11 ms·

The wild economy of tabletop board game funding

133 points by slackpad 6y ago

ARandomerDude 6y ago
I'd really like to get into more board games, but so many of them have an occult flavor to them. Suggestions? I have Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Carcassonne.
- ducttapecrown 6y ago
  Dominion
  - Analemma_ 6y ago
    I'm not sure Dominion is a great choice if the OP is trying to avoid anything occult-related. Isn't the Witch a card in the base set? OP, I would just go on BoardGameGeek and browse through the top-rated games. Just looking at a game's page should be enough to tell you if the content is acceptable.
    - eru 6y ago
      Yes, that's why I linked to the list https://boardgamegeek.com/browse/boardgame?sort=rank https://boardgamegeek.com/browse/boardgame?sort=rank directly. Though honestly, as a newbie, you should probably look through one of the curated game lists: the bare rating that a game has seldom lines up with what a beginner might be looking for. For a start, it's mostly heavier games that have very high ratings.
      - tialaramex 6y ago
        And like many ratings sites BGG ends up weighted to novelty. Is this really the best movie / novel / video game / comic book / burger ? No, probably not, but it's the popular new one right now among people who watched a lot of movies, read a lot of novels, played a lot of video games, read a lot of comic books or ate a lot of burgers as appropriate. Unlike built-in ratings (e.g. Uber, eBay) these ratings do at least provide some value at the low end. There are a fair few games on BGG with 5.0 or lower ratings and you probably just don't want those games, sight unseen.
        eru 6y ago
        BGG makes an attempt to correct for novelty: for their ranking their add a few hundred synthetic votes that give your game an average score.
- Quenty 6y ago
  Try Coup!
- jbonniwell 6y ago
  Dominion, Pandemic, Istanbul
  - stephenr 6y ago
    Not Constantinople?
- chokolad 6y ago
  Puerto Rico, Agricola
- cprayingmantis 6y ago
  Wingspan is really fun and is 100% based on birds. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/266192/wingspan https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/266192/wingspan
- milkshakes 6y ago
  Modern Art https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/118/modern-art https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/118/modern-art
  - Talanes 6y ago
    I was ready to chide you for sending this person on a fruitless quest for a copy of Modern Art, only to find out they have been reprinting the proper version again since at least last year! I fell in love with it playing a friend of a friend's copy, but for years the only version in print had the auction elements removed.
- mysterydip 6y ago
  Sagrada is one I've personally played and recommend. I've heard a lot of people recommend Sushi Go but I haven't given it a play myself. Check out BoardGameGeek if you haven't yet, there's every theme and mechanic out there you can think of, and you can see games related to ones you already like, highest rated games, curated lists, etc.
- MereInterest 6y ago
  Battlestar Galactica is a really good board game. It is a cooperative game with a traitor mechanic.
  - NortySpock 6y ago
    You're getting some downvotes for this recommendation it looks like. My personal observations about BSG: As a traitor-mechanic game it suffers severely if the traitor doesn't know how to play well or if someone gets bored and isn't paying attention. Again in particular with coop-with-traitor-mechanic games, it is very vulnerable to loud alpha-gamer quarterbacking ("Hey! Everyone needs to support this plan because it's clearly The Best Plan, and if you don't you're clearly the traitor because you're playing sub-optimally.") It takes a long time, 2 hours minimum and I've been subjected to 4 hour games. Put simply, it is generally not fun for a rookie gamer. Recommendation:If this game of cooperative play with traitor mechanic sounds interesting to you, I recommend the game "The Resistance: Avalon", which has similar mechanics but plays in 20 minutes optimally and 50 minutes for a slow game. Compare with 120 minutes to 240 minutes in my experience for BSG. Disclaimer:I've played BSG twice (same group), I've hated it twice, and I refuse to play it anymore. I do not consider myself a rookie, and I personally prefer shorter (120 minutes or less), simpler games.
    - eru 6y ago
      'Secret Hitler' is another interesting variation on Avalon. I played both a lot, and like 'Secret Hitler' because they pared down the number of game mechanics a lot, and still left a meatier game.
    - tialaramex 6y ago
      I've played New Angeles which is the replacement for Battlestar Galactica using the Android setting instead of a licensed setting. I hate traitor mechanics, and I'm not a big fan of the Android setting (Android itself I find not much fun) - but I found the mechanism in New Angeles acceptable. One player did indeed screw everybody else over, and it wasn't the most fun I've had in that amount of time, but I'd do it again some weekend I think. The popular game I refuse to play is "Firefly: The Game". The friend who owns it says "Well it's flawed but it really captures the TV show". I hadn't enjoyed our first game of Firefly and hadn't seen the TV show, though I had seen the movie, so I watched the TV show. The next time I explained to him that he'd been correct. It exactly captures the TV show, in that the TV show's writer clearly doesn't understand that he's writing a story about the bad guys. Stories about bad guys can be fun. There don't even need to be good guys, there arguably aren't any good guys in "The Wire" for example - but the writer does need to be aware they're telling a story about bad guys. Firefly thinks these people are heroes. And so does the terrible board game.
- thaumasiotes 6y ago
  > I'd really like to get into more board games, but so many of them have an occult flavor to them. How did you come to this conclusion? It's... completely disconnected from reality. If I go to boardgamegeek.com and look at the "the hotness" sidebar, there are 15 games (of which two, Gloomhaven and Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion, would appear to be closely related). In descending order of "occult flavor": 1. Arkham Horror: The Card Game 2. Spirit Island (in which you play as pagan deities trying to repel the forces of civilization) 3. Gloomhaven (perfectly ordinary dungeon crawler, as far as I see) 4. Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion 5. Lost Ruins of Arnak (makes some reference to "fearsome guardians" associated with the remnants of a lost civilization) At this point, there is zero "occult flavor" associated with any of the 10 remaining games. So, in the order listed on the site: 6. Pendulum - "Players command their workers, execute stratagems, and expand the provinces in their domain in real time to gain resources and move up the four victory tracks: power, prestige, popularity, and legendary achievement." 7. Dead Reckoning - "is a game of exploration, piracy, and influence based in a Caribbean-esque setting. Each player commands a ship and crew and seeks to amass the greatest fortune." 8. Imperial Struggle - "is a two-player game depicting the 18th-century rivalry between France and Britain. It begins in 1697, as the two realms wait warily for the King of Spain to name an heir, and ends in 1789, when a new order brought down the Bastille." 9. Terraforming Mars - "Giant corporations, sponsored by the World Government on Earth, initiate huge projects to raise the temperature, the oxygen level, and the ocean coverage until the environment is habitable. In Terraforming Mars, you play one of those corporations and work together in the terraforming process, but compete for getting victory points that are awarded not only for your contribution to the terraforming, but also for advancing human infrastructure throughout the solar system, and doing other commendable things." 10. Godzilla: Tokyo Clash - "you play as the Earth's most fearsome Kaiju — Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah, and Megalon — battling for dominance as the most terrifying monster in Japan." 11. Wingspan - "You are bird enthusiasts—researchers, bird watchers, ornithologists, and collectors—seeking to discover and attract the best birds to your network of wildlife preserves." 12. Maracaibo - "is set in the Caribbean during the 17th century. The players try to increase their influence in three nations in four rounds with a play time of 40 minutes per player." 13. Brass: Birmingham - "tells the story of competing entrepreneurs in Birmingham during the industrial revolution, between the years of 1770-1870. As in its predecessor, you must develop, build, and establish your industries and network, in an effort to exploit low or high market demands." 14. Everdell - "the time has come for new territories to be settled and new cities established. You will be the leader of a group of critters [forest wildlife] intent on just such a task. There are buildings to construct, lively characters to meet, events to host—you have a busy year ahead of yourself. Will the sun shine brightest on your city before the winter moon rises?" 15. Root - "The nefarious Marquise de Cat has seized the great woodland, intent on harvesting its riches. Under her rule, the many creatures of the forest have banded together. This Alliance will seek to strengthen its resources and subvert the rule of Cats."
- rubyfox 6y ago
  Azul / Brass / Flamme Rouge / Barenpark!
- Pxtl 6y ago
  That's honestly not enough info to go on. What do you mean by "occult" - as in, like, literally they seem to tie into subjects you have a religious objection to? Or just that they seem like they're designed by and for spooky people who hide in basements? Who are you playing with? Kids? Adults? Do you have a regular group? How large is the group? How often are you looking to play, and how long into the night? What do you like about Catan, TTR, and Carcassonne? What older boardgames did you like before? Like, I can say if you like the mechanics of TTR and the leveling-up feel of Catan, you should get Splendor... but if you're hungry for just more Catan, with deeper and more elaborate gameplay I'd say jump to Cities and Knights of Catan, the expantion that makes the game level up higher. Do you love the tile laying of Carcassonne, but want something where you feel like you have more control? Get Kingdomino. If you love tile laying but want less control and more mayhem, and love the exasperated agony of watching your hard work collapse? Including real-time rushing? Like, ever tried playing Jenga with a chess-clock? If that sounds fun, get Galaxy Truckers. Want to explore the social side? Have a large group? Resistance Avalon. The game is pure social deduction - figure out who among you are traitors before they take control of the game. If your group is in for black comedy, there's a Weimar Republic themed game that's similar called Secret Hitler. Ever tried a co-op game? Want something thematic to our modern pain? Pandemic - you and a bunch of specialists run around the world treating cities and hunting for cures.
- 1123581321 6y ago
  Two quick games that qualify, that are liked by people who like the games you have: Azul: (lovely) tile laying reminiscent of stained glass. Games take 30-45 minutes and explaining the game takes just a few of those. Kingdomino: tile laying around a castle to connect different types of lands for points. Has an effective mechanic to trade off getting better tiles against future opportunity. Children play this game easily but adults also like it.
  - CGamesPlay 6y ago
    Note that Azul is a masonry game but the sequel, Azul: Stained Glass Sintra, is about stained glass. Both are excellent, but I personally find the sequel just overall a better experience.
    - 1123581321 6y ago
      Thank you! My mistake.
    - sdenton4 6y ago
      Also, in the 'abstract games about stained glass' category, Sagrada is a 100x better than Azul 2: The Glassening. It's a fantastic little puzzle game that's a bit different every playthrough. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/199561/sagrada https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/199561/sagrada
      - irrational 6y ago
        I’ve only played the original Azul and Sagrada, but Sagrada didn’t really do it for us (while we love Azul). What are you seeing in Sagrada that we are not?
        genocidicbunny 6y ago
        I find that Sagrada is a better game when you've got players of mixed ages and skill levels playing -- it tends to be much more of a level field because the strategy doesn't matter quite so much between rounds unlike Azul. The scoring system in Sagrada is also a little more straightforward in that its pretty obvious how to maximize your points. The game is also generally less adversarial than Azul, which is good if you're trying to do a couple rounds after a family dinner or something. It ends up being a little more of a game you can share a drink or a dessert over -- whereas Azul quickly turns competitive. Basically, Sagrada's the game I bring to family gatherings, Azul's the game I bring to board game nights for a warmup/cooloff game.
- graeme 6y ago
  Root
- CGamesPlay 6y ago
  I think personally I wouldn't say having a "witch" as a character in a game would make it occult related, but assuming that you do find it that way, then here are some games I've enjoyed that I don't think even remotely touch on the occult. - Photosynthesis, a competitive puzzle game where you are a species of tree. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/218603/photosynthesis https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/218603/photosynthesis - Flash Point, a cooperative game where you are a team of fire fighters. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/100901/flash-point-fire-rescue https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/100901/flash-point-fire-... - Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra, a game where you make stained glass windows. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256226/azul-stained-glass-sintra https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256226/azul-stained-glas...
- DavidPeiffer 6y ago
  Hanabi is a good cooperative puzzle game based around a fireworks factory. If you like games with an economic component, the Power Grid franchise is fun to play. Each map has a special twist on the rules, such as not being able to buy uranium on the North Korean market, and you can only buy from the North or South market each turn (not both).
- tialaramex 6y ago
  Sure. But other than "no occult" you didn't give much indication what you want. So, how about a push-your-luck game: Can't Stop. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/41/cant-stop https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/41/cant-stop Too pure a "game" and you'd prefer a bit more theme? Maybe a chance to see how history might have been different if you'd been in charge during the Cold War?: Twilight Struggle. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/51380/game-twilight-struggle https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/51380/game-twiligh... Better to stay away from politics as well as the occult? Is it OK to make wine (you are not obliged to drink the wine)?: Viticulture https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/128621/viticulture https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/128621/viticulture If it's OK to make wine, how about whisky?: Clans of Caledonia https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/216132/clans-caledonia https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/216132/clans-caledonia If it's not OK to make wine (or whisky) how about electricity?: Power Grid https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2651/power-grid https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2651/power-grid
- eru 6y ago
  Are we playing the same board games? There's only a small minority that has an occult flavour. Have a look at eg the full list of games on boardgamegeek https://boardgamegeek.com/browse/boardgame?sort=rank https://boardgamegeek.com/browse/boardgame?sort=rank (sorted by rating).
- hanniabu 6y ago
  Splendor: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/148228/splendor https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/148228/splendor FYI I was kind of surprised when I saw that game only received a 7.5, but then I checked Catan for reference an that only received a 7.2 rating so make of that what you will.
- ponker 6y ago
  Yeah, one moment the kids are playing Dominion and the next they’re summoning Beetlejuice instead of attending Mass.
- Zanni 6y ago
  Pandemic [0] is a fantastic co-op game with a relevant-to-the-times theme. If you like the base game, then consider Pandemic Legacy [1], which is probably the best board game I've ever played. And if you just want some chaotic fun, Magic Maze [2] is a real-time, co-op game where the division of labor is split along actions (move up/down, move left/right) rather than across players. There's a very short time-limit, so games are quick but stressful, if you take them seriously, or hilarious, if you don't. [0] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30549/pandemic https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30549/pandemic [1] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/161936/pandemic-legacy-season-1 https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/161936/pandemic-legacy-s... [2] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/209778/magic-maze https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/209778/magic-maze
  - mcv 6y ago
    Magic Maze is brilliant, but not suitable for people who are stressed or burned out.
- noahtallen 6y ago
  Agricola
- Gustomaximus 6y ago
  Generally: Mechs and Minions, Zombicide Agricola and Pandemic For family fun 'Bang' Munchkin' is the go to game when we have annual holiday with some uni friends. Great speed of game, the betrayal element is great for that crowd plus kids 10+ enjoy and get in on the adult banter.
- mcv 6y ago
  Occult is just one of many, many popular themes in board games. Others are: * trains (Trans America, Ticket to Ride, Empire Builder, 1830) * animals (Wingspan has been mentioned), * building (Catan, Pillars of the Earth, Argicola), * trading (Le Havre, Cuba) (note: trading as a theme, not necessarily a game mechanic) * evolution (Primordial Soup, Evolution) * space combat (Core Worlds, X-Wing) * history (Through the Ages, Civilization) (I've tried to order the games roughly from easy to complex) It's certainly true that fantasy, horror, and occult are also popular themes. Perhaps more so in Anglo-Saxon-style games than in Eurogames, which can be about extremely mundane things, like maintaining a garden or sewing a patchwork. A couple of other interesting non-fantasy games: El Dorado (finding your way through the wilderness) Power Grid (generating power and supplying it to cities) Terraforming Mars (theme is obvious) Twilight Struggle (the Cold War) Check on BoardgameGeek[0]. Also pay attention to complexity, time and age requirements. Some games are very big, complex and time-consuming, others are quick and easy. Catan, Ticket to Ride and Carcassonne are all classics that fall somewhere in the middle. [0] https://boardgamegeek.com/browse/boardgame https://boardgamegeek.com/browse/boardgame
- irrational 6y ago
  Some we like are Azul, Castles of Mad King Ludwig, Kingdomino, Splendor, Castles of Burgundy, Pandemic: Iberia, Lanterns, Isle of Skye, Concordia, Kingdom Builder, and Potion Explosion.
- Derpdiherp 6y ago
  Given the ones you suggest in your post, I'd say: Agricola Race for the Galaxy Tiny Epic Galaxies Splendor Would all be good for the same kind of player counts as them, without any occult theming.
- amwelles 6y ago
  I’m a fan of Citadels. If you can, get the version with the original artwork. The new artwork just isn’t the same.
- trentellingsen 6y ago
  There's been some amazing games to come out recently. Here's a few I'd suggest based on the ones you like. - Quacks of Quedlinberg: https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/M7r9tO1GbX/the-quacks-of-quedlinburg https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/M7r9tO1GbX/the-qu... - Wingspan: https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/5H5JS0KLzK/wingspan https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/5H5JS0KLzK/wingsp... - Tiny Towns: https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/iEEoo9hTRo/tiny-towns https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/iEEoo9hTRo/tiny-t... - Welcome To: https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/I77I9HybTm/welcome-to https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/I77I9HybTm/welcom... Each of them are widely popular recent games that have a similar amount of rules to the ones you own and still offer some good strategy and fun for nearly everyone I've played with.
- benji-york 6y ago
  Most of the more "euro" games would fit the bill. Two of my favorites that are on the lighter side of complexity are Ulm and Imhotep. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/191862/imhotep https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/191862/imhotep https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/191876/ulm https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/191876/ulm
scj 6y ago
With the exception of board games that are related to existing games I already like, I treat Kickstarter as a negative signal for the first year. Similar to a video game licensed movie, or a movie licensed video game; even if the title has elements I enjoy, I've been burned enough. Playing it is the only way I'll know I love it. I can't even trust data collection on BGG, because typically the first wave of Kickstarter ratings are by people who have boarded the hype train. Followed by a re-alignment when people who are playing friends' copies step in. Component quality bias, as well as cost bias are related (and typically compounded by Kickstarter) phenomena.
- aaanotherhnfolk 6y ago
  I stopped kickstarting games too because I've had like a 10% hit rate. One clear signal to me now is if they offer additional game mechanics as a stretch goal. It's hard enough balancing the base game and making it compelling. If a designer thinks they can do this not once but twice, and in a modular way no less, I question their design sensibilities in the first place. It's possible that this is a flaw of kickstarting board games in general. The platform incentivizes stretch goals and they don't map well onto most board games.
  - xmprt 6y ago
    As someone who isn't a huge board game nerd, would additional cosmetics or characters be reasonable stretch goals? Characters might be harder to balance but if you have extra money, you might be able to invest more into it. This is an approach similar to what a video game might do.
    - NortySpock 6y ago
      Even characters are a question mark in my opinion. Easier to balance than adding a game mechanic, but if you don't choose powers carefully, the synergies with other characters can be overwhelming or underwhelming. Cosmetics would be where I would put the stretch goals at (like upgrading the coins to metal coins (remembering to adjust the shipping cost accordingly), upgrading the player tokens, etc), or very expensive t-shirts (as those print runs can also get complicated fast), or stickers or other "simple" swag. Disclaimer: Have not run or funded a board game Kickstarter, only heard a podcast about one (https://www.idlethumbs.net/3ma/episodes/threes-a-crowdsourcing https://www.idlethumbs.net/3ma/episodes/threes-a-crowdsourci...)
armagon 6y ago
Its strange to me that the article says that board games are booming during the pandemic. I haven't been able to have a regular board game night in months :-( I tried online but didn't love it (I suppose I should try it some more); I wish I could see how to do it in person and maintain physical distance, but it looks doubtful.
- dragonwriter 6y ago
  > Its strange to me that the article says that board games are booming during the pandemic. Households of more than 1 member are probably looking for more things to do at home together.
  - VintageCool 6y ago
    Playing board games during the pandemic has finally allowed me to meet my roommates after like a year of living here. It's an introverted place.
- CerealFounder 6y ago
  Hijack. Has ANYONE found a way to play multiplayer Catan online? All the sites dont work it seems.
  - SOLAR_FIELDS 6y ago
    Tabletop Simulator is usually the go-to for basically any online board game.
    - tialaramex 6y ago
      TTS is a real last resort. It's the "Let's try hitting it with a hammer and see if that fixes it" of ways to play board games. I have an ongoing Gloomhaven campaign inside TTS. 50% of every session is people wailing and yelling as stupid things are simulated that we don't care about. Oh you dropped that piece on the edge of a piece of cardboard so it fell over. Oh you put this token at the wrong angle so it doesn't count. Ugh. When the same group of people play anything else we play it either in dedicated software or in https://boardgamearena.com/ https://boardgamearena.com/ Unfortunately BGA doesn't have Catan though its management have said they would cheerfully pay to offer Catan.
cletus 6y ago
So I went through a phase of backing a lot of board game Kickstarters, which probably started with Scythe, a game I missed out on (and bought off the BGG marketplace, at a premium). But I think Scythe is an outlier here. I've gotten a number of mediocre games but some good ones (eg 7th Continent, Gloomhaven). In some cases what I bought ended up being cheaper at retail. I have gotten some reprints though, which are of course more of a known quantity. I will say though that one nice thing to come out of all of this is "premium pieces". That's why I bought the Scythe Collector's edition. The game remains the same for those unwilling or unable to pay the premium but for people like myself with the ability and inclination to do so, it makes the gaming experience just a little nicer. But I rarely back Kickstarters now. I'm glad it exists as a means of bootstrapping games.
BurritoAlPastor 6y ago
Board games are uniquely well-adapted to the crowdfunding format because the game design can be 100% complete and playtested before any art or manufacturing has even started. (Of course, you need some art to sell the Kickstarter.) The upfront capital for developing a board game is about $40 at the art store. In the extreme case, some campaigns link to a print-and-play version of the game so you can “try before you buy”. Try to do that with a video game!
- Garlef 6y ago
  There actually are similar things for video games: Steam Greenlight / Early Access for example. Also: Even a long time ago, both Quake and Quake 3 Arena had free versions out in the open before their relase.
  - Xelbair 6y ago
    The thing is that Early Access has a very(rightfully so) bad reputation - because board game design needs to be finished prior to campaign, whereas you can drop empty game in early access, promise quite a lot.. and then abandon the project.
    - detaro 6y ago
      And you somehow can't run a crowdfunding campaign for a game that isn't actually worked out and playtested? It's the same thing: look at what's already there, pay if you think that's good.
      - moksly 6y ago
        You likely can’t run a successful campaign for a non finished/play tested board game, no. There is too much competition for backers to take the risk. It doesn’t stop people from trying, but there is a reason so many project never get funded.
      - irrational 6y ago
        I’ve backed a lot of board games. I would never back one that has not been throughly play tested, has the rule book basically finished (at least the text if not the images and graphic design), has a play through video, and ideally has some reviews of prototype versions from trusted reviewers.
cycomanic 6y ago
Board games are an interesting thing because it's one of those global trends that did not originate in the US. Instead it game from Germany but with quite a bit of delay. The German version of settlers came out around 1995 IIRC and sparked a big revival of board games (and strategic board games in particular in Germany. Then some time around 2008 or so I had friends in NZ and OZ who used to not play board games tell me about this cool game the wanted to play. I was quite surprised that it was settlers which I had not played since moving overseas in 2004. So yeah the whole revival originated in Germany, but took about 10 years to suddenly go global.
- hyperman1 6y ago
  We were playing settlers already around 2000 in The Netherlands, Belgium and France, all neighbouring countries from Germany.
- asdf21 6y ago
  Got popular in 2005 - 2006 in California
  - zeroonetwothree 6y ago
    That sounds exactly right based on my recollection.
- User23 6y ago
  To be clear, board games have been extremely popular in Germany for a very long time. They just got even MORE popular. I'm not sure there was a house in post-war West Germany that didn't have at least a "games collection", something more or less like this: https://www.amazon.de/Ravensburger-01315-9-Familienspiele/dp/B00007B8OR https://www.amazon.de/Ravensburger-01315-9-Familienspiele/dp...
- iso1631 6y ago
  German boardgames became popular in the late 90s in the UK (although even before then several spiel de jarhes games were in mainstream shops like Toys R Us -- Hare and Tortoise and Scotland Yard come to mind) Earlier in the 90s the games that were mainly for sale were games like Britania, History of the World, etc. Axis and Allies was always around too. The German games brought in shorter games though, which didn't take an entire afternoon to play.

133 points by slackpad 6y ago

I'd really like to get into more board games, but so many of them have an occult flavor to them. Suggestions? I have Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Carcassonne.

ducttapecrown 6y ago
Dominion
- Analemma_ 6y ago
  I'm not sure Dominion is a great choice if the OP is trying to avoid anything occult-related. Isn't the Witch a card in the base set? OP, I would just go on BoardGameGeek and browse through the top-rated games. Just looking at a game's page should be enough to tell you if the content is acceptable.
  - eru 6y ago
    Yes, that's why I linked to the list https://boardgamegeek.com/browse/boardgame?sort=rank https://boardgamegeek.com/browse/boardgame?sort=rank directly. Though honestly, as a newbie, you should probably look through one of the curated game lists: the bare rating that a game has seldom lines up with what a beginner might be looking for. For a start, it's mostly heavier games that have very high ratings.
    - tialaramex 6y ago
      And like many ratings sites BGG ends up weighted to novelty. Is this really the best movie / novel / video game / comic book / burger ? No, probably not, but it's the popular new one right now among people who watched a lot of movies, read a lot of novels, played a lot of video games, read a lot of comic books or ate a lot of burgers as appropriate. Unlike built-in ratings (e.g. Uber, eBay) these ratings do at least provide some value at the low end. There are a fair few games on BGG with 5.0 or lower ratings and you probably just don't want those games, sight unseen.
      - eru 6y ago
        BGG makes an attempt to correct for novelty: for their ranking their add a few hundred synthetic votes that give your game an average score.
Quenty 6y ago
Try Coup!
jbonniwell 6y ago
Dominion, Pandemic, Istanbul
- stephenr 6y ago
  Not Constantinople?
chokolad 6y ago
Puerto Rico, Agricola
cprayingmantis 6y ago
Wingspan is really fun and is 100% based on birds. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/266192/wingspan https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/266192/wingspan
milkshakes 6y ago
Modern Art https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/118/modern-art https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/118/modern-art
- Talanes 6y ago
  I was ready to chide you for sending this person on a fruitless quest for a copy of Modern Art, only to find out they have been reprinting the proper version again since at least last year! I fell in love with it playing a friend of a friend's copy, but for years the only version in print had the auction elements removed.
mysterydip 6y ago
Sagrada is one I've personally played and recommend. I've heard a lot of people recommend Sushi Go but I haven't given it a play myself. Check out BoardGameGeek if you haven't yet, there's every theme and mechanic out there you can think of, and you can see games related to ones you already like, highest rated games, curated lists, etc.
MereInterest 6y ago
Battlestar Galactica is a really good board game. It is a cooperative game with a traitor mechanic.
- NortySpock 6y ago
  You're getting some downvotes for this recommendation it looks like. My personal observations about BSG: As a traitor-mechanic game it suffers severely if the traitor doesn't know how to play well or if someone gets bored and isn't paying attention. Again in particular with coop-with-traitor-mechanic games, it is very vulnerable to loud alpha-gamer quarterbacking ("Hey! Everyone needs to support this plan because it's clearly The Best Plan, and if you don't you're clearly the traitor because you're playing sub-optimally.") It takes a long time, 2 hours minimum and I've been subjected to 4 hour games. Put simply, it is generally not fun for a rookie gamer. Recommendation:If this game of cooperative play with traitor mechanic sounds interesting to you, I recommend the game "The Resistance: Avalon", which has similar mechanics but plays in 20 minutes optimally and 50 minutes for a slow game. Compare with 120 minutes to 240 minutes in my experience for BSG. Disclaimer:I've played BSG twice (same group), I've hated it twice, and I refuse to play it anymore. I do not consider myself a rookie, and I personally prefer shorter (120 minutes or less), simpler games.
  - eru 6y ago
    'Secret Hitler' is another interesting variation on Avalon. I played both a lot, and like 'Secret Hitler' because they pared down the number of game mechanics a lot, and still left a meatier game.
  - tialaramex 6y ago
    I've played New Angeles which is the replacement for Battlestar Galactica using the Android setting instead of a licensed setting. I hate traitor mechanics, and I'm not a big fan of the Android setting (Android itself I find not much fun) - but I found the mechanism in New Angeles acceptable. One player did indeed screw everybody else over, and it wasn't the most fun I've had in that amount of time, but I'd do it again some weekend I think. The popular game I refuse to play is "Firefly: The Game". The friend who owns it says "Well it's flawed but it really captures the TV show". I hadn't enjoyed our first game of Firefly and hadn't seen the TV show, though I had seen the movie, so I watched the TV show. The next time I explained to him that he'd been correct. It exactly captures the TV show, in that the TV show's writer clearly doesn't understand that he's writing a story about the bad guys. Stories about bad guys can be fun. There don't even need to be good guys, there arguably aren't any good guys in "The Wire" for example - but the writer does need to be aware they're telling a story about bad guys. Firefly thinks these people are heroes. And so does the terrible board game.
thaumasiotes 6y ago
> I'd really like to get into more board games, but so many of them have an occult flavor to them. How did you come to this conclusion? It's... completely disconnected from reality. If I go to boardgamegeek.com and look at the "the hotness" sidebar, there are 15 games (of which two, Gloomhaven and Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion, would appear to be closely related). In descending order of "occult flavor": 1. Arkham Horror: The Card Game 2. Spirit Island (in which you play as pagan deities trying to repel the forces of civilization) 3. Gloomhaven (perfectly ordinary dungeon crawler, as far as I see) 4. Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion 5. Lost Ruins of Arnak (makes some reference to "fearsome guardians" associated with the remnants of a lost civilization) At this point, there is zero "occult flavor" associated with any of the 10 remaining games. So, in the order listed on the site: 6. Pendulum - "Players command their workers, execute stratagems, and expand the provinces in their domain in real time to gain resources and move up the four victory tracks: power, prestige, popularity, and legendary achievement." 7. Dead Reckoning - "is a game of exploration, piracy, and influence based in a Caribbean-esque setting. Each player commands a ship and crew and seeks to amass the greatest fortune." 8. Imperial Struggle - "is a two-player game depicting the 18th-century rivalry between France and Britain. It begins in 1697, as the two realms wait warily for the King of Spain to name an heir, and ends in 1789, when a new order brought down the Bastille." 9. Terraforming Mars - "Giant corporations, sponsored by the World Government on Earth, initiate huge projects to raise the temperature, the oxygen level, and the ocean coverage until the environment is habitable. In Terraforming Mars, you play one of those corporations and work together in the terraforming process, but compete for getting victory points that are awarded not only for your contribution to the terraforming, but also for advancing human infrastructure throughout the solar system, and doing other commendable things." 10. Godzilla: Tokyo Clash - "you play as the Earth's most fearsome Kaiju — Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah, and Megalon — battling for dominance as the most terrifying monster in Japan." 11. Wingspan - "You are bird enthusiasts—researchers, bird watchers, ornithologists, and collectors—seeking to discover and attract the best birds to your network of wildlife preserves." 12. Maracaibo - "is set in the Caribbean during the 17th century. The players try to increase their influence in three nations in four rounds with a play time of 40 minutes per player." 13. Brass: Birmingham - "tells the story of competing entrepreneurs in Birmingham during the industrial revolution, between the years of 1770-1870. As in its predecessor, you must develop, build, and establish your industries and network, in an effort to exploit low or high market demands." 14. Everdell - "the time has come for new territories to be settled and new cities established. You will be the leader of a group of critters [forest wildlife] intent on just such a task. There are buildings to construct, lively characters to meet, events to host—you have a busy year ahead of yourself. Will the sun shine brightest on your city before the winter moon rises?" 15. Root - "The nefarious Marquise de Cat has seized the great woodland, intent on harvesting its riches. Under her rule, the many creatures of the forest have banded together. This Alliance will seek to strengthen its resources and subvert the rule of Cats."
rubyfox 6y ago
Azul / Brass / Flamme Rouge / Barenpark!
Pxtl 6y ago
That's honestly not enough info to go on. What do you mean by "occult" - as in, like, literally they seem to tie into subjects you have a religious objection to? Or just that they seem like they're designed by and for spooky people who hide in basements? Who are you playing with? Kids? Adults? Do you have a regular group? How large is the group? How often are you looking to play, and how long into the night? What do you like about Catan, TTR, and Carcassonne? What older boardgames did you like before? Like, I can say if you like the mechanics of TTR and the leveling-up feel of Catan, you should get Splendor... but if you're hungry for just more Catan, with deeper and more elaborate gameplay I'd say jump to Cities and Knights of Catan, the expantion that makes the game level up higher. Do you love the tile laying of Carcassonne, but want something where you feel like you have more control? Get Kingdomino. If you love tile laying but want less control and more mayhem, and love the exasperated agony of watching your hard work collapse? Including real-time rushing? Like, ever tried playing Jenga with a chess-clock? If that sounds fun, get Galaxy Truckers. Want to explore the social side? Have a large group? Resistance Avalon. The game is pure social deduction - figure out who among you are traitors before they take control of the game. If your group is in for black comedy, there's a Weimar Republic themed game that's similar called Secret Hitler. Ever tried a co-op game? Want something thematic to our modern pain? Pandemic - you and a bunch of specialists run around the world treating cities and hunting for cures.
1123581321 6y ago
Two quick games that qualify, that are liked by people who like the games you have: Azul: (lovely) tile laying reminiscent of stained glass. Games take 30-45 minutes and explaining the game takes just a few of those. Kingdomino: tile laying around a castle to connect different types of lands for points. Has an effective mechanic to trade off getting better tiles against future opportunity. Children play this game easily but adults also like it.
- CGamesPlay 6y ago
  Note that Azul is a masonry game but the sequel, Azul: Stained Glass Sintra, is about stained glass. Both are excellent, but I personally find the sequel just overall a better experience.
  - 1123581321 6y ago
    Thank you! My mistake.
  - sdenton4 6y ago
    Also, in the 'abstract games about stained glass' category, Sagrada is a 100x better than Azul 2: The Glassening. It's a fantastic little puzzle game that's a bit different every playthrough. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/199561/sagrada https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/199561/sagrada
    - irrational 6y ago
      I’ve only played the original Azul and Sagrada, but Sagrada didn’t really do it for us (while we love Azul). What are you seeing in Sagrada that we are not?
      - genocidicbunny 6y ago
        I find that Sagrada is a better game when you've got players of mixed ages and skill levels playing -- it tends to be much more of a level field because the strategy doesn't matter quite so much between rounds unlike Azul. The scoring system in Sagrada is also a little more straightforward in that its pretty obvious how to maximize your points. The game is also generally less adversarial than Azul, which is good if you're trying to do a couple rounds after a family dinner or something. It ends up being a little more of a game you can share a drink or a dessert over -- whereas Azul quickly turns competitive. Basically, Sagrada's the game I bring to family gatherings, Azul's the game I bring to board game nights for a warmup/cooloff game.
graeme 6y ago
Root
CGamesPlay 6y ago
I think personally I wouldn't say having a "witch" as a character in a game would make it occult related, but assuming that you do find it that way, then here are some games I've enjoyed that I don't think even remotely touch on the occult. - Photosynthesis, a competitive puzzle game where you are a species of tree. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/218603/photosynthesis https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/218603/photosynthesis - Flash Point, a cooperative game where you are a team of fire fighters. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/100901/flash-point-fire-rescue https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/100901/flash-point-fire-... - Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra, a game where you make stained glass windows. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256226/azul-stained-glass-sintra https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256226/azul-stained-glas...
DavidPeiffer 6y ago
Hanabi is a good cooperative puzzle game based around a fireworks factory. If you like games with an economic component, the Power Grid franchise is fun to play. Each map has a special twist on the rules, such as not being able to buy uranium on the North Korean market, and you can only buy from the North or South market each turn (not both).
tialaramex 6y ago
Sure. But other than "no occult" you didn't give much indication what you want. So, how about a push-your-luck game: Can't Stop. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/41/cant-stop https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/41/cant-stop Too pure a "game" and you'd prefer a bit more theme? Maybe a chance to see how history might have been different if you'd been in charge during the Cold War?: Twilight Struggle. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/51380/game-twilight-struggle https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/51380/game-twiligh... Better to stay away from politics as well as the occult? Is it OK to make wine (you are not obliged to drink the wine)?: Viticulture https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/128621/viticulture https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/128621/viticulture If it's OK to make wine, how about whisky?: Clans of Caledonia https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/216132/clans-caledonia https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/216132/clans-caledonia If it's not OK to make wine (or whisky) how about electricity?: Power Grid https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2651/power-grid https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2651/power-grid
eru 6y ago
Are we playing the same board games? There's only a small minority that has an occult flavour. Have a look at eg the full list of games on boardgamegeek https://boardgamegeek.com/browse/boardgame?sort=rank https://boardgamegeek.com/browse/boardgame?sort=rank (sorted by rating).
hanniabu 6y ago
Splendor: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/148228/splendor https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/148228/splendor FYI I was kind of surprised when I saw that game only received a 7.5, but then I checked Catan for reference an that only received a 7.2 rating so make of that what you will.
ponker 6y ago
Yeah, one moment the kids are playing Dominion and the next they’re summoning Beetlejuice instead of attending Mass.
Zanni 6y ago
Pandemic [0] is a fantastic co-op game with a relevant-to-the-times theme. If you like the base game, then consider Pandemic Legacy [1], which is probably the best board game I've ever played. And if you just want some chaotic fun, Magic Maze [2] is a real-time, co-op game where the division of labor is split along actions (move up/down, move left/right) rather than across players. There's a very short time-limit, so games are quick but stressful, if you take them seriously, or hilarious, if you don't. [0] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30549/pandemic https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30549/pandemic [1] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/161936/pandemic-legacy-season-1 https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/161936/pandemic-legacy-s... [2] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/209778/magic-maze https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/209778/magic-maze
- mcv 6y ago
  Magic Maze is brilliant, but not suitable for people who are stressed or burned out.
noahtallen 6y ago
Agricola
Gustomaximus 6y ago
Generally: Mechs and Minions, Zombicide Agricola and Pandemic For family fun 'Bang' Munchkin' is the go to game when we have annual holiday with some uni friends. Great speed of game, the betrayal element is great for that crowd plus kids 10+ enjoy and get in on the adult banter.
mcv 6y ago
Occult is just one of many, many popular themes in board games. Others are: * trains (Trans America, Ticket to Ride, Empire Builder, 1830) * animals (Wingspan has been mentioned), * building (Catan, Pillars of the Earth, Argicola), * trading (Le Havre, Cuba) (note: trading as a theme, not necessarily a game mechanic) * evolution (Primordial Soup, Evolution) * space combat (Core Worlds, X-Wing) * history (Through the Ages, Civilization) (I've tried to order the games roughly from easy to complex) It's certainly true that fantasy, horror, and occult are also popular themes. Perhaps more so in Anglo-Saxon-style games than in Eurogames, which can be about extremely mundane things, like maintaining a garden or sewing a patchwork. A couple of other interesting non-fantasy games: El Dorado (finding your way through the wilderness) Power Grid (generating power and supplying it to cities) Terraforming Mars (theme is obvious) Twilight Struggle (the Cold War) Check on BoardgameGeek[0]. Also pay attention to complexity, time and age requirements. Some games are very big, complex and time-consuming, others are quick and easy. Catan, Ticket to Ride and Carcassonne are all classics that fall somewhere in the middle. [0] https://boardgamegeek.com/browse/boardgame https://boardgamegeek.com/browse/boardgame
irrational 6y ago
Some we like are Azul, Castles of Mad King Ludwig, Kingdomino, Splendor, Castles of Burgundy, Pandemic: Iberia, Lanterns, Isle of Skye, Concordia, Kingdom Builder, and Potion Explosion.
Derpdiherp 6y ago
Given the ones you suggest in your post, I'd say: Agricola Race for the Galaxy Tiny Epic Galaxies Splendor Would all be good for the same kind of player counts as them, without any occult theming.
amwelles 6y ago
I’m a fan of Citadels. If you can, get the version with the original artwork. The new artwork just isn’t the same.
trentellingsen 6y ago
There's been some amazing games to come out recently. Here's a few I'd suggest based on the ones you like. - Quacks of Quedlinberg: https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/M7r9tO1GbX/the-quacks-of-quedlinburg https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/M7r9tO1GbX/the-qu... - Wingspan: https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/5H5JS0KLzK/wingspan https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/5H5JS0KLzK/wingsp... - Tiny Towns: https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/iEEoo9hTRo/tiny-towns https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/iEEoo9hTRo/tiny-t... - Welcome To: https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/I77I9HybTm/welcome-to https://www.boardgameatlas.com/search/game/I77I9HybTm/welcom... Each of them are widely popular recent games that have a similar amount of rules to the ones you own and still offer some good strategy and fun for nearly everyone I've played with.
benji-york 6y ago
Most of the more "euro" games would fit the bill. Two of my favorites that are on the lighter side of complexity are Ulm and Imhotep. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/191862/imhotep https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/191862/imhotep https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/191876/ulm https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/191876/ulm

scj 6y ago

With the exception of board games that are related to existing games I already like, I treat Kickstarter as a negative signal for the first year. Similar to a video game licensed movie, or a movie licensed video game; even if the title has elements I enjoy, I've been burned enough. Playing it is the only way I'll know I love it. I can't even trust data collection on BGG, because typically the first wave of Kickstarter ratings are by people who have boarded the hype train. Followed by a re-alignment when people who are playing friends' copies step in. Component quality bias, as well as cost bias are related (and typically compounded by Kickstarter) phenomena.

aaanotherhnfolk 6y ago
I stopped kickstarting games too because I've had like a 10% hit rate. One clear signal to me now is if they offer additional game mechanics as a stretch goal. It's hard enough balancing the base game and making it compelling. If a designer thinks they can do this not once but twice, and in a modular way no less, I question their design sensibilities in the first place. It's possible that this is a flaw of kickstarting board games in general. The platform incentivizes stretch goals and they don't map well onto most board games.
- xmprt 6y ago
  As someone who isn't a huge board game nerd, would additional cosmetics or characters be reasonable stretch goals? Characters might be harder to balance but if you have extra money, you might be able to invest more into it. This is an approach similar to what a video game might do.
  - NortySpock 6y ago
    Even characters are a question mark in my opinion. Easier to balance than adding a game mechanic, but if you don't choose powers carefully, the synergies with other characters can be overwhelming or underwhelming. Cosmetics would be where I would put the stretch goals at (like upgrading the coins to metal coins (remembering to adjust the shipping cost accordingly), upgrading the player tokens, etc), or very expensive t-shirts (as those print runs can also get complicated fast), or stickers or other "simple" swag. Disclaimer: Have not run or funded a board game Kickstarter, only heard a podcast about one (https://www.idlethumbs.net/3ma/episodes/threes-a-crowdsourcing https://www.idlethumbs.net/3ma/episodes/threes-a-crowdsourci...)

armagon 6y ago

Its strange to me that the article says that board games are booming during the pandemic. I haven't been able to have a regular board game night in months :-( I tried online but didn't love it (I suppose I should try it some more); I wish I could see how to do it in person and maintain physical distance, but it looks doubtful.

dragonwriter 6y ago
> Its strange to me that the article says that board games are booming during the pandemic. Households of more than 1 member are probably looking for more things to do at home together.
- VintageCool 6y ago
  Playing board games during the pandemic has finally allowed me to meet my roommates after like a year of living here. It's an introverted place.
CerealFounder 6y ago
Hijack. Has ANYONE found a way to play multiplayer Catan online? All the sites dont work it seems.
- SOLAR_FIELDS 6y ago
  Tabletop Simulator is usually the go-to for basically any online board game.
  - tialaramex 6y ago
    TTS is a real last resort. It's the "Let's try hitting it with a hammer and see if that fixes it" of ways to play board games. I have an ongoing Gloomhaven campaign inside TTS. 50% of every session is people wailing and yelling as stupid things are simulated that we don't care about. Oh you dropped that piece on the edge of a piece of cardboard so it fell over. Oh you put this token at the wrong angle so it doesn't count. Ugh. When the same group of people play anything else we play it either in dedicated software or in https://boardgamearena.com/ https://boardgamearena.com/ Unfortunately BGA doesn't have Catan though its management have said they would cheerfully pay to offer Catan.

cletus 6y ago

So I went through a phase of backing a lot of board game Kickstarters, which probably started with Scythe, a game I missed out on (and bought off the BGG marketplace, at a premium). But I think Scythe is an outlier here. I've gotten a number of mediocre games but some good ones (eg 7th Continent, Gloomhaven). In some cases what I bought ended up being cheaper at retail. I have gotten some reprints though, which are of course more of a known quantity. I will say though that one nice thing to come out of all of this is "premium pieces". That's why I bought the Scythe Collector's edition. The game remains the same for those unwilling or unable to pay the premium but for people like myself with the ability and inclination to do so, it makes the gaming experience just a little nicer. But I rarely back Kickstarters now. I'm glad it exists as a means of bootstrapping games.

BurritoAlPastor 6y ago

Board games are uniquely well-adapted to the crowdfunding format because the game design can be 100% complete and playtested before any art or manufacturing has even started. (Of course, you need some art to sell the Kickstarter.) The upfront capital for developing a board game is about $40 at the art store. In the extreme case, some campaigns link to a print-and-play version of the game so you can “try before you buy”. Try to do that with a video game!

Garlef 6y ago
There actually are similar things for video games: Steam Greenlight / Early Access for example. Also: Even a long time ago, both Quake and Quake 3 Arena had free versions out in the open before their relase.
- Xelbair 6y ago
  The thing is that Early Access has a very(rightfully so) bad reputation - because board game design needs to be finished prior to campaign, whereas you can drop empty game in early access, promise quite a lot.. and then abandon the project.
  - detaro 6y ago
    And you somehow can't run a crowdfunding campaign for a game that isn't actually worked out and playtested? It's the same thing: look at what's already there, pay if you think that's good.
    - moksly 6y ago
      You likely can’t run a successful campaign for a non finished/play tested board game, no. There is too much competition for backers to take the risk. It doesn’t stop people from trying, but there is a reason so many project never get funded.
    - irrational 6y ago
      I’ve backed a lot of board games. I would never back one that has not been throughly play tested, has the rule book basically finished (at least the text if not the images and graphic design), has a play through video, and ideally has some reviews of prototype versions from trusted reviewers.

cycomanic 6y ago

Board games are an interesting thing because it's one of those global trends that did not originate in the US. Instead it game from Germany but with quite a bit of delay. The German version of settlers came out around 1995 IIRC and sparked a big revival of board games (and strategic board games in particular in Germany. Then some time around 2008 or so I had friends in NZ and OZ who used to not play board games tell me about this cool game the wanted to play. I was quite surprised that it was settlers which I had not played since moving overseas in 2004. So yeah the whole revival originated in Germany, but took about 10 years to suddenly go global.

hyperman1 6y ago
We were playing settlers already around 2000 in The Netherlands, Belgium and France, all neighbouring countries from Germany.
asdf21 6y ago
Got popular in 2005 - 2006 in California
- zeroonetwothree 6y ago
  That sounds exactly right based on my recollection.
User23 6y ago
To be clear, board games have been extremely popular in Germany for a very long time. They just got even MORE popular. I'm not sure there was a house in post-war West Germany that didn't have at least a "games collection", something more or less like this: https://www.amazon.de/Ravensburger-01315-9-Familienspiele/dp/B00007B8OR https://www.amazon.de/Ravensburger-01315-9-Familienspiele/dp...
iso1631 6y ago
German boardgames became popular in the late 90s in the UK (although even before then several spiel de jarhes games were in mainstream shops like Toys R Us -- Hare and Tortoise and Scotland Yard come to mind) Earlier in the 90s the games that were mainly for sale were games like Britania, History of the World, etc. Axis and Allies was always around too. The German games brought in shorter games though, which didn't take an entire afternoon to play.