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My Favorite Board Games

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As someone who would consider themselves a pretty avid board gamer, here are some of my personal favorites! There are a couple I'm sure that I'll get some crap for not including (I'm personally not a huge fan of Catan for example) but for the purpose...
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Deck Building

Deck building games are just like the name suggests, they typically start off slower as players build up their decks to have progressively better turns. 

 
Aurora Kretsch profile picture
Deck building and a good two player game, this one is very similar to Hogwarts Battle (the co-op) and if you have that one and know it well then this game will be pretty easy to learn. You play against your opponent in order to stun them three times ...
Harry Potter™ Hogwarts™ Battle: Defense Against the Dark Arts
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
Deck building and Co-Op Legendary has a few different iterations, they're all specifically themed and you'll be much more attached to it if you love the theme. I am a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan and have really enjoyed playing this game as well...
Upper Deck Legendary: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
Acension was my first experience with deck building games and I came across it rather early in my board game adventures. It has a ton of expansions, a lot of which can play on their own as well as with the original deck. It's all about gaining as man...
Ascension: 10 Year Anniversary Edition,11060
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
My husband LOVES this game, I wasn't as big of a fan, though I didn't dislike it. He's also recently read the books which I think makes him slightly more attached to the characters in the game itself since he knows more about the story behind what's ...
Dune Imperium Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
Even though Dice Forge is a dice building game, I'm putting it in with deck building because it's the same general principle, you take time crafting two dice that will keep giving you more and more benefits as the game goes on.
Libellud Dice Forge Board Game | Ages 10+
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Dungeon Crawler

Dungeon Crawler games are ones where the players are moving through a predetermined board or location and must accomplish something on that board in order to win!

 
Aurora Kretsch profile picture
I have one of the first editions of this game and it's one of the classics that gets played all the time when my board game friends and I get together for our biannual board game weekend! I also recommend the Legacy version and the Widow's Walk expan...
Avalon Hill Betrayal at House on the Hill 3rd Edition Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
There are a few different versions of Clank! My husband and I have all but one of the expansions for the original version and have had a great time playing it every time. Clank is a combination of Dungeon Crawler and Deck Builder, but does seem to fa...
Clank! A Deck-Building Adventure
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Co-Op

You'll find games where players need to work together to win or lose in this category.

 
Aurora Kretsch profile picture
I've played the classic version of this game a few times and it's hard but super fun! It's a co-op game that has you saving villagers from the things that go bump in the night!
Horrified: Greek Monsters Board Game
 
Aurora Kretsch profile picture
Hogwarts Battle is a super fun (though admittedly challenging) game! The first few years will feel pretty easy but once you get further in you'll start to realize what I'm talking about. If you get the Monster Book of Monsters expansion that will be ...
Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle Deckbuilding Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
This game is extremely complicated, I haven't even played the full extent of the game yet, however it's for sure worth taking the time to learn. There are a ton of moving pieces, but essentially you're trying to protect your island from invaders who ...
Spirit Island
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
This co op game is easy to learn but also can feel impossible to win. You can look at everyone's cards but your own and other players will give you clues as to what you have in your hand in order to strategically place your cards in the correct order...
Hanabi
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
Flash Point may look like a simple family friendly game, and it is, however it can also be really hard. You work together with your friends to put out the fire at the house while saving innocent bystanders and making sure the building doesn't collaps...
Flash Point Fire Rescue 2nd Edition
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
In order to get through the entire game you'll need a bit of time and patience. Whenever we play this game we have to break it up because it can get a little monotonous and exhausting especially in the later levels that are much more difficult. But o...
The Crew - Mission Deep Sea | Card Game
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Easy to Learn

There are some in here that are technically games in another category but they're also good for groups of people who are newer to games or want something a little bit easier to learn. 

 
Aurora Kretsch profile picture
I absolutely love Mexican Train Dominoes. It can take a while, but is totally worth it to find out who's the best at creating trains!
Game Gallery Mexican Train Domino Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
The after dark Telestrations is a great party game! Especially for those who have dirty minds and would make the regular one dirty anyway! Our friends have a ton of fun with this game when we get together fora chill game night!
Telestrations After Dark Board Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
This one takes a little bit to explain but once you get it it's a really great party game that will have you wanting to play more and more! I personally like this version much better than the regular Werewold which can get a bit boring if you're kill...
One Night Ultimate Werewolf Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
Similar to Werewolf, Coup is about tricking your friends and discovering the truth! It's a good party game for those groups who love a healthy debate and is pretty easy to learn and understand. Plus it comes with little cheat sheet cards that you can...
Coup Board Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
Not so much a party game or super great for large groups of people, but Lanterns is very easy to learn and very visually appealing with how pretty everything is. It's also meant to be good for those who are colorblind because not only is each colored...
Lanterns - The Emperor's Gifts Expansion Board Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
Definitely a game for those who don't mind a little exercise. This super easy to learn game is really fun, just be sure to put the pets outside and hide any breakables!
Throw Throw Burrito by Exploding Kittens - A Dodgeball Card Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
I bet so many people are sick of Exploding Kittens by now, I personally think it's a very cute and fun game. I suggest getting the NSFW version if you can. This game is really easy to learn and the cards will make you giggle every time.
Exploding Kittens Card Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
Our friend group loves playing this game, and especially loves getting to bop each other when they do something wrong. It's a fun and witty game!
Poetry for Neanderthals Game by Exploding Kittens
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
Fun fact, I actually know the guy who created this game! He owns a local board game store near me! It's a super easy to learn and fun little game that's a great way to get people into board games!
Ti Lo Chi
 
Aurora Kretsch profile picture
This is a quick adding game that's super easy to learn and is fun to learn and play!
The Game

Strategy

For the purposes of this list I am classifying strategy games as those that don't necessarily fit in one of the previous categories. Pretty much all board games require some sort of strategy but these are ones that aren't deck building, dungeon crawl...

 
Aurora Kretsch profile picture
This is such a cute game! Not only do you get to rescue pretty kitties all with their own stories, but the box actually comes with a spot to put your own cat! They have a family version and a regular version, I haven't played the family one, but the ...
The Isle of Cats Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
My sister in law and her husband first introduced us to this game and it's a pretty fun and unique strategy game (at least compared to the strategy games that I'm familiar with)
Carcassonne Board Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
There are a lot of different versions of Azul, I've played the original more than any other and I've always enjoyed it. It's pretty and relaxing but can also give you the satisfaction of really messing with your friends!
Azul: Queen's Garden Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
This strategy game gives you a ton of different playability options. We have the Loki expansion and that adds a whole new layer that we love! Playing as your favorite villain is a fun way to change things up a bit! I saw recently that there are even ...
Marvel Villainous Strategy Board Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
A game of deception (and honestly, also bribery) Sheriff of Nottingham is one of those games that you have to play a couple of times to really get the hang of. As long as you're willing to lie of course
Sheriff of Nottingham Game 2nd Edition
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
This game is not nearly as well known as it should be. It's a push your luck sort of game where you keep pulling ingredients from you cauldron until it explodes. If it does explode then you don't get as many good rewards as if you had stopped pulling...
Die Quacksalber von Quedlingburg (The Quacks of Quedlingburg, German Edition) Board Game
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
If you're a fan of the show Firefly (which is just about anyone who's seen it) then you'll love this game! It does a really great job at mimicking the show and what it would be like to actually be like the crew of Serenity. There are a bunch of scena...
Firefly: The Board Games Special Edition
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
This game is relatively unknown, but those who do know it, think it's a really great game. You're trying to fill out your planet in a tetris like way while trying to accomplish goals to get more points and advantages along the way. Also a fun fact, o...
Planet Unknown
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Aurora Kretsch profile picture
There are a ton of variations of this game and they're all interchangable which I think is super cool. My husband and I own the Buffy The Vampire Slayer version but we've played the one with Medusa and Alice in Wonderland and that one was pretty cool...
Unmatched Collection - Restoration Games