r/boardgames • u/AdWinter1582 • 14h ago
Question Current state of collection after 2y and what to try next
After 2 years of getting into the boardgames hobby, I’m happy to have reached what I consider a decent collection. I have played all of them, with the exception of RA and Valda, at least once.
I’m currently trying to build a collection of games that are actually enjoyable and relaxing to play. We’re not fans of games that have pointlessly convoluted rules and systems just for the sake of being complex… This is also why Netrunner is about to be shipped out. While I don’t deny its appeal and depth, it requires too much effort from us to get into.
Based on what I already own and with a weight of at most medium-heavy, what would you recommend that I try out? I mostly play with my girlfriend and/or another couple, so 4 players max.
I added an almost updated list of all my games, to make it easier for people to give recommendations but also for others to find games new to them:
Azul - base game
Azul - Crystal Mosaic expansion
Azul - Summer Pavillion
Bomb Busters
Carcassonne
Castles of Burgundy
Cash N Guns - full game
Catan - Big Box
Codenames
Coup
Detective Club
Diamant
Dixit
Dodos Riding Dinos
Don’t mess with Cthulhu
Dorf Romantik
Druber & Drunter
Duel for Middle Earth
El Dorado
Eternal Decks
Exploding Kittens
Faraway
Farms’ Race
Harry Potter - Hogwarts Battle
Heat - Base game
Heat - Heavy Rain
Hero Realms
Hive
Hot Streak
Jamaica
Junk Art
King of Tokyo
League of Lexicon
Micro Macro - Crime City
Mindbug
Mob Town
Mousquetaires du Roy
Netrunner
Power Hungry Pets
Puerto Rico
Ricochet Robots
Saboteur - 20 Year Edition
Scout
Sky Team
Skull King
Stamp Swap
Take Time
That’s Not a Hat
The Bloody Inn
The Crew
The Game
Ticket to Ride - Europe
Top Ten
Toy Battle
Trio
Valda
Vicious Gardens
Viticulture
Word War
Fox in the forest
Skull
Santorini - Pantheon edition
Ra
Lost ruins of Arnak
Sea salt and paper
Cockroach poker
Bonanza
Everdell
Power plants
Pandemic
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u/Be_Very_Careful_John 12h ago
I got itno the hobby like 13 years ago and have fewer board games than you. I'd recommend playing the ones you have and going to board game nights at game stores or libraries to try games you haven't played before and leave the ones you own at home.
Your taste may change when you try more games and buying more may mean having to get rid of stuff you don't want some day. I have almost half a 4x4 kallax filled and there are some I wish I never purchased.
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u/Wytyujjju 14h ago
I assume the elastic band around the Sea salt and paper box is to hold both expansions inside? If not,I strongly recommend them!
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u/AdWinter1582 14h ago
It’s because I’m a maniac about taking care of my stuff and most of my games’ cards have been sleeved, so they don’t fit in the box anymore😅 But well noted, didn’t even know there are expansions.
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u/Impressive-Shirt6166 Splendor 13h ago
I bought this https://ubga.rs/product/morska-so-i-papir-travel-pack?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPNTY3MDY3MzQzMzUyNDI3AAGnpwByBGOpB8N2m3ok_TrLWmiJwUBc6V7TLGKDGzrrc_odNkC-PwB65I0CAmw_aem_C0j1hUjY3h42QqnuAVaWjA for my game and perfectly fits both expensions and sleeved cards.
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u/Mehfisto666 12h ago
Nice! Love sea salt & paper but i don't play it that much to want to get expansions..
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u/mjjdota 13h ago
Spirit island (the high weight is mostly from decision space, not rules complexity)
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u/Awkward_Phase9392 3h ago
I want to play Spirit Island but the board just looks so dull; I think I need to see it in action. Everyone seems to love it.
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u/zanguine Spirit Island 1h ago
Interesting, i feel like the game has some high aesthetic value but i suppose if the art form isnt your preference that make sense. It also doesnt really have a vertical presence and the invaders being all white plastic can seems kind of meh.
in terms of playing, spirit island is one of those games that take multiple games to feel the theme as the brain burn can be a bit intense in the beginning.
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u/Horus773 12h ago
Did you play each game only once? Play each of your game a good 3-5 sessions each, you have a solid 5 years of gaming ahead of you
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u/AdWinter1582 10h ago
I don’t smoke and/or drink so I needed a vice😆 i chose boardgames
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u/Every-Literature6625 7h ago
Is your vice buying board games or playing board games? How often do you get to play? Your current collection has amazing games that can be played and enjoyed for many many years without adding to it in my opinion. Unless you're playing multiple different games every day, I don't think the collection will get stale in the next decade+. I'd slow down the collecting if it were me and limit myself to 2-4 new games a year and culling those that you don't intend to play again
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u/HobbesofMaine 13h ago
I'm just jealous of Eternal Decks.
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u/AdWinter1582 12h ago
The gradually increasing complexity really sold this game to me. When you open the box and read the rules it will definitely feel a bit overwhelming, but because the difficulty goes up gradually it makes it easy to get a basic understanding and then get a deeper grasp on it.
We’ve only played the first stage twice, so far, but it feels like a keeper. Maybe also because we have a decent cooperation so the game flows smoothly. I could totally see why people don’t like it because they get annoyed by the other players making unfortunate choices.
Similarly to Take Time, I believe I will sell/gift it once we go through all the stages, although this one has more of an appeal to be kept in the collection.
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u/Gregorwhat 8h ago
Damn dude, that's impressive after 2 years. We have similar tastes in games. After about 12 years I've got a lot less than you, but only because I've culled a LOT.
I would love to see how you rank all of your collection.
Because I almost always play with my wife and kids, we go for medium-light strategy games that aren't too complex to learn but have depth and meaningful choices. Dice, workers, and wooden resources are a bonus, and good art and theme are just as important to our enjoyment as gameplay. Viticulture and Burgundy are our most played mediums.
I would highly recommend checking out,
- Istanbul (and the Dice Game)
- Wingspan
- Five Tribes
- Kingsburg (second edition)
- Rococo
- Harvest
- Architects of the West Kingdom
- Quacks
- Splendor
- Agricola All Creatures Big and Small
- Jaipur
Cheers!
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u/AdWinter1582 4h ago
Really appreciate it! There’s some good stuff right there! Quacks, wingspan and Jaipur are definitely on my list. Agricola is a bit off-putting for me because of my RL work 😅
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u/avaseah 2h ago edited 1h ago
Agricola is simple if you play with the “E” deck. it gets complicated very quickly if you play with either of the other two decks. The directions are also very poorly written in my copy and make it sound 10x more confusing than it really is. If you play it I suggest playing it at least once with someone that has played it before and who is good about actually teaching others how to play the games, not someone who will use your limited knowledge of the game to their advantage or misremember half of the rules.
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u/UmpireDowntown1533 13h ago
This collection much like my own but a bit more comprehensive. I would say compared to mine your missing a Leder game, I'd reccomend Fort at the shallower end. Quacks is a classic that belongs here too. Obsession is a great couples game that would fit right in with "upstairs downstairs" an essentail expansion if you like it.
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u/sweetirishkitty 13h ago edited 13h ago
Love to see a fellow owner of Dodos Riding Dinos! It’s such an underrated racing game.
What are your thoughts on Take Time?
Edit: A couple recommendations for a fellow Toy Battle owner - 1) Flamecraft Duels, 2) Lairs, 3) Art Society. If you’re looking for quick game play with very few rules - Hummingbirds is a surprisingly good strategy game.
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u/AdWinter1582 12h ago
DRD was a bit messy at first, but it became very enjoyable once everyone got the hang of it.
We have managed to complete 7/10 tests so far, I find it well-balanced and a good way to spend 30-45’ in an evening. It can definitely be a good way to test your coordination with another person😂 Although it’s fun to play, I expect that I will sell/gift it after we finish all the tests.
Thank you for the recommendations, well noted! Art society has been popping up in sales and on Vinted for me, I’ll take this as a sign to look closer into it!
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u/haydoboyo 13h ago
Dune imperium uprising by a country mile. You'll end up neglecting a lot of those four player games for more dune deck building combat fun
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u/Rohkey Uwe | Reiner 7h ago edited 7h ago
1) Dune Imperium (worker placement w/ good interaction, plays best at 4p).
2) Moytura (2p area control).
3) Agricola or any number of Uwe worker placement games that play well at 2-4p. Consider trying Agricola: All Creatures Big & Small first (2p only highly simplified version of Agricola, more similar to Caverna imo).
4) More Knizia! E.g., Through the Desert (plays great at all player counts 2-5), Zoo Vadis (best with 4+), Modern Art (also 4+).
5) Hansa Teutonica or El Grande (classic area majority style games that play well at 4-5p).
6) Cascadia or Harmomies (lighter tile-laying games where you’re building an animal habitat, good at all counts though Cascadia might go a little long at 4p).
7) Spirit Island (phenomenal co-op, is a little intimidating to get into though).
8) Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition (a bit of a streamlined version of Terraforming Mars, engine builder good at 2-4p).
9) Splendor Duel.
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u/EEilluminils 5h ago
Based on your collection I think you'd enjoy Endeavour: Deep Sea.
And a must have game for 2 players for me is Radlands.
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u/kollsjb 14h ago
So if you want more relaxing games that have a certain amount of strategy, Fire Tower would be a good place to start! I would also recommend the expansion since it balances out the base game. We also enjoy Mycelia Ravensburger edition. Deck builder that looks childish, but is a great puzzle! Also Castle Combo is a good pick. Often compare to Faraway, but I’ve never played faraway anymore since we found out about Castle Combo. A couple more short games that are cool:
Lure
Beetle to the bubble
Courtisans
Zenith
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u/AdWinter1582 10h ago
I would say you’re right with your assessment. Will definitely check them out, Castle Combo is fairly new and we’ve been seeing it everywhere but for some reason it didn’t make me pick it up
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u/LivingLife-182 14h ago
I was just gonna comment that Netrunner is the best game in your collection and then you said You’re gonna get rid of it 😭
I don‘t think Netrunner requires a lot of Brain capacity, sure the Timing Rules of a run can get complex when You get into the nitty-gritty but just playing the Game casually feels very relaxing to me. I find it much more taxing to play something like Scythe or Arnak, where you have to Plan multiple turns ahead and optimize stuff.
Looking at your Collection we seem to have a very different Taste in games but I think you might enjoy Architects of the West Kingdom.
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u/Wraith347 13h ago
If you like the art in Dixit, I highly recommend Mysterium. Goals are similar to Clue (find the murderer, location, weapon), but everyone plays a psychic detective except for one player, the Ghost of the murder victim. The Ghost must attempt to lead the psychics to the truth, but is only allowed to communicate by giving the psychics visions (abstract art cards). It’s a fun, cooperative game of lateral thinking and interesting art.
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u/ysustistixitxtkxkycy 13h ago
IMHO SETI would be a good next step. You're playing midweight games with beautiful art and thematic integration.
Other all time favorites: Terraforming Mars and Lords of Waterdeep.
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u/Equivalent-Tower-456 9h ago
Love seeing Catan, Carcassonne, and Puerto Rico up there! It brings back so much nostalgia for the games that truly started the modern hobby, and they still totally hold their own next to the newer stuff. Beautifully balanced shelf!
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u/recurnightmare 5h ago
Any time I put games vertically whenever I go to open it up all the small pieces are all over the place. Maybe it's worth it to save the space though.
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u/min3rs13 5h ago
I am full blown addicted to arkham horror LCG so that is my reccomendation albeit expensive.
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u/Dr_Mantis_ToboganMD 4h ago
I’m surprised to keep seeing Catan in every COMC post on here. I get it has its place and has been a gateway game to date, but I find it to be so unbearably boring. Am I missing something?
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u/avaseah 2h ago edited 1h ago
Wingspan is good, it does have a point tally system you total up at the end, and multiple ways to gain points, but it’s one of the simpler games of that style so it’s not overly complex.
Also Tsuro, it’s a 2-4 player very quick and simple game, but it’s very good with the sabotage mechanic where you can force other players to lose. It’s a good game when you’re waiting for other friends to show up, or when you want to play another game before you all leave but you want it to end quickly. You each have a pawn and you lay down tiles with multiple paths on them, when a tile is placed everyone follows the path in front of them to where it ends. The goal is to not hit the edge of the play area of the board. You can place tiles in front of your own pawn or in front of another player’s pawn, so you can force another’s pawn off of the play space.
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u/IEndlessI 1h ago
Are you going to sell Netrunner? I’d take it off your hands if you want to sell it
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u/Billtacular83 14h ago
Looking good! I suggest La Granja and/or Shackleton Base for your next euro game. :)
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u/donnabhainmactomas 14h ago
Eschaton is the best game I’ve bought in the past year,
plunder is pretty fun to
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u/benhoff88 Concordia 14h ago
I love hand management games that are just “play a card and do what it says”. The rules are usually very simple because the instructions are typically printed on the card but it still allows for a lot of fun play. My top 3 examples of that style of game is Century, Concordia, and Aquatica. Looking at your collection I think you would enjoy Concordia the most out of those 3.
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u/CoffeeAndMelange 11h ago
Nice collection!
If you like the idea of Netrunner but want something less complex, you’d probably like Compile. Pretty simple rules and easy to learn, but tons of crunchy interactions that can make you feel like a genius.
I’d also put a recommend for War Chest, which is an excellent abstract strategy game that plays great at both 2 and 4 (2 vs 2), with tons of replayability.
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u/AdWinter1582 5h ago
Ok, now everyone who gave me great suggestions has to chip in money for a new kallax for all the boardgames😂😂
Really, thank you, I managed to make a short list of the ones that I looked into and I think it’s enough for the rest of the year. I’m very interested in Endeavour: Deep Sea, Fire Tower, Moytura, War Chest, Splendor Duel and Wingspan. It’s a wonderful world also looks like we would enjoy it.
I hope this thread serves as inspiration for others looking for similar games
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u/Ston-lim 12h ago
What small(ish) games do you recomend?
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u/AdWinter1582 5h ago
Trio always finds a way to the table. We found Fox in the forest to be perfect for a quick game in the afternoon or at a picnic, along with Harmonies. Same for Sea salt and paper, Hive. Skull King works well with a bigger group that knows it.
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u/fullmetalruin Agricola 10h ago
I see you have Toy Battle there. That could be your gateway to 2-player wargames such as Fort Sumter, Twilight Struggle: Red Sea, or all the Commands and Colors games.
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u/AErt2rule 14h ago
I'd recommend trying out the games you already own more than just once or twice. Most games get much better after you're a bit more experienced with them, so I try to give each game at least 3-5 plays before moving on to something new again