- Ticket to Ride USA/Europe (THE first game in a collection) - 7 Wonders (easy and strategic for higher player counts) - Pandemic (a cooperative to your collection) - Codenames (party game) - The Castles of Burgundy (step up in complexity to show the possibilities in the world of BGs)
I think this idea is so individual choice, because for some of my friends I would suggest heavy on trick takers, for others of my friends I would suggest heavy on Amerotrash, for others of my friends I would suggest heavy on euros and for others heavy on party games. I ask a lot of questions before I recommend games. How long is your attention span (short games like Splendor, Quacks, the bloody inn, Carcassonne), do you prefer your brain to be challenged (Glen More, Keyflower, Amerigo) or do you just want to have a light hearted time (dixit, Just one, Love Letter, So Clover), is visual interest a big thing for you (flamecraft, Wingspan, Earth) , are you just hanging around drinking beers and having conversations when you play (Mexican Train, Concept, Apples to Apples) or is it going to be all about the game (Castles of Mad King Ludwig, Planet Unknown )? Are you a former magic player (seasons or Mystic Vale for these) or are you a D&d player (tyrants of the Underdark or Lords of waterdeep)?
Cartographers? Ugh possibly the worst game on the list. As a roll and write it is one of the worst. Three Sisters, much much more fun and so simple and people love the cascading actions.
I totally agree about asking a lot of questions before making personal recommendations. I think for this topic we were looking at the angle of not only recommending games someone is likely to enjoy, but also games that would give them the flexibility to cover the different kinds of situations that they may be playing games with other people. The results are 5 games that cover a breadth of styles and weights rather than focusing on one specific preference. But still a pretty subjective list, sounds like Cartographers is definitely not for you haha, whereas it is probably my favorite X-and-write I've played and one that I've had a lot of success introducing to a variety of people. -Ryan
Just One - party (So Clover isn’t a “party” game, while a good game, it is too cerebral and has way too much downtime for a party) Quacks - bag-builder/push-your-luck - for all the reasons you mentioned Horrified - approachable cooperative with a theme that everyone recognizes; moves quickly too Ticket to Ride/Europe - card collecting/route building/almost a race game Castles of Burgundy - tile placement/dice manipulation; a little more complex without being overbearing Then the next five (6 though ten) can be, in no particular order: Heat - race game with strategy Acquire - financial/stocks/tile placement - damn clever game! Love Letter - look what you can do with 16 cards! Splendor/Cascadia/Azul - they all scratch a similar itch (Insert one of your complex games here to fill the second set) This was “start a collection”; I think you went way too complex - get them hooked here on the first five and then let them build to the complex strategic punishment that the likes of Agricola or Terraforming Mars have to offer. As you mentioned, the presumption is that this is the start of a collection.
I can see So Clover being group-dependent -- in our experience it has played quick and provided tons of laughs which has definitely fit what we consider a party game. I think you have awesome picks here, and you're right that our lists put a little more priority on variety in game weight than staying more in the "gateway game" lane... Which really just led to one heavier game on each list. 🤷♂️ Different angles for sure, though we have definitely encountered a lot of people new to modern board gaming that immediately love some of the heavier offerings, so it really does depend on the person. -Ryan
This is difficult, so I'm going to cheat! 1. So Clover or Just One (Party - I'm with you guys here, gotta be one of these) 2. Pandemic or Horrified (Co-op) 3. Splendor or Azul (Abstract) 4. Heat or Quest of El Dorado (Race Game) 5 Planet Unknown or Viticulture (High player count Heavy game)
Really like this list! Horrified would be my pick if someone isn't big on the theme of Marvel United. I am still waiting to try Planet Unknown, but it is one that I am hoping fills the niche you describe well. There just aren't very many medium-heavy games that support 6 players! -Ryan
Agricola being on this list is wild! The replayability is a good asset for sure, but I think a lot of people might bounce off of it. Terraforming Mars is a bit more interesting, it's certainly not as complicated as I thought at first glance, but the theme might be a bit dull for new players? Definitely agree with Quacks though, that game is a blast. The bag building might be a bit too complex, especially for certain setups, but there's only 5-6 resources to worry about and I think people will get it after a round or two. For my collection I would probably pick Azul or Ready Set Bet; a simple abstract with some devious scoring and decision making and a very fun betting game that anyone can hop in on.
See I prefer Agricola. TM is a great game and I own it, but TM actually takes longer to play for newbies. So many cards to read and the engine builder aspect is hard to grasp for some people. Agricola is more direct, but yes is extremely tight and the feeding people thing is tougher for newbies. Caverna could be an alternate choice or the family edition of Agricola.
Yeah I knew Agricola was my controversial pick and coming from a place of heavy bias haha. Maybe we will revisit this topic in a few years and see how much our lists change. -Ryan
Enjoyed the video, thank you for making it! My list is in no particular order. 1. Marvel United X-Men. 2. Castles of Burgundy 3. Dwellings of Eldervale 4. Heat Petal to the Metal 5. Tiny Towns
A fine list! Heat is one that definitely just missed both of our lists. I know Daniel has just recently played Dwellings of Eldervale and his first impressions have been really positive. -Ryan
Agricola? Do you want to show people what games to hate? How about Diplomacy, since you're already driving them away from the hobby. Then they'll hate you personally, too. 8-) The people who like Agricola tend to love Agricola, but there's a reason it's called Misery Farm. In no particular order, and without spending as much time as you folks have: 1) Space Base - Fast play, everyone is involved throughout, reasonably quick teach, fast game 2) Either Stone Age or Lords of Waterdeep (the latter if the person is a roleplayer) 3) Dominion - Deck building, infinite variability, and an easy teach. (I like Clank! more, but Dominion is very elegant.) 4) Ticket to Ride - Almost everyone with any interest in board gaming likes this game; it's evergreen for a reason. 5) Alhambra - Tile placement, interesting tactics, very comprehensible.
I love Space Base and Ticket to Ride. I wish I remembered them when I made my list! Agricola is a tough game that can be unforgiving. I thought Caverna or Fields of Arle would give the same feels but be less brutal. However, if you give Agricola a chance it has a ton of depth and replay value. But it rewards you for multiple plays.
I think yours is a good list for entry players. These games are all mechanisms boiled down to straight forward except space base (space base issue is even for seasoned players some of the cards actions are difficult to grasp) even though I hate machi koro it is more basic.
@@petergross7235 I have played Agricola several times (and in fact own it). I've never had a fun playing it. For a hard worker placement game with high variability, I think I'd point to The White Castle instead. It's different with each play and the decisions are non-trivial. I wouldn't suggest it for a new gamer, though.
😂 Fair fair I realize it's a bold pick and I am looking through very Agricola-rose-colored glasses. I think you've got some great picks there, though I'd argue they don't cover a lot of breadth in weight and player count. It's a fun exercise but very challenging haha, entertaining to see the discussions it sparks. 🙂 -Ryan
@@RollsInTheFamily I wouldn't suggest a heavy game to any starter collection. A game that is too heavy can be discouraging, especially for a new gamer. Opinions obviously vary. 8-) As to player count, these will cover 2-5 well. I seldom have the chance to play games with a higher player count. When I do have 6 or more players, I find it easier to just play two (or more, of course) different games*. This also allows the players who don't want to play that one really big game to have another option. It's an interesting exercise, though. I think you do want to give people enough variety of play to help them decide what it is that they like. It's easy enough to say, I like (whatever), but I want more depth/variety/difficult choices. It's not as easy to figure out that you like something completely different that you've never had a chance to try. Possible shortcomings of my list are that it doesn't include any co-op games or party games, but that was intentional, as I wouldn't include any of those in any list of games I would regularly suggest. I also didn't include any true filler games, because in a list of only five, I wouldn't suggest (say) 6 Nimmt. * Exception for an event game, where the evening is predetermined to be a single large game of Empires of the Middle Ages, or Dune, or Civilization,... or Diplomacy. 8-) But given only five games, I wouldn't include any of those.
Let us know! 👇What are your top 5 games to start a collection?
- Ticket to Ride USA/Europe (THE first game in a collection)
- 7 Wonders (easy and strategic for higher player counts)
- Pandemic (a cooperative to your collection)
- Codenames (party game)
- The Castles of Burgundy (step up in complexity to show the possibilities in the world of BGs)
I approve of this list! And actually, all 5 are games we had early on in our collection. 👍 -Ryan
I think this idea is so individual choice, because for some of my friends I would suggest heavy on trick takers, for others of my friends I would suggest heavy on Amerotrash, for others of my friends I would suggest heavy on euros and for others heavy on party games. I ask a lot of questions before I recommend games. How long is your attention span (short games like Splendor, Quacks, the bloody inn, Carcassonne), do you prefer your brain to be challenged (Glen More, Keyflower, Amerigo) or do you just want to have a light hearted time (dixit, Just one, Love Letter, So Clover), is visual interest a big thing for you (flamecraft, Wingspan, Earth) , are you just hanging around drinking beers and having conversations when you play (Mexican Train, Concept, Apples to Apples) or is it going to be all about the game (Castles of Mad King Ludwig, Planet Unknown )? Are you a former magic player (seasons or Mystic Vale for these) or are you a D&d player (tyrants of the Underdark or Lords of waterdeep)?
Cartographers? Ugh possibly the worst game on the list. As a roll and write it is one of the worst. Three Sisters, much much more fun and so simple and people love the cascading actions.
I totally agree about asking a lot of questions before making personal recommendations. I think for this topic we were looking at the angle of not only recommending games someone is likely to enjoy, but also games that would give them the flexibility to cover the different kinds of situations that they may be playing games with other people.
The results are 5 games that cover a breadth of styles and weights rather than focusing on one specific preference. But still a pretty subjective list, sounds like Cartographers is definitely not for you haha, whereas it is probably my favorite X-and-write I've played and one that I've had a lot of success introducing to a variety of people.
-Ryan
Just One - party (So Clover isn’t a “party” game, while a good game, it is too cerebral and has way too much downtime for a party)
Quacks - bag-builder/push-your-luck - for all the reasons you mentioned
Horrified - approachable cooperative with a theme that everyone recognizes; moves quickly too
Ticket to Ride/Europe - card collecting/route building/almost a race game
Castles of Burgundy - tile placement/dice manipulation; a little more complex without being overbearing
Then the next five (6 though ten) can be, in no particular order:
Heat - race game with strategy
Acquire - financial/stocks/tile placement - damn clever game!
Love Letter - look what you can do with 16 cards!
Splendor/Cascadia/Azul - they all scratch a similar itch
(Insert one of your complex games here to fill the second set)
This was “start a collection”; I think you went way too complex - get them hooked here on the first five and then let them build to the complex strategic punishment that the likes of Agricola or Terraforming Mars have to offer. As you mentioned, the presumption is that this is the start of a collection.
I can see So Clover being group-dependent -- in our experience it has played quick and provided tons of laughs which has definitely fit what we consider a party game.
I think you have awesome picks here, and you're right that our lists put a little more priority on variety in game weight than staying more in the "gateway game" lane... Which really just led to one heavier game on each list. 🤷♂️ Different angles for sure, though we have definitely encountered a lot of people new to modern board gaming that immediately love some of the heavier offerings, so it really does depend on the person.
-Ryan
This is difficult, so I'm going to cheat!
1. So Clover or Just One (Party - I'm with you guys here, gotta be one of these)
2. Pandemic or Horrified (Co-op)
3. Splendor or Azul (Abstract)
4. Heat or Quest of El Dorado (Race Game)
5 Planet Unknown or Viticulture (High player count Heavy game)
Great list! I thought of Horrified and Pandemic as well. I also thought Azul over Splendor. Either way it's a great list!
Really like this list! Horrified would be my pick if someone isn't big on the theme of Marvel United. I am still waiting to try Planet Unknown, but it is one that I am hoping fills the niche you describe well. There just aren't very many medium-heavy games that support 6 players! -Ryan
Agricola being on this list is wild! The replayability is a good asset for sure, but I think a lot of people might bounce off of it. Terraforming Mars is a bit more interesting, it's certainly not as complicated as I thought at first glance, but the theme might be a bit dull for new players? Definitely agree with Quacks though, that game is a blast. The bag building might be a bit too complex, especially for certain setups, but there's only 5-6 resources to worry about and I think people will get it after a round or two.
For my collection I would probably pick Azul or Ready Set Bet; a simple abstract with some devious scoring and decision making and a very fun betting game that anyone can hop in on.
See I prefer Agricola. TM is a great game and I own it, but TM actually takes longer to play for newbies. So many cards to read and the engine builder aspect is hard to grasp for some people. Agricola is more direct, but yes is extremely tight and the feeding people thing is tougher for newbies. Caverna could be an alternate choice or the family edition of Agricola.
Yeah I knew Agricola was my controversial pick and coming from a place of heavy bias haha. Maybe we will revisit this topic in a few years and see how much our lists change. -Ryan
Enjoyed the video, thank you for making it! My list is in no particular order.
1. Marvel United X-Men.
2. Castles of Burgundy
3. Dwellings of Eldervale
4. Heat Petal to the Metal
5. Tiny Towns
A fine list! Heat is one that definitely just missed both of our lists. I know Daniel has just recently played Dwellings of Eldervale and his first impressions have been really positive. -Ryan
Agricola? Do you want to show people what games to hate? How about Diplomacy, since you're already driving them away from the hobby. Then they'll hate you personally, too. 8-) The people who like Agricola tend to love Agricola, but there's a reason it's called Misery Farm.
In no particular order, and without spending as much time as you folks have:
1) Space Base - Fast play, everyone is involved throughout, reasonably quick teach, fast game
2) Either Stone Age or Lords of Waterdeep (the latter if the person is a roleplayer)
3) Dominion - Deck building, infinite variability, and an easy teach. (I like Clank! more, but Dominion is very elegant.)
4) Ticket to Ride - Almost everyone with any interest in board gaming likes this game; it's evergreen for a reason.
5) Alhambra - Tile placement, interesting tactics, very comprehensible.
I love Space Base and Ticket to Ride. I wish I remembered them when I made my list! Agricola is a tough game that can be unforgiving. I thought Caverna or Fields of Arle would give the same feels but be less brutal. However, if you give Agricola a chance it has a ton of depth and replay value. But it rewards you for multiple plays.
I think yours is a good list for entry players. These games are all mechanisms boiled down to straight forward except space base (space base issue is even for seasoned players some of the cards actions are difficult to grasp) even though I hate machi koro it is more basic.
@@petergross7235 I have played Agricola several times (and in fact own it). I've never had a fun playing it. For a hard worker placement game with high variability, I think I'd point to The White Castle instead. It's different with each play and the decisions are non-trivial. I wouldn't suggest it for a new gamer, though.
😂 Fair fair I realize it's a bold pick and I am looking through very Agricola-rose-colored glasses. I think you've got some great picks there, though I'd argue they don't cover a lot of breadth in weight and player count. It's a fun exercise but very challenging haha, entertaining to see the discussions it sparks. 🙂 -Ryan
@@RollsInTheFamily I wouldn't suggest a heavy game to any starter collection. A game that is too heavy can be discouraging, especially for a new gamer. Opinions obviously vary. 8-)
As to player count, these will cover 2-5 well. I seldom have the chance to play games with a higher player count. When I do have 6 or more players, I find it easier to just play two (or more, of course) different games*. This also allows the players who don't want to play that one really big game to have another option.
It's an interesting exercise, though. I think you do want to give people enough variety of play to help them decide what it is that they like. It's easy enough to say, I like (whatever), but I want more depth/variety/difficult choices. It's not as easy to figure out that you like something completely different that you've never had a chance to try.
Possible shortcomings of my list are that it doesn't include any co-op games or party games, but that was intentional, as I wouldn't include any of those in any list of games I would regularly suggest. I also didn't include any true filler games, because in a list of only five, I wouldn't suggest (say) 6 Nimmt.
* Exception for an event game, where the evening is predetermined to be a single large game of Empires of the Middle Ages, or Dune, or Civilization,... or Diplomacy. 8-) But given only five games, I wouldn't include any of those.