A Quest for Games - Recommended Board Games for New Players
The Ultimate Board Game Picks For Beginners!
Chosen by the GamesQuest community.
We are proud the present A Quest for Games! Top board game picks for new players, selected by you, our community.
Back in February, we asked the GamesQuest community across our social media channels what board games they would recommend to new players. We had some amazing answers, and with such passionate, experienced gamers, it seems a shame not to share their wisdom with others.
So, what games were recommended? Keep on reading to find out.
1. Ticket to Ride: Build your railroad across North America to connect cities and complete tickets. |
2. Carcassonne Next up we have the tile- placement game where players shape the medieval landscape of France, claiming cities, monasteries and farms. Since it's debut in 2000, Carcassonne has gone on to win multiple awards, including multiple Best game. Recommended for ages 7+, Carcassonne is a fantastic game for new players.
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3. Splendor Increase your wealth and prestige in the chip-collecting, economic Renaissance card game. Take the role of a Merchant and race to grab gems, acquire property, and please nobility. First player to reach 15 prestige points wins.
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alwaysplayblue: "Splendor went down very well with my work colleagues who were all new to board gaming. It constantly gets requested on our lunch break sessions."
4. Pandemic Players take the role of a disease-fighting specialist to treat disease hotspots around the world, while researching cures for each of the four plagues. Players must hurry before the diseases spread beyond recovery, ending the game.
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5. Azul Players take the role of a disease-fighting specialist to treat disease hotspots around the world, while researching cures for each of the four plagues. Players must hurry before the diseases spread beyond recovery, ending the game.
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6. Kingdomino Play as a lord seeking lands in Kingdomino, but be careful as other players will be competing to acquire them first.
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7. Hey That's My Fish Quest for the most fish, but don't get stranded as ice disappears beneath your feet. Hey, That's my fish! is a grid movement, abstract strategy board game for ages 8+. A fantastic board game for new players, and ideal for families. |
Alexasaurus: "So many to choose from... I am a massive fan of "Hey, thats my Fish" a vicious territorial wargame disguised by cute penguin aesthetics that is great at any age 🤪"
8. King of Tokyo The giant monster battle over Tokyo! Players will select either a mutant monster, gigantic robot, or strange alien creature and fight to the death in this dice-roller battleground. Filled with special cards that grant permanent and temporary effects, from nova death rays to growing an extra head! |
9. Cartographers The giant monster battle over Tokyo! Players will select either a mutant monster, gigantic robot, or strange alien creature and fight to the death in this dice-roller battleground. Filled with special cards that grant permanent and temporary effects, from nova death rays to growing an extra head! |
10. Wingspan Attract a beautiful and diverse collection of birds to your wildlife preserve. For ages 10+. Players will seek to discover and attract birds to their network of wildlife preserves. Visually stunning components, and great game for animal and bird lovers alike. |
My Board Game Family: "Agricola Family Edition may be a good place to start if you don't want to go down the classic Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Catan route. There's something satisfying in competing to building the best farm (complete with miniature sheep, cows and pigs) that seems to go down well whenever we introduce a new player to the game"
Additional Recommendations Mentions from the Community:
7 Wonders
Agricola Family Edition
Apocalypse
Arkham Horror
Battlestar Galactic
Betrayal at House on the Hill
Century Spice Road
Casadia
Clank
Clever
Draftosaurus
Fluxx
Ganz Schon Clever
Hardback
Here to Slay
HeroQuest
Jamaica
Kluster
Last Night on Earth
Machi Koro
Orbis
Project L
Raiders of the North Sea
Shadows of Brimstone
Space Base
Star Realms
Tailsman
Takenoko
Tiny Epic Galaxies
Zombicide
Zombie Dice