5 tips for finding the right games for you! | BOARD GAME 101

[@sethwinslow]

Great video. The popular recommendations for new games (Catan, Ticket to Ride, Carcassone, Sagrada, Azulejo, and so on) check MANY boxes, making them B+ “college GPA’ choices across the board. That’s great, generically. But sometimes what’s needed is a game that might have a B- average, but be an A in a specific person (because of theme, mechanism, time length, or whatever). I find this analogy works well in many areas of life, although sometimes it goes the other way. As a B+ GPA professionally, I’ve built a career in being a generalist. Everyone in the room knows more than me about something, but often my B+ across the board gives me a better perspective than those with one or two A’s and a bunch of C’s in everything else.

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

THISSS COMMENT! YESSS! What a great analogy! WOW! I'm going to pin your comment. Hope you don't mind lol. 😊👏🏻

[@sethwinslow]

@@TheBoardGameGarden not at all. Glad I can help!

[@christinaruiz4183]

I like playing several short games as opposed to one long game. But I will say, it's so exciting to play a long game and then see who wins in the end!

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

Yeah it always just depends on my mood! Most of the time I am good with anything but there are those days where I can’t get myself to concentrate on one of those big games. Lol it’s an easy game, low strategy kind of day. 🤣

[@anthonium.]

Great video and the sound quality is great! Thank you for the tips! Some tips I can advise are: - Don’t fall for the hype. Sure there are many good games but buy based on what’s right for you not what everyone else is playing - Avoid the kickstarter fear of missing out or you’ll find yourself spending a lot of money on games you may not ultimately like. Some of these games do make it to retail. - Start slow. Buy a game, learn it properly, play it before you start filling your collection and never get around to some games that in the end go to the Shelf of Shame

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

Thank you so much! And yay so glad! 😊 those are all great things to mention! Definitely not falling for the hype! 👏🏻

[@vincentgaliano]

As a new board game enthusiast, I'll add another important tip : knowing how big will a game be on a table ! For instance, although I'd love to buy Darwin's Journey and Scythe, I know I don't currently have the room for them, unless playing on the floor. Same for Gloomhaven (but Gloomhaven JOTL is perfect for me). Watching a lot of videos helped a lot knowing what I like (solo heavy narrative games, high difficulty, with cards). Also, I found that a board game can be a good entrance to a theme/universe. So, instead of buying a space game because one like space, buy a very thematic game to explore that theme. Viticulture for instance is a fantastic way to explore wine making, Final Girl for horror films, Hegemony for social politics, Terraforming Mars to understand the challenges that it would create, etc. Do you have any other board game you would recommend to explore a particular theme ?

[@kimberley27]

13:27 I’ve been wanting to see a video on board game mechanisms. I’ve just spotted that you actually made a video about board game mechanisms on your main channel (which I am about to watch after finishing this video). But it’s great to hear you say that you want to do a series going through the different mechanisms with examples of games that use them as this is exactly the type of video that I would want to watch 💛.

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

YES! That video was fun to film! I love talking about mechanics! I'm excited to dive deeper into each mechanic individually and give recommendations for each! There are so many mechanics so the series will be a pretty long running one! 😊👏🏻

[@jameskirk4692]

Those are great advice! All that is what I had to be doing for past few years cause I don't have a gaming group and have to cater to specific tastes of my different family members.

[@gurnblanston2848]

Great video, Jenna! I've been in the hobby for about the same length of time as you, and it was all a little overwhelming at first trying to decide which games to add to my collection. One thing that helped me early on was looking for videos on KZbin highlighting great games for people new to the hobby, or great games for couples (that my wife and I might enjoy together) I was amazed at how many content creators there were in the board game space, and how many great suggestions I found in their videos.

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

I totally agree! Content creators have been so helpful within the board game hobby for so many people! Me included! I've really enjoyed finding creators that I vibe with and those who have similar taste in games as me. It's been great. 😊

[@WobblebearTrail]

Great advice! I think tip numbers 1 & 2 are so overlooked but so important! I started off getting these big exciting games and realized that the people I would play games with didn't really want to. Or at the end of the day people would be tired and not want to think. Realizing that board games don't energize people as much as they do for me was an important lesson.

[@zmollon]

Finding games is easy. Finding players to play with is like trying to find unicorns 🤪 BGA to try games. Never back Kickstarters.

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

VERY TRUE! That's why we have to get more people into the hobby! 😜 Both of those tips are great! I've been doing pretty good with not falling into the Kickstarter hole!

[@malvinafis6907]

You made really important points. I learned to adapt my purchases more to what I think would actually get played with my boyfriend who is my main playing partner. If I know he will not like it and it does not have a great solo mode, I am not getting it.

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

YES! That is a great thing to do. It may be an amazing game and it would be nice to play it but ultimately if you aren’t going to be able to table it its not worth buying. Could always play it at a board game cafe, convention, etc. 😊👍🏻

[@refreshdaemon]

Board game "endurance" (I call it stamina) is a curious thing. I find that, despite my love for playing games, I actually only have middling stamina, depending on the game. I only have it in me to play one crunchy game in a day, like an Ark Nova, an Arkham Horror, or even some medium weight games like Lost Ruins of Arnak and intense social deduction games like The Resistance or Secret Hitler also burn me out quickly. However, I've also found that while I can play lighter games pretty much all day, I get bored if they're too light and I'm playing them too much in a row too. I think your last tip--do research and try out games is probably the most important one. I've bought too many games that others told me I'd like and I ended up not being as into them as I was told and now I'm more intent on either playing them first or at least watching playthroughs before even considering buying them.

[@jsbays7805]

My mistake early on was choosing games that were too difficult for the people I played with regularly. Constantly having to explain the rules over and over, and go back to the rule book to clarify, every time we play, makes it no fun for anyone. Choosing lighter games that may not offer the same "experience" of game, but has a better experience overall, is a win.

[@epiphoney]

Thanks. I was just searching for this question. I guess I'll try the online games. Dobble and Rhino Hero look good to me from Actualol's tent game video.

[@michaelmueller260]

Mic and camera both crisp and clear! Very good tips for new gamers, but also some good points for veteran gamers to ask themselves every couple years, as situations and tastes can be quite fluid. Great stuff Jenna!

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

Yay so glad! I noticed a bit of fuzziness so I’m going to try and fix that (even though I have no idea how lol). It is great to look over your collection every once in a while! My tastes in games has definitely changed over the past year and some games we have that I use to love don’t really fit our lifestyle anymore.

[@wesleyscott3591]

Honestly this was a super useful video. Being relatively novice to board games it’s great to see videos like this. A video I think would be incredible helpful is describing the types of games or mechanics. I was lost with the terminology when I started, and still have to look up descriptors sometimes. I know you can find the breakdowns out there, but if someone comes across you and loves your style, it would be a nice 101 add. Cheers

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

I am so glad it was helpful! 😊👏🏻 I definitely want to do dedicated mechanic videos in the board game 101 series! Super excited to jump into those soon! Thanks for watching Wesley!

[@CG_Hali]

Noticed the audio/video upgrade right away! Nice! I agree, there was a lot of trial and error at first. I went for the popular ones, some fell flat but mostly they hit the target. BGG ranking is not the best but helpful. The best feature for me is 'Fans also like'. Found great games inspired from those I love the most :D Not often talked about: My biggest issue as a newbie was finding out I overpaid for my first few orders because I didn't know about Board Game Oracle or when big sales happened or that you could get big discount on damaged boxes. You are right one should think how often one can play. I can almost everyday cause I'm homebound and disabled. Board games saved my sanity but I can't play long due to pain and energy. I found many tricks (can't do online games, I gee virtual sickness) but watching videos is helpful while I rest (like now). But I have no clue how others with huge collections can even find enough time?!? Today is my first board game anniversary! Learned 117 games this year and played each 5 times at least. Oh yeah!

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

YAY! So glad! I'm trying to make stuff better! 😊👍🏻 I totally agree! The "Fans also like" part of BGG is GREAT! Getting board games on sale and if you are okay with minor damage on your boxes (we are fine with it for sure) is so key to getting games at great prices! I'm also super excited to get some deals at the bring & buy as a convention we are going to soon! And congrats on the BG anniversary! 117 games! That's fantastic! WOW! 👏🏻

[@agaricus]

Video looks good, mic quality is good. Quite crisp. If I had to nitpick, the volume seems a bit quiet compared to a "typical" listening volume I'm used to for youtube videos. I can easily bring it up, just ends up needing a 30%-ish increase from the typical. If in line with your other videos, then it's really probably not worth the bother to fine tune.

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

Thank you so much for the feedback Brian! 😊 I am going to play around with the volume the next few videos and see if I can find a good spot.

[@patcon314]

Definitely go to your local board game cafe if you are lucky enough to be near one. You'll find plenty of friendly people who will happily guide you along and teach you games. You can experiment with different kinds of games to see what floats your boat without spending money on a game you end up not liking. I have a huge collection at home from my pre-cafe days, but now try to limit new purchases to games the cafe doesn't have or that I will want to play at home. (I did say "try" because it's a constant struggle.)

[@minch25]

One of my best tips for finding the right games for you is, watch/read what different people have to say about games that they like, and play the ones that sound interesting to you. And when you find someone that seems to have tastes in games that really click with your own tastes, go dig deeper into other games that they really like. Another tip that helps me a lot is, when I find a mechanic that I really enjoy, to do a deep dive on it and look around at other games in that sub niche that are really well regarded.

[@ddcraven535]

Great video! Where do you purchase most of your games from? Friendly local or Amazon? Do you go to the Round Table to play/purchase games?

[@RichplaysBoardgames]

Another fantastic video! I have a great board game endurance, and I could play board games all day. Keeping in mind of the player count is great as well. I usual play a lot of solo games but I do have some games for a nice group as well 😄 looking forward to the next video. 😊

[@SundayLaughs]

Totally agree with all your points! I'm a super picky person and I know what I like (even if I am really new to the hobby) so these are all things I consider! I'm a solo-gamer for the moment and theme is CRUCIAL to a game for me, it needs to be immersive and inviting and colorful and pretty to look at! Even if it's got my favorite mechanics, if it's not something that I want to look at at all then why bother playing?! haha so i can write off games right away by just pictures of them alone As for your audio/visual, the camera quality is great! Definitely think you can stick with it for a while, because I think the quality is there :) The audio to me sounds like those ASMR microphones that are incredibly sensitive to sound. All of the "s's" in your video" (tipS, trickS, gameS, theSe thingS, etc) felt like... hissed? almost? if that makes sense? like the microphone is almost distorting the sound to make them sound stronger? not sure if that can be fixed somehow with the mic's settings or anything, but that's my two-scents as someone with sensitive ears haha

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

I am the exact same! If it is pretty I am definitely more interested! 😊 And thank you so much for letting me know! That might have been due to an audio edit I made post filming. I'll test different things out and hopefully I will find the perfect balance eventually! Thank you so much for the feedback and just watching and commenting! I appreciate it! 💕

[@DanD20]

My philosophy has always been to buy the boardgames that I think I'll like, my friends might like, my family might like, and anyone I meet in the future might like! Because, one day, I might surely end up playing them!! Soooooooo...I have too many board games now.

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

AHAHAHA! Love this. 😂👏🏻

[@JJ_TheGreat]

I have a similar philosophy... which is why I have way too many games, as well, lol.

[@danicas.4484]

I liked Dixit, and i did get into it in the beginning of my hobby journey, but it doesnt get a lot of play anymore. it has its moments, but there are now better ones...and i feel like this is a hot take from a "new board gamer" but i really dont see the hype in Azul. ive played it, but there just isnt enough there to keep me interested.

[@daem0nfaust]

When you've been collecting games for a while, the next useful step I discovered for myself is to join local groups or online communities. If only for the reason of finding others who might be interested in games that you thought you will like, but really don't.

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

That is a great tip! Especially for those who have been in the hobby for a while! Sell or give your games to others that can get use out of them and get them tabled. Share the love of board games. I've even gifted some board games to my brother and his girlfriend in hopes they will get more into games. We can try! 😂

[@xshadowscreamx]

Tile laying, buying stuff from a ascending coin line up? Yes foundations of Rome is perfect…

[@mabos555]

Do I have time to play? No, but I wish I could can Who do I play with? Solo, don't want to or wait to anyone Theme? Dreams, space, fantasy most of the time those are the themes I like Mechanism? Deck building or any other x building there is. Not building as a theme I hate that As for the research this is the most important tip ever! I never buy a new game blindly

[@JJ_TheGreat]

Yes, I do my research before buying my games - unless I have played it before and know that I enjoy it - hence my purchase of Tidal Blades 1: Heroes Of The Reef - Deluxe Edition - since I played it once at a friend of a (former) friend's house and he taught us the game (which means I know how to play it!) It also means that I know that I like the game.

[@mabos555]

@@JJ_TheGreat I agree with you, but I less play games with people so my research based on my personal taste... It's not like I don't have friends and I even ask them for recommendations but they live far away from me so I play alone most of the time

[@glow2hi]

I wouldn't put too much stock in the weight of the game unless it's 4, maybe high 3s, or above

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

Very true! Most are pretty doable for anyone. Maybe more when playing with kids to see what they could handle.

[@jamesjerome7153]

Very good video and useful to me. +1 on doing a video about mechanisms.

[@RagdollRalph]

Cool braids :)

[@ob1quixote]

Camera is good, sound is much improved.

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

Yay! Thank you so much for letting me know!

[@toddm1146]

sound is good, but maybe a little quiet compared to other channels. Fitting to your playing partners is so important / solo

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

Thank you so much for letting me know Todd! I will adjust the volume slightly in the next video and hopefully that will be better. 😊

[@dionne4110]

I mostly play coöperative boardgames. Which also filters a lot of other games. There is still a lot of them though 😋

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

I feel like cooperative games are great for new players! It's so nice being able to work together on something when you are first getting into the hobby rather than working alone and against each other. Obviously great for people that have been in the hobby for awhile too! Coop is great! 👏🏻

[@JJ_TheGreat]

12:35 However, I just wanted to point out that “tile placement” and “polyomino” games are different. For example, tile placement is involved in games like Carcassonne, Castles of Burgundy, Calico, Cascadia, etc. and none of those games are polyomino games. My brain cannot think geometrically. I am very analytical, so polyomino games don’t work for me, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like tile placement games.

[@TheBoardGameGarden]

Very true! Tile placement is a more general mechanic. Placing tiles of any shape. Whereas polyomino is the specific shape of tile or component. Doesn't even have to be tiles. Good catch! 👍🏻😊

[@bcmboardgames2688]

Great video

[@denisgiles]

If it is not mentioned, Tabletopia is another online platform.

[@northabbot7116]

I thrive on 45-60 min games, but there aren’t many of those!