10 Outstanding Board Games for Beginners in 2024

Are you looking to get started in the world of board games, but feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume and complexity of your choices? In this list, we highlight 10 of the best board games for beginners that won’t break the bank and have great replay value. Some of our picks may have been heard of before; they’re classics in their respective genres and have garnered a huge following. Others are exciting new titles that showcase how fun, engaging, and dynamic board games can be for players who are completely new to the hobby.

1. Domination

Image via Rio Grande Games

Domination is a great introduction to deck building and always welcome at the table. Your goal is to get as many victory point cards as possible before the game ends. However, victory points also slow you down because they don’t do anything during the game. Instead, you’ll need to add a solid mix of treasure and action cards to ensure you have enough card draw and purchasing power. There’s also a great selection of Dominion expansions that allow you to gradually increase the complexity of the game, which is a great mechanic for new board players.

2. Walk in the forest

Image via Lookout Games

In Walk in the forest, The goal is to build the best ecosystem possible by planting trees and attaching groups of animals and other plants to your forest. Each card type has different bonuses and gameplay traits that you’ll need to align before winter sets in at the end of the game. It’s a relaxing and refreshing card game, more focused on what you build than on competitive gameplay.

3. PARKS

Image via Keymaster Games

PARKS is your chance to explore the natural beauty and wonders of America’s national parks in a unique tabletop format. As you move your hiker through each location, you’ll earn points for taking photos and creating memories in the forest, at overlooks, or next to breathtaking waterfalls. The game also features an accessible single-player mode and features incredible artwork on every tile and card.

4. The Resistance

Image via Indie Boards and Cards

The Resistance is a social deduction and secret role-playing game where you have to guess which of the other players at the table are secret spies. If you are helping the Resistance, you will have to embark on quests without taking any of these spies with you: only one of them can sabotage your mission. If you are a spy, you must subtly convince the Resistance that you are on their side. In addition to being a great board game for beginners, The Resistance is also a fantastic party game, and can accommodate up to 10 players.

5. Sagrada

Image via Floodgate Games

The Sagrada Familia is a famous monument in Barcelona whose stained glass windows are so beautiful that they inspired an entire board game. Sagrada allows players to reconstruct these windows with colored transparent dice. No two colors can be placed side by side, but there are also plenty of fun ways to bend the rules and get a higher score. It’s the kind of abstract game that highlights just how unique and diverse board games can be.

6. Ticket to Ride

Image via Days of Wonder

Ticket to Ride is a well-known classic for good reason. The rules are simple and easy to learn. The gameplay offers exciting risks and rewards as you build your route. The theme is engaging and there are many different ways to win. There are plenty of expansion cards to keep the game fresh and multiple editions with which you can embark on a new board game adventure.

7. Sheriff of Nottingham (2nd edition)

Image via CMON

Bring your best poker face to the table when playing Sheriff of Nottingham– you’ll need it. Your goal is to smuggle as much contraband into town as possible without getting caught. Each turn, you place a number of cards from your hand face down in a bag, and the person acting as the sheriff for the turn gets to check what you’re bringing into Nottingham. You can bribe the sheriff or bring only legal goods and charge the sheriff for the check. Risking the right amount and knowing your opponents are the keys to victory.

8. 7 Wonders

Image via Repos Production

7 Wonders takes players back to the ancient world to build a new civilization from scratch over the course of four turns. The early segments of the game are all about gathering resources and trading. However, as the ages progress, you’ll need to build iconic landmarks and win conflicts to achieve greatness. The board game is a good introduction to engine building, a fundamental part of many more complex board games.

9. Forbidden Desert

Image via Gamewright

If you are more interested in cooperative board games, Forbidden Desert is a great place to start. You and your team venture into a vast desert to find an ancient flying machine, but your helicopter crashes, leaving you stranded. To escape alive, you’ll need to dig tiles, gather tools, and find the flying machine’s parts before you run out of water or supplies. An impending sandstorm also threatens to sweep you away, giving the game a great deal of thematic tension.

10. Istanbul

Image via Manatorsk

For beginners looking for a slightly more complex starting point into the world of board gaming, Istanbul is a great choice. It’s not too difficult to learn, but you’ll need to think strategically if you want to win. You’ll play as a merchant and send your assistants to different locations around town to sell goods, bet money, and hopefully collect five rubies faster than anyone else. At the start of the game, players randomly arrange markets, gambling houses, and warehouses, meaning the map changes every time you play and the game always feels fresh and exciting.

The article 10 Outstanding Board Games for Beginners to Play in 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.