The Board Gamer's Life

When I describe my current hobby as "playing board games"
many people will jump to the wrong conclusion.

"You mean like Monopoly?"

Well, yes, like Monopoly. But better.

I have not played Monopoly for many years, nor Risk. We used to have a copy of Risk with a homemade board, drawn by my father on wallpaper lining paper. I can't recall ever playing it on the official board. I do still sometimes play Cluedo as it is one of the few board games my better half will participate in. But I have my own version in which I wander the corridors, never making predictions, simply noting down everyone else's predictions until I have deduced which cards are held by each player.

The difference between these familiar games and the kind I enjoy playing is the difference between decent everyday meals and haute cuisine. I have become a connoisseur of high quality games for the discerning palate.

"You mean like Chess?"

No, not like Chess.

There are some classic games which attract their own band of loyal followers. They have simple rules and a depth of gameplay which take a lifetime to master. Great games, but for me they don't provide enough variety of theme or experience.

"You mean like Doctor Who Trivial Pursuit?"

NO. Definitely not.

The games you see in most non-specialist shops are what we might call "mass-market games". They are produced by companies who know what will sell in large quantities and simply want to make money – and nothing wrong with that. Some are established best-sellers like Guess Who? Hungry Hippos or Twister. Some are familiar games with a new theme slapped on top such as Harry Potter Uno. Some are cashing in on the popularity of current TV shows such as The Big Bang Theory Party Game. What they have in common is a simple set of rules and undemanding gameplay. These are the kinds of games you find on the back shelves of charity shops. Not my kind at all.

"You mean like Settlers of Catan?"

You're getting warm. Over the last few decades there have been a small number of good quality board games which have sold well enough to become ubiquitous even in non-specalist shops such as Waterstones. If you have ever played Settlers of Catan, Carcossone or Ticket to Ride, then you will have an inkling of what the board gaming hobby is all about.

"You mean like Agricola?"

Ah, now you're talking my language. Agricola is already old by my standards, but a good example of what I mean by a board game. Others would be Bora Bora, Copycat and Mage Knight: The Board Game. All of these have complex but elegant rules, interesting components and provide a great playing experience. All have been designed by well-known game designers – whose names I can tell you without looking them up: Uwe Rosenberg, Stefan Feld, Friedemann Friese, Vlaada Chvatil. (OK, I did have to check the spelling.) This is one of the marks of a good game. They are not churned out for profit by some faceless company, rather they are lovingly crafted by experienced designers. Board gamers tend to develop favourite designers in the way that readers develop favourite authors.

If this whets your appetite for the gaming hobby,
welcome to life with the meeple.