Best Non-Gamer Board Games I Intro, Gateway Games

So here is the thing. Most of our friends are not serious gamers. Or gamers at all. It is not their fault and it does not mean we can't play games with them. Here are our picks for best non-gamer board games.

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In this video:

0:00 Intro
0:39 Strategy games
2:08 Card games
3:23 Party games
5:00 The one that gets them
6:48 Swiss army knife
9:26 Wild card

It’s all about making your board game experience better. From finding the right games to creating the best house rules for those games. We’ll also talk about finding community-created content and optimizing your own strategies and play style so you can kick your friend's asses! So if you want to join the Boardgame Hangover community click the subscribe button and share this around!

#Non-gamer #IntroGames #BoardGameHangover

[tberceau]

Games that roped some of my friends in are, King of Tokyo, Quacks of Quedlinberg, Sushi Go, Ticket to Ride, and Wingspan

[chiarasabia]

I introduced my boyfriend - who said he heated board games - to the hobby with Jaipur, Century (especially the 3rd one "New World"), Port Royal, Ticket to Ride and Hive. After that we started playing Istanbul and Yukon Airways..and now HE asked me to play Bass Birmingham!
He has a board gamer soul, just does't know it..or doesn't want to admit it!! :D

[ragingpiano]

Betrayal at house at the hill. My sister scoffed at the board game hobby. Refused to even entertain it, me and her husband were ridiculed often. But we sat her down with this one day and completely turned her around. Now she will play anything that has a cool theme she likes.

[GettinJiggly]

Biggest issue with 90% of games for hobby gamers is the rules overhead. While we think oh this game at Target is easy when introduced to a non-gamer the overhead is a lot larger. Hobby gamers already have an understanding of most mechanics and ways of scoring, etc. but new gamers don't. We tried teaching a few games we thought were pretty straight forward to family and it took multiple explanations of the rules which were only a few pages, and multiple recaps of rules and what can be done during the game. Think the idea that people don't play games because of past experiences with say Monopoly isn't as much as rules overhead.

[Achey_Runner]

Coup is def the game we use to get people into gaming with us. By far, our top played game.

[iansutton]

It's been interesting to see how Wingspan has brought new gamers into the hobby, given it's a game I'd call 'medium' weight and not what we'd think of as entry level. I guess that shows the appeal of a really charming theme - perhaps the Ark Nova suggestion isn't as crazy as it sounds.

I agree with the oink games suggestions, and indeed there are others in their range. I'd also suggest Button Shy 18 card games as easy to learn, but with enough gaming interest that you might even stretch to calling them strategy games.

Bohnanza could be problematic with some groups, especially us British, for whom negotiating can bring us out in a sweat ;¬)

Other options we use?
- Flamme Rouge has super easy to teach rules / movement, and there is usually a tight finish. The theme is easy to understand and known in the mainstream
- Quest for El dorado can be an easy introduction to deck-building, as a supporting mechanism in games, but otherwise it's a simple and easy to learn race game, with an 'Indiana Jones' type theme.
- Saboteur. Whilst the theme is a bit 'gamery', my work colleagues adored it, loving the accusatory / suspect everyone nature of it.
- Coloretto. I'm not a fan of abstract games, but like this and like playing it with people new to gaming. One reason is that experienced players can surreptitiously target each other, meaning the new player gets an easier ride - the worst thing for a new player to experience is getting heavily defeated, and risks losing them to the hobby. I do not want to be the gamer that does that.
- Cockroach Poker (or Skull). Bluffing games are an easy teach, but only if they are 'easy to teach'. The more rules, the greater disadvantage to the new gamer. Keep it simple and new players seem to love such bluffing games.
- Dexterity games aren't always the first thought for gamers, but they often enjoy them when they give them a go. So games like Men at Work, Flipships, Crokinole, etc. can be games that get everyone laughing and engaged.
- Wee whimsical creatures, a recent small KS game from Bez Shahriari (a UK designer). It's an incredibly short game where one player makes the sound they think one of the hand drawn 'whimsical creatures' might make, and the other players have to guess which creature it was. Super simple to learn, and any game that gets people trying to make the sound of a weird creature / monster is a wonderful way to break down barriers, including language barriers.

Finally I'll return to an earlier comment, that it's as important 'how' we introduce new gamers to games and 'how' we game with them, that can be most important. Help them, ensure they are comfortable, supported and valued, and they'll start to play with confidence. Treat them like an easy opponent to defeat, and they'll likely be lost to gaming, or perhaps worse, come into the hobby with that same attitude.

[fablan]

A game that myself, my girlfriend and some friends got to play more boardgames is pandemic. It was the first "modern" boardgame we were playing and it really really hooked us in. We've been on a holiday together and played every day!

[moncilu]

Catan and Ticket to Ride drew me in to board games. I also use these two to lure other friends in. Most people like Catan. But quick party games always warm them up better

[frankdetank]

I've found some success with introducing the hobby using Everdell, Wingspan, Fantasy Realms, Point Salad, Draftosaurus, Star Realms, Codenames and Horrified. By the way, Longshot: The Dice Game is a ton of fun and is definitely a great introduction to the hobby.

[xxSydneyFox]

The two games that hooked me were betrayal and takenoko. They have a spacial place in my heart.

[Wrycon-Inc]

I’m actually spending next weekend with people who are open to heavier games but not hobby gamers. May try Ark Nova. Will for sure try Long Shot.

Dexterity games always seem to work in showing non-gamers that board games are fun. Men At Work, Menara, ICECOOL, etc…

[GrandElemental]

I actually 100 % agree that a gateway game can sometimes, and SHOULD sometimes, be a bit heavier! The reasoning is, there are a ton of people (for example, regular video gamers) out there who are absolutely willing and able to play heavier stuff, as long as you explain it well. I actually had most success with Thunderstone Advance (epic variant, all cards mixed in), and it is definitely the most instantly bought game (or was... now it's way out of print unfortunately). I can absolutely see Ark Nova working well with people, even as the first board game.

Also, I have found that some simple games just aren't nearly as "for everyone" as a lot of boardgamers suggest. I had a bit of a negative effect on some people I was introducing the hobby to with King of Tokyo, as it they felt that there wasn't much interest in random die rolling and doing what they make you do instead of taking actions and making your own decisions. The game that did get that group into gaming was the second game we played, Champions of Midgard.

Not saying simple games are not good for introducing people into the hobby, but there are definitely a ton of exceptions to that "rule".

[JonMcCarthy-yqsz]

I agree with Janis T. on his wild card. I think the disclaimer is getting non gamers into heavy games. I had played 7 Wonders, Catan, etc. many times. But it was Mombasa that got me INTO gaming.

[Bieranti]

Totally agree with claim to bring some more fundamental games for non-gamers. As Janis said it will stayvin memories and will shape the idea for them that gaming is more than some small, fun card chucking.

My riskiest picks has been Eclipse, Nemesis and Robinson Crusoe. In all cases people are still playing games, baught some and do enjoy parts of the hobby.

[MrGoandrush]

I would recommend for non gamers as entry level games:

CARCASSONNE base game + abbots
TACO CAT GOAT CHEESE PIZZA
DIXIT (or IMAGINARIUM the russian, darker version of Dixit)
THE MIND
FLUXX
DOBBLE
LABYRINTH
COBRA PAW
HIVE
WORM UP
NMBR9
UNO FLIP
PATCHWORK
SUSHI GO
QUARTO
CAMEL UP
SABOTEUR
SCRAWL
EXPLODING KITTENS

what do you think?

[MrStylorTV]

our getaway games were Stone Age, 7 Wonder and Betrayal

[hamzad]

For me it worked with isle of cats, king of tokyo and quaks of quedlinberg 👍

[raxiyan]

There is no better game than CATAN to hook people into hobby. It is a classic for a reason.

[mike]

we introduced non gamers to burgle bros - they bought the game later, they showed it to their parents... their parents bought it. its a fantastic game for non gamers. (and gamers too)

[Madgaar]

I got my friends into games by playing Nemesis and Eclipse 2nd Dawn with them ;)