New to board games

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by ttocs, Jul 26, 2013.

  1. ttocs

    ttocs Well-Known Member

    Feb 3, 2012
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    Hey guys. I want to get started playing board games on ipad. I'm looking for recommendations for which I should pick up first and which are the easiest to learn and get into. I really like fantasy stuff and rpg games so if there are any like tht I'm up for it. Also, any board games that are wife friendly? I would love to get a game my wife and I could play on the ipad together but it can't be too complicated that she'll lose interest

    Thanks for any suggestions.
     
  2. MidianGTX

    MidianGTX Well-Known Member

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  3. Mene

    Mene <b>ACCOUNT CLOSED</b>: <em>Officially</em> Quit iO

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    Personally I don't think you can go wrong with Ticket to Ride or Phantom Leader.

    Ticket to ride is very easy to learn and fun

    Phantom Leader is more complex but is a superb game.

    I'd avoid Le Havre and Eclipse. I bought both and both are very complex indeed. Even after having them weeks, I still cannot play them.
     
  4. ttocs

    ttocs Well-Known Member

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    I'm not sure actually. I picked up elder sign but I have no idea what I'm doing. I think I need something easier to start with. What are some good ones to start with?
     
  5. ackmondual

    ackmondual Well-Known Member

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    #5 ackmondual, Jul 26, 2013
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2013
    I thought Elder Sign Omen had a tutorial? Otherwise, try asking about rules on BoardGameGeek.com (fair warning, they had a new system where electronic/digital implementations of board games go to their companion site, VideoGameGeek.com... the decision was rather unnecessary), or try looking up YouTube videos on how to play.

    Speaking of which, I did a whole geeklist about Ipad only boardgames (as opposed to those that also play on Iphone/Ipod Touch)
    http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/103523/ipad-only-board-games

    Also on board game geek (BGG), each game entry has a stat (towards the bottom) called "Avg. Game Weight". For Elder Sign, it's 2.3. If you're familiar with other board games (e.g. Carcassonne, Dominion, Settlers Of Catan, Ticket To Ride), then use those as a familiar base. Much like comparing ratings from the same source (e.g. IMDB for movies, Amazon for certain things, and GameSpot for video games), there is some sense of consistency. This Avg. Game Weight is NOT to be confused with playtime (that figure is at the start high up). Some games have a high learning curve (20min to learn), but once you know the game, it goes quickly (30 min. to play).

    As for other suggestions...

    Ascension: Chronicle Of The Godslayer
    "deck building game", with the original being Dominion. This genre is based off of CCGs (Collectible Card Games) like Magic: The Gathering. You moreso manage your deck, NOT hand. This game's easier, if not as easy as Dominion, and most people get dominion.

    It was created by a bunch of Magic pro-tour players, but gameplay and mechanics are quite separate. It has a fantasy back story which is still abstract, but still gives it more theme then some generic named cards, so Demonslayer vs. card #240 or big military card.
    If you like the game, the first 3 expansions and the promo pack are available for purchase as IAP. Alas, the game owners announced they're switching development to Android, in house, so while the game is stil playable offline, online servers will be shut down over the next year or 2. You can still play in 'hotseat mode'.

    Nightfall
    Also another deckbuilding game, but more complex. It has a modern, post-apocalyptic, zombie theme. More interaction, and you send minions to attack other players, similar to Magic The Gathering (ironically enough, this has more similarities to that than Ascension).



    If you're into co-op games (players vs. the game), Yggdrasil

    Carcassonne isn't RPG nor fantasy... just medieval. Spatial location tile laying game. A classic eurogame.

    For something more unique, Blizzard announced there's gonna be some WoW card game for Ipad.

    Ticket To Ride isn't bad.... it's just one of those games like Flight Control where I play it a lot, but then never touch it again after a week or 2. The fact I've played the physical, boxed version a lot probably also contributed to that.
     
  6. klink

    klink 👮 Spam Police 🚓

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    You should add Small World to this list. It's very easy to pick up and a lot of fun. Even better once the free update to Small World 2 is released (hopefully soon).
     
  7. klink

    klink 👮 Spam Police 🚓

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    Thanks Meme, I haven't heard of Phantom Leader. I'm going to check it out now!
     
  8. slewis7

    slewis7 Well-Known Member

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    Ttocs:

    As already mentioned, Ticket to Ride is fantastic. Be sure to get the iPad specific version.

    Cafe International is on sale now (last I checked) for a measly dollar and it is very easy to learn and a lot of fun. If you get it, I am always up for a game via Game Center. Your wife will probably like it too, and you can pass and play with it.
     
  9. klink

    klink 👮 Spam Police 🚓

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    #9 klink, Aug 23, 2013
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2013
    I'm going to have to check out Cafe International. I couldn't really get an impressive from the app description. I'll ping you on on GameCenter.
     
  10. Riotgirl

    Riotgirl Well-Known Member

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    To reiterate what ackmondual said, you need 2 resources:
    1. Board Game Geek (BGG)
    2. Youtube

    Ackmondual has already provided guidance on how to use BGG's filters to narrow down the range of board games that may be suitable. It is also a good site to read reviews if the board games.

    I also like The Dice Tower's video reviews on YouTube. Your wife can watch with you and together you can make joint decisions.

    My recommendations:
    * Carcassonne
    * Ticket to Ride
    * Forbidden Island
    * Ghost Stories
    * Pandemic

    Carcassonne and Ticket to Ride replace Settlers of Catan as the gateway games as an introduction to board games whose mechanics are a little more intricate than rolling dice. FWIW I still like Settlers (I like the physicality of the actual board in terms of hex structure, how each board set-up is different, yada yada yada) both the physical product and online. Sadly, the iOS version (snap Dominion and Thunderstone) should be avoided.

    Needless to say, both Carcassonne and TTR iOS ports are truly excellent.

    The other 3 that I recommended are all (I think? Pandemic?) co-operative games, and are fantastic with 2 players. Much easier than Elder Signs. All have good themes that the game utilises.

    Other recommendations once you and your wife are comfortable with a couple of games:
    * Ascension: excellent deck-building game that excels with 2 players. Expansions really add a lot more options to the game and can be played stand-alone, or added / removed as you see fit.

    * Small World: another excellent 2 player game with a theme and mechanics that work well with one another.

    * Stone Age: unsure if works with 2 players, but a lite worker-placement game, with a prehistoric theme.

    Let us know what you eventually decide, as well as how you and your wife fare whilst playing!

    Cheers!
     
  11. klink

    klink 👮 Spam Police 🚓

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    I really need to bite the bullet and purchase Carcassonne.
     
  12. Topherunhinged

    Topherunhinged Well-Known Member

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    #12 Topherunhinged, Apr 4, 2014
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2014
    Lords of Waterdeep is also fantastic and easy to learn. Eclipse is solid but with a steeper learning curve, not steep but steeper; it's still super easy to figure out after a few games.

    As for Elder Signs, it's one of my favorite iOS titles, stick with it. The mechanics should be easy to understand, roll dice then match dice, but it'll take practice to learn how and when to attempt different events based on your equipment. Just remember to play the odds until you get the hang of it.
     

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