I, on the other hand, came into the board game clique two years ago (when we first started dating). It was a way for us to have fun together, and I admit I also did it to show interest in his passions and make him happy. 

The best part of the situation is that I fell in love with board games, too. 

And now, two years later, I’ve played many board games and I already know what I like, what I don’t like, what kind of board games I prefer to play (scoring points for the win), and what I don’t like playing (area control). 

I always know how hard it is to get into board games, because most don’t know where to start. I’ve seen cases of people who have never played a board game before and start with a very complicated one (like Fief or Brass), so they get put off by it and never play again. 

That’s why it’s very important to start your board game journey on the right foot. That is, to start with easy, fun board games for beginners that are fast and fun to play. 

I’m here to help in that matter, because guess what? I’ve been in that situation, many moons ago, and I know how important it is to choose the right one! 

So I’ve compiled a list of board games for beginners that can be played in couples, small groups of 3-6 or families. Have fun!

Ticket to ride

This one is by far my favorite, and probably one of the best board games for beginners, in my opinion. If you get only one board game, get Ticket to Ride!

How to play Ticket to Ride – Basic Rules: Build your tracks across the United States. Connect cities across a map of the 20th-century USA and build your train routes to earn points. 

This is a fun and easy board game for beginners. I’m sure most people will enjoy it, I’ve never heard anyone say they didn’t like Ticket to Ride. 

I love the fact that you have “missions” aka tickets or journeys you have to complete. For example, you can get a ticket that says Los Angeles – New York, and that is worth 20 or 21 points. That’s huge! (usually, you have at least 3 or 5 tickets to solve during a game). 

I highly recommend this game for couples and families, kids age 8 and up can play it!

Bonus tip: the game has many expansions (extra mini versions of the initial game, of this one), based on other countries and continents! Highly recommend Ticket to Ride Europe, Italy and Japan.

You can buy Ticket to Ride on Amazon here! 

Menara

This is a great board game for 

1. People who like Jenga, and want something more, or similar;
2. People who like to be hands on, literally, when playing a game.

How to play Menara – Basic Rules: Players have to use pillars and temple floors to build a high structure (at least 4-5 floors high). You need to cooperate AND have great static skills because the floors need to stick and for each mistake you make during construction, you have to add another floor to build for the temple.

This game is basically reverse Jenga, as my boyfriend likes to call it. And he is right. 

If, with Jenga, you have to deconstruct a building while trying to not collapse it, well, with Menara you have to build it using only the temple floors with specific places for pillars (see picture above to get an idea).

This could be a fun alternative for party nights (although it is limited to 4 players), or for family games night. The key ingredient here is to have a STEADY HAND to place the pillars.

Have fun!

P.S. I couldn’t find it on Amazon, but try your local stores. (And don’t confuse it with the expansion of the game, which is called Rituals and Ruins)

Azul

This was one of the first board games I ever played and I loved it. I remember wanting to play it again immediately after finishing it. 

How to play Azul – Basic Rules: Azul is a tile placement game in which players have to create tiled mosaics. They compete for the highest score by claiming tiles and arranging them on the board to score points. (see example below)

Most people enjoy Azul because it’s visually beautiful and colorful. It’s easy to play and it’s based on a scoring points mechanism, so it’s also competitive. 

I usually play this with friends, but I bet it would be fun to play it with your parents, too, for example. 

Azul is a pretty board game for beginners that I recommend. You can buy it on Amazon here!

Chronicles of Crime

I actually think this was my first ever board game played (not counting Monopoly when I was a kid). I played it with my boyfriend during our third date together, so it has a sentimental value. This was my introduction to board games and it was a cool one!

How to play Chronicles of Crime – Basic Rules: It’s a cooperative game of crime investigation, mixing VR experience and board gaming. The players choose the scenario they want to play, and then follow the story. The goal is to catch the killer in the shortest short time possible.

If you like mystery or crime shows / podcasts, you will definitely love this! 

It’s cooperative, so you have to work together to find the killer. When you select the mission, a set of clues are given to you, and then, with the help of the App and clues, you explore the crime scene and other key places, in order to find the killer in due time.

It’s a very fun and thrilling board game, and pretty easy to play (and find the killer). Go for it!

You can buy Chronicles of Crime on Amazon here!

Arboretum

If you like playing cards, this is the board game for you. 

If you like plants / flowers / trees, you will definitely enjoy it and its visual aspects.

All in all, one of the cutest and easiest to play board games for beginners out there. 

How to play Arboretum – Basic Rules: This is a strategic card game that challenges players to create the longest and most beautiful path through the garden. The key here is to choose the correct cards and place them in the most efficient orientation, that will score you the most points at the end.

The actual board game is the size of a notebook (even smaller) and has few items to play with.You get 10 sets of cards (each set has 8 in it) and a scoring pad + instructions.  

I actually took Arboretum with me on an overseas trip and it occupied very little space in my bag. It helped pass the long nights or evenings when we couldn’t and wouldn’t go out of the hotel room. 

It’s very easy to play, with few rules and board game items. You just have to play the cards in the right order (if you get them in time) and hope to score as much as you can, so it is a competitive game. 

I recommend this for couples, especially. This could also be a great present for parents and grandparents, too! Buy Arboretum here!

Dixit

Dixit is one of the most known board games for beginners out there. Mostly because it has only a couple of rules and it involves storytelling, so it can be fun and interesting to play in groups.

How to play Dixit – Basic Rules: Dixit is an illustrated game of creative guesswork, where people’s imagination unlocks the tale. You are given illustrated cards and you have to guess what story it tells, and also make the others understand it, too. 

I played this board game with my two girlfriends and it was fun to see how their mind works. You can tell a lot by the way people identify pictures with words. For example, what for some might be a blossoming flower, for others it might mean being open to new experiences. 

If you’re a creative person and you like stories, you will definitely enjoy this!

Buy Dixit from Amazon here!

So here are my top 6 best board games for beginners you can buy now. Perfect for couples, small groups or families! 

Which one sounds good to you? Let me know in the comments!
P.S. If you have a board game lover in your life, check out this list of Gift Ideas for Board Game Lovers!

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That’s why I know a lot about what he likes and dislikes in terms of board games. Most of my presents to him (birthday, Christmas) are to cater to that need. And he always loves them more than the usual t-shirt. 

Down below I’ve compiled a list of gift ideas for board game lovers. So if you have no idea what to get him/her, this list is a great start and I hope it helps. Some, I’ve actually bought myself. Others are on my list for the future.

So, what to get someone who loves board games? Well, let’s see:

1. Board Games.

This is a no-brainer, obviously. But you probably don’t know as much as he/she does, so you don’t know what to choose. 

Then you have two options. 

One, straight up, ask them what board game they want. That way, you know he/she will love it. I honestly recommend this option, board gamers can be very picky. Suggest him to make a wish list, I’m sure he can’t wait to write down his dream purchases, and he probably already has at least 5 in mind he wants to have. 

Two, find out his favorite games and try to find similar options online. 

Let’s say, for example, he loves City Building games, and all he plays is Le Havre with his buddies. You could go on Google and look up City Building board games.

OR you could go to boardgamegeek.com and research, in the categories section, City Building Board Games. Click on see all games, and then you have a list of over 1600 games to choose from. If you’re still unsure, filter them by Rank and go through the first 10-20 games. 

ATTENTION: always double check the board games he/she already has, you don’t want to buy something he already has. 

2. Board Game bag.

This is a fantastic gift idea for board game lovers who have meetups or get together in different locations to play. My partner, for example, has Friday night as Board Game night (even before we started dating). And he always likes to go with at least 4-5 games, as do the others, so they have where to choose from.  

A board game bag would be perfect. And you know that’s funny? The best bag is not found under “board game bag” in Amazon, it’s actually….a drum bag. As the instrument. Weird, I know, but trust me, it has the best reviews (just check the dedicated section on Amazon). Here it is*. 

My partner was so happy when I got it for him and he uses it all the time. Definitely check it out!

3. Dice Tray.

You can find a lot of them on Amazon. Personally, I bought mine from a shop in Spain, coincidentally, because I was looking for a personalized one, and the ones on Etsy I found had very high shipping fees or only accepted PayPal.

So I recommend going on Etsy (or Google), typing “personalized dice tray” and getting him one. With his name, nickname, a quote (“roll the dice”) or favorite franchise on it (the logo to Lord of the rings, for example). 

Here are some examples of personalized dice trays on Etsy.

4. Playmat.

You might think this is unnecessary (join the club, this was my initial reaction), but you obviously don’t know anything about board games 🙂 Just kidding. 

Basically, playmats are neoprene pieces of material with anti-slip underlay that provide protection for cards and accessories during gameplay. 

Here are some playmats examples on Amazon – make sure to check the size of it, you don’t want to get him a small one. 

5. Iron dice.

This is something I found on Etsy whilst looking for board games accessories.  They’re not better than normal dice, but they are definitely cooler. I think most board gamers would like it, it makes the experience more interesting. Here are some examples of iron dice on Etsy. 

You could try pairing this item with a personalized dice tray, that would be a great and thoughtful gift idea. 

6. Card holders.

This is one of those items that are not necessary or for everyone, but I thought it would be a good idea to throw it in here. Maybe there are people who would appreciate it. It could definitely work for board games with a lot of cards to hold (like Ticket to Ride, Abyss, Root, Arkham Horror The Card Game or Cry Havoc). 

I would recommend getting wooden card holders, like this one or this one. 

7. Expansions.

Most board games out there have expansions. When I asked my boyfriend to explain in lay terms what an expansion is, he said “Have you ever wanted more stuff for your stuff?” 🙂 He made me laugh. Anyway!

Basically, an expansion is a continuation of sorts of the game, or an introduction of new elements. So a board game could have an expansion with more characters, or one with more cards, or one with different storylines. It depends. 

If he likes a certain game, see if it has expansions and get him one. (if, of course, he doesn’t already have it). 

For example, Flamme Rouge, which is, basically, a game about a bicycle race, has an expansion that adds Meteo elements to it, and one that adds obstacles on the track. 

8. Gift Card.

This is a no-brainer, and probably the quickest way to get out of the situation. Just get him a gift card to Amazon. Or better yet, to the store he usually buys board games from, I’m sure he has his favorites. 

So here they are: gift ideas for board game lovers. I hope you get cool ideas from it. 

If you have a friend or significant other who is an avid board game player, what have you gotten them in the past? Let me know in the comments!

p.s. Here are some extra gift ideas for men, if you don’t want to get him board games!

*This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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