Slate.com Picks the Best Beginner Board Games

It's been a while since we talked about the concept of gateway games here. Slate.com put out an interesting article today about the best beginner board games. I like their methodology, especially the list of criteria, but the results are disappointing to me. I like games that offer the semblance of a story, especially a story with action, conflict, and drama. The article:

slate.com/human-interest/2019/02/the-bes...ames-for-adults.html

What criteria would you use? What games would you recommend that didn't make their list?

Kind of a funny article as the writer goes into so much depth on the selection criteria but still only manages a list (Catan, Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Splendor, Codenames) that most gamers over the past ten years could have come up with in two minutes. Not that they're wrong. They're classics for a reason, but it seems like a lot of work with little to show.

In any case, I try to tailor my picks to the person and their interests. I've had more than a bit of luck playing Morels and Flamme Rouge with my parents, but my go-to game with new folks is Hanabi. It's cooperative, the time commitment is low and the central mechanic of only seeing other people's hands is immediately intriguing. I think people outside the hobby are a lot more receptive to abstracts since their gaming baseline is stuff like checkers, chess, rummy, poker and cribbage. "Dripping in theme" doesn't necessarily occur to them.

For beginners, I think Sushi Go is a better pick than 7 Wonders. 7 Wonders is pretty euroglyph-heavy. The first game or two has a lot of, "What does _this_ mean?"

I also think Lords of Waterdeep is a good intro to worker placement.

I know this is an TWBG trope as old as time, but I agree with Shellhead that these lists tend to prioritize abstract simplicity over narrative. I think this is a slight mistake. In my experience some beginners respond to the very puzzly abstracts like Splendor but others respond better to light thematic games, even at the cost of a little bit of overhead.

Here's my list:

• GO AWAY MONSTER : Introduces the idea of taking turns, as well as your stuff and my stuff.
• SNAIL'S PACE RACE : Introduces a die, as well as colored pieces and moving a piece after rolling. Prediction too.
• UNO (or TAKI) : Introduces cards, including concepts like a "hand" and "drawing." Has a clear winner and strategy. Small "take that" element too.

Oh... are we not talking about introducing children to games? I assumed we were, given that most adults have played boardgames for years and don't need to have them introduced at some kind of novitiate level.

Saw the header, grabbed some popcorn and wasn't disappointed in how disappointing the list would be.

I guess 54 hours ain't enough. Milquetoast list for the common denominator, I guess? Where's the drama?

I mean, sure those work. But these also do:

Zombicide
Adventurers: Temple of Chac
For Sale
Incan Gold
Condottiere
Ethnos
Flick em Up
The Grizzled
Quest for El Dorado
Tobago
Resistance (/Avalon)

etc etc etc.

So many choices, distilled away by "expert consensus." Also, it's time for TTR to get the hell off of these lists.

Frohike wrote: So many choices, distilled away by "expert consensus." Also, it's time for TTR to get the hell off of these lists.

TTR and Catan are the only two absolute essentials on the list. Not saying they’re the best picks for those just getting in, though they’ve certainly played that role, but they are both games everyone should play at some point.

No, Pandemic is the game that should be getting phased out.

I tend to agree with Josh -- TTR has been a hit regardless of who I have played it with. Catan a little less so, but still very popular.

Codenames is probably my wife's favorite game right now. Pandemic is/was fun, but it really is starting to fade a bit in terms of being on this list -- doesn't have the staying power and isn't particularly necessary for beginners to play.

Jeb -- here is the list that includes kids games from last November

slate.com/human-interest/2018/11/best-fa...hi-go-codenames.html

I agree. Out with Pandemic. In with Pandemic Iberia.