Summary
For a casualboard gameenjoyer, there’s nothing worse than going to a hardcore gamer’s board game night and seeing them break out the most complicated-looking tabletop game you’ve ever seen in your entire life. It’s easy to feel completely lost during the rules explanation phase, and maybe even feel like there’s no point at all in playing. After all, what chance do you have a winning your first time out?
If this is your experience, do we have the list for you. For longtime casual board game players, here’s a list of the most complex games to bring to your next game night that you can actually win.
2-4
Time to Play
45 mins
Pandemic is a complex game that sees players taking on the roles of scientists fighting infectious diseases that are spreading across the globe. If you can muster the mental wherewithal to tackle this game, then it can prove to be highly rewarding thanks to its intriguing strategy and role-based gameplay.
The reason this game is very possible to win as a first-timer is that it’s cooperative! This is not the only cooperative game on this list, but let’s face it, if you’re brand new to the world of complex tabletop games, working together as a team is going to give you a good shot at winning. Plus, because there’s an element of specialization going on in the game, you’re able to sort of narrow your focus in each game slightly.
45-90 mins
Root is an adorable game with amazing graphic design and a cuddly woodland aesthetic to boot. But, don’t let the art style of the game fool you; this game is complex and can reallyforce hardcore gamersto strategize rounds in advance. In this game, players take on the roles of woodland factions fighting for dominance.
The main reason this game is totally winnable on your first outing is thanks to the specificity of victory conditions. While it may take a few playthroughs to really get a grasp of this game’s complex mechanics, each player has a specific victory condition and different capabilities, which, like Pandemic, can help narrow your scope in each playthrough. This is probably the hardest one to win the first time on this list, but it’s definitely not impossible!
3-6
60-75 mins
Betrayal at House on the Hill is a fantastic horror-based board game that makes a perfect addition toany Halloween board game night. This game starts cooperative, which is great for newbies, as it gives them a chance to get a sense of the game’s mechanics before being thrust into the deep end. However, after the haunt starts, the game will be divided into two teams, with the chance for you to be all on your own.
However, I would argue you can win this on your first time, depending on the haunt you get. Obviously, if you’re on a team of players, you stand a much better chance as a newcomer. However, some haunts, in my opinion, are heavily skewed toward the solo player, giving you a much better chance at victory, even over more experienced players.
30-45 mins
Azul is a tile-collecting game in which players take turns picking up sets of four tiles each and adding them to a mosaic. This is a great game for newcomers, as aesthetically speaking, it’s just one of the most beautiful games out there. The tiles and designs are simply to die for.
The reason I’ve included this game on this list is that there is sort of a level of ‘dumb luck’ going on in this game in terms of tile draws. Even a really experienced player could just get unlucky. However, the strategy of this game is just intuitive to some people. I’ve seen this happen in real time, where a relatively inexperienced board game player just clicks with the flow of play of Azul. Something about the aesthetics and rhythm of the game just feels organic.
1-5
45-60 mins
Wingspan is another gorgeous game in terms of aesthetics, just like Azul. This game does have a very deep level of strategy going on in it, and it definitely helps if you’re more familiar with the cards. There are over 100 bespoke bird cards in this game, meaning it’ll take years to really internalize them all.
However, I do think this game is accessible to beginners as well, thanks to the easy-to-understand point system. Even if you don’t understand every element of strategy, ultimately, newcomers can easily grasp that more eggs and more birds can equal more victory points at the end. With just the right amount of luck, you could easily find yourself winning on your first outing. I did!
In this game, players take on the roles of quack doctors trying to peddle potentially dangerous medicines to the masses. This is another game that has a level of strategy going on that makes it appealing to more seasoned tabletop players, but also has a simple enough turn of play that’s easy to grasp on your first go-around.
In this game, players will take turns drawing ingredient chips and adding them to their pots to make unique potions. The higher the value you draw, the deeper into your pot it goes, which increases its value. Simple enough, right? Of course, you’ll want to be careful not to add too much, or your potion could explode! There’s a simple risk-reward dichotomy going on in this game that I feel is easyfor casuals to grasp, even on their first venture.
2-5
15-20 mins
Back to the lighter side of things, Sushi Go! is a really fun and fast-paced game about eating at a sushi restaurant and trying to rack up interesting combinations of sushi to score points. You score points by collecting full sets of sashimi or sushi rolls, and can maximize value by adding in extra ingredients or flavors.
While you might not win this game on your very first deal, what makes this game great is that it’s relatively quick. So, even if you don’t win the first time, you’re able to try again right away and improve your strategy.
2-7
60-90 mins
This is another much longer game, but, again, like Pandemic, it’s cooperative, which gives new players a much better shot. Obviously, it’s a huge help to be able to rely on your more experienced teammates to help you out, but you’ll still need to pull your weight.
In this game, players take on the roles of a spaceship crew whose captain has suddenly passed away. Shocking, I know, given the title of the game. Basically, the way this game works is that you’ll work together to keep various ship systems online while suffering under an attack from an alien ship. Plus, like Pandemic, each member of the crew has their own unique set of abilities and skills, which narrows the scope once again. Rather than having to understand every role at once, you may just focus on yours. Plus, this game discourages solo play and really encourages you to all be cooperative, which is great.
