On my most recent episode of Video Game Crosstalk, Leigh Murcott of Gamerborn Clothing admitted that he was not a Table Top gamer, but would be open to suggestions. Rather than just send him a quick link, I decided why not put this up in a blog post to help him out and future visitors of the same mind set?

So to help him, and the rest of you, out, here’s a few games to help you get started in the world of modern table top. There is plenty that has changed since the days of Monolopy!

Ha! Too Easy!

These first two games are very easy to learn while still being enjoyable for adults. There’s more to them than just rolling a pair of dice and moving your token along a path, but don’t worry; you’ll be able to keep up!

Dragonwood

In Dragonwood, you play as an adventurer questing their way through the forest. This game is great for younger players (ahem, your kids) as it leans on the concepts of mathematics in a fun way. Players draw cards in order to create sets of either the same color, number, or cards in numerical order. These cards are then used to defeat monsters in the forest. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. Beware of Dragons!

Splendor

Splendor is another simple game that is all about resource management. Through out the game, players will choose to either collect gem tokens or purchase gem cards from the board. As you collect more gem cards, you will be able to purchase more expensive gem cards later on. Generally, the more expensive the gem card purchased, the more Prestige Points that player will accumulate. The first player to 15 Prestige Points wins the game!

Back For More?

A little too easy for you? Fair enough. The next two games are modern classics with an appropriate amount of complexity and challenge for most adults. It will take some strategy, some luck, and at least one full playthrough before you start feeling confident in the rules.

Settlers of Catan

Settlers or Catan, or simply “Settlers”, is well known around most gaming circles. Expansions abound, with offshoots and themed reskins for particular fandoms (We actually purchased a Star Trek edition for my sister-in-law!). Each player’s goal is to collect resources in order to build roads linking towns and cities. By doing so, players earn Victory Points. The first player to 10 Victory Points wins the game.

Ticket to Ride

Welcome to the age of the locomotive! It is your job to help network the cities of the continental United States of America (Or an assortment of other regions of the world) with as many train routes as you can connect! Players take turns drawing colored train cards in order to place their own train tokens on the board to connect cities. The longer the connection, the more points are scored. Connecting cities as designated on separate route cards will score players bonus points at the end of the game. The game ends when the first player is down to two train tokens left. After that, there is one final turn for each player, and the final scores are tallied up. Pro Tip: When requesting additional route cards, see if you can find some that either line up with your existing routes or overlap completely!

I Came Here to Game!

Now that you’ve gotten in to the mix, time to roll up your sleeves and get nerdy! While these are (by far) not the most complex games out on the market, we’re hitting the upper limit of those who are not gaming die-hards. Both of these last two games have plenty of expansions should you wish to keep upping the complexity! Go forth, and remember that fortune favors the bold!

Pandemic

First thing’s first with this one: This is a COOPERATIVE game, which may be a new concept to those who are not up to date with modern gaming. This means that you are not, I repeat NOT, playing against the other players. Everyone needs to work together against the game itself in order to win. As the game progresses, it will become more difficult. Players take on the role of some kind of Emergency Responder as four deadly diseases threaten to take out humanity. You will receive role cards, action cards, and disease cards. Each turn, more disease tokens will appear on the board and it is your job to help discover cures and save the world.

Lords of Waterdeep

Yes, this is a Dungeons and Dragons game, but don’t worry; we’re not getting that complex! This game is set in the world of D&D and leans on similar concepts and references. Each player takes on the role of one of the Nobles of the City, and you send your agents out to its various locations to carry out tasks. By completing these tasks, players accumulate Victory Points. The player with the most Victory Points at the end of the game is declared the winner. Don’t worry, we won’t be busting out the polyhedral dice for this game.

What’s in Your Game Closet?

That should get most people started with modern gaming. There are plenty more out there, and I am sure that there will be some readers who just simply can not believe that I would leave out 7 Wonders or Dominion! How dare I!

(Like what I did there? I’m so clever!)

So what’s in your game closet? Any Table Top games that you’re a fan of that you would suggest to new comers?