board game ideas for adults

[millypeggyandpandora]

Has anybody bought any new board games this year? I bought my 24 year old daughter "Pandemic" last year, which she loved. Anything similiar?

---

MNHQ Update
This thread is a little old now, but if you've landed here while searching for board game recommendations, our guide to the best board games has been recently updated. With a wide range of options to suit all ages, all games come tried, tested and recommended by Mumsnet users. We hope it's helpful!

Oh, I'd suggest the original Ticket to ride (with the USA/Canada map) or the European one, rather than the London version. The London version is fine, it's just a bit small so not quite as much fun as the bigger maps!

BelfastSmile, thanks for the suggestion xxx
I am going down the rabbit hole of boardgame reviewing again this morning! I will probably get her the European version then.

If you haven't already, you should check out boardgamegeek.com/

You'll be there for hours but you'll find some great games!

WeepingSomnambulist · Today 10:03
If you haven't already, you should check out boardgamegeek.com/

You'll be there for hours but you'll find some great games!

I just looked up that link Weeping, its so interesting , thanks so much! I love that you can watch videos on how to play the games 🤗

It's a bit old now but Will Wheaton (of Star Trek and Big Bang fame) used to do a YouTube series called Tabletop where he'd play games. DH first got ideas from there

Loved TableTop! Especially when Anne flipped the board

There are great videos on YouTube as well. Anytime we get a new game, we watch it played through on YouTube rather than sit and read the rules. Then we read the rules after and they make a lot more sense.

There was a thread started here a couple years ago by a woman complaining how terrible board games were and how her kid could make a better game etc. She meant the games available on argos and WH Smith's etc. Loads of board game people replied to her OP and she had no idea that there are loads of games publishers producing hundreds of board games and there is a whole sub culture of board game traders and collectors.

I wish more people would look and buy them as a lot are crowdfunded so dont get to mass production as not enough people will buy them. Big publishers can only pick up so many each year. A lot are around the £40/50 mark as well because the components are so well made.

But anyway, there are so many wonderful board games and they can be great for family time! Enjoy searching!!

@WeepingSomnambulist I totally agree! We have Hogwarts Battle (mentioned above) and 2 expansions for it, which totalled about £80 to buy - people think that's expensive, but we've played it at least 80 times, so it's been at most £1 per game (and at higher levels, a game can last for an entire evening).

There are so many great board games; I hate when people say they don't like board games and then you find out they've only ever played Monopoly and Cluedo!

I love Ticket to Ride so much I've taken it aboard on various long train journeys. I've gone back to the original US version with an expansion pack as i realised I beat my kids more often than with the European one...

I like 7 Wonders but the rules were sufficiently complicated that we had to video call our friends for tuition as we just couldn't get to grips with it. It's a good game though.

Have you tried Sushi Go? It's the same basic gameplay as 7 Wonders (pick a card, pass the rest on, collect groups of cards that earn points in different ways), but the rules are a bit simpler.

I was given Railroad Ink recently and would recommend.

Pandemic contagion is also a good game - you play as the virus. So a slight twist on the usual game mode of beating the enemy.

Underground! We love it but we're quite a competitive family

For longer games I’d look up:

Everdell - really gorgeous artwork about a cute animal community but also a genuinely excellent game.

Agricola - one of the all time greats.

Voyages of Marco Polo - in my top 3 (of hundreds!). Uses an interesting dice mechanism and is lots of fun.

Five Tribes - modern mancala style game.

Spirit Island - hugely loved cooperative game.

…but if you want to top up with a smaller filler game I’d strongly recommend:

High Society: an auction game where you bid for cards representing luxuries and try to spend less than everyone else.

So Clover: fantastic fun word game, lots of laughs.

Arboretum: really tight card game with lovely artwork.

Welcome To: a “flip and write” game where you flip cards one by one and use them to design a neighbourhood.

The Crew saw us through the summer holidays. Really clever co-operative game.

Linkee was geat

Still love good old cranium and Pictionary though