After you finish playing your current favorite, considering “what next board game” is always exciting! Perhaps a cooperative game where you team up against the board, or a strategic game with intricate rules.
So, you’ve just wrapped up an epic gaming session, and that familiar question pops into your mind: what next board game? The possibilities feel endless, ranging from quick card games to sprawling, multi-hour adventures. It’s a wonderful dilemma that every tabletop enthusiast faces.
Choosing can be a challenge but, let’s think through some fun options. Maybe you feel like exploring new worlds or maybe you want to dive deep into strategy. Finding your next gaming obsession is a rewarding journey.
What Next Board Game? Finding Your Perfect Match
So, you’ve played a bunch of board games. Maybe you’ve conquered kingdoms, explored dungeons, or even built amazing cities. But now you’re looking for something new, a fresh challenge, a different kind of fun. You’re asking yourself, “What next board game should I try?” It’s a great question, and the world of board games is vast and exciting! Finding that perfect game can sometimes feel like a quest itself, but don’t worry, we’re here to help guide you on your journey.
Thinking About Your Preferences
Before diving headfirst into a pile of possibilities, let’s think about what you already like. Just like figuring out your favorite flavor of ice cream helps you choose a yummy dessert, knowing your board game preferences will point you towards the right kind of game.
What Kind of Game Themes Do You Enjoy?
First, think about themes. Do you like pirates and treasure? Maybe you’re more into building space stations or running a farm. Here are some popular themes that may get you thinking:
- Fantasy: Think dragons, wizards, and magical quests. If you enjoy stories like Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, fantasy games might be your thing.
- Sci-Fi: Explore spaceships, alien worlds, and futuristic technology. Games like Star Wars or anything with robots can fall into this category.
- Historical: Travel back in time to ancient civilizations, medieval castles, or even the Wild West. These games often feature real-world historical events.
- Modern/Real-World: Manage a business, build a city, or solve mysteries in a setting similar to our own world. Think of games where you manage resources or compete as different corporations.
- Abstract: Enjoy games that have minimal theme and focus on strategy and patterns. These often involve no story and are just about the game play itself.
What’s Your Preferred Level of Complexity?
Next, think about how complicated you want your next board game to be. Some games are easy to pick up and play in a few minutes, while others require some serious brainpower to understand.
- Light Games: These are often quick to learn and play, with simple rules. They’re great for beginners, families, or when you just want a relaxing time. Examples include card games like “Uno” and simple dice-rolling games.
- Medium Games: These have a little more depth and strategy. You might find more rules and components, and the game might take a bit longer to play. Strategy is definitely more important here.
- Heavy Games: These games are the big ones! They involve lots of rules, complex strategies, and usually take several hours to play. They’re for players who really want a challenge.
How Many People Usually Play?
The number of players you usually have is important. Some games work great with just two people, while others need a big group to be fun. Consider who you play with regularly and choose a game that suits the group size.
- Solo Games: For those times when you want to game alone. Many great board games offer solo modes for individual play.
- Two-Player Games: Perfect for couples or friends who want a focused, head-to-head battle.
- Small Group Games (3-4 Players): Ideal for families or a small group of friends.
- Large Group Games (5+ Players): Great for parties and bigger gatherings.
By considering your preferences for themes, complexity, and player count, you’re already closer to selecting the perfect next board game.
Exploring Different Board Game Mechanics
Beyond themes and complexity, the “mechanics” of a game are how it actually works. Knowing what kind of mechanics you enjoy can greatly help in finding a new game.
Worker Placement
In worker placement games, players use their “workers” (usually small game pieces) to perform actions on a board. Each location on the board lets you do different things like gather resources, build buildings, or even gain victory points. It’s like having a limited number of employees and deciding where they can best help your business.
Think of it like this: You have three workers and every turn you put them on different places on the board. One worker might collect food, another might build a house, while the last might explore a new territory. Each action has its own benefits, and competition arises because if other players place their workers there first, you can’t use the same action at the same time.
Key skills used in worker placement games include planning ahead and making good choices about how to use your limited workers efficiently.
Deck Building
Deck-building games start with a small, basic set of cards. As you play, you’ll “purchase” new, more powerful cards to add to your deck. Over time, your deck evolves, allowing you to do increasingly stronger combos or special actions. These games often have a sense of growth and progression. Players begin with a basic deck, maybe some weak cards and by playing, they purchase stronger cards to make their deck better.
Imagine you start with a deck of 10 cards that allow you to get some basic resources. In the game, there is a pool of new cards with special abilities. Over the course of the game, you use your resources to buy new cards, adding them to your discard pile (which eventually makes its way into your play pile). As you play the game and use your deck, you want to focus on getting new cards to use together to do super powered actions. It’s like collecting ingredients to make a really amazing recipe.
Area Control
Area control games focus on taking over spaces or territories on the game board. It’s like a friendly war game! Players try to expand their influence, build fortifications, and secure strategic locations. These games often involve battling and making deals with other players.
Picture this: the board is a map, and each player has to try and get the most territory. You will move your soldiers on the board to claim areas or block opponents. The more areas you have, the more resources you get, or the more points you score. These games have lots of player interaction because there is competition for the same areas on the board.
Cooperative Games
In cooperative games, everyone works together toward a common goal instead of competing with each other. It’s like going on an adventure as a team. You’ll need good communication and teamwork to win. Players will need to work together to figure out the best path to victory.
Let’s say you and your friends are all trying to stop a monster from attacking your village. You will be sharing your resources and coming up with a plan, using all of your skills together. These are great games for practicing team skills and to have fun together. Everyone wins or loses together.
Dice Rolling
Many games use dice, but some games use them more than others, and often in unique ways. Games heavily based around dice rolling often incorporate strategy about manipulating the odds of the dice, or how to make the best use of what you roll.
Imagine you are playing a game with 6-sided dice. Some games may have you roll to determine how far you can move on the board, while other games may use the dice for combat or to make decisions in the game. Sometimes, certain dice rolls unlock special abilities or rewards.
Card Drafting
Card drafting is a mechanic where players select cards from a shared pool, and then pass the remaining cards to the next player. This mechanic creates a dynamic where you have to balance your own needs with the knowledge that other players will also use the cards you leave behind. You don’t get to have all the cards you want, and it involves planning and thinking ahead.
Imagine you have a set of cards, and you pick one card to keep. You then pass the remaining cards to the player next to you. Each turn you get to pick a new card to keep, and pass on the rest. Eventually, you will have a good deck of cards that hopefully all work well together. It’s like shopping at a store where you can only pick one item off the shelf each turn!
By exploring different game mechanics, you can expand your understanding of how games work and find types that really resonate with you. It’s about finding your perfect blend of actions and strategy that makes a game engaging and fun!
Popular Board Game Recommendations Based on Preferences
Now, let’s take a look at some specific board game recommendations based on the preferences we’ve discussed. These suggestions will give you an idea of the variety available and may even help you discover your next favorite game!
If You Like Fantasy and Medium Complexity:
- Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion: A fantastic adventure game where you play as heroes exploring a dark and dangerous world. The campaign has lots of scenarios that you get to play through.
- Lords of Waterdeep: In this game, you manage a team of adventurers to complete quests for various Lordes. A very well regarded worker placement game.
- Wingspan: A beautiful game about attracting birds to your wildlife preserves. You collect cards and resources to get a more diverse collection of birds.
If You Enjoy Sci-Fi and Light Complexity:
- Ticket to Ride: A simple game where you collect train cars and make routes across the map. There are many different versions of the game that can take place on a map of a different location.
- King of Tokyo: A dice-rolling game where you play as giant monsters fighting to control Tokyo. Roll your dice and use them to attack other monsters.
- Star Realms: A fast-paced deck-building game about space battles. Build your fleet, battle other players, and take over the galaxy.
If You Prefer Historical Themes and Medium to Heavy Complexity:
- 7 Wonders: A card drafting game where you build your civilization throughout history. Build your wonders of the ancient world and amass your fortune.
- Terraforming Mars: A strategy game about making Mars habitable for humans. It involves resource management and careful planning of your civilization.
- Through the Ages: A card-based civilization building game that can take multiple hours, involving building resources, planning military and having your people be productive.
If You Enjoy Cooperative Games:
- Pandemic: Work together as a team to stop deadly diseases from spreading across the globe. Every turn the diseases spread and you have to manage the different outbreaks.
- Forbidden Island: A cooperative game where you collect treasure before the island sinks. Race against time as the island is slowly being swallowed by the ocean.
- Spirit Island: A more advanced cooperative game, where each player is a powerful island spirit that needs to defend their land against invaders.
If You Want Simple Fun and Great for Families:
- Catan: A resource management game where you build your settlements and roads on an island. Use your resources to make your civilization bigger and take over the island.
- Sushi Go!: A fast card drafting game where you collect delicious sushi combinations. There are also many variants and new versions to expand on this game.
- Dixit: A unique card-based storytelling game where you give creative clues and guesses on illustrated cards. Every card is unique, so that allows for unlimited storytelling.
Finding More Information and Community
Finding your next board game can also involve doing some research and connecting with fellow players. Here are some helpful resources:
Board Game Geek (BGG)
Board Game Geek is like a giant online encyclopedia for board games. You can find details about games, read reviews, and see what other players think. It’s a great tool for learning about new games and seeing their ratings.
YouTube Channels
Many YouTubers review board games. These reviews can help you see how a game plays and if it’s the right fit for you. Watching people play games is often a good way to learn how they work.
Local Game Stores
Visiting a local game store is a great way to see games in person and ask for recommendations. Often, the store owners and staff will be able to recommend a game, and help you learn how to play it. They may also have demo copies you can try to see if you will like a game.
Online Board Game Communities
There are many online groups where people who love board games can connect with each other. You can ask questions, find new ideas, and even find local groups to play with. It’s a fun way to be a part of the community.
Choosing your “what next board game” should be an enjoyable process. Think about what you like, explore new possibilities, and don’t be afraid to try something different. The world of board games is full of fun and adventure, and there’s a perfect game out there waiting for you!
Ultimately, the best way to find your next favorite board game is to explore, try different types of games, and most importantly, have fun along the way. The recommendations provided in this guide can help you begin this exploration and hopefully point you in the right direction. Don’t get discouraged if you do not enjoy a game, just think about what you did or didn’t like and try something new.
How to play What Next — The Action Adventure Board Game
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the perfect board game depends on your group’s preference. Consider player count, complexity, and desired play time when choosing. Think about the core mechanics you enjoy.
So, what next board game should you try? Perhaps a cooperative game if you enjoy teamwork, or a competitive strategy title if you want a challenge. The key is to explore different genres to find the one that clicks.
