Colonel Mustard, in the Library, with the Candlestick!
We used to call them “bored games” because so many of them were only interesting if you were really bored. Why sit around a piece of cardboard and roll some dice if you could be playing pirates in the treehouse? Because seriously, pirates and treehouses are way cool. But that was a different era, back when I was truly beginning to understand that your chances of winning Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders against your stuffed animals were equally as good as your chances of winning against your friends. And sometimes, equally compelling. Grizzly and Hoot were fierce competition.
The thing is, board games for adults are SO much better than the colorful fare we grew out of years ago. For one thing, they rely on things besides chance, things like creativity, strategy, verbal accuity, or ability to second-guess the other players. Board games give people a common topic and a focal point for an evening, provide an excuse to get together, and can help trigger conversation with people that you’re getting to know better. The whole point, really, is to have an activity for people to enjoy together besides talking and eating, which are good so far as they go, but sometimes it’s fun to liven things up. For a variety of reasons, such as the sluggish economy, boredom of the pickup scene, or a rise in geek culture, board games have been picking up steam recently as entertainment for gathering adults as well as families.
In Chicago, a number of bars around the city have started supplying board games or hosting board game nights, as this article, Bars with Board Games, describes. It’s an older article (yay for Internet archives) and there are similar activities going on in lots of cities. In Washington, DC, there is a new dating club opening up that centers specifically around playing board games to get to know each other, as described in this recent article Find Love over Board Games at Play Date DC. In Philadelphia, the ancient game of Go is enjoying a revival. Even if you can’t find anything in your area, you could always start your own event or gathering using tips in the article How to Start a Board Game Club.
Some games to start out with:
Taboo is good for people who can read each others' minds.
Taboo
The point of this game is to get other people to guess a word without saying certain “taboo” words. I like this game because I’m good at blurting things and I think fast. Plus, there is a big loud buzzer you can push if someone says the wrong thing. For some reason, not all of my friends like it as much as I do. It’s best played with people of similar aggressiveness, or people who will know a lot of the same references as each other.
Cranium is a silly game that is very accessible for mixed groups.
Cranium
This game probably was invented because families have a hard time deciding what to play. So someone must have taken Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit, Charades, and some word games and said “I know, let’s mush them all into the same game!” And hilarity ensues. I’ve found that the challenges in Cranium are much easier than many of the aforementioned games– impersonations can include sound, items to draw are mostly objects, and the trivia questions are about major events and not obscure authors from minor literary movements. It’s a silly game with a relatively low entry threshold, making it a good one for mixes of people with varied interests or age levels.
Settlers of Catan is an engaging game of resource management.
Settlers of Catan
This is probably one of the favorite board games among the young adults I know, and is too complex for younger kids. Each person has to builds roads and settlements on an map made from hexagonal tiles that changes every game. Each tile represents a different type of natural resource; as you build, you harvest more and more resources, so you can build, which uses up resources. It’s a strategy game that involves keeping track of several variables at once, and sometimes it’s not obvious who will win until the last moment of the game. There is even a Seafarers version which has the additional strategy option of oceans, islands, and shipping lines to contend with.
Game of Thrones is ridiculously lengthy and complex but worth it.
Game of Thrones
Like a super complex mix between the aforementioned Settlers of Catan and the time-honored classic Risk, Game of Thrones involves several factions simultaneously protecting their own lands, harvesting and husbanding resources, growing armies, while taking over the world and also angling for the throne. Apparently that’s the plot of the popular George R.R. Martin fantasy series by the same name, which I have not read and still thoroughly enjoyed the game. It takes a ridiculously long time to set up and read the rules, especially for first-time players, so it’s best played with people who will enjoy keeping up with the convoluted structure of the game. That being said, it does take the best aspects of the aforementioned classics and is a lot of fun.
Stocks and Bonds is a combination of strategy and chance, planning and intuition.
Stocks and Bonds
In this game, you are a Wall Street investor and have a wide variety of stocks and bonds to choose from. Each turn, a combination of cards and dice will determine whether the various investments will go up or down. At the end of ten “years”, each of which you’ll have the opportunity to buy or sell, the investor with the most money wins. The game is fun because everyone has an exact equal chance; there is a lot of chance involved with what the “market” does, but overall, one’s choices in strategy will be more influential in one’s success at the end. The one drawback to this game is that if you play often, you will get to know the behavior of individual stocks and will most likely beat any newcomers who just read their profiles.
Chess is a fun game that encourages communication
Chess
Yes, I have to include this, as a representation of ALL the classic and ancient games that you probably already have in some form in your own house or among your group of friends. The rules are free on the Internet, and if you don’t have a set you could easily make your own out of paper. Chess isn’t nearly as complicated as it seemed when we were kids– sometimes the secret is playing with others at your ability level as it is discouraging to always play with super good players who always beat us. Or if you are around good players, use it as an opportunity to learn the game, it will spark good conversation and give an opportunity for a friend to share their knowlege, which is a good friendship builder.
And no, I will NOT provide the links to buy them. Games are expensive– buying one and playing it regularly will certainly save on entertainment costs when compared to going out, but buying several on the off-chance that you’ll enjoy them will just clutter up your house and empty your pocketbook. Go borrow them from your neighbors or invite your friends over who have the games. Ask around the office if people play any board games, and which ones they prefer. Maybe they’ll loan one to you.
Any other board games that you particularly enjoy? Share!
