I’ve always been drawn to the big, heavy board game boxes at my local game shop. I love looking over the shoulders of players as they sit around tables in the back, immersed in their games. I’m a fan of miniatures, maps, rules, stats, and all the role-playing and strategy that comes with it. But here’s the thing—I’m not really a board gamer. It was just one corner of nerd culture I hadn’t explored… until lockdown.
In our final week of freedom, I hit up two local game shops—Dragons’ Lair and Game Kastle Austin—and bought a ridiculous amount of games for the kids and adults at home to play during the evenings. This wasn’t a last-minute panic buy; instead, I had created an account on BoardGameGeek.com earlier in the year and spent time reading reviews and building a wishlist as the pandemic started to take shape. So I wasn’t completely starting from scratch.
Now that I’ve played some of these games and gotten more into the hobby, I know a lot more than I did a month ago—but I still have a long way to go. Still, I find myself answering questions from other parents and grown-up nerds who suddenly have a lot of free time and are looking for something fun to do. That’s why I’m putting together this quick guide on how to buy board games, not only to stop repeating the same advice in emails, but also to invite more experienced gamers to share their tips in the comments.
**Get a BoardGameGeek.com Account and Learn to Use It**
BoardGameGeek is an incredible resource for board gaming. If you learn how to use a few of its features, you’ll be way ahead of the curve. The site can be a bit tricky to navigate, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes invaluable.
- **Wishlist**: I started curating a wishlist early on, and eventually moved everything from my Amazon list over to it. There are different statuses like “must have,†“like to have,†and “thinking about it,†which help me sort through what I want.
- **Geek Rating**: While average ratings are visible on the game page, the Geek Rating gives a more accurate picture, especially for games with fewer reviews. It’s calculated using a formula that prevents users from manipulating it, making it a better indicator of quality.
- **Awards and Reviews**: I look at awards first—games that haven’t won any aren’t usually worth my time. I also read user reviews, especially the negative ones, to get a balanced view.
**Watch YouTube Playthroughs Before Buying**
One of the most important things I recommend before buying a game is to watch a playthrough on YouTube. Some of these videos are professionally made and give you a clear idea of what the game is like. I learned the hard way that I should have watched them before buying, not after.
For example, I used a playlist to learn how to play *Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition)*. Watching those videos helped me understand the game much better.
**Beware of Fakes and Counterfeits**
Amazon has a known issue with counterfeit products, and board games are no exception. Fake games often have poor-quality components, like unevenly cut pieces or bad miniatures. To avoid this, many serious gamers prefer buying from local game stores or sites like CoolStuffInc and Miniatures Marketplace. Even Target and Barnes & Noble can be good options for popular titles.
**What We’re Playing**
I don’t know what others like, so I can’t make specific recommendations. Instead, here’s a list of the games we currently own. Some are new, others we already had:
[Game List Here]
Under normal circumstances, this would be enough for years of gaming, but with five nights a week, we’ll go through them quickly. I’m keeping the new ones in their plastic wrap until we play them, just in case we don’t end up liking them.
If you have favorite games or recommendations, feel free to share them in the comments.
**Next Steps and Further Investigations**
We’re also exploring how to play some of these games online via video calls like Zoom. If you have experience with that, we’d love to hear your thoughts. I’ll be trying it out next week, and I’m sure others here will too.
If there’s interest, I can write more detailed impressions of specific games later.
Finally, if you're ordering games, consider isolating your packages for a few days as a precaution. At my house, we’re doing three days of isolation. Stay safe, and enjoy the games!
Stake Connectors,Plant Trellis Connector,Plant Trellis Clamps,Plastic Plant Buckle
Changzhou MD International Trade Co., Ltd. , https://www.mdgarden.com