Intro
Welcome to this week’s gaming post! If I compare the current state of board gaming to when I first started, there are many more resources available, from YouTube to even major publications covering the hobby. At the same time, combined with the vast number of new games coming out every year, it can feel overwhelming. This week I thought I’d try something different and write about five tips I would give to someone who is just getting into the hobby. So, without further ado, let’s jump into it!
Leverage Online Resources
There are so many online board game resources these days. Obviously, the YouTube board gaming space has grown quite significantly with The Dice Tower and Shut Up & Sit Down having significant reach. When I was first getting into the hobby, I would often watch The Dice Tower and Rahdo Runs Through. Specifically, Rahdo’s playthroughs would give me a good indication of whether I might like a game or not. These days, there are so many channels that offer reviews, playthroughs, top 10s, rules videos, previews, etc., and I would recommend exploring different channels until you find someone that you share similar preferences with. And just because someone’s opinion on a game might differ from yours, it doesn’t mean that the game doesn’t have its fair share of fans.
In addition to YouTube, BoardGameGeek (BGG) is an excellent resource. If you’re reading this post on BGG I’m sure you already know this, but in addition to essentially being a database for board games, there are also blogs, forums, and much more. I not only use BGG to track my collection, but also as an initial source to look up new games. From an individual game’s page, I can quickly glance at the game’s complexity, playing time, and player count to get a sense whether it’s worth exploring further. There are also images of the game, and you can often find a link to the game’s rulebook. Sometimes users will even make their own player aids for games! I don’t often read a game’s rulebook prior to purchasing, but if you’re someone who is on the fence for a game, reading the rulebook can give you a sense for whether you might like it. Finally, as a plug, I’ve written posts on some of my favorite gateway, gateway+, underrated games, and my favorite games of all-time if you’re looking for inspiration on games you should consider checking out.
Visit a Board Game Store
Maybe you’re someone who prefers to check out a game in person. If that’s the case, then I’d recommend visiting your local board game store. The staff are usually excited to recommend games, and sometimes stores will have a library where you can demo games prior to purchasing. Especially if you live in a populated area, you’d be surprised at how many stores might be around you! Board game stores can also be an excellent way to meet other gamers.
Play Games Digitally
There’s no denying that board gaming can be an expensive hobby. These days, there are games that can cost over $100 to even $200 for a single game. An alternative is to play games digitally though Board Game Arena or Tabletop Simulator. In addition, many of the most popular games have their own digital versions. These can be an excellent way to try games before buying the more expensive physical editions, or if you’re someone that is frequently on the go and still wants to play board games. If you’ve always been interested in Gloomhaven, but you don’t have the money to shell out for the physical edition or you don’t have the table space to play it, there’s an excellent digital version of the game that’s currently on sale for less than $10. While I still prefer the tactile feeling of playing a physical board game, digital board games certainly offer their fair share of benefits.
Don’t Get Caught up in the Latest “Hotness”
This next tip is something that I often have to remind myself. As a reviewer and content creator in the board gaming space, it’s difficult to not get sucked in to the latest releases. Pretty much every page on BGG wants to remind you about “the hotness”. However, looking back at my favorite games, very few are new releases. That doesn’t mean there aren’t good games coming out every year, but rather you don’t have to search for the hottest releases to find a good game. Additionally, as long as the game isn’t out of print, you’re more likely to find a good deal on a slightly older title. You don’t always have to cough up hundreds of dollars to back the latest Kickstarter or Gamefound to find an excellent game.
Don’t be Afraid to Branch Out
Lastly, take this as a reminder to not be afraid to try different types of games. This was something that I admittedly struggled with when I first got into the hobby. If a game was too light, or it wasn’t a euro, I would often look past it. As my collection of mid to heavy weight euros grew, I realized that there was value in having a lighter game that I could play with more types of gamers, or that cooperative games could be just as much fun as a highly competitive game. There are so many different types of games and mechanisms out there, so don’t limit yourself to a specific niche. As I reflect on my current collection, while yes, the majority are still medium to heavy-weight euros, I’m reminded that a favorite can come from those you might least expect. The Crew, Space Base, and Hegemony are all examples of this, and my current favorite game is a cooperative, campaign, dungeon-crawling game. While it’s important to understand your preferences in games, for example, I tend to like deck-building and worker-placement games, and I generally dislike games that have a lot of “take-that”, don’t pigeon-hole yourself into a certain type of gamer. And don’t be discouraged if a game doesn’t speak to you or if you don’t like Catan. A beautiful strength of the hobby is that there is bound to be a game out there that will appeal to you.
Closing
With that, those are the five tips I’d give to new gamers getting into the board gaming hobby. What advice would you give to newer gamers? I’d love to hear your tips or future content suggestions in the comments below! Happy gaming!
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