Getting Into Board Games in 2026 | Which Games to Start With and Where to Go From There

Comments · 116

• AL

  @AllYouCanBoard · 8 months ago · pinned

  If you were recommending 3 games and 1 next step pick for someone to get into the board game hobby for the first time, what would they be?<br>Post your choices in the comments below!

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• TY

  @tyrroo · 8 months ago

  Great vid, as always. <br><br>Really appreciate that you both listed less-common starting games [as opposed to Catan, TTR, etc etc].<br><br>And <b>really</b> appreciate that all these games are both in-print <b>and</b> a reasonable price!

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• MA

  @Marzipan-Beetle · 8 months ago

  Lovely to see Skyrise getting recommended, I think it&apos;s underrated.

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• CA

  @calamityrae · 8 months ago

  Mountain Goats (dice, race, king of the hill), Big Sur (pattern building), Quest for El Dorado (race, deck building), and Garden Nation (pattern building, area majority) are my starters for non-gaming friends.

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• PE

  @peterboda1737 · 8 months ago

  For people new to the hobby, def recommend Knarr. It&apos;s an introduction to tableau building, and strategic paths to points in a small box/small time commitment. It&apos;s a great launching point to introducing/teaching bigger games.

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• RE

  @redmage1000 · 7 months ago

  3 Starters:<br>Harmonies<br>Sushi Go!<br>Sea Salt and Paper<br>Next step up:<br>The Quest for El Dorado<br>I think Harmonies has been overlooked as a really simple game with a good amount of depth and replayability. <br>Sushi Go! is a really good game to teach new gamers about drafting and how picking choices at the right time really affects how they choose what they need to pick.<br>Sea Salt and Paper got one of my co-workers into playing games with me way more often. He said he would&apos;ve never wanted to play board games in the first place until we went out to watch a football game and I brought this along for the downtime and now he has joined my weekly gaming group.<br>The Quest for El Dorado has always been that great deckbuilder mixed with racing that I love.

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• SO

  @SoloCultoftheOld · 8 months ago

  Reiner Pun-izia... I can&apos;t unsee this.

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• CR

  @creatingkidlit · 1 month ago

  I have been watching a ton of videos from different board game YouTubers to get into the hobby and you guys are by far seem the most genuine . Subscribing to you and probably won&apos;t follow the others. Thanks for the recommendations!

• MA

  @mackeyman13 · 3 months ago

  Botswana is so good. It’s one I got to introduce to my family. So easy to learn my mom understood it and could enjoy. Not only great for gamers but if you want to try to bring something to the table for non-gamers

• SN

  @snake_plant · 8 months ago

  Azul, Parks and Quacks are more obvious choice but the Trekking series (specifically Through History, and The World) are often overlooked as gateway games - they have gorgeous art, are affordable, and are simple enough for most to understand (whilst having a hidden layer of strategy for those who want it).

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• JO

  @joelcafc · 8 months ago

  my 3 choices would be, Flip 7 - quick easy fun, Horrified - good intro to co-op and Everdell - Looks good, simple worker placement and a good introduction to new mechanics. I have got 2 step up picks - Azul (could also be a collection starter) and Moon Colony Bloodbath - simple to learn, easy to teach but its punishing and insane fun

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• AN

  @antoniabrowne3029 · 2 months ago

  I apreciatte the varietty. I think TTR is still the GOAT for introducing new people. Also splendor, stockpile, quest for el dorado, bohnanza (if the people can see through the beans and art), las vegas royale fot a dice area control game. &nbsp; Las vegas is such a hit everytime we play it!! All party games could fit here: codenames, pit, shifty eyed spies, pictomania, etc.