Mix Up Your Game Night with These 5 Awesome Board Games

While the concept of mixing up game night with another type of game besides D&D might be as vile as Vecna himself, my group has found that we actually get more fun out of our Dungeons and Dragons campaigns when we mix things up with board games and card games every fourth week.

Along our path, we’ve encountered some real gems, and today, I’d like to share some of those with you! If you haven’t already checked out the article on card games, I’d highly recommend it, because today we’re dedicating the post to board games!

When it comes to board games, there are often elements like cards and dice, but unlike card games or dice games, the board game pulls a variety of elements together to build something truly special. Because there are often more elements to a board game, bear in mind that they’re usually a bit harder to learn and set up. To accommodate for this element inherent to the nature of these games, we’re adjusting our learning curve ruberick to be in relation to other board games. So, let’s talk about five games that won’t leave you bored!

Dead of Winter

Learning Curve: Medium
Players: 2-5
Time to Play: 1-2 hours (60-120 minutes)

I’ve mentioned Dead of Winter a few times on the site, but with Halloween right around the corner, this is a fantastic game for your group. A zombie apocalypse survival game, Dead of Winter sees you gathering survivors (premade characters) who each contribute something unique to the game, mechanically.

You control your survivors as they venture into various locations like the gas station, the hospital, and the police station. Each location contains precious supplies needed to endure the harsh, zombie-infested winter.

Be warned! Even moving from location to location can be arduous and can risk wounds or even exposure (which kills the survivor).

As the game progresses, a story unfolds, revealed by cards. Each player wants to accomplish the group goal for that particular game, while also achieving their personal goals. However, not all players may be cooperating with the group, as some personal goals turn players into traitors that must be played against. Not every game has traitors, and depending on how you play, you may not even know if there are traitors in your midst.

This game plays out a story much like a season of a Netflix series, and I’m 100% here for it. If you dare to brave Dead of Winter and its slightly more complex mechanics, you’re sure to come away having enjoyed yourself. I know I do every time I play.

Grab a copy here

Takenoko

Learning Curve: Easy
Players: 2-4
Time to Play: ~45 minutes

Takenoko is a game about gardening. In Takenoko, players cultivate a bamboo garden with the help of the royal gardener. They must feed the Emperor’s insatiable pet panda, while constructing a garden fit for a king.

This game quickly picks up in pace, courtesy of its easy learning curve. The mellow theme contributes to an enjoyable experience in the vein of something like Stardew Valley. The mix of competition encouraged by the panda mechanic adds new complexity to this game and makes it something of an anomaly, being both very cutthroat and calming at once.

Grab a copy here

Tragedy Looper

Learning Curve: Difficult
Players: 2-4
Time to Play: 2 hours (120 minutes)

If you’re in the mood for more of a standard-fare RPG, then Tragedy Looper may be what you’re looking for. The game allows for one Mastermind (Game Master) and one to three protagonist players. Trigger warning: this game contains references to murder and suicide and can be heavy for some players. Be sure to discuss this with everyone ahead of time to develop safety tools specific to your game group.

In Tragedy Looper, players will have different roles assigned to them, like conspiracy theorist, serial killer, etc. Each turn sees players lay down cards to determine their actions, then watch as a day (which is one turn) plays out. Beware if things go awry, because your character can die in this intense, scenario-driven game.

This game has a variety of expansions beyond the base, which allows for hours upon hours of new content, all playing out like a favorite dark anime series. The artwork in this game is especially breathtaking, which dark tones and vividly saturated characters.

If you’re a fan of Code: Lyoko or Time Hollow (that obscure Konami visual novel), then this game will absolutely sate your appetite for mystery and thrill.

Grab a copy here

Gargoyles: Awakening

Learning Curve: Medium
Players: 2-5
Time to Play: 45 minutes – 1 hour (45-60 minutes)

If you grew up in the 90’s (like I did), then you probably knew about Gargoyles. This animated series followed a clan of Scottish Gargoyles as they braved the harrows of New York City in a modern world far different from the one they remember from before their slumber.

Just like the television series, this game provides different scenarios in an episode-of-the-week fashion. Some of the scenarios are cooperative for the players, while others see players compete against one another. Each has its own goals for the players to achieve.

One of the coolest things about this particular game is the 3-D New York City that players build during setup. Don’t worry about portability. The whole thing is composed of easy-to-assemble cardboard pieces that slot into the game board.

If you’re looking for a nostalgia trip, or if you just want to play a more cooperative board game, then I’d recommend taking this particular game out for a spin.

Get a copy here

Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition)

Learning Curve: Medium
Players: 1-5
Time to Play: 2 hours (120 minutes)

Maybe your gaming group wants to mix things up with a board game, but they don’t want to stray too far from D&D, or perhaps your group wants to try something D&D adjacent? If so, check out Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition).

The number of minis in this game is absolutely wild! Monster minis galore, plus a set of player character minis. And you will eventually use all of them in this scenario-driven board game.

Players choose to control one of the premade characters, while they compete against the game itself. This allows for even a single player to go through an adventure solo.

One of the coolest things about this particular board game is that its scenarios branch like a choose your own adventure novel, unfolding an entire campaign in front of you over multiple play sessions, though you can just as easily play a one-off game. The rule book even encourages homebrewing to make your own custom scenarios, using the stat blocks and character sheets provided, for endless possibilities!

If you’re a die-hard D&D fan, this game is one you should absolutely introduce your game group to. If nothing else, the game provides tons of inspiration for GMs of all systems, and the minis and maps are all modular, meaning you could construct them in any way you wish!

Grab a copy here

What do you think?

Have you played any of these board games? Do you mix up your RPG nights with board and card games? Whatever your thoughts, we’d love to hear from you, so tweet @Nerdarchy or connect with us on Facebook!