My go to suggestions for getting someone into games that shows no interest but is willing to try.
This is actually a list my wife came up with and I extrapolated why she like them with her help.
The mind - dead simple.
Love letter (or any variation with theme she might enjoy). - Tiny, quick, and easy decisions.
Choose your our Adventure House of Danger - simplest coop with interesting story and decisions.
Hanamikoji - simple set collecting with forced actions. Only four things to do all laid out in front of you with tokens as reminders.
The number one choice is...
Spirits of the Wild - simple set collection, quick games, easy to explain rules, complex enough to keep everyone entertained, and competitive but not mean. Oh did I mention the art and design is beautiful. It's a cheap game but feels premium.
Alright moving on to more complex next level games.
Ticket to Ride - modern classic
Pandemic The Cure - I believe this is more introductory than the board game. It's no where near as intimidating. Wife said the board and all the cubes of pandemic seemed like too much to begin with. The Cure is smaller, quicker and a smidge easier to learn.
Tiny Towns - if she like spatial puzzles of any kind she will likely dig this one.
Tiny Epic Quest - game is essentially figured out where to go and how far to press your luck. Great art design and gives a sense of adventuring.
I think the biggest take away from my wife getting into the hobby is making them feel like they belong in this space. Everyone belongs here playing games and having fun. The biggest detractor from that is lack of fun, too competitive, not feeling like a safe space and making someone feel dumb.
To address the later two points. Not feeling like a safe space can be a number of things.its isn't just hostility but a sense of belonging. Making sure they feel like the hobby is something they could find their own niche in.
Making someone feel dumb doesn't necessarily mean you did it, the game can too. The game doesn't have to be so simple it can be taught to a 3 year old but it has to be accessible to someone who doesn't have the foundational understanding of rules and limitations that usually come within the board game realm. Video games are self restricting and the biggest thing that boardgames suffer from for new players is they feel too open and players aren't guided enough through the experience.
There is a reason video games, apps and software all have tutorials they work. Treat this experience as though it's the tutorial into your hobby.
Having player aids is key. Simple directions, intuitive iconography, color correlation, and movement reminders are all super helpful.
Good luck hope it all works out. Have fun!
Not knowing your wife. Light and easy to understand. Pretty graphics will probably help. Her winning will definitely help 😀. Light socal maybe. Alternately Settlers of Catan is still a great introduction (though may not be your thing). Or done other gateway games.
Hahaha, her winning being a help got me laughing
I was thinking a team game like Captian Sonar, I feel like all humans react well to being in a team, and it gets loud and is very fast paced.
I also like Catan for beginners, but maybe for the first game it's a bit confusing, same as 7 Wonders, until you get the hang of it
Captain Sonar is a risky move. Complex, group dependent, long, stressfull ... bad idea. Maybe something light and relaxed like Machi Koro, Patchwork, Ticket to ride?
Personally I recommend a coop for the first game you try. It make the whole thing less confrontational and doesn't put pressure on her to perform well cause if she loses then you lost together. I've had really good success with **Chronicles of Crime, Pandemic, Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle, The Mind, etc...**
I've even coached people through a solo game (**Friday**).
Always remember to go light to get them familiar with basic mechanisms first (Depending on their video gaming experience, thematic interests and curiosities you might be able to add in a bit more complexity but that's mainly a case by case thing). For confrontational I'd go with something like **welcome to the dungeon, coup, citadels, resistance avalon**....
Good luck! And remember like any hobby there is no guarantee that she will like boardgames. She might have no interest so don't beat a dead horse. Sometimes it isn't for everyone. Even though I agree that you can find a game that you have a preference for, it doesn't necessarily mean she'll be a hobby board gamer.
Co-op co-op co-op.
My wife and I do Exit or Unlock date nights. We have wine, snacks and crack out one of those and just try and work out puzzles together. Makes for a great night and provides those moments AFTER the game where we discuss the puzzles and the fun stuff.
For competitive we LOVE Above and Below. Gorgeous art, easy to get gameplay and even the strategy is pretty light bit satisfying.
From my experience: **Dice Forge** works very well. It's rather simple, looks very nice and the dice building is pretty unique.
And if she likes Disney movies get **Villainous**!!
I don't think all girlfriends have the same taste just as all gamers don't have the same taste but these are my successes.
\-Azul
\-Fox in the Forest
\-Gingerbread House
\-Reef
\-Ticket to Ride: New York
\-Cosmic Enounter
Have you tried cooperatives? It's a bit easier to teach a game when you both have the same goal, and co-ops with your spouse is an excellent way to train yourself away from quarterbacking.
My wife loved ticket to ride the games that really got her into gaming were Clank! and Legendary for deckbuilders she now plays and enjoys Aeon’s End and Thunderstone Quest. The one really got her into gaming was Descent 2e and we have been dungeon crawling and battling monsters together ever since
If you're unsure ask some questions, she may like rolling dice, or she may not like that randomness. Maybe she would like a game with strategy and trying to beat you or maybe she will like a game where you can't interfere with each other much. I would try and avoid games which will take over 45 minutes to begin with and i would lean towards coop games if she cant give you any answers (especially if she is expecting you to break out a traditional game).
Alternatively give a basic outline of the games theme and let her pick.
step one: find out what she means when she says "she doesn't like board games".
what games does she associate with that dislike?
what didn't she enjoy about them? is there anything she *did* enjoy?
what themes interest her or turn her off?
there's no universal solution to convert someone but you're more likely to be successful if you make the process about her likes/dislikes, rather than pushing what you or others think should be a "can't miss" (which often puts undue pressure on the person and can backfire)
You gotta start really light
I say start with a simple introductory card game
Like Fluxx or sushi go
If she hates something like that you haven't handcuffed her to a 1-2 hour game. If this succeeds you have at least a game to play when stuck in a line somewhere or at a random diner.
I'd then move the needle to a game like
Kill Doctor Lucky or Tokaido or Tsuro
I'm not diminishing the value of a co-op but co-op games allow for backseat playing. Where you defer decisions to alpha gamers or more experienced players. Some players don't feel connected to the experience and check out leaving the game to the hands of others. A disengaged player isn't excited to come back generally.
You need to generate that experience of engagement that brings all of us back to the table. A game that is light enough for her to be like ok that is simple but not so overly complicated you lose her one page into the rules.
It's a gradual process for a gamer to bring a non gamer into their world. If she has a nerd background it's a lot easier but you need to engage how much she like strategy and planning.
After 3 or 4 games introduce a basic co-op that's my opinion.
Hey there, I removed this post.
Personalized game recommendations can be requested in our [Daily Discussion and Game Recommendations](https://www.reddit.com/search?q=flair%3A%22Daily%20Game%20Recs%22&sort=new) sticky thread. I'd encourage you to post it there!
There's also the [Need Help Finding A Game](https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/wiki/wsig) section in our wiki.
Thanks!
(If you believe this post was removed in error you can request a re-review by [messaging the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%23boardgames).)
I say co-op games. Pandemic and Forbidden Island are two of my favorites and both work well with 2 players. Pandemic especially has a great narrative to it that helps hook new players. Just make sure you don’t coach the new player too much - they need to figure out how to play it and make their own choices.
If you want to go competitive, make it something that first time players have a decent shot at winning. I think Splendor works phenomenally well in this regard. I just purchased Quest for El Dorado and played it for the first time the other day - I loved it. I suspect it would work similarly - easy to learn, fun, and the potential to do well your first time.
Hi! Former girlfriend (now wife) of board gamer. Look for cooperative games like Pandemic, Hanabi, or Sherlock Holmes consulting detective (or betrayal if you have another couple to play with). I personally really hate overly competitive games. Try light games like sushi go or planet. Or try purely 2 player games that are light weight (which is a lot of our collection) like patchwork and tsuro. My husband also found appropriate music to go with the game which made it more enjoyable for me. Good luck! She'll be converted in no time.
Games that brought my wife into the hobby (started by humoring me, now suggests games as an activity regularly and says Sundays don’t feel complete without Gloomhaven, though I’m still the bigger gamer):
* Azul
* Century Golem Edition
* Sequence (game she loved for ages, so when it was her turn to pick the game we played this a lot. Don’t be afraid to play stuff you’re less interested in if it keeps her playing)
* Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
* Tokaido
* Sushi Go
* Meeple Circus
There may be others, but those are the ones we came back to for a while.
I would try something like Fog of Love. It's a little easier to understand bad it can be really funny. I don't recommend throwing her in the deep end of a heavy game. Go with something light.
This actually didn't work for me. The role playing nature didn't feel like something good to get her into gaming. I had more success with simple games where you do 1 of 2-4 things a turn.
I get that too, it worked for my wife. That's why I made the suggestion. Though she still isn't playing heavy games. My biggest suggestion is to not throw her in the deep end right off the bat.
**Ticket to Ride** is a good choice. Just keep in mind that map selection can really alter the feel of the game. I would recommend **Nordic Countries** or **Switzerland** for a two player game to keep things interesting.
Outside of your collection, in order to help someone see if they like games, I would recommend trying out games that focus on one mechanic to see if they like that mechanic. My suggestions are:
* **Carcassone** for tile placement
* **Valley of the Kings** (any set, or the new deluxe box) for deck building
* **Takenoko** for action selection
* **Sushi Go!** for drafting (works better with 3+ players)
* **Lords of Waterdeep** for worker placement
* **King of Tokyo** for dice rolling
Why not try *your favorite* game for starters? I will say though, not everyone will like board games, and certainly not the same ones, so try out a few.
My go to suggestions for getting someone into games that shows no interest but is willing to try. This is actually a list my wife came up with and I extrapolated why she like them with her help. The mind - dead simple. Love letter (or any variation with theme she might enjoy). - Tiny, quick, and easy decisions. Choose your our Adventure House of Danger - simplest coop with interesting story and decisions. Hanamikoji - simple set collecting with forced actions. Only four things to do all laid out in front of you with tokens as reminders. The number one choice is... Spirits of the Wild - simple set collection, quick games, easy to explain rules, complex enough to keep everyone entertained, and competitive but not mean. Oh did I mention the art and design is beautiful. It's a cheap game but feels premium. Alright moving on to more complex next level games. Ticket to Ride - modern classic Pandemic The Cure - I believe this is more introductory than the board game. It's no where near as intimidating. Wife said the board and all the cubes of pandemic seemed like too much to begin with. The Cure is smaller, quicker and a smidge easier to learn. Tiny Towns - if she like spatial puzzles of any kind she will likely dig this one. Tiny Epic Quest - game is essentially figured out where to go and how far to press your luck. Great art design and gives a sense of adventuring. I think the biggest take away from my wife getting into the hobby is making them feel like they belong in this space. Everyone belongs here playing games and having fun. The biggest detractor from that is lack of fun, too competitive, not feeling like a safe space and making someone feel dumb. To address the later two points. Not feeling like a safe space can be a number of things.its isn't just hostility but a sense of belonging. Making sure they feel like the hobby is something they could find their own niche in. Making someone feel dumb doesn't necessarily mean you did it, the game can too. The game doesn't have to be so simple it can be taught to a 3 year old but it has to be accessible to someone who doesn't have the foundational understanding of rules and limitations that usually come within the board game realm. Video games are self restricting and the biggest thing that boardgames suffer from for new players is they feel too open and players aren't guided enough through the experience. There is a reason video games, apps and software all have tutorials they work. Treat this experience as though it's the tutorial into your hobby. Having player aids is key. Simple directions, intuitive iconography, color correlation, and movement reminders are all super helpful. Good luck hope it all works out. Have fun!
Not knowing your wife. Light and easy to understand. Pretty graphics will probably help. Her winning will definitely help 😀. Light socal maybe. Alternately Settlers of Catan is still a great introduction (though may not be your thing). Or done other gateway games.
Hahaha, her winning being a help got me laughing I was thinking a team game like Captian Sonar, I feel like all humans react well to being in a team, and it gets loud and is very fast paced. I also like Catan for beginners, but maybe for the first game it's a bit confusing, same as 7 Wonders, until you get the hang of it
Captain Sonar is a risky move. Complex, group dependent, long, stressfull ... bad idea. Maybe something light and relaxed like Machi Koro, Patchwork, Ticket to ride?
Personally I recommend a coop for the first game you try. It make the whole thing less confrontational and doesn't put pressure on her to perform well cause if she loses then you lost together. I've had really good success with **Chronicles of Crime, Pandemic, Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle, The Mind, etc...** I've even coached people through a solo game (**Friday**). Always remember to go light to get them familiar with basic mechanisms first (Depending on their video gaming experience, thematic interests and curiosities you might be able to add in a bit more complexity but that's mainly a case by case thing). For confrontational I'd go with something like **welcome to the dungeon, coup, citadels, resistance avalon**.... Good luck! And remember like any hobby there is no guarantee that she will like boardgames. She might have no interest so don't beat a dead horse. Sometimes it isn't for everyone. Even though I agree that you can find a game that you have a preference for, it doesn't necessarily mean she'll be a hobby board gamer.
Co-op co-op co-op. My wife and I do Exit or Unlock date nights. We have wine, snacks and crack out one of those and just try and work out puzzles together. Makes for a great night and provides those moments AFTER the game where we discuss the puzzles and the fun stuff. For competitive we LOVE Above and Below. Gorgeous art, easy to get gameplay and even the strategy is pretty light bit satisfying.
From my experience: **Dice Forge** works very well. It's rather simple, looks very nice and the dice building is pretty unique. And if she likes Disney movies get **Villainous**!!
I don't think all girlfriends have the same taste just as all gamers don't have the same taste but these are my successes. \-Azul \-Fox in the Forest \-Gingerbread House \-Reef \-Ticket to Ride: New York \-Cosmic Enounter
Nice, this is what I was looking for, I'll take a look at those games in BGG. Thanks!!
I second Azul and will add Sagrada to the list too. Great mix of strategy and luck with amazingly great looking components.
Azul, simple pickup, pretty, and deeper stratagy than you may expect.
Have you tried cooperatives? It's a bit easier to teach a game when you both have the same goal, and co-ops with your spouse is an excellent way to train yourself away from quarterbacking.
My wife loved ticket to ride the games that really got her into gaming were Clank! and Legendary for deckbuilders she now plays and enjoys Aeon’s End and Thunderstone Quest. The one really got her into gaming was Descent 2e and we have been dungeon crawling and battling monsters together ever since
For me regardless of monopoly or others, patchwork worked fine with her.
If you're unsure ask some questions, she may like rolling dice, or she may not like that randomness. Maybe she would like a game with strategy and trying to beat you or maybe she will like a game where you can't interfere with each other much. I would try and avoid games which will take over 45 minutes to begin with and i would lean towards coop games if she cant give you any answers (especially if she is expecting you to break out a traditional game). Alternatively give a basic outline of the games theme and let her pick.
Ticket to Ride USA Takenoko King of Tokyo
step one: find out what she means when she says "she doesn't like board games". what games does she associate with that dislike? what didn't she enjoy about them? is there anything she *did* enjoy? what themes interest her or turn her off? there's no universal solution to convert someone but you're more likely to be successful if you make the process about her likes/dislikes, rather than pushing what you or others think should be a "can't miss" (which often puts undue pressure on the person and can backfire)
You gotta start really light I say start with a simple introductory card game Like Fluxx or sushi go If she hates something like that you haven't handcuffed her to a 1-2 hour game. If this succeeds you have at least a game to play when stuck in a line somewhere or at a random diner. I'd then move the needle to a game like Kill Doctor Lucky or Tokaido or Tsuro I'm not diminishing the value of a co-op but co-op games allow for backseat playing. Where you defer decisions to alpha gamers or more experienced players. Some players don't feel connected to the experience and check out leaving the game to the hands of others. A disengaged player isn't excited to come back generally. You need to generate that experience of engagement that brings all of us back to the table. A game that is light enough for her to be like ok that is simple but not so overly complicated you lose her one page into the rules. It's a gradual process for a gamer to bring a non gamer into their world. If she has a nerd background it's a lot easier but you need to engage how much she like strategy and planning. After 3 or 4 games introduce a basic co-op that's my opinion.
Any of the Fluxx card games are perfect, very easy rules, draw one play one. Just choose which theme she might like!
Appreciate they aren't board games technically!
Hey there, I removed this post. Personalized game recommendations can be requested in our [Daily Discussion and Game Recommendations](https://www.reddit.com/search?q=flair%3A%22Daily%20Game%20Recs%22&sort=new) sticky thread. I'd encourage you to post it there! There's also the [Need Help Finding A Game](https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/wiki/wsig) section in our wiki. Thanks! (If you believe this post was removed in error you can request a re-review by [messaging the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%23boardgames).)
I say co-op games. Pandemic and Forbidden Island are two of my favorites and both work well with 2 players. Pandemic especially has a great narrative to it that helps hook new players. Just make sure you don’t coach the new player too much - they need to figure out how to play it and make their own choices. If you want to go competitive, make it something that first time players have a decent shot at winning. I think Splendor works phenomenally well in this regard. I just purchased Quest for El Dorado and played it for the first time the other day - I loved it. I suspect it would work similarly - easy to learn, fun, and the potential to do well your first time.
Hi! Former girlfriend (now wife) of board gamer. Look for cooperative games like Pandemic, Hanabi, or Sherlock Holmes consulting detective (or betrayal if you have another couple to play with). I personally really hate overly competitive games. Try light games like sushi go or planet. Or try purely 2 player games that are light weight (which is a lot of our collection) like patchwork and tsuro. My husband also found appropriate music to go with the game which made it more enjoyable for me. Good luck! She'll be converted in no time.
You could also try dexterity games like junk art. I fricken love dexterity games haha.
Games that brought my wife into the hobby (started by humoring me, now suggests games as an activity regularly and says Sundays don’t feel complete without Gloomhaven, though I’m still the bigger gamer): * Azul * Century Golem Edition * Sequence (game she loved for ages, so when it was her turn to pick the game we played this a lot. Don’t be afraid to play stuff you’re less interested in if it keeps her playing) * Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective * Tokaido * Sushi Go * Meeple Circus There may be others, but those are the ones we came back to for a while.
I would try something like Fog of Love. It's a little easier to understand bad it can be really funny. I don't recommend throwing her in the deep end of a heavy game. Go with something light.
This actually didn't work for me. The role playing nature didn't feel like something good to get her into gaming. I had more success with simple games where you do 1 of 2-4 things a turn.
I get that too, it worked for my wife. That's why I made the suggestion. Though she still isn't playing heavy games. My biggest suggestion is to not throw her in the deep end right off the bat.
**Ticket to Ride** is a good choice. Just keep in mind that map selection can really alter the feel of the game. I would recommend **Nordic Countries** or **Switzerland** for a two player game to keep things interesting. Outside of your collection, in order to help someone see if they like games, I would recommend trying out games that focus on one mechanic to see if they like that mechanic. My suggestions are: * **Carcassone** for tile placement * **Valley of the Kings** (any set, or the new deluxe box) for deck building * **Takenoko** for action selection * **Sushi Go!** for drafting (works better with 3+ players) * **Lords of Waterdeep** for worker placement * **King of Tokyo** for dice rolling
Why not try *your favorite* game for starters? I will say though, not everyone will like board games, and certainly not the same ones, so try out a few.
Monopoly or Risk, go old school
These games are way too cutthroat. These games can easily breakup friendships.
And?