There’s often a thin line between boardgames and ‘bored games’. Too competitive, too long and too slow are some of the fairly frequent difficulties that can ruin gameplay. The rules also tend to be read like they’re set in stone, and it’s tricky to apply working fixes unless you’re used to the kind of ‘hacking’ and ‘patching’ common in tabletop RPGs.
Dominion
Dominion received a brief mention in a recent post and is easy to recommend as a valuable stage in developing kids’ and teenagers’ interest in board games. The game has a medieval setting and works much like a collectible card game (CCG). Except that players don’t have to shell out extra cash to continually collect rare cards if they want to be able to compete.
Dominion: Seaside by Rio Grande Games
Players gain power through building up decks of cards during fairly short games that take as little as half-an-hour to play. Experienced boardgame players may feel that Dominion doesn’t feature enough direct competition during play. However, this is an advantage for many new players who can enjoy looking after their own deck building without having to look over their shoulders all the time.
There are a couple of expansions available, which are worthwhile in terms of extending the choice of options and cards. These are not necessary, as Dominion starts out with a generous selection of cards and can be replayed repeatedly without any add-ons. (Frequent players may wish to purchase card sleeves, as the cards will wear after a while).
Euro Game Card Sleeves (100 Sleeves/Pack – 59 MM X 92 MM)
At the same time, the expansions can extend the game’s lifespan. The Dominion Intrigue expansion can be played as a standalone game or contribute to a game of Dominion. It alters the game’s dynamic to make players somewhat more dependent on each other than before. The Dominion Seaside expansion needs Dominion to be playable, as key cards from the first set are not included. It adds a new dimension to the game without increasing the complexity.
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a tile laying game which doesn’t involve sending a figure circling round the board. The name comes from the city of Carcassonne in Southern France, which has a very colourful/ blood drenched history as a result of occupying a strategic position in medieval times. The game is more abstract than Dominion but far from complicated to learn.
Rio Grande Games Carcassonne Big Box
Three to five players draw tiles representing land with a road, a cloister, a field or a city on it. Followers, including knights, thieves, monks and farmers are then placed to take control of unclaimed land. To win players need to strike a balance between immediate gains and long-term gains. A typical game takes about an hour to play and requires a good sized table or floorspace.
There are several expansion sets, such as Inns and Cathedrals, which add extra options. One of these is necessary to equip the game for a group of six players. Otherwise, the add-ons aren’t required, because the basic game can be replayed many times with different layouts appearing each time.
Settlers of Catan
The Settlers of Catan 5-6 Player Extension
Settlers of Catan and its expansion packs completes our set of family games for teenagers and adults. The game is all about trading and building. Players start out collecting resources, (like ore and timber), which are used to build roads and settlements. Players are able to trade these resources, making it easier to upgrade settlements and purchase development cards. It’s this side of the game that generates a lot of the entertainment. Expect to spend up to two hours playing a full game.
The winner is the first person to collect ten victory points by building enough cities or meeting a range of similar targets. Play usually lasts about an hour and a half but can last longer if expansion packs are being used. To play with 5-6 players you need to buy add-ons with 5-6 expansion built in. The Seafarers of Catan and the Cities of Catan add-ons have 5-6 players options and are well worth buying. Other packs such as the Fishermen of Catan and Barbarians and Traders play well too but the overall cost starts to add up if you buy ‘the lot’. Add-ons, including the Cities of Catan pack and Barbarians and Traders, also make the game more complex.
Catan: Seafarers 5-6 Player Extension – New 4th Edition
All of these table/ boardgames have short rules and half of the rules tend to be simple diagrams. If you don’t enjoy any of them it’s probably safe to say that most boardgames aren’t likely to appeal to you.
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