Board Games for Computer Gamers

Jess rolls the dice in a few board games

So you've finished your final Origins runthrough in Dragon Age, or you've just found all the locations on the map for Fallout 3, or even hit your second/third/fourth level-80 character in WoW. Maybe you're suffering from game-buying fatigue, or you want to do something a bit more face-to-face social. In any case, your computer (or console) games just aren't doing it for you at the moment but you're not quite ready to chuck in your swashbuckling good times for boring weeknights in front of the telly.

Have you considered getting back to board games?

Ah, board games: the stuff of childhood fun and frivolity. Who doesn't think back fondly on rainy weekends and family trips away, playing Monopoly and Hungry Hippos, Risk and Chess and even Trivial Pursuit? But then computer gaming came along, didn't it, and it offered such a new way of playing games that you turned your back on those games of your youth, and now they seem, well, sort of simple. Perhaps good for a bit of nostalgia factor, but nothing you'd plan a weekend around. Right?

Well I'm still up for a good bash of Hungry Hippos every now and then, but if the last time you sat down to a board game was back when you played Snakes and Ladders with your gran, you're in for a big surprise. There are an insane number of extremely good board games on the market right now that may just very well make you forget about polygons, sandbox vs linear gaming, and computer upgrades for a while.

Ok, for quite a few of you, what I'm saying is nothing really new. You're a gamer through and through: you enjoy gaming, period, whether you're throwing a d20 or playing a hand of cribbage. You've probably got all these games and more in your hall closet. But I was surprised, reading the NZGamer.com forums, to see how many people don't appear to play board games at all. And that's a shame, because these people are missing out on a hell of a good time.

The good news, however, is that unlike regular non-gaming plebs out there, each and every one of you is equipped, thanks to years of honing your skills in the digital arena, with superior abilities in strategic thinking, lateral creativity, and the ability to quickly learn and understand complex game rules and conditions. Unlike those non-gamers, you don't have to start out with "entry-level board games"; no, as gamers we are able to leap right into the best of what board gaming has to offer - and I think you'll be pleased with what's out there.

The absolute best approach is to find a friend with a stack of these games, and ask them to invite you round next time they have a game weekend at their house. That way you get to try out a range of different games, with people who already know the rules, rather than risking $100 on something you're not sure you'll like. But hey, when was the last time you bought a similarly-priced console game, and either didn't finish it, or played it a few times and then stuck it up on Trade Me? Yeah, me too.

But if that's not really an option for you, then I invite you to peruse the following list, which is by no means exhaustive, but may help to point you in the right direction. And you know what else? There is even a company in Wellington that rents board games. (You really have no excuses now.)


What's that? You say you still need convincing? Well consider the following:

• Board games are social. Even better, they're totally socially acceptable to non-gamers. You're gaming, but you're doing it with your kids, your partner, or a big group of your mates. Even better, you are face to face, scoffing junk food together and trash talking in the kitchen. You're not closed off in your room with the shutters closed while someone huffs noisily in another room that they haven't seen you for three days.

• Board games are analogue. Not only do you get the awesome retro factor, but you can play a board game anywhere. It never gets too old to play. You never need to upgrade the table (unless you need to buy a bigger one). And pieces are easily replaceable – an old care bear figurine you have lying around the place can easily replace the huge blue dragon you lost behind the couch. Trust me.

• Board games are also awesomely abstract. Sometimes it's nice not to have everything spelled out in front of you. I like to be able to join the dots myself sometimes. And some of the simplest-looking games are also the most difficult. It's not always about the stuff.

• That said, board games also have wicked stuff. They're tangible. You get colourful cards, and counters, and cool figurines that you march across the board, or amass greedily and mightly like the overlord you really are.

Ok, ok, enough. I'm sure you're convinced now. Without further adieu, I present to you, dear readers, my recommendations:

The list of awesomely awesome games:

Agricola: compete with others to develop your farm, harvest resources and feed your family. Not as twee as it might sound, Agricola is a tricky game to master, with all sorts of variations on play, depending on player numbers, and whether you want to play a basic, interactive or difficult game. Great for: fans of strategic, turn-based resource management games. Harvest Moon fans will love it of course, but the game only gets cutsey if you buy the animeeples and vegimeeples. Great for 3 – 4 people, but 2 can make a good show of it. Oh, and xkcd loves it, which says a lot.

Arkham Horror: set smack-dab in the middle of Lovecraft's Cthulu mythos, players assume the role of different investigators who take to the streets of Arkham to gather clues, fight monsters, close portals to other dimensions, and stop the Ancient One from waking! Great for: gamers with a love of love horror games with great theme, roleplaying with a twist, or anything Cthulu! Arkham's a long game, so you'll probably only pull it out during the weekends. Awesome with 4 people, but also very playable for a solo person, playing several characters at once. My all-time fave.

Battlestar Galactica: based on the TV series, this game is all about working together with other players in order to survive – despite the fact that there are Cylons hiding in your midst. Great for: Mass Effect (and sci-fi) fans; it's not required to know the show in order to have a good time with this one. Perfect if you like a bit of treason and paranoia in your weekend. Better for larger groups; at least four or five.

Chaos in the Old World: Play as one of four gods in the Warhammer universe, you'll fight each other to be the first to corrupt the Old World with your special abilities. Each god has a different path to victory, which makes for a complex, varied, and highly replayable game. Gorgeous artwork too. Great for: Total War gamers, and fans of the area battle-type game. If you play without all four gods, expect there to be a bit of imbalance. Reasonably quick too: an average game will take 2 hours, so you can get in a few games in an afternoon. One of my faves.

Descent: Journeys in the Dark: a classic dungeon crawler, where heroes play against an evil overlord, while they adventure, gather loot, and do battle. One player assumes the role of the overlord, while the others fight against him. Great for: fantasy RPG-ers who love the "party against the DM" mechanic; though, this time, the DM is an evil overlord who wants to kill you all.

Dominion: Similar to a collectable card game, in that players build up personal decks from a core selection of available cards, that you buy, as you're able to afford them. Which cards you buy, and how you play the cards that arrive in your hand from your deck, is what determines your victory points at the end of the game. Great for: frankly, anyone. Dominion is easy to learn, quick to play, and yet completely more-ish. Plus, unlike collectable card games, there isn't any pressure to keep buying more.

Fury of Dracula: One player takes on the role of Dracula, on the run in Europe. The other players, playing as investigators, have to track Drac's path by following clues to his whereabouts, all while trying to avoid the traps he leaves in his wake! Great for: people who like a bit of mystery and deduction in their fun, plus great production values (the game's gorgeous). Expect to wind up fighting a bit over who gets to play Drac, as he has a slightly more fun time of it, but if you're a fan of sleuth games, or even Sherlock Holmes stories, then Fury of Dracula will definitely be a satisfying game for you.

Last Night on Earth: Play as a group of rag-tag heroes from Smalltown, USA or the horde of unlimitless zombies as you go head-to-head in the last night on earth! Great for: Resident Evil, Left 4 Dead fans. Great for a Friday night with a few mates; Last Night on Earth even comes with a CD soundtrack, to further set the scene!

Munchkin Quest: tongue-in-cheek dungeon crawler that develops as players put down room tiles, as they explore. Loads of classic fantasy tropes are turned on their head in this series, which is all about humour, but also good gameplay. Great for: fantasy RPGers with a sense of humour, kids, geeks, your mother. In short: everyone.

Pandemic: collaborative game where each player assumes a different role, such as researcher, medic, or scientist, as you race against time to stop viral outbreaks from taking over the world! Great for: Mad scientists, evil overlords… just kidding. Pandemic's quick and fun (my parents loved it) but NOT recommended for people with high-blood pressure. The tension in this game can reach unbelievable levels. One of my favourites!

Settlers of Catan: a classic game of resource management and trade, where players compete to build settlements, cities and roads, on the island of Catan. Settlers of Catan's the granddaddy of board games; over 15 million copies have been sold – odds are you'll know someone who owns this one. Great for: Heroes of Might and Magic, or Civilization fans. Stake out your claim and then gather resources, for the win! Another game that seems to be a real hit with non-gamers.

Tales of the Arabian Nights: Players take on the role of famous characters such as Sinbad, Aladin and Ali Baba, as they seek their fortunes in Arabia. Players follow their characters on their travels, as they are beset by adventures that could only be described as bizarre, and often random. The most unique aspect of the game is the huge tome of encounters and story events, that players take turns reading to each other. Good fun for kids and adults alike. Great for: Choose Your Own Adventure fans, old-school adventure gamers will like this too.

Twilight Imperium: Massive empire-building game of epic proportions. Play as one of ten alien races trying to seize the imperial throne, using all at your disposal, including war, diplomacy, and technical progression. Great for: Fans of Civilization, Risk, Total War, Age of Empires…you get the picture. Not for the faint-of-heart, Twilight Imperium games can sometimes take days to play out.

WoW: The Boardgame: Play as one of sixteen different races, and take up arms for the glory of the Hoarde or Alliance! Not to be sniffed at by non-WoW fans, this fantasy roleplayer is a legit contender in its own right, though not to be confused with the 'lite' version recently released, World of Warcraft: The Adventure Game, considered by many to be inferior. Great for: WoW fans, RPGers, lovers of hack-and-slash, collect-the-loot type of gameplay.


If none of the above appeal? Well, I can only point you to BoardGameGeek.com, the motherlode of all things boardy and gamey.

Enjoy!