I am a big fan of board games.
Appearing among my top 5 CliftonStrengths are Analytical, Learner and Focus. I enjoy opening a box for the first time, and playing a few games to learn rules and understand the mechanics. And then bringing in the analytical part of my mind to determine different strategies I can use, and experimenting with them over multiple games. Over time, there comes the familiarity with a game and the escapism that you can get by being immersed in a different world and with defined rules and structure.
I enjoy these things. I doesn’t mean that I am any good, but I enjoy the structure a board games provides and I get fulfilment from using these parts of my mind!
The opportunity to dedicate extended time focusing on something provides a degree of relaxation, some escapism for my mind which may be processing many things at other times. A board game can provide a flow state for me, where I lose track of time. Which is an important aspect of personal happiness in the PERMA-V wellbeing framework tool.
That’s some of the ‘why’ I enjoy playing.
Getting back to it. Here are some of my favourite board games that I bring to the table:
- Everdell
- Patchwork
- Splendor
- Stone Age
- Carcassonne
If you are familiar with board games, you’ll recognise that there’s nothing too heavy here. I enjoy a game where there are options to try different things, but not where you need to be consulting the rule book throughout the game to figure things out.
On my wishlist
My board game wishlist changes on a regular basis, but here are some which I currently like the look of and would love to play:
- Ark Nova (maybe a lot to learn, but I kinda feel ready to face the challenge of a weightier game!)
- Wingspan
- 7 Wonders Duel
- Forest Shuffle
- Splendor Duel
- Biome
Yes, there seems to be a preference for nature-themed games right now. As much as I enjoy playing board games, I also enjoy being outdoors and learning more about nature. So perhaps these meet that perfect overlap in the Venn diagram!
Your recommendations
What have I missed? What games do you return to time and time again and consistently enjoy playing?
What recommendations do you have for board games that play well with 2 players?
Tell me at wayne@palmatumcoaching.com. All board game related emails are welcome 🙂