“A board game it’s more than just a hobby … it’s about having fun”

What is a board game?

Ok, here goes the point of the article. I’m not trying to give you a theoretical explanation and neither encourage you to buy board games. When asking what is a board game, I must resume into two words … it’s all about “feelings” and “fun”. And that’s right, it’s all about feelings. How do you expect to be a game when you unbox it? Is it the same as you expected? But most important at all is to answer the question “was it funny?”

Because let’s be honest, you can have many gifts or things to buy (which includes board games), but if you don´t have fun you feel a bit frustrated and/or sad. So it’s all about feelings vs business. And here it comes personal experiences when playing board games, you remember them if you had fun preferred to other issues like price, advertisements and marketing, recommendations, etc. I’m not saying other things doesn´t matter and influence, but the point is to have fun and that should be the focus for companies when designing a board game rather than in business and commercial factors. That’s why I consider a board game is all about feelings and funny.

Photo: Churchill

How to choose a board game?

Here I must explain my own reasons when I decide to buy a board game (besides those might come as gifts, but I guess people know me and so my preferences).

1- It’s all about fun! I’m not going to stop repeating that. For reaching that goal, I discuss options with the shop owners (if they want to spend some minutes, or they just want to sell and therefore ask how I will pay it). Also to be sure if is fun is a good idea to check in forums, videos (also to have a look at the rules), game plays and of course recommendations from friends.

2- Theme. For me spending a whole afternoon or just 30 minutes must capture my attention, and that’s where the board game theme plays its part. I’m a fun of historical games, but there are other like films & TV series (i.e. Harry Potter, Game of Thrones) and many more options to choose. Is not that without a theme interesting for me I will not like the game, but it helps a lot to catch my attention.

3- Price, length and complexity. Those are the next three factors I consider, however are secondary to fun and theme. What’s the real value of a board game? You will be surprised of how different is the price of the same board game in the same channels as board games shops close to your place, big shopping malls or websites. Of course there might be differences between the channels mentioned for obvious reasons as transportation costs and taxes (if you import a game), but if you look into the same channel at different options you will be surprised to see the same game for a range of almost 20 Euros (I live in Spain). For example, that was the case of ´Twilight Struggle´ when I bought it, and I looked at prices at different board game shops and it went from 40 to 59 Euros.

This gives me an idea that a shop does not give the right value for a board game, and the increase besides the absolutely right to sell at the price they want is just about commercial. When a shop gives the cheapest price possible (besides the option from offers), it gives me a hint that they give the most accurate price possible. If you check then the average price from websites you see that they are right. This gives me also the impression that they have looked at the game, and more important that just winning money, they wanted to sell it correctly.

Here comes the case of a board game called ´Venetia´, a great game by the way that I got as a gift. The problem has been that the game has not been that successful despite being a great and funny game, because of its price. I talked with several board game shops, friends, checked on forums and the coincidence was that the price was sold was a reason for not buying it.

Photo: Venetia

Then, length and complexity are often related, because the longest it tends to be more complicate. However this could be seen as accurate, I might have to disagree a little bit (just a little bit). But why is that? Let’s remember about having fun. If you are getting tired and bored be sure that a game can last for longer than expected or presented in the rules. But on the other side, as much fun as you are having and getting into the game time (including improving while you learn from each game how to play) the time is shorter and even you could say “time flies by”. But the complexity I do not consider necessary to be related to the length of a board game, however as I explained may be related.

A game could be complex and still be fun. It’s once again about feelings and what you like most! Because personally if I have to be 30 minutes or 4 hours playing a board game and it’s always the same sequence of play, no complications unexpected from turn to turn, or a copy paste procedure from other board games (without bringing something unique), I might feel like “well, it’s ok but not much more to remember”. So that brings me to my next question … here it goes.

What do I remember from board games?

As I stated in the previous paragraph I like board games complexity, as a way to remember them. And that’s once again coming from personal opinions and feelings after a 1st play, as to catch attention to play a 2nd, 3rd and more times a certain degree of complexity brings you a feeling that the game is even different, because new things happen maybe because you play now other cards, the dice roll is different, etc. I’m not saying that complexity is about making the board game impossible to play, and consequently boring, but a certain degree of complexity is a value added makes a board game different than others and that I will remember. Once again I would like to remark the importance that the companies pay attention to players’ feelings when designing a game, but for reeditions understand the importance of players’ feedback and comments on forums, videos, etc.

Which games I like the most?

Based on what I have explained previously, I have my preferences based on fun and theme, but certainly I have my board games preferences below based on the previous explanations. Not commenting Twilight Struggle, as this is a classic and I think a “must” have it, because I have seen almost everyone played it at least liked it, if not love it.

* Two Classics: Monopoly and Stratego. Both games provide the chance to develop new strategies and concepts. One of this could be go beyond the rules and in a 3 people game create a “temporary union” to bankrupt the other player and then take back your properties. Because is important to have fun, why not create new rules that players may like?

* Theme (historical games): Hannibal and Amilcar, Paths of Glory, Time of Crisis, Churchill, Pericles and Venetia. Those board games are related to different periods of history (Romans, Ancient Greece, Venetia, First World War), so you have different options to choose depending on times of history you prefer (that’s in case you like historical games). There are specific reasons why I consider those games very interesting and funny, but I will explain them with more details in next article. Now I just want to point out the general aspects makes them very interesting and funny to play. But there’s no doubt that there is a learning curve in all of those games, especially in Paths of Glory and Pericles that may need more time than the others. But this challenge to learn combined rules that are complicate (i.e. in Pericles placing a ‘league´ marker in the map could mean several things, but the moment you put this marker may need a different option if you place it earlier or later). I must admit that a game might be easier to play without challenges such as those combination of rules, but when I see (and experience) those challenges I love it, and that’s why for me Pericles and Paths of Glory goes to a different level.

Photo: Paths of Glory (Senderos de Gloria in Spanish)

Especially Pericles as one (if not the most) of my favourite games brings a great development Mark Herman as designer from ´Churchill´ as the ´Assembly Phase´ where you “gain” some issues to place later in the marker. Mark Herman makes a great development, and would be great to have the opportunity to ask him about it and get his opinions. So Mark I know might be complicate you read this article, but if you do or someone knows him, please contact me, because I would like to write an article about your work and your board games design. But no doubt that having fun is so important, and that’s why before buying a board game I watch videos to get others opinion, know a bit more about the rules and so on. So if you watch you tube channels from ´Julius Fairfax’ (Spanish) and ‘The Players’ Aid’ (English) you will learn what I mean, and get enough reasons to better understand a board game before buying because both YouTube channels provides a good and funny insight to the board game.

´Julius Fairfax´ at the start of each video gives a brief explanation of the history behind the board game so you get into the historical moment takes place. On the other hand, ‘The Player’s Aid’ with two players I must admit they are very funny as they bring sometimes into their games personal experiences … and their families. Just have a look at a video when a daughter of the channel owners helps to explain the game while unboxing ‘Pericles’ or when in a family game of 4 players they present ‘Sakura’. That’s the important, because you have fun also with your family, and I really enjoy playing with friends and my nephews. So if ‘The Player’s Aid’ owners are interested, please contact me as I would like to write an article about your work.

Photo: Pericles

So that’s all for today, and hope you liked the article and understand a bit more about board games and enjoyed this article, and understand a bit more why I like board games. Feel free to write me for any comments and suggestions for upcoming articles, because this blog is personal (no sponsored, just for fun), but would like to improve with your inputs. And remember that a board game is an option to have fun, but is not the real world. So if you have to decide between spending time at you work, studies or meeting friends to go to the cinema you should do that, and leave board games for time to time (maybe once a week). Because then you will have a fixed day to enjoy and understand that a board games is not a substitute of reality, but rather an opportunity to have fun. And of course if you recommend me any historical games please do so … by reading this article you know I love them.

Have a nice day to everyone, and please Mark Herman, Julius Fairfax and The Player’s Aid, if you read this article and interested please contact me, will be great to know more and write about your work with board games, and I guess I could bring a different approach to write about your work. And personally I really like testing games and bringing different approaches, so if someone might be interested feel free to contact me.

“While sometimes life seems to be about winning or losing, a board game brings the value added of having fun no matter the result”

Daniel Hernández Iniesta

daniel.hndez@gmail.com