How to choose the right board game for you as well as everyone else
author: Hollis
2023-06-14
German-style board games, sometimes called European-style board games, are generally more strategic, require scoring in multiple ways to win, are less random, and emphasize long-term planning; American-style board games are more random, often with random elements such as dice. This is also a very rough and subjective way of classification, and many of the board games that have come out in recent years are difficult to apply to this taxonomy anymore.
On the other hand, there is a clearer classification on BGG, which divides board games into eight types (Types).
Abstract board games are a type of board game that does not rely on thematic background and has little luck. Almost all abstract board games strictly conform to one definition: a game with no random elements, no hidden information, and usually the same number of rounds played by two teams of players in turn.
This category contains customizable strategy board games, under which there are two main broad categories, Collectible Card Games (CCG/TCG) and Growing Card Games (LCG, Living Card Game). Collectible Dice Game and Collectible Miniature Game also belong to this category.
Themed board games generally have a theme that drives the player to play, creating an experience similar to that of a novel or action movie. For this reason, many of these games include elaborate plates and character models. By design, this theme is also a major factor in determining gameplay, mechanics, and game objectives. Most of the American board games mentioned in the beginning belong to this category.
4. Family Board Games
Family board games and children's board games are relative concepts. Compared with the children's board games in the latter part of the article, family board games are aimed at a wider age range of players and the games themselves are more strategic, but they are still a little simpler than most other board games and are a type of board game suitable for family entertainment and communication.
5. Children's board games
Children's board games are generally for children under 10 years old, with simple rules and early childhood-oriented themes, which have a certain educational significance and practice role.
6.Party board games
Party board games are probably the most well-known type of board games in China. These board games generally have simple and easy to understand rules, short single game time, flexible number of players and high randomness.
7. Strategy table games
Strategy board games often have clever and complex game mechanics, with more details, and each player's decision can greatly affect the direction of the game, which will use the player's decision analysis, long-term planning ability, and also pay attention to the actions of competitors to prevent them from taking the lead. Most of the German board games mentioned in the beginning belong to this category.
8. Wargames
Wargames are a category of board games derived from wargaming, mainly involving different types of military actions, but sometimes with some political or strategic choices. These board games are often designed to simulate various battles in history, fantasy or science fiction. Wargames that add thematic elements are sometimes categorized as themed board games.
Above all, don't look for tabletop gamers in your friends, look for friends in tabletop gamers.
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