— GAteway Games—
Over the last decade, board games have undergone a renascence. Their surge in popularity is from light-weight games that are both easy to learn and include a lot of strategic depth. These are your "gateway" games, and this list includes all of our light-strategy games as well. These games are often mainstream enough to be found at local big box stores for distribution, rather than just being at local hobby stores you should support like Geek World and Ground Zero Comics. No matter the theme or type of game you want to play, there will be something great here for you.
OUR FAVORITES
7 Wonders - Build a civilization around a great wonder of the world across three ages, by carefully selecting what sorts of buildings you want to make up your city. But! Everything you don't choose will be open to your opponents in this card drafting game, so choose wisely. 45 minutes. 2-7 players.
King of Tokyo - Because of reasons, totally-not-ripoff versions of monsters are terrorizing Tokyo! You control monsters like The King or Gigazaur in an attempt to do the most damage to the city OR be the last monster standing. Upgrade your monster by growing an extra head, developing camouflage, or getting a shrink ray in this dice manipulation game. 30 minutes. 2-6 players.
Pandemic - Four diseases are causing outbreaks of diseases across the world. You are a group of scientists who are doing your best to manage the spread while the cures are developed. Will your team be able to save the world before being overwhelmed by disaster in this cooperative game? 45 minutes. 2-4 players.
Ticket to Ride - At the turn of the (last) century, you are tasked with connecting the largest cities in the country by collecting tickets which you can use to build routes. Everyone has hidden objectives to connect specific cities allowing for lots of risk and reward as this set collecting game develops. 60 minutes. 2-5 players.
LIGHT STRATEGY
Great games that are easy to teach, but might not be the best introduction for a first-timer.
Abaddon
Adreneline
Adventure Land
Airlines Europe
Alhambra: The Card Game
Among the Stars
Antarctica
Arcadia Quest
Armageddon
Article 27: The UN Game
Ascension X: War of Shadows
Ascension: Deckbuilding
Ascension: Return of the Fallen
Axis & Allies: 1941
Bascillica
Bloodborne: The Card Game
Bohnanza
Cacao
Castles of Mad King Ludwig
Corporate America
Corto
Cosmic Run
Cthulhu Realms
Cvilizations
D&D Attack Wing
Deadwood
Ethnos
Evolution
Evolution: Flight
Five Tribes
Flip City
Flow of History
Formula D
Galaxy Trucker
Gravwell
Greed
Gunrunners
High Tide
Imperial Settlers
Innovation
Innovation: Echoes of the Past
Innovation: Figures in the Sand
Istanbul
Jamaica
Kaos Ball
King of New York
Kingsport Festival: The Card Game
La Isla
Lancaster
Lanterns: The Emperor's Gifts
Lanterns: The Harvest Festival
Libertalia
Lords of Vegas
Lords of Xidit
Maharani
Marrying Mr. Darcy
Mars Needs Mechanics
Modx
Mystic Vale
Mystic Vale: Vale of the Wild
New York 1901
Origin
Palenque
Paris Connection
Pic-omino
Power Grid
Prosperity
Puerto Rico
Quarriors
Race for the Galaxy
Race for the Galaxy: Alien Artifacts
Race for the Galaxy: Xeno Invasion
Rattle, Battle, Grab the Loot
Rick and Morty: Close Rick-Counters of the Rick Kind
Rick and Morty: Total Rickall
Risk: Europe Edition
Risk: Star Wars Edition
Risky Adventure
Roll for the Galaxy
Roll Player
Saint Malo
Small World
Strain
Suburbia
Temporum
Tesla vs. Edison
Tesla vs. Edison: Powering Up
The Castles of Burgundy
The Castles of Burgundy: Card Game
The Dwarf King
The Manhattan Project
The Pursuit of Happiness
Tichu
Tragedy Looper
Treasure Hunter
Tumult Royale
Valley of the Kings Afterlife
Viva Java: The Coffee Dice Game
MODERN GATEWAYS
Recommended for your first visit!
7 Wonders
Alexandria
Alhambra
Artifacts Inc
Bang!
Bang! The Dice Game
Battle Sheep
Best Treehouse Ever
Between Two Cities
Biblios
Biblios Dice
Bob Ross: The Art of Chill
Broom Service
Carcassonne
Carcassonne: Amazon
Castle Panic
Catan
Catan: 5-6 Player Extension
Catan: Cities and Knights
Catan: Explorers & Pirates
Catan: Explorers & Pirates - 5-6 Player Expansion
Catan: Seafarers Expansion
Catan: Seafarers Expansion- 5-6 Player Expansion
Century: Spice Road
Codenames
Colt Express
Cottage Garden
Cubist
CV
Dice City
Dimension
Dixit
Dominion
Dominion: Alchemy
Dominion: Intrigue
Dominion: Prosperity
Dominion: Seaside
Dreamwell
Eight-Minute Empire: Legends
Evolution: The Beginning
Fairy Tale
Favor of the Pharaoh
Flick 'em Up
Fluxx: The Board Game
Forbidden Desert
Fresco
Game of 49
Gloom
Happy Pigs
Harbour
Imhotep
Indigo
Isle of Skye
Kanagawa
Kerala
King of Tokyo
Kingdom Builder
Kingdom Builder: Crossroads
Kingdom Builder: Marshlands
Kingdom Builder: Nomads
Kingdomino
Labyrinth
Las Vegas
Lords of Waterdeep
Machi Koro
Magic Maze
Modern Art
Monarch
Mow Money
Pandemic
Paperback
Parfum
Pixel Tactics
Planes
Qwirkle
Robo Rally
Scotland Yard
Sea of Clouds
Sheriff of Nottingham
Smash Up
Splendor
Spyfall
Starfall
Steam Park
Subdivision
Survive: Escape From Atlantis
Terror in Meeple City
The Quest for El Dorado
The Resistance
Thebes
Thebes: The Tomb Raiders
Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride: Europe
Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries
Tokaido
Trains
Tsuro
Unearth
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