Strategy board games aren\u2019t about luck, they challenge players to think ahead, adapt quickly and outmaneuver their opponents. From worker placement to negotiation and clever engine-building, these board game enthusiast-recommended strategy board games will be a hit at your next game night. <\/p>\n
Strategic board games strike a balance between flexibility and careful planning, but even so, there is an element to the game that makes it different every time you play. \u201cThere is a game ‘sweet spot’ whereby you can try a new approach each time and still have a reasonable chance of winning, even if your early moves weren\u2019t perfect,\u201d says Liz Kolb, the Co-Founder and CEO of Axion Now Events, an organization that coordinates live events for the popular trading card game Magic: The Gathering. <\/p>\n
Donovan Rittenbach, owner of MyAIWebGuy, is an avid board gamer who has played over 450 different board games. After playing everything from lightweight party games to heavyweight, deep strategy games, he notes just how different strategic board games are from other games. Rittenbach says they typically have the following qualities: <\/p>\n
Although the past 25 years have seen a groundswell of Euro-style board games, recently there has been an explosion among millennials seeking stronger connections with friends, and many are turning to strategy board games. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs someone who runs trading card game events at Axion Now Events, I tend to gravitate toward games with depth and replayability,\u201d says Kolb. Terraforming Mars is one of her firm\u2019s favorites, because \u201cit\u2019s strategic, it’s immersive, and every game plays out differently, which keeps it interesting,\u201d she says. Another option that is lighter but still thoughtful is 7 Wonders Duel, “which I like for its clever drafting mechanic and quick playtime; perfect when you want a game that doesn\u2019t take all night!”<\/p>\n
\u201c[A strategy board game] I like to play is the 7 Wonders Duel with a friend, as it can provide an opportunity to plan and be clever within less than an hour, which is enough to engage and be willing to play again,\u201d says Mike Bowman, board game lover, technical product manager and lead editor at Patio Productions, an outdoor furniture company in California.<\/p>\n
Other expert-recommended favorites include: <\/p>\n
Strategy board games are popular, but just as\u2014if not even more\u2014popular are strategy card games like Magic: The Gathering (MTG). \u201cI enjoy playing any type of strategy game, but my favorite would have to be Magic: The Gathering (MTG) because of the diversity and depth of strategy,\u201d says Mike Rands, avid strategy board gamer who has been playing MTG since before 4th edition came out in 1995.<\/p>\n
The strategy for card games like MTG goes beyond gameplay, and gets as granular as building your decks. \u201cThere are so many things to consider when building a deck and ways to use cards in combinations, but you can also just throw some themed cards together and come up a devastating deck,\u201d Rands says. And it\u2019s not about building just one deck, it\u2019s about building multiple decks that serve different purposes, like for 1-on-1 play or for larger groups. <\/p>\n
Strategy board games should require long-term strategy and critical thinking, meaning wins are hardly ever based on luck. \u201cThe most enjoyable strategic board games should reward the strategists who can think ahead and [who can] adapt when the situation alters,\u201d says Bowman.<\/p>\n
When choosing the right strategy board game for your group, there are several criteria to keep in mind. First and foremost, the game should be fun. Take your group\u2019s interests into account and choose a game you will all love. For example, does your group like interactive strategy games that involve diplomacy or cooperation, or does your group prefer to be on their own mission and race to the finish line? In the former, Catan might be a great choice, but players may prefer games like 7 Wonders if your group falls in the latter. <\/p>\n
Online reviews will be your best bet for finding good strategy games. \u201cLook for games that have lots of reviews about replayability and ease of learning,\u201d says Rittenbach. “Also, decisions shouldn\u2019t be so heavy that they cause analysis paralysis.\u201d When a game has too many tradeoffs and calculations to make, it can get mired down in long turn times, which can make the game last long and get boring for the players involved.<\/p>\n
Length of play is also important. Some games can take as long as five to seven hours to play,\u201cso choosing medium-weight games will shorten play time to one to two hours, which is a sweet spot,\u201d says Rittenbach <\/p>\n