There are a lot of board games out there.
Like, a lot.
Currently, some estimates show that over 12,000 new board games have been published in the past year alone.
That’s a lot of choices. Especially if you’re a new gamer, or someone who is just curious about board games.
And that can make the process of becoming a board gamer difficult.
Which is why we created this list of the best entry level board games for those new to the hobby. These games are all in print (at the time of this writing), and not the most typical suggestions.
These aren’t the most popular eight games you’ll find on everyone’s “best board games for beginners” list. That’s intentional.
Potion Explosion
- Best for: People who want something challenging, but familiar
- Players: 2-4
- Time: 45 minutes
One of the best aspects of board games is that they’re tactile. Few games are more tactile than Potion Explosion. Plucking the colorful marbles out of the dispensers and placing them in exactly the right place on your potion cards is still satisfying after all these years, and this game has the distinct advantage of being an easy sale to younger gamers, who will immediately recognize the similarities to Candy Crush or other matching games they play on their phone.
This was the first game my daughter was able to play when she was around four years old, and so this one will always have a place in our collection. It’s also one of the first games we pull out for new gamers because it’s so different from what they expect, and yet is instantly recognizable.
Maple Valley
- Best for: Families with Kids
- Players: 1-5
- Time: 45 minutes
Maple Valley looks like a children’s game, but is complex enough that adults can enjoy this game too. The aesthetic and artwork combines to make you see past the complexity that lies under the surface. This game combines action selection, set collection, pathfinding, and a system that works a little like worker placement to create a game that anyone can play in about an hour. This has become a favorite at our house, and for good reason.
Bomb Busters
- Best for: High Stakes Gamblers
- Players: 3-5 (I know the box says 2. It’s a lie)
- Time: 30 minutes
It should be fairly easy to find cooperative games to put on this list, but I have a confession.
I don’t really like cooperative games.
But even for an old curmudgeon like me, Bomb Busters is a great game. It’s not very good at two players, but if you have a group of three to five, this is one of the first games we bring out at game night, and we usually bring it out again after putting it away the first time. This one has the cooperative element, and brings tension like no other game on this list.
Harmonies
- Best for: Chill weeknight vibes
- Players: 2-5
- Time: 30 minutes
Harmonies borrows elements from at least one other game that easily could have made this list (Azul), but does so with friendlier game play and incredible art. We chose this one because Azul is a little more stressful and a little more punishing for new players, while Harmonies has a definite calmness to it. Almost like the landscape you’re creating and the animals you’re placing are living in...wait a minute. This is one of those games where the endgame looks like something you should frame, and the card images wouldn’t look out of place on your wall. Colorful, playful, and quick, this is one game that usually gets at least one extra play after the first.
Lanterns: the Harvest Festival
- Best for: Friendly Interaction
- Players: 2-4
- Time: 45 minutes
One aspect of welcoming games is that they’re very forgiving. Few games are as generous as Lanterns, where you get resources on your turn, and on everyone else’s turns as well. You can also score points for diversification and for collecting similar colors of lanterns. This is another game that looks great, is full of vibrant colors, and manages to keep everyone interested the whole time.
Mystic Market
- Best for: Score chasers
- Players: 2-5
- Time: 30 minutes
The smallest game on this list, Mystic Market is a card game that asks players to craft potions with ingredients purchased from a dynamic market. That market is represented by a collection of small bottles filled with glitter that will certainly draw your eye. Quick, simple and beautiful are all selling points of this one, but this is one of those games where you can chase a really high score, and that is the point that helps this one stand out for our game group.
Stop Thief!
- Best for: People who like Clue or Crime Dramas
- Players: 1-5
- Time: 45 minutes
This is the most played game in our collection. It’s a deduction game that uses card-based movement to allow players to chase a group of thieves across a map as they commit crimes in a downtown shopping mall. This one uses an app to control the bad guys, which lets you use your phone in a more positive, interactive way than you’re used to.
And since I’ve had the opportunity to play the original edition from the 1970s, I can say the app greatly increases the playability of this one. The ability to see where the bad guys moved after a loss really adds to the experience, and will make you want to give it another try immediately.
Wandering Towers
- Best for: Mild Rivalry
- Players: 1-6
- Time: 45 minutes
The biggest box here, this game shares a lot with some of the other games in this list – high tactility, high interaction, and just enough “take that” to keep everyone engaged without getting enraged. It’s just as fun to swallow your kid’s wizards as it will be for them to uncover them later in the round.
So, Where Should You Start?
There's no single "best" first board game.
The right game depends on what sounds fun to you.
If you like puzzles, try Harmonies. If you want something tactile, start with Potion Explosion. If you want to play cooperatively, Bomb Busters is a great place to start. If deduction sounds more interesting, give Stop Thief! a shot.
The important thing is to find a game that makes you want to play another one.
Because that's how most of us got into the hobby in the first place.
One game becomes two. Two become ten. And eventually you're wondering where you're going to put all of them. If you've reached that point, we've got some advice on how to organize and store a board game collection.
And once you've officially become a board gamer, you might as well dress like one.
Shop BoardGamingTees — strategy-inspired shirts made for people who actually play the games.
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