Top Digital Boardgames (for beginners)
So there you are, you've been playing less physical boardgames with you friends. But you're still longing for those fun games. I know what you're thinking, online board games is not the same as moving physical components on a board.
So there you are, you've been playing less physical boardgames with you friends. But you're still longing for those fun games. I know what you're thinking, online board games is not the same as moving physical components on a board. And you are absolutely right, however online boardgames are sill better than no boardgames don't you think? So in this post I'll give some tips to get playing quickly online without using difficult tools like tabletop simulator (TTS). All of these options are 100% free to use.
It's a Wonderful World
As a big fan of It's a Wonderful World I was delighted to see there is a digital implementation of the game that does all the upkeep for you. This way you can focus on your own game and not bother with the rules of the game. The interface is easy to use and it was quite easy to get started. There is also an excellent tutorial if you're not familiar with the game. You do need to create a free account. Playing versus random opponents is for free, if you want to play with friends the host of the game needs a subscription to Game Park. This subscription will not only give you access to It's a Wonderful World but a few other games as well.
Dominion
Dominion is a classic deck building game that is easy to get into. With domion.games you can easily try the game and play with your friends. You can play the base game for free but there are subscriptions available that give you access to all the expansions. We've played many games of dominion online and this implementation is perfect. The game walks you through the game and has an easy to use interface. This is now our favourite way to play dominion since you no longer have to do the shuffling yourself. Go check it out if you haven't yet!
That's Pretty Clever
If you're looking for a quick solo game I can recommend That's Pretty Clever! You can try it online for free through the 999games website. That's Pretty Clever is a roll-and-write game where you have to cross off and fill in numbers. Each area of your game area has different rules that are all pretty straightforward. The game helps you with the rules, so once you've played a few turns you should be good to go. Can you beat your own score?
Dixit
Dixit is one of the best party games in my opinion. So if you're looking for a fun (digital) night with a larger group of players, you can now play Dixit online. The implementation works flawless and I've tried it with a group of colleagues, we had great fun and played multiple games in a row. An official Dixit implementation is also in the works called Dixit World, which is now in beta on Android and IOS
Catan Universe
Whatever your opinion about Catan is, you can't deny its importance for the hobby. You can play this classic game for free by yourself or against other players through Catan Universe. There are various game modes you can choose from and it has an excellent tutorial for new players. You can play it through your browser, Android, IOS or Steam.
Board Game Arena
Now that you've tried a few digital boardgame implementations you might think, what is next. Board Game Arena might be a good option. Most of the games on Board Game Arena feature automated rules/setup so there is not much upkeep between turns. This way you can focus on your game instead of focussing on rules. Board Game Arena offers a large catalogue of games for you to discover with free implementations like: Castles of Burgundy, Lost Ruins of Arnak and Russian Railroads. If you buy a subscription you get access to even more games like: Tapestry, Gaia Project and many more.
