If you’re stuck indoors, you might have run out of ideas to keep you busy. Board games are often thought of as outdated and a little dull, but this is far from the truth. Have a look at our top exciting games for 2020 that are a far cry from the old monopoly you knew.
Scythe
Take a trip to the fictional Europa, and play a fantasy adventure during a time when the Earth is recovering from a terrible mechs war. The mechs factory has closed down, and everyone wants a piece of the land. This is suitable from one to five players, and each faction is represented by an animal.
Represent yourself as the mighty bear, or the meeker muskox. You need to harvest resources, build structures, gather villagers, and build up your mech empire. The future of your faction lies in your hands, and each roll of the board game dice determines in which direction fate sends you.
It’s not a quick game, as, in the first part, you build up resources and strength. In the second, you gain ground and push towards the win. Your analytical mind will guide you through this strategy game, which is sure to keep you busy.
Pandemic Legacy: Season 1
Ironically this game was around before the current pandemic situation, and if world leaders played it, they might have learned something. The main focus of the game is to prevent diseases from breaking out all over the planet.
It’s suitable for 2-4 players and takes around an hour to 90 minutes for one game. You don’t only work towards individual goals, but you need to cooperate with other players to stop the spread of disease. When a player takes their turn, they use it to move around locations treating conditions, finding cures, or building research stations.
Finding a cure will win you the game. However, you only have four actions per move, which won’t get you far. This is where you need to team up with other players, keeping the pandemic in check so that you don’t all lose the game if the disease overwhelms you.
Quacks of Quedlinburg
For those who like a bit of silly fun with random gameplay, then Quacks is the perfect game. Two to four people can play, and one game can take up to an hour to complete. All players are deceitful potion makers, and the game revolves around the players having to create potions with the random items found inside their bags.
Each time you pull out an ingredient and place it in the ‘pot,’ it moves you along. The more high quality the elements, the further and faster you move along. It might sound simple, but of course, there’s a catch. Together with the ingredients in your bag, you have cherry bombs, and as you randomly draw from the pack, the bombs come with it.
Draw too many, and your bubbling potion pot will explode, giving you a penalty. There are other rules and surprising twists to the game, but overall it’s a lot of fun for the whole family.
Fog of Love
If you’re stuck with your partner, then don’t despair. The romantic Fog of Love board game is designed for two. It’s sure to make you giggle at the very least with its relationship-based comedy gameplay. Develop a character using the trait, feature, and occupation options and start loving.
Once the characters are developed, the scenario tells the couple what to do next. The players draw cards in turns and make decisions based on the scenes presented to them. The game progresses with increased conflicts throughout to increase the tension. Players play towards shared and individual goals, but the purposes are hidden.
Winning the game involves both players meeting their destiny. However, the game isn’t about winning as fast as possible but enjoying the experience of playing the game as a couple. So if you’re a person that’s all about winning, you might need to skip this one.
Final Thoughts
Playing board games is an activity often thought of as dull. It’s a misconception that should be blown out of the water, however. Games such as the Quacks of Quedlinburg are hilarious, and Scythe will test your strategy skills. Other board games offer different types of entertaining game scenarios.
With Fog of Love, you and your partner can test the waters of your relationship, and Pandemic Legacy can see you saving the planet. Board games are a lot more enjoyable than glazing out in front of the telly for hours. Give it a try yourself, we’re sure you won’t be disappointed.