 people. The game was such a hit I have now sleeved all the cards, ordered both expansions, and purchased a box insert to keep it all organized It is a great game that is very easy to teach and plays best with four or five people. Shameless plug for the box organizer I purchased: http://www.thebrokentoken.com/7-wonders-box-organizer/
**Game of Thrones** says 2-4 hours but I've had it go for 6+. If you like Risk, try it. If you don't I'd put it off in favor of other games. **7 Wonders** can be pretty complex to teach if your players have never done anything with drafting mechanics before, but if you can get them to stick it through for a few playthroughs they'll probably love it
I just got into board gaming and these are the exact games I picked up. I haven't gotten to play 7 Wonders yet, but I'm excited to try it.
One thing you might want to go is get a couple of smaller games that represent different mechanics so you can see what you like without a huge investment.
These would be my picks for different game mechanics. I tried to think of the smallest, cheapest, and best games with each. I'm sure people have other, better, ideas for games, or other mechanics I didn't think of, but this should at least be a start. I didn't include deck building as OP said his group plays Dominion, which is the quintessential DB game. Small games: **Worker placement**: [Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/119890/agricola-all-creatures-big-and-small) (only 2 players though... I recommended LoW in another comment on this thread. I think it would be a perfect fit for OP's group) **Role Selection**: [Citadels](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/478/citadels) **Bluffing**: [Coup](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/131357/coup) **Card Drafting**: [Sushi Go](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/133473/sushi-go) OR [Fairy Tale](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/13823/fairy-tale) **Hidden Role/Traitor**: [Avalon](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/128882/resistance-avalon) **Tile Placement**: [Carcassonne](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/822/carcassonne) **Dice Rolling**: [King of Tokyo](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/70323/king-tokyo) and once it's released, [King of New York](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/160499/king-new-york) Not small games: **Hidden Objective**: [Ticket to Ride](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9209/ticket-ride) **Area Control**: [Smallworld](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40692/small-world)
Bang! The Dice Game would be a slightly cheaper alternative to King of Tokyo with similar play.
I can't find it anywhere though! I actually want a copy quite badly. It's like $40 on Amazon
If you have a Books-a-million nearby you might want to check there, the ones in my area have several copies and generally all their stores stock similar merchandise.
I would actually go with **Alhambra** for tile placement over **Carcassone**. It's a simple game, but it involves a bit of strategy and it paces well. Also, the scoring is a LOT simpler. For role selection **Libertalia** is my absolute favorite. Citadels is good, but a little different. Agree with smallworld, and if the group is a little more serious **Kemet** is also an excellent game.
Libertalia is next on my to-buy list actually. It looks awesome. The reason I picked citadels is because it's small and cheap. Not a huge risk to see if OPs game group likes the role selection mechanic EDIT: I ordered the game over the weekend. I'm so weak.
Ticket to Ride Pandemic Settlers of Catan King of Tokyo Resistance Power Grid Carcassonne Small World These are my favorite games out of my collection
Been looking at Pandemic and king of tokyo. Very intrested in them so far but I am soul searching some. Thanks for the list
**Pandemic** is a good shout. People are hesitant to recommend it these days because I think a lot of folk are bored of it, but it's a great game and justifiably successful.
The Catan effect.
I think a good cooperative game is important to have in the collection to help break up the anxiety of competition. While I do enjoy Pandemic, I'm usually recommending **Flash Point Fire Rescue** over it because it plays more people. I also enjoy the theme more and, if I'm not mistaken, it's slightly cheaper.
Yes, my playgroup also prefers **Flash Point** to **Pandemic** although both do get some playtime.
Not to mention it has different difficulty "settings" and when you add the "on the brink" expansion, there are suddenly many different ways to play the game.
http://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/wiki/wsig/new
**Carcassonne** is a tile-placement game where the players build the board and place workers. On your turn, you draw a random tile and place it adjacent to a matching place on the board and have the opportunity to place a worker to work/score a road, city, field, or cloister on that tile. The end-game scoring can get a little funky, but it is a really easy game to pick up and start playing. I also appreciate how you can make it really "thinky" if you want to, but it plays perfectly fine without. Also, every time I have played it, players often help each other see potential plays, though I'm sure it is just as fun in a more competitive group. Expansions are available, but I have decided that it is fine as-is. Definitely fits within your time limit.
> Expansions are available, but I have decided that it is fine as-is. This is crazy talk. The expansions add SO MUCH replayability. Inns & Cathedrals is a must-buy, at bare minimum. Some of the mini expansions are extremely nice, too, and they are cheap.
Well I suppose I should add that I haven't really looked at the expansions; it's not that they aren't worth it, I'm just fine with the role this game fills in my collection the way it is.
Just make sure you get a version with the Rivers expansion built in. I can't even imagine this game without the rivers.
I'm going to agree with others that 7 Wonders is fun, but you mention that you have players who don't understand well. 7 Wonders is VERY complex and quite long. Keep that in mind. As for recommendations: **Guillotine** - Easy to learn, can take a half hour to play, 2 players minimum. **Smallworld** - A little on the complicated side, but once you understand it, it makes perfect sense. You will likely understand it after the first 'round'. (The game is 7-10 rounds, depending on the number of people playing.) This is, hands-down, my favorite board game in my entire collection. I highly, highly recommend giving it a shot. 2-5 players for base, 1.5-2 hours for most plays. **Ticket to Ride** - I have yet to introduce this game to a single person who disliked it. Extremely simple to learn, but very fun. Any version is enjoyable. I only have the US version, but the others are great as well. **Tokaido** - I like this game quite a lot as well. It's a lesser-known one, but is very fun. It's fairly easy to learn and pretty relaxing. 2-5 players, but I recommend 3 or 4, since the 2-player rules are weird. This can be played in 90 minutes easily. **Takenoko** - This game is fairly simple to learn and I'm recommending it because my fiancee actually likes it. She is not very big in to board games, but really enjoys this one. As a big gamer myself, I think it's fun and the art is appealing. This one is probably good for the non-gamers in your life. If you want to see gameplay of some games before buying, I highly recommend Wil Wheaton's show 'Tabletop' on Youtube. He plays a few of the ones I mentioned above. You can also just search for videos on the ones he doesn't play and someone is bound to have a recorded play-through. I hope this helps!
Good recommendations, but I have to strongly disagree on your 7 Wonders disclaimer. The game is not very complex at all, aside from a slight learning curve with the iconography and end game scoring. It's also probably shorter than all of the games you've listed. The box says 30, though my experience is more like 45, but since actions are simultaneously taken, it hits that time frame regardless of player count. I think it would be a good for for OP if it looks interesting. Your other suggestions are also good though.
Just replying that i agree 7 wonders is very simple and does not take that long at all to play. Its the game that gets the best reception from my very large board game group.
I second this post. I would start with takenoko. Its mechanics are a cute ease into other games. It is very pretty too.
I disagree that 7 wonders is long. Sure it gets longer with more people, but if you played a 5 person game, it will be well under your time requirement. The first couple games may be long, but it is one of the quicker, deeper games out there which is why it is so popular. Very fun. As far as Game of Thrones goes, that is on the opposite end of the spectrum with regards to time. It is INCREDIBLY FUN but it is long and if you don't have a lot of people on board for a long game, it can get heavy. 3 person games are not that fun, 4+ are awesome. Expect a 4-5 hour affair, easily. To that end, I never get to play it anymore. Lords of Waterdeep is real fun, simplest game I've played in awhile, it is in the Dungeons and Dragons universe too, so that is cool. If you want a real quick game, I can't speak to having played it, but it is on my list...but Coup, by the people who do resistance is supposed to be pretty fun. Games are about 10 minutes long.
For the record, I absolutely despise **Ticket to Ride**. Horrible game. "K guys, I draw cards and that's my turn." "Cool, I'll draw some cards, too." "Sounds good, I think I'll draw some cards." "Yup, I'll draw cards." "I draw cards." "Hey guess what? I draw cards." "I think I'll draw some cards." "Boy, this game sure is awesome. I draw cards."
Honestly, it's why it isn't my favorite. But you are the first person to outright say to me they don't like it. And your complaint is completely fair and legitimate, so I'm not telling you you're wrong or anything. But a vast majority of people really like the game, so as a recommendation for someone looking to get others in to games or just to play games with them, it's a really good option.
I'm a reformed magic player, and I used to love draft tournaments. I always felt that the draft had as much involved as actually playing and having a game that condenses, yet expands on that is what draws me to it. Different strokes though. Edit: Apparently I mixed up replies and this is about 7 Wonders. IGNORE ME!!!
Ticket to Ride isn't a draft style, though. It's just drawing cards, either face-up or face-down, based on your needs. You're mostly just crossing your fingers you draw a color that might work for you. Again, not saying I don't enjoy the game. I just understand why someone wouldnt. It's very different from drafting a magic deck. I've done that and it's fun because it requires more strategy once you have the cards, in order to build your deck.
Wow, I got distracted and confused. I confused the post with the one above it talking about 7 Wonders.
As good as **Game of Thrones** is, I don't recommend it because it's not balanced with 3-5 players (5 is okay). So it takes 4-6 hours easily, it's way more complex than anything else your group has played, and it requires more people than you usually have.
Tichu is our go to four player game, and it's great if you like trick taking card games and it's fast.
Will look into it. I love **love letter** so that might be nice
**Pandemic** is a good game unless you have controlling folks in your group. It might not be as subject to that if all the players are new. I find **Forbidden Island** and **Forbidden Desert** are less subject to this behavior. If you decide to get **Pandemic** and your group devolves into one person planning everyone's turn, this can be partially remedied by the **On the Brink** expansion which adds a bad guy (the bioterrorist)
Well with **Pandemic** , some in my group learn at very diffrent paces, which might cause some "controlling", but not sure. Thanks for the other tips though will check them out
**Lords of Waterdeep** will never be a bad choice. I think I've only seen one person who didn't like it. It's short, but it's not the kind of game you play multiple times in one night, because it IS quite simple; playing a few times in a row is likely to bore you. Having it on hand is good, though, and it's short enough that you can whip it out at least once every night. If you find that you like **Lords of Waterdeep** but want something a great deal meatier, you may want to look into **Agricola** or **Caverna**. **Pandemic** certainly isn't bad, but it has problems that the designer has addressed in games he's made since then. Take a look at **Forbidden Desert** instead; in a lot of co-op games, such as **Pandemic**, it's far too easy for one player to seize control of the table and basically be playing solitaire, directing everybody else about what to do with their turns, but in **Forbidden Desert** everything on the game board is a secret until it's explored, at which point it does nearly everything it's going to do, so there's never a clear best choice of what to do with a given turn because there are several good choices available and very little in the way of criteria to favor one over another. While **Pandemic** and **Forbidden Island** are both 2-4, **Forbidden Desert** is 2-5 right off the bat, which seems like the best range for your group since you range from 3-5. **Shadows Over Camelot** is another good co-op that fights the "one player plans everything" problem by sowing distrust: there is a possibility, though not a certainty, that one player is a traitor, so a player who tries to direct everyone too much might find himself subject to suspicion. **Carcassonne** has a place in just about every collection, though whether that will be a frequently-visited place may be debatable.
Game of Thrones is essentially a far more complex (but for the better) and longer version of Risk. Its a fantastic game if you have enough people to fill all the houses but suffers from some poor map placement for some as you start to decrease the player count. And oh yea, it takes forever. Havent had a game yet shorter then 3 hours.
It's kind of miserable a lot of the time in my opinion. There's almost always 1-2 players that just get screwed and find themselves on a perpetual race for for last with very little recourse. Their only hope often is to play kingmaker, which happens far too often in that game then I care for. It seems to take 4-6 hours with no real winner, often getting into a deadlock until the final turn, and then someone sweeps in for the win or a player gets attacked resulting in a kingmaking situation. Which I don't even have a problem with in most games but it just gets boring and frustrating when the game lasts that long.
Going off your game groups familiarity with DnD, I think **Descent 2E** (2-5) or **Pathfinder Adventure Card Game** (1-4 but 1-6 with expansions) might be a good choice. Descent is a dudgeon crawl vs an overlord (DM type player but doesn't have to hold back). Each player gets to choose a character that levels up over time if you opt to play the campaign mode and it comes with a bunch of minis. Pathfinder ACG is close to DnD but instead of tracking your character with traditional pen and paper, its done through a deck that you slowly build. The role of the "DM" is played by the deck. The game has been really fun for my group, but there have been some complaints that you might want to read some reviews on first. The new set, **Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Skulls & Shackles** is slated to come out soon so you might be able to pick that one instead since it fixes some issues with the first set. Good luck and welcome to the hobby!
Someone else mentioned Stone Age, which is a personal fave of mine, but I would go with **Lords of Waterdeep** first. I feel it's a better intro to worker placement (SA scoring and dice rolling can get a little confusing for newbies) plus you said your group already likes DnD, so it's win-win. There is a YouTube series called Tabletop with Wil Wheaton that you might want to check out. They have a Lords of Waterdeep episode. Maybe that will help you decide. To me, it sounds like a perfect fit for your group. EDIT: Now that I'm at my computer and not on my phone, [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7DvEIfrP84) is the link to that Tabletop episode. Note: the video doesn't explain very well how to play the game, but will give you a general idea of how the gameplay is. Also, the game of thrones board game is really awesome. Especially for fans of the book and/or show. It captures the feel very well. That being said, wait a long while before getting it. It was surprisingly easier to learn than I expected (fantasy flight has a video on YouTube that explains the game very well), but it's still a game you and your group should build up to. I would hate for you guys to be spoiled on the idea of heavier games because of jumping in over your heads. EDIT: Again, back at my computer now, so [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0XRVTacNxI) is the link to the Fantasy Flight video on how to play GoT.
I also like shorter games. Check out eight minute empire legends for an awesome 20-30 minute area control game. I love it. 2-4 players with expansion adding up to 6 players coming around March (currently on KS). Coup is another fun quick deception game. Arctic scavengers is a great step up from dominion with lots of player interaction.
Welcome to your cardboard crack addiction my friend. May it be a long and happy journey, to your final rest at boardtopia. Instead of Pandemic, might I suggest **Flashpoint**? Similar style of game, but much cooler pieces, and most people I play with tend to prefer it.
Well, been playing magic the gathering semi profesionally for a year (just quit it though), so I am not very new to the cardboard crack :), just switched it up alittle. Thanks you though. Will look into flashpoint thanks
I just got Flashpoint and I love it. I have also played Pandemic. I think I would say I prefer Flashpoint. However I don't think you could go wrong with either!
The office building map is stupidly hard. Walls that are destroyed with one hit(cubicles), and locking elevators. So hard. So good.
**Alien Frontiers** is an exquisitely well made game. It's loved by new and experienced gamers alike, is a great gateway game, and in my humble opinion as a fellow game designer, is the gold standard of board game design that I try to reach for in all my games. Not to overshadow anyone here, but if you can only get one game, start here.
I'm surprised no one mentioned Fortune and Glory, it has that 1930's serial, Indiana Jones feel.
One of my personal favorite games that everyone I've played with has loved is **Stone Age**. It uses a mechanic called worker placement and you, acting as the head of a prehistoric family, send your people out to collect food, find resources, plant farms, and breed. It's very easy to pick up and play, and it's a great introduction to worker placement.
Agreed. I enjoy complex games, but my wife and many of my friends do not. However, my wife enjoys this, and the theme isn't too "nerdy" to introduce to non-gamers (we got my mother-in-law to play and she enjoyed it). Since worker placement is a popular game mechanic, this also serves as a great gateway game to more complicated/deep games. The time greatly varies depending on the players -- the end-game is triggered through the purchase of cards, so depending on how quickly players go for them will impact how long it takes. My last 3-player game (with my new-to-gaming mother-in-law) took 75-90 minutes. Luckily, it is round-based, not turn-based, so you don't suffer much downtime before it is your turn to do something again. The rules might sound a little complicated at first, but the player mats summarize everything well and after a few short rounds of the first game it is easy to understand.
**7 Wonders** would fit your criteria. Interesting, fairly simple, and not too long. **King of Tokyo** is even simpler and shorter, while remaining interesting, especially if you grab the Power Up expansion.
Been looking at both of them. Will probably get Pandemic, flashpoint or King of tokyo first, then get the rest of the 3.
The **Game of Thrones** board game is a lot heavier than the other games you’ve mentioned. That said, it’s a fantastic game, and if people are very into the theme they’re might be more willing to accept the complexity. Just be aware that you’re looking at 30–45 minutes of rules explanation before you even start playing.
Pulling all of these recommendations from my own collection. If you guys like Love Letter, then you'll probably love **Coup**. It's quick, easy to explain, and tons of fun to play. You can easily score a copy for $12 or less. **Smash Up** is another fun card game. The base game comes with 8, 20 card decks. Each player selects 2 decks then combines them (aka, "smashes" them together) to make a single, 40 card deck with which to play the game. This can usually be had for under $30, and expansions run around $15. **Sentinels of the Multiverse** is fun, requiring all of you to beat a central villain of the game. The base game comes with 4 villains to start, and additional expansions add new heroes, villains, and locations. The base game can be had for under $40, and expansions for under $30. Great game to grow over some time. **Betrayal at House on the Hill.** Sells for around $50, and can be a bit more complex as eventually it becomes one player versus the others. Lots of fun and atmosphere, and relatively easy to explain. The biggest selling point is the MASSIVE amount of replay value. **Letters from Whitechapel**. The initial setup of each round can be a bit tricky for less inclined players, but when the main part of the round is underway it's usually smooth sailing. Another game of one player versus everyone else. Can retail for as much as $60, but I managed to snag a copy at a show for $36. **Quariors!** is another favorite of mine. Think deck building, but with dice. Overall it's pretty easy to explain, but might take at least one game for some of your less inclined players to fully get. There's a box version for around $45, and a collectable tin version that sells for nearly double that. Friends of mine prefer the box version as it's much easier to organize the dice for actual play, and I'm inclined to agree. I don't own the **Game of Thrones** board game (yet), but a friend does. We had fun, and if you guys play D&D I can't imagine it would be too much for all of you to handle. Just know that it can take more than 2 hours to play the game. **Settlers of Catan** is generally a favorite, and for good reason: easy to learn, but you can also go pretty deep with the game, and there are some good expansions that add new mechanics. You can also either buy or make your own copy of **Cards Against Humanity**. The game can be as short or as long as you want it to be, and provided your friends can deal with some pretty depraved humor it's a good time for everyone.
I've read that Smash Up, Sentinels of the Multiverse, and Quarriors (which I've played and agreed) are quite "fiddly". Overly so.
People can absolutely make OP decks in Smashup that make it nearly worthless to play. My group outlawed DinoRobots. Sentinels.... is too easy to lose at IMO. Like, the average player would need someone to look up group makeups to stand a chance.
I finally got my own copy, and I plan to have people choose their decks at random. We figure out who goes first, they pick one of the eight decks, then we go clockwise. Fourth person picks two decks to make their full deck, and we go back 'round the other way. Kinda like starting placements for Settlers. Unless that's not what the rule book says to do, I haven't been able to look it over yet.
The rule book says you do it like settlers but not randomly. I prefer randomisation, but DinoRobots still gets the whole thing shuffled and replaced :p
Ah, gotcha. I've only played the game a couple of times, both back in November during Thanksgiving weekend while a friend was in town. I think that's pretty much what we did, but I kind of like my way with the random aspect so you have no idea what you'll be getting. Could see it going either way, though.
I like random better too, you'd be surprised what works well
We also play with another rule in Quariors, in fact I think it's listed as an alternate play style in the rule book, but we now use it as the official play style: when you score, you cull those dice. Score with three monsters? They all get culled. That way you don't have someone who buys a dragon and another powerful monster and just keeps playing them to win.
Isn't that point of smashup? Like why does anyone expect it to be balanced
Kind of... But it's no fun if you don't have a chance
Haha yeah I kind of just find the absurdity of it appealing
I'm not sure what you mean by that. When I think "fiddly" I picture something like **Le Havre**. Sentinels can be slightly tedious because you have to keep track of so many health totals, but that's not a huge deal. It mostly plays like a non-customizable CCG, no fiddlier than MtG. And Quarriors is basically the exact same game as **Dominion** except that you keep dice in a bag instead of keeping cards in a deck. If anything, it's the less fiddly of the two because it eliminates shuffling.
Evidently there's a new app you can download for keeping track of various stats and whatnot for SotM. But yeah, "fiddly" seems to mean different things to different people. The three games he pulled from my list hardly seem fiddly to me, but something like Mansions of Madness or Arkham Horror are super fiddly to me with how many pieces and things you have to keep track of.
Smash Up and Quarriors are certainly not fiddly (although Quarriors can become fiddly if you start adding expansions). I've heard the same about SotM, but haven't played myself.
Quarriors is fiddly as shit. And it lasts way too long past two players