Dice Games | Cats and Dice | Board Games, Tabletop Games, and Cats! https://catsanddice.com/category/dice-games/ FIND NEW GAMES, LEARN TO PLAY, ENJOY CUTE CATS Fri, 30 May 2025 16:04:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://catsanddice.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/favicon.ico Dice Games | Cats and Dice | Board Games, Tabletop Games, and Cats! https://catsanddice.com/category/dice-games/ 32 32 These are the Best Board Games to Play Outside https://catsanddice.com/best-board-games-to-play-outside/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-board-games-to-play-outside Thu, 04 Jun 2020 19:10:59 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=904 Once the sun starts to shine, it’s time to move your board game hobby outdoors! Some people might think that there are no board games to play outside in 2025, but it’s not true. For a simple example, think about how often we see people playing chess in the park. Many board games can be enjoyed outside, and not just giant lawn game versions of classics. Before we get to the list, let’s take a moment to consider what makes a good outdoor board game and problems you might run into with outdoor board games. This will help you choose board games to play outside from your existing collection. Our updated list for 2025 will also help you choose new games to add to your collection. What Kind of Board Games Play Well Outside? First off, if you want to play outside, chances are you’re not worried about things like rain, snow, or other forms of precipitation. We don’t really need to consider that as an issue then. There are other things to look for when choosing the best board games to play outside.  What Should I Look For?  Let’s start with the good first. Some game pieces play well outside. Other games need simple tool swaps or the right tools added to make a board game outdoor ready.  Dice, for example, work really well outside, along with tiles and other components that come with a bit of weight. They are also easier to keep clean. Games with white boards are also preferable to games with paper and pencil. Keep in mind, though, that you can simply use white boards and markers in place of paper and pencils. Or, to go the extra mile, you can get a home laminator to laminate scoring sheets for your favorite games. Then you can use them again and again! Then, think about your game experience beyond the specific board game. To play board games outside, you will want a steady, level playing surface. Depending on your outdoor space, a simple folding card table can do the trick. A picnic table set works even better as it’s more stable. Whatever you choose, you’ll want your outdoor table for board games to meet the following requirements: Any outdoor furniture that meets these requirements will serve you well when playing board games outside. Problems (and Solutions) With Playing Board Games Outside Now, a word of caution: even on the most beautiful day, you will still want to keep your board games safe outside. Here are three common outdoor gaming problems you can fix with the right pieces. Wind Wind easily poses the #1 problem with playing board games outside. Any game that involves cards will likely blow away in the breeze, or at least get ruffled up. Some games only use a few cards as part of a larger game, so don’t necessarily rule out a board game from outdoor play just because it has cards.  There are also easy and affordable ways to hold cards down. A playing card holder can help keep cards in your hand, and a playing card tray can help with discards, especially with standard card games. For the most part, though, if you’re looking for board games to play outside, you might want to skip card games until you have these tools. Particles Dirt, pollen, humidity, campfire smoke – there are many kinds of elements outside that don’t exist inside, which can be difficult for gameplay. You can protect your games with card sleeves and other guards, and you can clean your games, too. But if you have a game that’s valuable, either in a personal or a monetary way, it might be best kept inside to avoid damage.  Sun It’s not likely that the sun would do a lot of damage to your board game with occasional outside play, but damage isn’t the only thing to think about. How difficult is it to see game pieces or read a card outside in the bright sun? Any game that involves an electronic screen, such as a phone, computer, or other digital components, will certainly be more difficult. Consider your eyesight and your ability to block the sun with a stand-alone umbrella or other protective gear before choosing board games to play outside. The Best Board Games to Play Outside in 2025 All the board games below play really well outside. They won’t blow away in a light breeze, they withstand the elements, and a little sun won’t do any harm. Here’s a list of the best board games to play outside in the summer of 2025, with descriptions of some favorites to follow. Can’t Stop This board game has everything you could want from a board game to play outside. It’s sturdy, easy to read, easy to carry outside, and super fun. Most components would not easily blow away, especially once the cones are in the board. Did I mention how fun it is? Can’t Stop is an easy to learn press-your-luck dice game for 2-4 players. You can play online at Board Game Arena, too.  Carcassonne Carcassonne is a simple yet addicting tile-laying game for 2-5 players. (You can add more players with the expansions.) Players will draw a tile on their turn, place the tile on the map, and then place a meeple on that tile if they wish. Meeples will help players earn points, and whoever earns the most points wins. It sounds simple, but once you start to play, you’ll realize there are endless possibilities. Telestrations Telestrations is easily one of my favorite party games, and you will have no problems playing it outside. Just make sure to discard the word cards in the holder after choosing a word, and you’re good to go.  Pictionary meets Telephone in this hilarious 4-8 player drawing game. Players will choose a word from a card based on a die roll. Then, players will rotate their booklets each round, alternating between drawing the word they’re given and guessing the word or phrase from the drawing. You can only look back at the page before, though! The whole family will enjoy lots of laughs when everything goes wrong in Telestrations. Just One Similar to Telestrations, this hilarious 3-7 player family-friendly party game moves outside easily. With little white board stands and a small deck of cards, you can keep your attention on gameplay as you all work together to earn a high score. A player will choose a word they cannot see. The other players will write a single related word to help the player guess the word. But no repeats! Any repeated clues will not be shown, making it harder to guess. The more correct guesses, the more points you rack up. Fans of Scattergories will love Just One, too. Zombie Dice Portable and fun? Yes and yes! Zombie Dice involves only dice (and a scorepad of some kind), making it an easy board game to play outside. Players will roll the dice on their turn, and roll either brains, footprints, or explosions. The more brains you roll, the closer you are to winning. Watch out for the explosions, though! They can make you lose all your brains that round. The first player to “eat” enough brains wins the game. Azul For a more in-depth strategic board game to play outside, Azul is the way to go. The weighty tiles, boards, and tile bag are the only pieces needed. Players collect tiles and use them to build their “walls” to earn as many points as possible. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins! If you enjoy Azul already, you might try Summer Pavillion next. Quarto Do you ever wish Connect Four was more challenging? Then you’re looking for Quarto. In this two-player game, pieces are not just separated by two colors. They also have different shapes, sizes, and heights. You win the game by getting four in a row in any one of these categories. And for yet another twist, you don’t get to choose which piece you play each turn. Instead, your opponent chooses for you. This thoughtful board game makes a great board game to play outside. KLASK KLASK is the portable, affordable version of air hockey. Two players will compete to get a metal ball into the other player’s hole for points. Be careful, though! You use magnetic sticks to get them in, and if a small magnet piece grabs on to your stick, or your stick falls into your own hole, the other player will get a point. The first player to six points wins. Place this game on a flat surface outside, and you’re good to go. Word on the Street Word on the Street is a delightful team “tug of war” word game the whole family will love. When a team draws a card, they have the length of the timer to find a word that matches the category and spell it on the board. The more teams use a certain letter, the closer they’ll “tug” it to their side. Once they get a letter off the board, they earn that letter. The first team to earn eight letters wins. And while this game has cards, they can go directly into the box after drawing, keeping this game outdoor ready! Wits and Wagers Much like Word on the Street, Wits and Wagers is a wonderful outdoor family board game. I like to call it a trivia game for people who aren’t good at trivia! Instead, close counts in this “Price Is Right” style game. The answer to each question read aloud is always a number. Players or teams will write their best guess on their whiteboards. Then, players will vote on which number they think is closest to the correct answer without actually going over the correct answer. Earn the most points to win. Blokus In this 2 or 4 player game, players will work to play as many of their Tetris-style tiles as possible. You can only play pieces at the corners of your currently-existing ones but along the edge of anyone else’s. Whoever has the fewest squares from their leftover tiles at the end wins. This simple puzzle game will occupy you for hours. You can also get a two-player only version. Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small The two-player version of the popular strategy game Agricola, this board game is a great outdoor choice for gamers who prefer more in-depth options. With the help of workers, players will gather animals and resources to make the best farm they can. They’ll earn points over nine rounds, and whoever has the most points at the end wins. Time to Play Board Games Outside in 2025! Remember, there are lots of board games to play outside in 2025 besides the one listed, especially with the right tools. Start off with just a few and see which ones fit your outside gameplay desires best. Soon enough, you’ll be spending lots of time outdoors while still enjoying board games every day. After you’ve found your favorites, come back here and tell us about them!  If you’re looking for that classic game vibe for the outdoors, you have plenty of gameplay options, too. Try a giant Connect Four, or see if you can get a Yahtzee with the wooden lawn dice. If you’re feeling crafty, you can even try to make your own tiles for any of the tile games mentioned. All you’ll need is some paint, maybe some permanent markers, and you’ll be on your way to making a completely unique outdoor board game. And before you go, don’t forget to share this infographic on playing board games outside. Your friends will see all the ways to play, and before you know it, you’ll have your own outdoor game group. What a great way to get outside every single day!  What are your favorite board games to play outside? KristenHi there! I’m Kristen. I’m a game writer, a Dungeon Master,...

The post These are the Best Board Games to Play Outside appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Once the sun starts to shine, it’s time to move your board game hobby outdoors! Some people might think that there are no board games to play outside in 2025, but it’s not true. For a simple example, think about how often we see people playing chess in the park.

Many board games can be enjoyed outside, and not just giant lawn game versions of classics. Before we get to the list, let’s take a moment to consider what makes a good outdoor board game and problems you might run into with outdoor board games. This will help you choose board games to play outside from your existing collection. Our updated list for 2025 will also help you choose new games to add to your collection.

What Kind of Board Games Play Well Outside?

First off, if you want to play outside, chances are you’re not worried about things like rain, snow, or other forms of precipitation. We don’t really need to consider that as an issue then. There are other things to look for when choosing the best board games to play outside. 

What Should I Look For? 

Let’s start with the good first. Some game pieces play well outside. Other games need simple tool swaps or the right tools added to make a board game outdoor ready. 

Dice, for example, work really well outside, along with tiles and other components that come with a bit of weight. They are also easier to keep clean.

Games with white boards are also preferable to games with paper and pencil. Keep in mind, though, that you can simply use white boards and markers in place of paper and pencils. Or, to go the extra mile, you can get a home laminator to laminate scoring sheets for your favorite games. Then you can use them again and again!

Then, think about your game experience beyond the specific board game. To play board games outside, you will want a steady, level playing surface. Depending on your outdoor space, a simple folding card table can do the trick. A picnic table set works even better as it’s more stable. Whatever you choose, you’ll want your outdoor table for board games to meet the following requirements:

  • Can sit level so pieces don’t shift.
  • Zero gaps or add a cover so pieces don’t fall through.
  • Has enough space for all game pieces.

Any outdoor furniture that meets these requirements will serve you well when playing board games outside.

The Best Board Games to Play Outside, Outdoor Board Games
Credit to Jason Chen Photography

Problems (and Solutions) With Playing Board Games Outside

Now, a word of caution: even on the most beautiful day, you will still want to keep your board games safe outside. Here are three common outdoor gaming problems you can fix with the right pieces.

Wind

Wind easily poses the #1 problem with playing board games outside. Any game that involves cards will likely blow away in the breeze, or at least get ruffled up. Some games only use a few cards as part of a larger game, so don’t necessarily rule out a board game from outdoor play just because it has cards. 

There are also easy and affordable ways to hold cards down. A playing card holder can help keep cards in your hand, and a playing card tray can help with discards, especially with standard card games. For the most part, though, if you’re looking for board games to play outside, you might want to skip card games until you have these tools.

Cards in a Card Holder, Card Stand, Cards Outside

Particles

Dirt, pollen, humidity, campfire smoke – there are many kinds of elements outside that don’t exist inside, which can be difficult for gameplay. You can protect your games with card sleeves and other guards, and you can clean your games, too. But if you have a game that’s valuable, either in a personal or a monetary way, it might be best kept inside to avoid damage. 

Sun

It’s not likely that the sun would do a lot of damage to your board game with occasional outside play, but damage isn’t the only thing to think about. How difficult is it to see game pieces or read a card outside in the bright sun? Any game that involves an electronic screen, such as a phone, computer, or other digital components, will certainly be more difficult. Consider your eyesight and your ability to block the sun with a stand-alone umbrella or other protective gear before choosing board games to play outside.

The Best Board Games to Play Outside in 2025

All the board games below play really well outside. They won’t blow away in a light breeze, they withstand the elements, and a little sun won’t do any harm. Here’s a list of the best board games to play outside in the summer of 2025, with descriptions of some favorites to follow.

Can’t Stop

This board game has everything you could want from a board game to play outside. It’s sturdy, easy to read, easy to carry outside, and super fun. Most components would not easily blow away, especially once the cones are in the board. Did I mention how fun it is? Can’t Stop is an easy to learn press-your-luck dice game for 2-4 players. You can play online at Board Game Arena, too. 

Carcassonne

Carcassonne is a simple yet addicting tile-laying game for 2-5 players. (You can add more players with the expansions.) Players will draw a tile on their turn, place the tile on the map, and then place a meeple on that tile if they wish. Meeples will help players earn points, and whoever earns the most points wins. It sounds simple, but once you start to play, you’ll realize there are endless possibilities.

Telestrations

Telestrations is easily one of my favorite party games, and you will have no problems playing it outside. Just make sure to discard the word cards in the holder after choosing a word, and you’re good to go. 

Pictionary meets Telephone in this hilarious 4-8 player drawing game. Players will choose a word from a card based on a die roll. Then, players will rotate their booklets each round, alternating between drawing the word they’re given and guessing the word or phrase from the drawing. You can only look back at the page before, though! The whole family will enjoy lots of laughs when everything goes wrong in Telestrations.

Telestrations outside, the best board game to play outside
Credit to Jason Chen Photography

Just One

Similar to Telestrations, this hilarious 3-7 player family-friendly party game moves outside easily. With little white board stands and a small deck of cards, you can keep your attention on gameplay as you all work together to earn a high score. A player will choose a word they cannot see. The other players will write a single related word to help the player guess the word. But no repeats! Any repeated clues will not be shown, making it harder to guess. The more correct guesses, the more points you rack up. Fans of Scattergories will love Just One, too.

Zombie Dice

Portable and fun? Yes and yes! Zombie Dice involves only dice (and a scorepad of some kind), making it an easy board game to play outside. Players will roll the dice on their turn, and roll either brains, footprints, or explosions. The more brains you roll, the closer you are to winning. Watch out for the explosions, though! They can make you lose all your brains that round. The first player to “eat” enough brains wins the game.

Azul

For a more in-depth strategic board game to play outside, Azul is the way to go. The weighty tiles, boards, and tile bag are the only pieces needed. Players collect tiles and use them to build their “walls” to earn as many points as possible. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins! If you enjoy Azul already, you might try Summer Pavillion next.

Azul outside
Credit to Jason Chen Photography

Quarto

Do you ever wish Connect Four was more challenging? Then you’re looking for Quarto. In this two-player game, pieces are not just separated by two colors. They also have different shapes, sizes, and heights. You win the game by getting four in a row in any one of these categories. And for yet another twist, you don’t get to choose which piece you play each turn. Instead, your opponent chooses for you. This thoughtful board game makes a great board game to play outside.

KLASK

KLASK is the portable, affordable version of air hockey. Two players will compete to get a metal ball into the other player’s hole for points. Be careful, though! You use magnetic sticks to get them in, and if a small magnet piece grabs on to your stick, or your stick falls into your own hole, the other player will get a point. The first player to six points wins. Place this game on a flat surface outside, and you’re good to go.

Word on the Street

Word on the Street is a delightful team “tug of war” word game the whole family will love. When a team draws a card, they have the length of the timer to find a word that matches the category and spell it on the board. The more teams use a certain letter, the closer they’ll “tug” it to their side. Once they get a letter off the board, they earn that letter. The first team to earn eight letters wins. And while this game has cards, they can go directly into the box after drawing, keeping this game outdoor ready!

Word on the Street outside
Credit to Jason Chen Photography

Wits and Wagers

Much like Word on the Street, Wits and Wagers is a wonderful outdoor family board game. I like to call it a trivia game for people who aren’t good at trivia! Instead, close counts in this “Price Is Right” style game. The answer to each question read aloud is always a number. Players or teams will write their best guess on their whiteboards. Then, players will vote on which number they think is closest to the correct answer without actually going over the correct answer. Earn the most points to win.

Blokus

In this 2 or 4 player game, players will work to play as many of their Tetris-style tiles as possible. You can only play pieces at the corners of your currently-existing ones but along the edge of anyone else’s. Whoever has the fewest squares from their leftover tiles at the end wins. This simple puzzle game will occupy you for hours. You can also get a two-player only version.

Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small

The two-player version of the popular strategy game Agricola, this board game is a great outdoor choice for gamers who prefer more in-depth options. With the help of workers, players will gather animals and resources to make the best farm they can. They’ll earn points over nine rounds, and whoever has the most points at the end wins.

Time to Play Board Games Outside in 2025!

Remember, there are lots of board games to play outside in 2025 besides the one listed, especially with the right tools. Start off with just a few and see which ones fit your outside gameplay desires best. Soon enough, you’ll be spending lots of time outdoors while still enjoying board games every day. After you’ve found your favorites, come back here and tell us about them! 

If you’re looking for that classic game vibe for the outdoors, you have plenty of gameplay options, too. Try a giant Connect Four, or see if you can get a Yahtzee with the wooden lawn dice. If you’re feeling crafty, you can even try to make your own tiles for any of the tile games mentioned. All you’ll need is some paint, maybe some permanent markers, and you’ll be on your way to making a completely unique outdoor board game.

And before you go, don’t forget to share this infographic on playing board games outside. Your friends will see all the ways to play, and before you know it, you’ll have your own outdoor game group. What a great way to get outside every single day! 

Best Board Games to Play Outside Infographic

What are your favorite board games to play outside?

The post These are the Best Board Games to Play Outside appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Where to Play Modern Board Games Online (Sometimes for Free!) https://catsanddice.com/where-to-play-modern-board-games-online/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=where-to-play-modern-board-games-online Fri, 13 Mar 2020 00:00:57 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=464 Nothing beats an in-person board game. Board games are so beautiful nowadays, and playing games is a great way to spend time with friends. Plus, they offer a nice break from video games. Sometimes, though, physical board games aren’t the best way to go. Maybe you want a more affordable option, or every time your friends get together they want to play the same game over and over again. Whatever your reasons may be, you can enjoy plenty of board games online for a low price or for free and not just classic board games. You will see there are lots of modern board games online you can play. Play Premium Online Board Games Anything free is awesome. Sometimes, though, you want to pay to play. Maybe you want a certain game for a few dollars. Or, you might want a higher quality design. Maybe you simply want to get rid of ads. Whatever the reason, there are premium options for playing board games online, too. Steam Many, many, many modern board games are available on Steam at a fraction of the cost of their physical counterparts. It’s a great way to play your favorite games on the go or with friends far away. If you’re unfamiliar with Steam already, it’s a free application you can download to your computer where you can download games. Alternately, Steam also has a handheld console called a Steam Deck. You can either purchase directly in the app or from a third party seller like Humble Bundle where you’ll receive a digital code to download the game in Steam. Here is a list of some of our favorites. If you have a Mac instead of a PC, make sure to note if the online board game you’re looking at is available. This is just a taste of the many games you can find on Steam. If you’re looking for a certain game, make sure to visit the Humble Bundle store and search the specific game. Tabletop Simulator Tabletop Simulator is as close as you’ll get to feeling like you’re playing games at a real table. More of a gathering space, Tabletop Simulator comes with a set of classic board games, but it gives you the opportunity to find or upload hundreds of games. This includes tabletop RPGs or even games you designed yourself! If things aren’t going your way, you can even flip the table. The best way to understand this platform is to see a bit of it for yourself. Watch the trailer video below. Tabletop Playground For a more affordable online tabletop space with a sleek user interface, Tabletop Playground is a good option as well. When asking if you should buy Tabletop Simulator or Tabletop Playground, many users do seem to prefer the classic Tabletop Simulator. Both are available on multiple systems, are VR supported, and allow you to play modern board games online as well as tabletop RPGs. However, the cost and the graphics seem to offer some points in favor of Tabletop Playground. Free Modern Board Games Online When playing modern board games online, you can choose from several platforms. Some sites will let you play in-browser. Some online board games come as apps. Others use a gaming platform like Steam. All of the options in this section are free to you. Some of these sites also offer a premium upgrade, which will unlock more board games. Free Board Game Apps Lots of popular board games are available on smartphones or tablets or even in the Steam store for a price. We’re going for free, though, and there are free ones as well. Asmodee and B&CO are two game publishers that offer some of their board games online for free as apps. Some of these games include: Don’t see a game you’re looking for? Make sure to search the app store too. Many modern board games online as apps are paid apps, but a lot of classic board games are free. Board Game Arena Some of the more popular games on Board Game Arena like 7 Wonders require a modest subscription to start a game. However, other games like Terra Mystica are free to you. And most games can be played even without a membership as long as a member starts the game. There are also forums and a community section available so you can regularly find players for your favorite free board games. You are not limited to playing in your browser, either. Board Game Arena is available on phones, tablets, and popular gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox. If you can’t gather your friends to play board games online, you can play with people on the site. Board Game Arena also offers a ranking system. This will show you two things. First, it will show you how well a player has done with a particular game. Second, and more importantly, it will show you how reliable the other player is during gameplay. If they leave games a lot or are unresponsive, their rating will go down. That way, you can avoid a frustrating game. Visit their game list for a full list of available games. Tabletopia Like Board Game Arena, Tabletopia also has a premium version that allows you to play popular games. However, their free version allows for many modern board games including Secret Hitler, Santorini, and Love Letter. Some of them will only allow you to play with one other player, while others will allow you the full experience for free. The games in Tabletopia are laid out similary to an actual board game rather than being modified to an online version. There’s also no tutorial for the games (although a rulebook is provided), so it plays as much like a physical board game as possible. For a full list of their games, check out the All Games category. Board Space This is a great free site for online board games if you enjoy abstract games. In addition to more well-known games like Chess, Checkers, Go, and Hive, other popular games include Fanorona and Zertz. If You’re Looking for More Games For more ways to play board games online, either premium ones or for free, check out this list of links from Board Game Geek. They are listed in alphabetical order. There are a couple of terms you’ll find there and at other sites we’ve recommended you might want to know. Real-time games are those you will play live. This is like playing with people in person where everyone takes their turns in a timely manner. Sometimes online board game sites set a time limit to ensure that players respond quickly. Turn-based games allow players to make their move whenever they want. They might still have a limit, but the time limit will be in days rather than minutes. That way, people can play without worrying about how much time they have to play a game. Some sites only offer real-time games. Others only offer turn-based ones. Many sites offer both options. When you start or join a game, make sure you know which play style you are joining. Keep in mind, too, that not all of these games give you a platform to find other players or play against a computer. Some of them are giving you a free online version to play in real life in lieu of a physical copy. What are you waiting for? Start playing more board games now with these awesome sites! Each one gives players like you a unique way to play modern board games online. And if you enjoy tabletop RPGs, you can visit our guide on how to play tabletop RPGs online, too! Kristen Hi there! I’m Kristen. I’m a game writer, a Dungeon Master, and like you, I love tabletop games. Visit our About page to learn more about me. I wrote this Cats and Dice article to help you enjoy gaming even more. Did it help? If so, our kitties (and our site) would be grateful for a little gift through Ko-Fi.

The post Where to Play Modern Board Games Online (Sometimes for Free!) appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Nothing beats an in-person board game. Board games are so beautiful nowadays, and playing games is a great way to spend time with friends. Plus, they offer a nice break from video games.

Sometimes, though, physical board games aren’t the best way to go. Maybe you want a more affordable option, or every time your friends get together they want to play the same game over and over again.

Whatever your reasons may be, you can enjoy plenty of board games online for a low price or for free and not just classic board games. You will see there are lots of modern board games online you can play.

Play Premium Online Board Games

Anything free is awesome. Sometimes, though, you want to pay to play. Maybe you want a certain game for a few dollars. Or, you might want a higher quality design. Maybe you simply want to get rid of ads. Whatever the reason, there are premium options for playing board games online, too.

Steam

Many, many, many modern board games are available on Steam at a fraction of the cost of their physical counterparts. It’s a great way to play your favorite games on the go or with friends far away. If you’re unfamiliar with Steam already, it’s a free application you can download to your computer where you can download games. Alternately, Steam also has a handheld console called a Steam Deck. You can either purchase directly in the app or from a third party seller like Humble Bundle where you’ll receive a digital code to download the game in Steam.

Here is a list of some of our favorites. If you have a Mac instead of a PC, make sure to note if the online board game you’re looking at is available.

This is just a taste of the many games you can find on Steam. If you’re looking for a certain game, make sure to visit the Humble Bundle store and search the specific game.

Tabletop Simulator

Tabletop Simulator is as close as you’ll get to feeling like you’re playing games at a real table. More of a gathering space, Tabletop Simulator comes with a set of classic board games, but it gives you the opportunity to find or upload hundreds of games. This includes tabletop RPGs or even games you designed yourself! If things aren’t going your way, you can even flip the table.

The best way to understand this platform is to see a bit of it for yourself. Watch the trailer video below.

Tabletop Playground

For a more affordable online tabletop space with a sleek user interface, Tabletop Playground is a good option as well. When asking if you should buy Tabletop Simulator or Tabletop Playground, many users do seem to prefer the classic Tabletop Simulator. Both are available on multiple systems, are VR supported, and allow you to play modern board games online as well as tabletop RPGs. However, the cost and the graphics seem to offer some points in favor of Tabletop Playground.

Free Modern Board Games Online

When playing modern board games online, you can choose from several platforms. Some sites will let you play in-browser. Some online board games come as apps. Others use a gaming platform like Steam. All of the options in this section are free to you. Some of these sites also offer a premium upgrade, which will unlock more board games.

Free Board Game Apps

Lots of popular board games are available on smartphones or tablets or even in the Steam store for a price. We’re going for free, though, and there are free ones as well. Asmodee and B&CO are two game publishers that offer some of their board games online for free as apps. Some of these games include:

Don’t see a game you’re looking for? Make sure to search the app store too. Many modern board games online as apps are paid apps, but a lot of classic board games are free.

Board Game Arena

Some of the more popular games on Board Game Arena like 7 Wonders require a modest subscription to start a game. However, other games like Terra Mystica are free to you. And most games can be played even without a membership as long as a member starts the game. There are also forums and a community section available so you can regularly find players for your favorite free board games.

You are not limited to playing in your browser, either. Board Game Arena is available on phones, tablets, and popular gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox.

If you can’t gather your friends to play board games online, you can play with people on the site. Board Game Arena also offers a ranking system. This will show you two things. First, it will show you how well a player has done with a particular game. Second, and more importantly, it will show you how reliable the other player is during gameplay. If they leave games a lot or are unresponsive, their rating will go down. That way, you can avoid a frustrating game.

Visit their game list for a full list of available games.

Tabletopia

Like Board Game Arena, Tabletopia also has a premium version that allows you to play popular games. However, their free version allows for many modern board games including Secret Hitler, Santorini, and Love Letter. Some of them will only allow you to play with one other player, while others will allow you the full experience for free.

The games in Tabletopia are laid out similary to an actual board game rather than being modified to an online version. There’s also no tutorial for the games (although a rulebook is provided), so it plays as much like a physical board game as possible. For a full list of their games, check out the All Games category.

Board Space

This is a great free site for online board games if you enjoy abstract games. In addition to more well-known games like Chess, Checkers, Go, and Hive, other popular games include Fanorona and Zertz.

If You’re Looking for More Games

For more ways to play board games online, either premium ones or for free, check out this list of links from Board Game Geek. They are listed in alphabetical order. There are a couple of terms you’ll find there and at other sites we’ve recommended you might want to know.

Real-time games are those you will play live. This is like playing with people in person where everyone takes their turns in a timely manner. Sometimes online board game sites set a time limit to ensure that players respond quickly.

Turn-based games allow players to make their move whenever they want. They might still have a limit, but the time limit will be in days rather than minutes. That way, people can play without worrying about how much time they have to play a game.

Some sites only offer real-time games. Others only offer turn-based ones. Many sites offer both options. When you start or join a game, make sure you know which play style you are joining.

Keep in mind, too, that not all of these games give you a platform to find other players or play against a computer. Some of them are giving you a free online version to play in real life in lieu of a physical copy.

What are you waiting for? Start playing more board games now with these awesome sites! Each one gives players like you a unique way to play modern board games online. And if you enjoy tabletop RPGs, you can visit our guide on how to play tabletop RPGs online, too!

The post Where to Play Modern Board Games Online (Sometimes for Free!) appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Halloween Board Games: Everything You Need for an Awesome Halloween Party https://catsanddice.com/halloween-board-games-halloween-party/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=halloween-board-games-halloween-party Fri, 13 Sep 2019 00:00:54 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=729 Halloween is fast approaching. Are you scared? No need to be. After all, Halloween means its time for some spooky board game nights!  There are tons of Halloween board games or board games that fit the Halloween vibe. In fact, there are so many, that you could center your Halloween party around board games. Choose the board games first as they’ll set the tone for your party. Then, keep reading for ideas on spooky, thrifty, and clever decorations.  Halloween Board Games You can find the right spooky board games for any kind of Halloween board game night. Strategy games are a great way to brew up some competition and come out as the last surviving player. Cooperative games play much like haunted houses where you all need to work together to survive or escape. And if your board game night includes kids, there are great Halloween board games for them, too. Strategy Betrayal at House on the Hill At first, this game seems like a cooperative game. Players will choose characters that come with different stats, much like an RPG, and explore a haunted house to uncover its mysteries. But soon enough, one player will start the “haunt” and betray everyone else! That’s when the goal of the game becomes clear. This one versus all game has endless possibilities as the objective depends on what room is haunted and what object triggers the haunt. This will lead to one person having a separate goal from the group. Will the group win, or will victory go to the betrayer? Buy it now to find out. The Bloody Inn On the surface, this game seems more economic in nature than scary. Each player will play as a member of a greedy family. The family owns an inn so that they may steal from visitors and become rich.  To avoid detection, though, things get dark as players need to kill off guests and others to keep the scheme going. Players will need to bribe guests, kill them, bury them, and launder money to win this game. Whoever has the most money at the end wins. Start killing today.  Gloom This game may sound miserable, but it’s not directed at you. In Gloom, 2-4 players will control one family, which consists of five cards. Your goal is to make your family as miserable as possible and then kill them off!  You do so by playing bad fortune cards on your family, good fortune cards on the families of others so they’re less miserable. Then, you will eventually kill off your family members with untimely deaths. The player with the lowest score from the most miserable family wins. Get it for your miserable family here. Zombie Dice Each person plays as a zombie in this game, and you want brains! In this press-your-luck game, you will roll dice on your turn to see how many brains you can eat. Watch out for the shotguns, though! If you roll three of them on your turn, then you lose all the brains you ate for that turn. Stay patient, though, and save up your brains, and you’ll win the game when you eat enough of them. Zombie Dice is a nice, compact game to bring to Halloween board game parties, too.  Letters from Whitechapel For players looking for a more in-depth Halloween board game night, Letters from Whitechapel is the game for you. Much like Betrayal, this game is also a one versus all game. One player will play as Jack the Ripper in London, 1888 while the other players play as detectives trying to catch Jack the Ripper.  The person playing as Jack the Ripper wins by killing five victims before being caught. The detective wins by catching the infamous Jack the Ripper. Visit Whitechapel in this thrilling game now. Nyctophobia Many horror board games turn out to be one versus all. It makes sense; what could be creepier than having one of your own players turn on you? Not being able to see them as they do it. In Nyctophobia, which means “fear of the dark,” players wear black sunglasses to feel their way across the board in this tactile game. They play as the Hunted. Their goal is to find the car space and hide out there until the police can rescue them. The single-player must hunt down these players and kill one of them before they reach safety. Will you hunt or be hunted? Get Nyctophobia here.  One Night Ultimate Werewolf This mafia-style game will be a big hit any night of the year. Each player will receive a secret role in this game that will either put them on the side of the townspeople or the werewolves. But things will happen in the night that will help you either find out who someone is or make you a suspect. Your role could even change without you knowing!  You’ll win this game of secret roles by catching the wolf as a townsperson or successfully hiding from the townspeople as a wolf. This game is great for larger, groups, too. Get it now. Cooperative As popular as competitive strategy board games are for Halloween, cooperative ones are just as popular. In many of these games, the monsters live within the game and you must kill them, escape from them, or solve the mystery surrounding them.  Eldritch Horror Based on H.P. Lovecraft’s famous telling of Cthulu and the madness it brings, both Eldritch Horror and Arkham Horror are in-depth cooperative games where players must work together to protect the world from the Ancient One. Players must find clues, solve mysteries, and remain in good health to save the world. Otherwise, they will fall to Cthulu’s madness. There’s a 1-2 player card game, too, for parties of one.  Horrified This brand-new cooperative game is out just in time for Halloween! Players work together to defeat different monsters within the game, which will change every time. How they defeat the monster depends on what it is. The Wolf Man, for example, will perish in a very different way than Dracula. Different monsters have different difficulty levels, too. Can you beat them all? Find out today.  Mysterium For a lighter, more mystery-focused cooperative Halloween board game, Mysterium is the choice for you. One of the players has been murdered and is now a ghost. The rest of the players will play as psychics who can communicate with the ghost in the beyond. The ghost, though, can only give the psychics clues about their killer through abstract images which the psychics must decipher. If they manage to do so before reaching the seventh hour, then they will avenge the ghost’s death. Buy it here.  Zombicide It’s finally happened. The zombies took over and the world has come to an end. In this apocalyptic game, players will kill off hoards of undead. Since zombies are not too bright, it’s not hard. But the better you get, the more they appear, and you’ll run low on supplies as they keep coming. If you’ve ever wondered if you’d survive the zombie apocalypse, now’s your chance to find out.  Dead of Winter In Dead of Winter, the group of players has a goal they are all working toward together. But each player as a secret personal goal, too, and these two goals could be at odds with each other. Players will play as a group of survivors in a world that has perished due to disease, and the choices they need to make will be anything but simple. Winter is coming. Survive it.  Kids and Classics A lot of the games mentioned already can be quite intense for a family of gamers, either through theme or gameplay. Fortunately, there are great options for family Halloween board games that will give everyone a chance to play. Shadows in the Forest This isn’t your average board game. In Shadows in the Forest, you play in the dark! One player will use the LED light to search for Shadowlings in the forest. The other players will work together to keep their Shadowlings out of the light. (They dislike the light, after all.) Can you find the Shadowlings? Can you stay out of the light? Find out now.  Ghost Blitz This quick, light-hearted game will make a great addition to any Halloween game night. The cards have different images on them. Some images will show one of the five objects that are in the room, such as a red book. Other images will have the colors and objects all mixed up, leaving one object out. The first player to figure out the object and grab it will earn the card. The player with the most cards at the end wins. Grab it now.  Ghost Fightin’ Treasure Hunters This game makes a great introduction to cooperative board games for kids. Players will work together to get jewels out of a house before it becomes too haunted. They do so by getting to the right rooms, fighting off ghosts, and getting out. Be careful, though! If you let a room become too infested with ghosts, then it will become haunted, making it even more difficult to complete your goal. Fight some ghosts today.  13 Dead End Drive For a classic Halloween board game experience, 13 Dead End Drive is a must. Old Aunt Agatha has died, and she will leave her massive fortune to one of you. You don’t want to take any chances, though. To make sure you get all that money, you need to kill everyone off or get out of the house when things are in your favor! Kill off players with 3D pieces such as a ladder, a bookshelf, and a chandelier in this classic board game.  Clue Clue has been a favorite of families all over the world for years on Halloween and any other night. Players will play as one of six guests to a mysterious mansion where a murder has occurred. If they manage to solve the mystery of who committed the murder, in what room, and with what object, they’ll win the game. And with different themed editions, there’s a version of Clue for everyone. Ouija Board It’s not quite a board game, but there is a board and it’s great fun, so it’s made its way onto the list. Communicate with the beyond through the power of the Ouija Board. Ask a question to the supernatural realm, and receive an answer as the spirits guide your hands to the answer. Buy a beautiful Ouija Board here.  Halloween Board Game Night As both seasoned and new board game enthusiasts know, the games are only half the fun at a Halloween board game party. The food, decorations, costumes, and music count for just as much. Food To make your Halloween board game party stand out from any other Halloween party, give guests snacks that play off the games available.  For example, serve some “Bloody Inn Marys” as you kill off people in The Bloody Inn. Grab some ghost peeps as you grab the ghost in Ghost Blitz. Or, play with homemade ghost cookies. Lay your Gloom family to rest with some graveyard brownies.  Eat some brain cupcakes as you play Zombie Dice. Even better, make some Cthulu cupcakes as you kill off the Ancient One in Eldritch Horror, and line the cupcakes with these Cthulu liners.  Finally, munch on some vampire donuts as you defeat Dracula in Horrified. Do so by popping fake vampire teeth into the holes.  Decorations Halloween board game party decorations can be pretty much anything you want. With that said, there are some wonderfully thematic ways you can decorate your party to make it stand out from any old Halloween party.  First, use the games as part of the decoration! Board games look amazing these days. Plus, setting up the board games beforehand to enhance the look will also encourage people to play. You won’t need to worry about setup or cleanup time.  Then, upgrade the pieces to...

The post Halloween Board Games: Everything You Need for an Awesome Halloween Party appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Halloween is fast approaching.

Are you scared?

No need to be.

After all, Halloween means its time for some spooky board game nights! 

There are tons of Halloween board games or board games that fit the Halloween vibe. In fact, there are so many, that you could center your Halloween party around board games. Choose the board games first as they’ll set the tone for your party. Then, keep reading for ideas on spooky, thrifty, and clever decorations. 

Halloween Board Games

You can find the right spooky board games for any kind of Halloween board game night. Strategy games are a great way to brew up some competition and come out as the last surviving player. Cooperative games play much like haunted houses where you all need to work together to survive or escape. And if your board game night includes kids, there are great Halloween board games for them, too.

Strategy

Betrayal at House on the Hill

At first, this game seems like a cooperative game. Players will choose characters that come with different stats, much like an RPG, and explore a haunted house to uncover its mysteries. But soon enough, one player will start the “haunt” and betray everyone else! That’s when the goal of the game becomes clear.

This one versus all game has endless possibilities as the objective depends on what room is haunted and what object triggers the haunt. This will lead to one person having a separate goal from the group. Will the group win, or will victory go to the betrayer? Buy it now to find out.

The Bloody Inn

On the surface, this game seems more economic in nature than scary. Each player will play as a member of a greedy family. The family owns an inn so that they may steal from visitors and become rich. 

To avoid detection, though, things get dark as players need to kill off guests and others to keep the scheme going. Players will need to bribe guests, kill them, bury them, and launder money to win this game. Whoever has the most money at the end wins. Start killing today. 

Gloom

This game may sound miserable, but it’s not directed at you. In Gloom, 2-4 players will control one family, which consists of five cards. Your goal is to make your family as miserable as possible and then kill them off! 

You do so by playing bad fortune cards on your family, good fortune cards on the families of others so they’re less miserable. Then, you will eventually kill off your family members with untimely deaths. The player with the lowest score from the most miserable family wins. Get it for your miserable family here.

Zombie Dice

Each person plays as a zombie in this game, and you want brains! In this press-your-luck game, you will roll dice on your turn to see how many brains you can eat. Watch out for the shotguns, though! If you roll three of them on your turn, then you lose all the brains you ate for that turn. Stay patient, though, and save up your brains, and you’ll win the game when you eat enough of them. Zombie Dice is a nice, compact game to bring to Halloween board game parties, too. 

Letters from Whitechapel

For players looking for a more in-depth Halloween board game night, Letters from Whitechapel is the game for you. Much like Betrayal, this game is also a one versus all game. One player will play as Jack the Ripper in London, 1888 while the other players play as detectives trying to catch Jack the Ripper. 

The person playing as Jack the Ripper wins by killing five victims before being caught. The detective wins by catching the infamous Jack the Ripper. Visit Whitechapel in this thrilling game now.

Nyctophobia

Many horror board games turn out to be one versus all. It makes sense; what could be creepier than having one of your own players turn on you? Not being able to see them as they do it.

In Nyctophobia, which means “fear of the dark,” players wear black sunglasses to feel their way across the board in this tactile game. They play as the Hunted. Their goal is to find the car space and hide out there until the police can rescue them. The single-player must hunt down these players and kill one of them before they reach safety. Will you hunt or be hunted? Get Nyctophobia here. 

One Night Ultimate Werewolf

Halloween Board Games

This mafia-style game will be a big hit any night of the year. Each player will receive a secret role in this game that will either put them on the side of the townspeople or the werewolves. But things will happen in the night that will help you either find out who someone is or make you a suspect. Your role could even change without you knowing! 

You’ll win this game of secret roles by catching the wolf as a townsperson or successfully hiding from the townspeople as a wolf. This game is great for larger, groups, too. Get it now.

Cooperative

As popular as competitive strategy board games are for Halloween, cooperative ones are just as popular. In many of these games, the monsters live within the game and you must kill them, escape from them, or solve the mystery surrounding them. 

Eldritch Horror

Based on H.P. Lovecraft’s famous telling of Cthulu and the madness it brings, both Eldritch Horror and Arkham Horror are in-depth cooperative games where players must work together to protect the world from the Ancient One. Players must find clues, solve mysteries, and remain in good health to save the world. Otherwise, they will fall to Cthulu’s madness. There’s a 1-2 player card game, too, for parties of one. 

Horrified

This brand-new cooperative game is out just in time for Halloween! Players work together to defeat different monsters within the game, which will change every time. How they defeat the monster depends on what it is. The Wolf Man, for example, will perish in a very different way than Dracula. Different monsters have different difficulty levels, too. Can you beat them all? Find out today. 

Mysterium

For a lighter, more mystery-focused cooperative Halloween board game, Mysterium is the choice for you. One of the players has been murdered and is now a ghost. The rest of the players will play as psychics who can communicate with the ghost in the beyond. The ghost, though, can only give the psychics clues about their killer through abstract images which the psychics must decipher. If they manage to do so before reaching the seventh hour, then they will avenge the ghost’s death. Buy it here. 

Zombicide

It’s finally happened. The zombies took over and the world has come to an end. In this apocalyptic game, players will kill off hoards of undead. Since zombies are not too bright, it’s not hard. But the better you get, the more they appear, and you’ll run low on supplies as they keep coming. If you’ve ever wondered if you’d survive the zombie apocalypse, now’s your chance to find out. 

Dead of Winter

In Dead of Winter, the group of players has a goal they are all working toward together. But each player as a secret personal goal, too, and these two goals could be at odds with each other. Players will play as a group of survivors in a world that has perished due to disease, and the choices they need to make will be anything but simple. Winter is coming. Survive it. 

Kids and Classics

A lot of the games mentioned already can be quite intense for a family of gamers, either through theme or gameplay. Fortunately, there are great options for family Halloween board games that will give everyone a chance to play.

Shadows in the Forest

This isn’t your average board game. In Shadows in the Forest, you play in the dark! One player will use the LED light to search for Shadowlings in the forest. The other players will work together to keep their Shadowlings out of the light. (They dislike the light, after all.) Can you find the Shadowlings? Can you stay out of the light? Find out now. 

Ghost Blitz

This quick, light-hearted game will make a great addition to any Halloween game night. The cards have different images on them. Some images will show one of the five objects that are in the room, such as a red book. Other images will have the colors and objects all mixed up, leaving one object out. The first player to figure out the object and grab it will earn the card. The player with the most cards at the end wins. Grab it now. 

Ghost Fightin’ Treasure Hunters

This game makes a great introduction to cooperative board games for kids. Players will work together to get jewels out of a house before it becomes too haunted. They do so by getting to the right rooms, fighting off ghosts, and getting out. Be careful, though! If you let a room become too infested with ghosts, then it will become haunted, making it even more difficult to complete your goal. Fight some ghosts today. 

13 Dead End Drive

For a classic Halloween board game experience, 13 Dead End Drive is a must. Old Aunt Agatha has died, and she will leave her massive fortune to one of you. You don’t want to take any chances, though. To make sure you get all that money, you need to kill everyone off or get out of the house when things are in your favor! Kill off players with 3D pieces such as a ladder, a bookshelf, and a chandelier in this classic board game. 

Clue

Clue has been a favorite of families all over the world for years on Halloween and any other night. Players will play as one of six guests to a mysterious mansion where a murder has occurred. If they manage to solve the mystery of who committed the murder, in what room, and with what object, they’ll win the game. And with different themed editions, there’s a version of Clue for everyone.

Ouija Board

It’s not quite a board game, but there is a board and it’s great fun, so it’s made its way onto the list. Communicate with the beyond through the power of the Ouija Board. Ask a question to the supernatural realm, and receive an answer as the spirits guide your hands to the answer. Buy a beautiful Ouija Board here. 

Halloween Board Game Night

As both seasoned and new board game enthusiasts know, the games are only half the fun at a Halloween board game party. The food, decorations, costumes, and music count for just as much.

Food

To make your Halloween board game party stand out from any other Halloween party, give guests snacks that play off the games available. 

For example, serve some “Bloody Inn Marys” as you kill off people in The Bloody Inn. Grab some ghost peeps as you grab the ghost in Ghost Blitz. Or, play with homemade ghost cookies. Lay your Gloom family to rest with some graveyard brownies. 

Eat some brain cupcakes as you play Zombie Dice. Even better, make some Cthulu cupcakes as you kill off the Ancient One in Eldritch Horror, and line the cupcakes with these Cthulu liners. 

Finally, munch on some vampire donuts as you defeat Dracula in Horrified. Do so by popping fake vampire teeth into the holes. 

Decorations

Halloween board game party decorations can be pretty much anything you want. With that said, there are some wonderfully thematic ways you can decorate your party to make it stand out from any old Halloween party. 

First, use the games as part of the decoration! Board games look amazing these days. Plus, setting up the board games beforehand to enhance the look will also encourage people to play. You won’t need to worry about setup or cleanup time. 

Then, upgrade the pieces to make old classics seem new. Add these skull dice to any of your games that call for standard six-sided dice. These organizers and game pieces will help take your copy of Betrayal to the next level, too. 

Finally, hold a costume contest to encourage guests to get into the mood of the night. Give extra points for thematic costumes that are based on board games. You can even add costumes to some of the games. Buy a ghost costume for the ghost in Mysterium to wear, for example. 

Whether you’re the one throwing the Halloween board game party or a friend of yours is, make sure to share these ideas so that everyone can have a great time for Halloween. Enjoy your night – or any night – with some awesome spooky board games. You’ll be glad you did.

What are your favorite board games to play at Halloween?

The post Halloween Board Games: Everything You Need for an Awesome Halloween Party appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Brilliant Board Game Storage Tips for Every Single Game You Own https://catsanddice.com/board-game-storage-tips/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=board-game-storage-tips Tue, 16 Jul 2019 00:00:12 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=537 I don’t know about you, but I can’t count the number of times I’ve tried rotating my board game boxes this way and that just hoping they might fit. They usually don’t. As my collection has grown, though, I’ve become more efficient and knowledgeable in how I store board games. Board game storage is no small feat. There are many levels to consider. First, you need good storage inside the box. Then, you need good board games shelves to store the box itself. And sometimes, you need board game storage for travel. Let’s consider all these levels today. We’ll talk about games big and small, and hopefully, you’ll find some creative solutions you haven’t thought of before. Where to Start? If you’re overwhelmed with your board game storage problems, start with whatever you perceive to be the biggest problem. If you have plenty of shelf space but your lids won’t close, start with in-the-box storage. On the other hand, if you have zero shelves, then let us tell you about our favorites. When it comes to changing up your board game storage, start small in thought, too. Many people (myself included) sit with poor board game storage for years because they view it as an all-or-nothing task. You don’t have to get everything just right! You’ll be glad just to start. With that, we will be ironic and start big, then go small. Let’s talk shelves for board game storage first, and then open up the box to see what’s inside. The Best Board Game Shelves for Storage Now that you have an idea of what kind of board game shelves you might need, let us show you some of our favorites. Ikea Shelves At Ikea, there are lots of options. The Kallax is popular for good reason. Not only will your square games fit well there since the shelves are quite deep, but you can also buy bins to put in and add your smaller games. Kallax shelves also come in a variety of sizes and colors. Some are cubes with four shelves, while others stand four shelves tall. I have a few of the cubes, which I like because I can stack them on top of each other or side-by-side as needed. You can also buy them with doors. The Hoghem offers a more open-faced solution. I’m considering them for my floorboard heater problem. The lower shelves would fit larger games while the higher shelf would fit smaller ones. I imagine using this for my most often played games. I also own a few Gersby bookcases. They’re great for my RPG books or for rectangular games but are not great for standard square board games. Amazon Shelves The cubed shelving options on Amazon do not run as deep for some reason. My widest board game at the moment is Tokaido at a 12”x12” square. Most of the shelving units on Amazon, however, stop at 11.5” deep. This shelf from Better Homes and Gardens does the trick, though. It also has a lot more shelves than the Kallax, which makes it a worthwhile competitor. Buy it here. For a more industrial and minimalist option, chrome shelving units work well. They’re deep, sturdy, and offer a lot of shelf space while taking up very little space themselves. Specialty Shelves Big brand names and sellers aside, there are lots of wonderful options out there for board game storage and shelves made by board gamers like you and me. BoxThrone offers unique and customizable shelves that will fit any size board game you could possibly imagine. Once all the games are on the shelves, they practically look like art. They are certainly a worthwhile investment for serious gamers out there. You can also DIY it. These homemade board game shelves are genius. I love the roll-out shelves, and the cabinet doors make it look clean. You can also get specialized plans for board game shelves specifically. Board Game Storage: Inside the Box Now that you know where you will put all your board games, let’s take a look inside the box. Fortunately, there aren’t quite as many things you need to consider as there were for board game shelves. Yet you may not have thought of some of these solutions. Many modern board games come with awesome inserts that do most of the storage for you. Sometimes that’s not enough, though. Inserts don’t always account for storing games on their side. Some of them don’t leave room for expansions or other pieces you would like to add. Maybe you want to take the insert out altogether. There are plenty of options for all these situations. Baggies Galore There’s nothing quite like having a bunch of perfectly-sized baggies for your small gaming pieces. Tokens, coins, cubes, and other small pieces often need baggies or similar containers. Games like Pandemic include them, but not all games come with them. Fortunately, they’re not hard to find. And you don’t need to settle for sandwich bags from the grocery store. You can get many baggies at once in a variety of sizes. These are great if you want to have options around rather than buying sets for each individual board game. 3×4 baggies will fit most board game pieces if you’d rather not worry about size, too. Some gamers like to take it an extra step and protect their tokens, too. Use coin capsules and the container they come in to keep game pieces even more protected and organized. Containers Some games provide containers with a beautiful effect. Wingspan, for example, comes with 4 plastic containers that both store and hold the food tokens. Not all games come with containers, but it’s easy enough to get some for yourself. Here’s a pro tip from veteran board gamers: you can use plastic bead boxes to store your pieces. Buy them online or in a dollar store. Smaller ones will store your tokens well, while larger ones will hold decks of cards. You might prefer round ones with removable lids for some pieces or square ones with attached lids for others. For a higher class option, you can also check out handmade wood containers. These come with removable lids and can hold pieces as you play or for storage. Rubber Bands Before the more intense gamers freak out, I’m not talking about rubber bands for cards. Instead, I’m talking about nifty rubber bands like these that hold your box together. I first encountered them when checking out a board game at my local library, and I’m a fan. They’re sturdy without digging into the box. These bands are specifically designed for board games. Black, sleek, elastic, and stretchy, they are flexible without being too tight or loose. Geek On really knows their stuff when it comes to board game storage. Rubber bands are particularly nice if you have expansions in your box, or if you turn your boxes on their sides. They also help if you’ve removed the insert. That way, extra components don’t shift and fall inside. Customized Inserts Good board game storage is a worthwhile investment. It means less time on organization and cleanliness and more time playing. A customized insert can give you this freedom and peace of mind. Wayfarer Printing offers effective and elegant board game inserts. They make some components out of wood, but they 3D print most of them. They each have an excellent selection, but if you can’t find what you’re looking for, many Etsy sellers make inserts for particular games. * indicates required First Name Email Address * Traveling With Games Board game storage at home is one thing. Bringing board games on the road? That’s a new level of storage needs! Fortunately, it’s not as difficult as you might think. Focusing on board game storage for the inside of your games first will help you when traveling. Baggies, rubber bands, and proper inserts go a long way to keeping things steady in a bumpy car, bus, or plane. Index card boxes, as we mentioned earlier, help when traveling with smaller card games. You can put several games in small boxes, then put those in one larger case. But these are not the only way to travel well with games. Board Game Backpacks Board game backpacks are easily the best way to travel with board games. A good board game backpack comes with lots of room for games of all sizes, along with space for a beverage. You can buy one on Amazon, or you could get one here for more color options. If backpacks aren’t your thing, board game briefcases are an option, too. They also come with room for all kinds of games while allowing you to carry it over-the-shoulder. Having an option for board game storage while traveling helps in many situations. You might want to take your favorite games on vacation. They also come in handy when heading to conventions. Whatever the case may be, you will want an option beyond a standard duffle bag. Questions to Ask About Storage When looking for shelves to store board games, there are a couple things you’ll want to keep in mind. Many people swear by Ikea’s Kallax shelves for board games. They’re great, but not if they don’t meet your needs. How do you know? Consider these factors. How much space do you have for board game shelves? This is a big one. No shelf will help you if you don’t have anywhere to put it! Consider the room in your home, and be as creative as possible with it. By way of example, here are things I think about with my board game shelves. First, my home has floorboard heaters. That means most shelves will not comfortably fit along those walls. Bummer! Fortunately, I have plenty of wall space without the floorboard heaters, but that might not be true for you. I also used to have much less space than I do now. At that time, storage that could serve multiple purposes was a big deal for me. Even now, I keep my longer, classic games on the shelf below my coffee table. Where do you play your games? This is one I’m still working on. Ideally, you will store your games in the same space or close to where you play them. I play the majority of my games in the dining room, but I don’t really like the look of board games sitting around when I have others over for dinner. That doesn’t mean I can’t store them there, though, or that I even have to play board games there. Here are a couple of solutions I’m currently considering. Keep them stored in a cabinet with a door. Move a table into a different area to play games there. Shelve games in the living room next to the dining room. Each of these comes with their own pros and cons, but there are options. What is the average size of your games? Board games come in wildly different shapes and sizes these days. It seems no two games are alike. Many board games are square, and that’s partly why the Ikea Kallax shelves are so popular among board gamers. But not all games are the same. If yours do not fit the standard mold, then why buy a standard shelf? I have a ton of board games in many different shapes. Some of them are small enough to store in storage bins. Some are rectangular enough to keep on more standard bookshelves. And some, yes, are big enough and square enough that I do like the square Ikea shelves. How attached are you to the boxes? For serious gamers, the thought of getting rid of boxes feels like a stab to the heart. Don’t worry – you don’t need to get rid of your board game boxes if you don’t want to! If you’re not that attached to them, though, you might want to consider alternate storage solutions. Our Pinterest board shows some great examples....

The post Brilliant Board Game Storage Tips for Every Single Game You Own appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> I don’t know about you, but I can’t count the number of times I’ve tried rotating my board game boxes this way and that just hoping they might fit. They usually don’t. As my collection has grown, though, I’ve become more efficient and knowledgeable in how I store board games.

Board game storage is no small feat. There are many levels to consider. First, you need good storage inside the box. Then, you need good board games shelves to store the box itself. And sometimes, you need board game storage for travel.

Let’s consider all these levels today. We’ll talk about games big and small, and hopefully, you’ll find some creative solutions you haven’t thought of before.

Where to Start?

If you’re overwhelmed with your board game storage problems, start with whatever you perceive to be the biggest problem. If you have plenty of shelf space but your lids won’t close, start with in-the-box storage. On the other hand, if you have zero shelves, then let us tell you about our favorites.

When it comes to changing up your board game storage, start small in thought, too. Many people (myself included) sit with poor board game storage for years because they view it as an all-or-nothing task. You don’t have to get everything just right! You’ll be glad just to start.

With that, we will be ironic and start big, then go small. Let’s talk shelves for board game storage first, and then open up the box to see what’s inside.

The Best Board Game Shelves for Storage

Now that you have an idea of what kind of board game shelves you might need, let us show you some of our favorites.

Ikea Shelves

At Ikea, there are lots of options. The Kallax is popular for good reason. Not only will your square games fit well there since the shelves are quite deep, but you can also buy bins to put in and add your smaller games.

Kallax shelves also come in a variety of sizes and colors. Some are cubes with four shelves, while others stand four shelves tall. I have a few of the cubes, which I like because I can stack them on top of each other or side-by-side as needed. You can also buy them with doors.

The Hoghem offers a more open-faced solution. I’m considering them for my floorboard heater problem. The lower shelves would fit larger games while the higher shelf would fit smaller ones. I imagine using this for my most often played games.

I also own a few Gersby bookcases. They’re great for my RPG books or for rectangular games but are not great for standard square board games.

Amazon Shelves

The cubed shelving options on Amazon do not run as deep for some reason. My widest board game at the moment is Tokaido at a 12”x12” square. Most of the shelving units on Amazon, however, stop at 11.5” deep.

This shelf from Better Homes and Gardens does the trick, though. It also has a lot more shelves than the Kallax, which makes it a worthwhile competitor. Buy it here.

For a more industrial and minimalist option, chrome shelving units work well. They’re deep, sturdy, and offer a lot of shelf space while taking up very little space themselves.

board game storage, board game shelves

Specialty Shelves

Big brand names and sellers aside, there are lots of wonderful options out there for board game storage and shelves made by board gamers like you and me.

BoxThrone offers unique and customizable shelves that will fit any size board game you could possibly imagine. Once all the games are on the shelves, they practically look like art. They are certainly a worthwhile investment for serious gamers out there.

You can also DIY it. These homemade board game shelves are genius. I love the roll-out shelves, and the cabinet doors make it look clean. You can also get specialized plans for board game shelves specifically.

Board Game Storage: Inside the Box

Now that you know where you will put all your board games, let’s take a look inside the box. Fortunately, there aren’t quite as many things you need to consider as there were for board game shelves. Yet you may not have thought of some of these solutions.

Many modern board games come with awesome inserts that do most of the storage for you. Sometimes that’s not enough, though. Inserts don’t always account for storing games on their side. Some of them don’t leave room for expansions or other pieces you would like to add. Maybe you want to take the insert out altogether. There are plenty of options for all these situations.

Baggies Galore

There’s nothing quite like having a bunch of perfectly-sized baggies for your small gaming pieces. Tokens, coins, cubes, and other small pieces often need baggies or similar containers. Games like Pandemic include them, but not all games come with them. Fortunately, they’re not hard to find. And you don’t need to settle for sandwich bags from the grocery store.

You can get many baggies at once in a variety of sizes. These are great if you want to have options around rather than buying sets for each individual board game. 3×4 baggies will fit most board game pieces if you’d rather not worry about size, too.

Some gamers like to take it an extra step and protect their tokens, too. Use coin capsules and the container they come in to keep game pieces even more protected and organized.

Containers

Some games provide containers with a beautiful effect. Wingspan, for example, comes with 4 plastic containers that both store and hold the food tokens.

Not all games come with containers, but it’s easy enough to get some for yourself. Here’s a pro tip from veteran board gamers: you can use plastic bead boxes to store your pieces. Buy them online or in a dollar store. Smaller ones will store your tokens well, while larger ones will hold decks of cards. You might prefer round ones with removable lids for some pieces or square ones with attached lids for others.

For a higher class option, you can also check out handmade wood containers. These come with removable lids and can hold pieces as you play or for storage.

Rubber Bands

Before the more intense gamers freak out, I’m not talking about rubber bands for cards. Instead, I’m talking about nifty rubber bands like these that hold your box together. I first encountered them when checking out a board game at my local library, and I’m a fan. They’re sturdy without digging into the box.

These bands are specifically designed for board games. Black, sleek, elastic, and stretchy, they are flexible without being too tight or loose. Geek On really knows their stuff when it comes to board game storage.

Rubber bands are particularly nice if you have expansions in your box, or if you turn your boxes on their sides. They also help if you’ve removed the insert. That way, extra components don’t shift and fall inside.

Customized Inserts

Good board game storage is a worthwhile investment. It means less time on organization and cleanliness and more time playing. A customized insert can give you this freedom and peace of mind.

Wayfarer Printing offers effective and elegant board game inserts. They make some components out of wood, but they 3D print most of them. They each have an excellent selection, but if you can’t find what you’re looking for, many Etsy sellers make inserts for particular games.

* indicates required

Traveling With Games

Board game storage at home is one thing. Bringing board games on the road? That’s a new level of storage needs! Fortunately, it’s not as difficult as you might think.

Focusing on board game storage for the inside of your games first will help you when traveling. Baggies, rubber bands, and proper inserts go a long way to keeping things steady in a bumpy car, bus, or plane. Index card boxes, as we mentioned earlier, help when traveling with smaller card games. You can put several games in small boxes, then put those in one larger case. But these are not the only way to travel well with games.

Board Game Backpacks

Board game backpacks are easily the best way to travel with board games. A good board game backpack comes with lots of room for games of all sizes, along with space for a beverage. You can buy one on Amazon, or you could get one here for more color options.

If backpacks aren’t your thing, board game briefcases are an option, too. They also come with room for all kinds of games while allowing you to carry it over-the-shoulder.

Having an option for board game storage while traveling helps in many situations. You might want to take your favorite games on vacation. They also come in handy when heading to conventions. Whatever the case may be, you will want an option beyond a standard duffle bag.

Questions to Ask About Storage

When looking for shelves to store board games, there are a couple things you’ll want to keep in mind. Many people swear by Ikea’s Kallax shelves for board games. They’re great, but not if they don’t meet your needs. How do you know? Consider these factors.

How much space do you have for board game shelves?

This is a big one. No shelf will help you if you don’t have anywhere to put it! Consider the room in your home, and be as creative as possible with it.

By way of example, here are things I think about with my board game shelves. First, my home has floorboard heaters. That means most shelves will not comfortably fit along those walls. Bummer! Fortunately, I have plenty of wall space without the floorboard heaters, but that might not be true for you.

I also used to have much less space than I do now. At that time, storage that could serve multiple purposes was a big deal for me. Even now, I keep my longer, classic games on the shelf below my coffee table.

board game storage

Where do you play your games?

This is one I’m still working on. Ideally, you will store your games in the same space or close to where you play them. I play the majority of my games in the dining room, but I don’t really like the look of board games sitting around when I have others over for dinner.

That doesn’t mean I can’t store them there, though, or that I even have to play board games there. Here are a couple of solutions I’m currently considering.

  • Keep them stored in a cabinet with a door.
  • Move a table into a different area to play games there.
  • Shelve games in the living room next to the dining room.

Each of these comes with their own pros and cons, but there are options.

What is the average size of your games?

Board games come in wildly different shapes and sizes these days. It seems no two games are alike. Many board games are square, and that’s partly why the Ikea Kallax shelves are so popular among board gamers. But not all games are the same. If yours do not fit the standard mold, then why buy a standard shelf?

I have a ton of board games in many different shapes. Some of them are small enough to store in storage bins. Some are rectangular enough to keep on more standard bookshelves. And some, yes, are big enough and square enough that I do like the square Ikea shelves.

How attached are you to the boxes?

For serious gamers, the thought of getting rid of boxes feels like a stab to the heart. Don’t worry – you don’t need to get rid of your board game boxes if you don’t want to! If you’re not that attached to them, though, you might want to consider alternate storage solutions.

Our Pinterest board shows some great examples. Smaller card games and dice games can go in index card boxes, for example. Heck, some can even fit into ziplock bags! Make sure to follow our Pinterest page to find new solutions for board game storage as soon as we do.

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The Next Steps

Once you have your board games all nice and neat, tell us about it! Tag us on social media or send us an email. We would love to see your awesome board game storage, especially if it’s something we haven’t mentioned here.

Good board game storage can lead to a happier gaming experience all around. No longer will you dread opening a box just to find all the pieces got mixed up inside. Or worse, you will never again lift a box to have all the pieces fall out. You don’t need to use every suggestion on this list. A few choice ones for your personal board game collection will go a long way towards good board game storage.

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The post Brilliant Board Game Storage Tips for Every Single Game You Own appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> I Work at a Board Game Café. Here’s What That Means. https://catsanddice.com/i-work-at-a-board-game-cafe-heres-what-that-means/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=i-work-at-a-board-game-cafe-heres-what-that-means Mon, 22 Apr 2019 00:00:21 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=320 Board game cafés are popping up all over the country. All over the world, in fact. As people look for more connection with each other offline, it’s no surprise that board games – with their healthy mix of strategy, socializing, and nostalgia – are on the rise. Board games make a great hobby for foodies, too. It’s easy to sip and munch as you roll dice and move pieces. People can gather with loved ones of all ages, enjoy some good food and drink, and play hundreds of games they may have never heard of. Plus, all of this comes with the guidance of knowledgable staff members. I am one of those staff members. Every day, I get lots of questions about what I do and what led me to this job. I hope to answer as many questions as I can for you now about what it’s like to work at a board game café. If I miss anything, please feel free to ask in the comments. A Little About Board Game Cafés First, each board game café is different. I work at Thirsty Dice, the first board game café in Philadelphia. Thirsty Dice is a restaurant with appetizers, meals (you have to try the mac and cheese!) and even brunch on the weekends. In addition to this, Thirsty Dice offers a nice selection of beers and mixed drinks. And to go with your meal, there are over 800+ board games. Not all board game cafés are like this, though. Some are primarily coffee shops. Some have more games. Many have less. Some have staff dedicated to the games, while others have servers who can help you out. At Thirsty Dice, we have staff specifically to help you find and learn new games. That’s what I do, and that’s what I’ll tell you a bit about now! Staff members at different board game cafés may have a different experience. My Job at a Board Game Café What’s your job title? Officially, I’m called a Gametender. I have had people also call me the Game Specialist and, my personal favorite, Game Master. In fact, please feel free to call me the Game Master. It makes me feel all powerful. What do you do? In short, I’m sort of like a librarian with a bit more show. My fellow Gametenders and I have specialized knowledge of many of the games. This means we do a couple of things: Recommend games to you. Teach you how to play the games and answer any questions you may have. Help you find specific games you are looking for. The games we’ll recommend are based on a couple of things. We’ll keep in mind how many players you have, what kinds of games you already enjoy, and what you’re in the mood for. If you have a time limit, want to hate your friends after you play, or just want a good laugh, we’ll consider that, too. We also make sure the games remain organized and well-maintained. There’s a game return bin we constantly check for your finished games. Then, we’ll place them back on the shelf so other customers can find them easily. We also make sure each game has all the components and report back on it if it doesn’t. Do you know all the games? Sadly, no. Hundreds to thousands of new games come out each year, and Thirsty Dice gets a healthy selection of them. I do my best to learn at least two new games every shift, but it takes time to fully understand a game. Sometimes I read rulebooks and watch tutorial videos on my own. Still, I dream of one day catching up. I do make sure that I learn the most popular games. Usually, if I don’t know a game, it’s because it’s not often requested. That doesn’t mean it’s not a great game! In fact, if you’re interested in it, I’m going to become interested in it, too. And if I don’t know a game, I’m more than happy to read through the rules with you. I read a lot of rulebooks. As a result, I can often find answers quickly. What’s your favorite game? One magical day, I will have a good answer to this! Board games are so varied, it’s hard for me to choose just one, or even a few. If someone asks me this while I’m on the clock, I’ll usually ask what they’re looking for in a game (number of players, playtime, etc.). Then, I’ll give my favorite game that meets those requirements. With that said, I have made a (short) list of my current favorites. Make sure to check back, as I update it all the time. I’m also an avid Dungeons and Dragons player, for the curious. Would you like to play with us? You are my new favorite person for asking me this question, and I will love you forever. Unfortunately, though, this is still a job for me, and I cannot play with you right now. I hope you have a great time, though! How I Got Here In addition to questions I receive about what I do on a day-to-day basis, I get a lot of questions about how I came to this job. This makes all kinds of sense! After all, it’s not like there’s a clear career path out there for the board game industry. How did you find this job? Honestly, I looked for it. I had wrapped up a blogging contract for two other game websites (which focused on crosswords and word searches), and I wasn’t sure of my next steps. While I knew I wanted to continue to write for and about games, I didn’t quite know what that might look like. I had been a longtime board gamer myself, so I literally searched for board game jobs in Philadelphia. The timing couldn’t have been more fortuitous, as Thirsty Dice was hiring the same week I searched. What’s your training like? There are really two parts to this question. First, there’s my background before I came to Thirsty Dice. Then, there’s the on-the-job training I’ve received. Before entering the board game industry, I worked as a performer. A lot of my coworkers currently work as performers, although I no longer do. I started a blog for that career track a few years back and found I really enjoyed blogging. My blogging eventually led me to games. This motivated me to seek out opportunities to immerse myself more fully in the industry, and here I am! (You can learn a bit more about me here.) Once I got this job, we did have a few training sessions. In that training, we taught board games to each other and gave each other feedback on our process. We shared what was clear and what we liked about the presentation, and we gave notes on what was difficult to understand or what we could do without. While we only had a few formal sessions of this, we teach each other new games on a regular basis. Is this job as fun as it looks? Yeah, it really is! I don’t get to sit around playing games all day, and I do have to clean the bathrooms when closing, but other than that, it’s a pretty awesome job. You want to have a lot of fun while hanging out with your friends and family, and I get to help you with that. I believe board games are an amazing way to bring people together, and it’s my honor to be a part of that for you. Come Say Hi! If you haven’t been to a board game café yet, I highly recommend it. I’ve been to several aside from Thirsty Dice, and each one has been wonderful in its own unique way. If you need help finding one near you, feel free to leave a comment or send an email. Otherwise, if you’re near Philly, I hope you’ll stop by and say hello! I’d love to help you find your new favorite game. Kristen Hi there! I’m Kristen. I’m a game writer, a Dungeon Master, and like you, I love tabletop games. Visit our About page to learn more about me. I wrote this Cats and Dice article to help you enjoy gaming even more. Did it help? If so, our kitties (and our site) would be grateful for a little gift through Ko-Fi.

The post I Work at a Board Game Café. Here’s What That Means. appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Board game cafés are popping up all over the country. All over the world, in fact. As people look for more connection with each other offline, it’s no surprise that board games – with their healthy mix of strategy, socializing, and nostalgia – are on the rise.

Board games make a great hobby for foodies, too. It’s easy to sip and munch as you roll dice and move pieces. People can gather with loved ones of all ages, enjoy some good food and drink, and play hundreds of games they may have never heard of. Plus, all of this comes with the guidance of knowledgable staff members.

I am one of those staff members.

Every day, I get lots of questions about what I do and what led me to this job. I hope to answer as many questions as I can for you now about what it’s like to work at a board game café. If I miss anything, please feel free to ask in the comments.

A Little About Board Game Cafés

First, each board game café is different. I work at Thirsty Dice, the first board game café in Philadelphia. Thirsty Dice is a restaurant with appetizers, meals (you have to try the mac and cheese!) and even brunch on the weekends. In addition to this, Thirsty Dice offers a nice selection of beers and mixed drinks. And to go with your meal, there are over 800+ board games.

Not all board game cafés are like this, though. Some are primarily coffee shops. Some have more games. Many have less. Some have staff dedicated to the games, while others have servers who can help you out.

At Thirsty Dice, we have staff specifically to help you find and learn new games. That’s what I do, and that’s what I’ll tell you a bit about now! Staff members at different board game cafés may have a different experience.

My Job at a Board Game Café

What’s your job title?

Officially, I’m called a Gametender. I have had people also call me the Game Specialist and, my personal favorite, Game Master. In fact, please feel free to call me the Game Master. It makes me feel all powerful.

What do you do?

In short, I’m sort of like a librarian with a bit more show. My fellow Gametenders and I have specialized knowledge of many of the games. This means we do a couple of things:

  • Recommend games to you.
  • Teach you how to play the games and answer any questions you may have.
  • Help you find specific games you are looking for.
work at a board game cafe
My first “shelfie,” taken within a month of opening.

The games we’ll recommend are based on a couple of things. We’ll keep in mind how many players you have, what kinds of games you already enjoy, and what you’re in the mood for. If you have a time limit, want to hate your friends after you play, or just want a good laugh, we’ll consider that, too.

We also make sure the games remain organized and well-maintained. There’s a game return bin we constantly check for your finished games. Then, we’ll place them back on the shelf so other customers can find them easily. We also make sure each game has all the components and report back on it if it doesn’t.

Do you know all the games?

Sadly, no. Hundreds to thousands of new games come out each year, and Thirsty Dice gets a healthy selection of them. I do my best to learn at least two new games every shift, but it takes time to fully understand a game. Sometimes I read rulebooks and watch tutorial videos on my own. Still, I dream of one day catching up.

I do make sure that I learn the most popular games. Usually, if I don’t know a game, it’s because it’s not often requested. That doesn’t mean it’s not a great game! In fact, if you’re interested in it, I’m going to become interested in it, too. And if I don’t know a game, I’m more than happy to read through the rules with you. I read a lot of rulebooks. As a result, I can often find answers quickly.

What’s your favorite game?

One magical day, I will have a good answer to this! Board games are so varied, it’s hard for me to choose just one, or even a few. If someone asks me this while I’m on the clock, I’ll usually ask what they’re looking for in a game (number of players, playtime, etc.). Then, I’ll give my favorite game that meets those requirements.

With that said, I have made a (short) list of my current favorites. Make sure to check back, as I update it all the time. I’m also an avid Dungeons and Dragons player, for the curious.

Would you like to play with us?

You are my new favorite person for asking me this question, and I will love you forever. Unfortunately, though, this is still a job for me, and I cannot play with you right now. I hope you have a great time, though!

How I Got Here

In addition to questions I receive about what I do on a day-to-day basis, I get a lot of questions about how I came to this job. This makes all kinds of sense! After all, it’s not like there’s a clear career path out there for the board game industry.

How did you find this job?

Honestly, I looked for it. I had wrapped up a blogging contract for two other game websites (which focused on crosswords and word searches), and I wasn’t sure of my next steps. While I knew I wanted to continue to write for and about games, I didn’t quite know what that might look like. I had been a longtime board gamer myself, so I literally searched for board game jobs in Philadelphia. The timing couldn’t have been more fortuitous, as Thirsty Dice was hiring the same week I searched.

What’s your training like?

There are really two parts to this question. First, there’s my background before I came to Thirsty Dice. Then, there’s the on-the-job training I’ve received.

Before entering the board game industry, I worked as a performer. A lot of my coworkers currently work as performers, although I no longer do. I started a blog for that career track a few years back and found I really enjoyed blogging. My blogging eventually led me to games. This motivated me to seek out opportunities to immerse myself more fully in the industry, and here I am! (You can learn a bit more about me here.)

Once I got this job, we did have a few training sessions. In that training, we taught board games to each other and gave each other feedback on our process. We shared what was clear and what we liked about the presentation, and we gave notes on what was difficult to understand or what we could do without. While we only had a few formal sessions of this, we teach each other new games on a regular basis.

Is this job as fun as it looks?

Yeah, it really is! I don’t get to sit around playing games all day, and I do have to clean the bathrooms when closing, but other than that, it’s a pretty awesome job. You want to have a lot of fun while hanging out with your friends and family, and I get to help you with that. I believe board games are an amazing way to bring people together, and it’s my honor to be a part of that for you.

Come Say Hi!

If you haven’t been to a board game café yet, I highly recommend it. I’ve been to several aside from Thirsty Dice, and each one has been wonderful in its own unique way. If you need help finding one near you, feel free to leave a comment or send an email. Otherwise, if you’re near Philly, I hope you’ll stop by and say hello! I’d love to help you find your new favorite game.

The post I Work at a Board Game Café. Here’s What That Means. appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> 10 Board Games for $10 Each https://catsanddice.com/10-board-games-for-10/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=10-board-games-for-10 Fri, 12 Apr 2019 00:00:59 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=140 Sometimes, you just don’t want to break the bank for a good board game. Maybe you need some good stocking stuffers. Maybe you want to add a little something extra to a birthday gift. Whatever the reason, it is 100% possible to find good board games for only a few bucks. To prove our point, here’s a list of 10 board games for $10 each. Note: These prices are based on the averages listed on camelcamelcamel.com for Amazon. We cannot guarantee the prices will be at or below $10. The $10 approximation is before tax, shipping, and handling. The Mind The Mind is a hilarious and delightful cooperative card game. In this game, there are no turns and there is no talking. That’s right! Everyone plays their cards when they think the time is right, but they can’t discuss it with each other. Everyone works together to get their cards in order despite the no turns and no talking obstacles. The deck has cards numbered 1-100, and each player needs to play their cards from lowest to highest. Be careful, though! If you play a card that’s higher than what another player still has in their hand, then you lose a life. Beat all the levels, though, and you all win. Timeline I’ve seen people play this pocket-sized game for hours. Players have a set of cards in front of them that list events like, “The invention of playing cards,” or “The fall of Rome.” The players take turns trying to place these events into the correct point of the “timeline.” The timeline is made up of a series of cards between the players. If you place an event correctly, then you’re down a card. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins. Hanabi It’s the night of the big fireworks show, but you and your fellow players have managed to mess up the display! Players work together to put the firework cards back in order in time to please the spectators. While you can’t see the cards in your own hand, you can see everyone else’s and give information about what numbers and colors they have. Then, players will try to place these numbers and colors in order to create a spectacular show. Farkle A nice, easy dice game, Farkle is like Yahtzee, but you get to press your luck as long as you can. 1’s and 5’s can earn you points, which will get you in the game. You can also earn points with straights, pairs, and other common dice and card combinations. Earn more points than your fellow players to win the game. Sushi Go Mmm, sushi! Enjoy a delicious sushi meal in this card drafting game. Players will choose cards from the hands they are passed, and they will earn points based on what they’ve “eaten” by the end of the round. Make sure to pair your wasabi with nigiri and to eat a lot of maki rolls to win this delightful card game. Zombie Dice Try to eat as many brains as you can in Zombie Dice! You are the zombie and the dice are your human victims. Brains mean you’ve successfully eaten a victim, footprints mean they got away, and shotguns mean they’ve shot at you. Eat as many brains as you can before you’re shot three times in a turn. Or, play it safe and stop to earn some brain points. The game ends after a player eats 13 brains. Whoever ate the most brains wins.   Monopoly Deal Want to play Monopoly but don’t have the time? Then you’re looking for Monopoly Deal. The first player to complete three full property sets in this card game will win. Gather money to pay for properties, and watch out for other player’s actions as you build your monopoly. Make sure you have enough cash on hand to pay other players if you need to, though! Iota Iota is like Qwirkle in a tin. Each card features a color, a shape, and a number. To play cards, rows must all share one characteristic, such as a color, or they all must be different in every way. For example, a line can either all be circles, or they must all be different shapes. Score the most points before the deck runs out to win this teeny-tiny game. Quixx This roll and write game is great for impatient players who don’t like to wait for turns. The active player will roll dice and choose what to mark off on their scoresheet based on the roll. All the players can make choices based on the white dice rolled. Everyone will earn points based on what they select. The highest score wins. Rory’s Story Cubes The only limit to this game is your own imagination. There are several ways to play Rory’s Story Cubes (along with different sets of dice), but the idea is simple. Roll the dice and make a story with what you rolled. This game will give you a creative spark along with a good time. Any of these games will go great in your suitcase, as an after-dinner treat, or between heavier games on your board game night. And when you can buy any of these board games for $10 each, you’ve already won in your own way. What are your favorite board games for $10? Kristen Hi there! I’m Kristen. I’m a game writer, a Dungeon Master, and like you, I love tabletop games. Visit our About page to learn more about me. I wrote this Cats and Dice article to help you enjoy gaming even more. Did it help? If so, our kitties (and our site) would be grateful for a little gift through Ko-Fi.

The post 10 Board Games for $10 Each appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Sometimes, you just don’t want to break the bank for a good board game. Maybe you need some good stocking stuffers. Maybe you want to add a little something extra to a birthday gift. Whatever the reason, it is 100% possible to find good board games for only a few bucks. To prove our point, here’s a list of 10 board games for $10 each.

Note: These prices are based on the averages listed on camelcamelcamel.com for Amazon. We cannot guarantee the prices will be at or below $10. The $10 approximation is before tax, shipping, and handling.

The Mind

The Mind is a hilarious and delightful cooperative card game. In this game, there are no turns and there is no talking. That’s right! Everyone plays their cards when they think the time is right, but they can’t discuss it with each other.

Everyone works together to get their cards in order despite the no turns and no talking obstacles. The deck has cards numbered 1-100, and each player needs to play their cards from lowest to highest. Be careful, though! If you play a card that’s higher than what another player still has in their hand, then you lose a life. Beat all the levels, though, and you all win.

Timeline

I’ve seen people play this pocket-sized game for hours. Players have a set of cards in front of them that list events like, “The invention of playing cards,” or “The fall of Rome.” The players take turns trying to place these events into the correct point of the “timeline.” The timeline is made up of a series of cards between the players. If you place an event correctly, then you’re down a card. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins.

Hanabi

It’s the night of the big fireworks show, but you and your fellow players have managed to mess up the display! Players work together to put the firework cards back in order in time to please the spectators. While you can’t see the cards in your own hand, you can see everyone else’s and give information about what numbers and colors they have. Then, players will try to place these numbers and colors in order to create a spectacular show.

Farkle

A nice, easy dice game, Farkle is like Yahtzee, but you get to press your luck as long as you can. 1’s and 5’s can earn you points, which will get you in the game. You can also earn points with straights, pairs, and other common dice and card combinations. Earn more points than your fellow players to win the game.

Sushi Go

Mmm, sushi! Enjoy a delicious sushi meal in this card drafting game. Players will choose cards from the hands they are passed, and they will earn points based on what they’ve “eaten” by the end of the round. Make sure to pair your wasabi with nigiri and to eat a lot of maki rolls to win this delightful card game.

Zombie Dice

Try to eat as many brains as you can in Zombie Dice! You are the zombie and the dice are your human victims. Brains mean you’ve successfully eaten a victim, footprints mean they got away, and shotguns mean they’ve shot at you. Eat as many brains as you can before you’re shot three times in a turn. Or, play it safe and stop to earn some brain points. The game ends after a player eats 13 brains. Whoever ate the most brains wins.  

Monopoly Deal

Want to play Monopoly but don’t have the time? Then you’re looking for Monopoly Deal. The first player to complete three full property sets in this card game will win. Gather money to pay for properties, and watch out for other player’s actions as you build your monopoly. Make sure you have enough cash on hand to pay other players if you need to, though!

Iota

Iota is like Qwirkle in a tin. Each card features a color, a shape, and a number. To play cards, rows must all share one characteristic, such as a color, or they all must be different in every way. For example, a line can either all be circles, or they must all be different shapes. Score the most points before the deck runs out to win this teeny-tiny game.

Quixx

This roll and write game is great for impatient players who don’t like to wait for turns. The active player will roll dice and choose what to mark off on their scoresheet based on the roll. All the players can make choices based on the white dice rolled. Everyone will earn points based on what they select. The highest score wins.

Rory’s Story Cubes

The only limit to this game is your own imagination. There are several ways to play Rory’s Story Cubes (along with different sets of dice), but the idea is simple. Roll the dice and make a story with what you rolled. This game will give you a creative spark along with a good time.

Any of these games will go great in your suitcase, as an after-dinner treat, or between heavier games on your board game night. And when you can buy any of these board games for $10 each, you’ve already won in your own way.

What are your favorite board games for $10?

The post 10 Board Games for $10 Each appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Board Game Mechanics: Press Your Luck https://catsanddice.com/board-game-mechanics-press-your-luck-games/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=board-game-mechanics-press-your-luck-games https://catsanddice.com/board-game-mechanics-press-your-luck-games/#comments Fri, 12 Apr 2019 00:00:42 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=175 “Just one more time! I can make it! Just one more time!” Game players who enjoy the thrill of luck, who love to push the boundaries of their gaming experience, who always aim to do a little bit better will love press your luck board games. In this edition of our board game mechanics series, we’ll talk about press your luck games: what they are, how to win, and some of our favorites. Are you feeling lucky? Press your luck games rely on that impulse we all have to go just a little bit further. A press your luck game is about choices. Either you can continue on in the hopes of earning more points (with the risk of losing them all), or you can stop and save what you’ve earned. Sometimes this mechanic is also called push your luck. The most important thing to understand is the choice; you choose whether or not to continue on. If this mechanic sounds familiar, it’s probably because it is. Gambling games use it all the time. They practically rely on it. Game shows use it quite a lot, too. There’s an excitement to seeing if you could go just a little bit longer that people enjoy watching and participating in. It’s an old mechanic, but a good one. So what’s the key to winning press your luck games? If there were an answer, it wouldn’t be called luck! You can keep a few tips in mind, though. Balance risk to reward. If what you have to lose is greater than what you have to gain, it might be a good time to stop. Keep the objective in mind. It’s fun to roll “well,” but if it doesn’t meet your goal, all sixes is not a good roll. Watch the odds. Know which rolls are more likely, and it will give you a better idea of whether you should stop or if you might continue on. The best way to get better at press your luck games is to play a few. Some of these are even available to play for free. Modern Press Your Luck Games Casinos and game shows may use press your luck all the time, but the mechanic still has fresh takes. These press your luck games are some of our favorites. Some of them were made within the last few years. Megaland From the creators of Above and Below and Near and Far, Megaland drops you into a videogame-like world. “Run” the levels to gain as many resources as possible, but if you lose all your health, you’ll also lose everything you’ve earned! Stop at the right time, though, and you’ll have the resources to purchase different goods that’ll earn you coins and lead you to victory. Can’t Stop Every time I play this game, I know I should stop rolling but I just… can’t! Roll four dice and pair them together to make any number you can, then progress on that number. You can only progress on three numbers a turn, though. Roll as much as you can to keep that number going, or stop to save your progress. But if you can’t stop and you don’t roll one of your three numbers, you’ll lose your hard work. This out-of-print gem is available to play for free at Board Game Arena. Celestia Take to the skies with Gulliver in this press your luck game. Players will test the limits of their courage and their ability to fight off vicious foes as they ride an aircraft in search of Celestia. Roll a die to see what event happens on your travels, but can the captain overcome it? Players can choose to stay or abandon ship. The longer they last, the more rewards they might earn. Zombie Dice Braaains! Be the first zombie to eat 13 brains, but avoid the shotguns as you feast. Each turn, you’ll have the opportunity to eat more brains. If you get shot with a shotgun three times in a turn, though, you’ll lose the enjoyment of your cranial feast. Pace yourself and you’ll find yourself the winner of this press your luck game. Pass the Pigs Most press your luck games rely on dice as they offer the perfect balance between pure luck and odds. And while you do roll something in Pass the Pigs, it’s not dice. It’s pigs! You’ll score points based on how they land, but if they both fall on their side, you’re out of luck. There are no points for you, and the next player gets to roll the pigs. Your dice rolls might be up to fate, but your odds of having fun with press your luck games are good. Share your awesome rolls with us on social media @catsanddice. Make sure to follow us on Instagram, too, to play some press your luck games with us in our stories! What are your favorite press your luck games? Kristen Hi there! I’m Kristen. I’m a game writer, a Dungeon Master, and like you, I love tabletop games. Visit our About page to learn more about me. I wrote this Cats and Dice article to help you enjoy gaming even more. Did it help? If so, our kitties (and our site) would be grateful for a little gift through Ko-Fi.

The post Board Game Mechanics: Press Your Luck appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> “Just one more time! I can make it! Just one more time!” Game players who enjoy the thrill of luck, who love to push the boundaries of their gaming experience, who always aim to do a little bit better will love press your luck board games. In this edition of our board game mechanics series, we’ll talk about press your luck games: what they are, how to win, and some of our favorites.

Are you feeling lucky?

Press your luck games rely on that impulse we all have to go just a little bit further. A press your luck game is about choices. Either you can continue on in the hopes of earning more points (with the risk of losing them all), or you can stop and save what you’ve earned. Sometimes this mechanic is also called push your luck. The most important thing to understand is the choice; you choose whether or not to continue on.

If this mechanic sounds familiar, it’s probably because it is. Gambling games use it all the time. They practically rely on it. Game shows use it quite a lot, too. There’s an excitement to seeing if you could go just a little bit longer that people enjoy watching and participating in. It’s an old mechanic, but a good one.

So what’s the key to winning press your luck games? If there were an answer, it wouldn’t be called luck! You can keep a few tips in mind, though.

  • Balance risk to reward. If what you have to lose is greater than what you have to gain, it might be a good time to stop.
  • Keep the objective in mind. It’s fun to roll “well,” but if it doesn’t meet your goal, all sixes is not a good roll.
  • Watch the odds. Know which rolls are more likely, and it will give you a better idea of whether you should stop or if you might continue on.

The best way to get better at press your luck games is to play a few. Some of these are even available to play for free.

Modern Press Your Luck Games

Casinos and game shows may use press your luck all the time, but the mechanic still has fresh takes. These press your luck games are some of our favorites. Some of them were made within the last few years.

Megaland

From the creators of Above and Below and Near and Far, Megaland drops you into a videogame-like world. “Run” the levels to gain as many resources as possible, but if you lose all your health, you’ll also lose everything you’ve earned! Stop at the right time, though, and you’ll have the resources to purchase different goods that’ll earn you coins and lead you to victory.

Can’t Stop

Every time I play this game, I know I should stop rolling but I just… can’t! Roll four dice and pair them together to make any number you can, then progress on that number. You can only progress on three numbers a turn, though. Roll as much as you can to keep that number going, or stop to save your progress. But if you can’t stop and you don’t roll one of your three numbers, you’ll lose your hard work. This out-of-print gem is available to play for free at Board Game Arena.

Celestia

Take to the skies with Gulliver in this press your luck game. Players will test the limits of their courage and their ability to fight off vicious foes as they ride an aircraft in search of Celestia. Roll a die to see what event happens on your travels, but can the captain overcome it? Players can choose to stay or abandon ship. The longer they last, the more rewards they might earn.

Zombie Dice

Braaains! Be the first zombie to eat 13 brains, but avoid the shotguns as you feast. Each turn, you’ll have the opportunity to eat more brains. If you get shot with a shotgun three times in a turn, though, you’ll lose the enjoyment of your cranial feast. Pace yourself and you’ll find yourself the winner of this press your luck game.

Pass the Pigs

Most press your luck games rely on dice as they offer the perfect balance between pure luck and odds. And while you do roll something in Pass the Pigs, it’s not dice. It’s pigs! You’ll score points based on how they land, but if they both fall on their side, you’re out of luck. There are no points for you, and the next player gets to roll the pigs.

Your dice rolls might be up to fate, but your odds of having fun with press your luck games are good. Share your awesome rolls with us on social media @catsanddice. Make sure to follow us on Instagram, too, to play some press your luck games with us in our stories!

What are your favorite press your luck games?

The post Board Game Mechanics: Press Your Luck appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> https://catsanddice.com/board-game-mechanics-press-your-luck-games/feed/ 1 Quick Tips for Cleaning and Maintaining Your Board Games https://catsanddice.com/cleaning-and-maintaining-your-board-games/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cleaning-and-maintaining-your-board-games Fri, 12 Apr 2019 00:00:23 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=188 Board games go well with snacks and drinks. It’s fun to have a cool lemonade or a similar refreshment as you beat grandma at Ticket to Ride for the 50th time. What’s not so fun is when you get excited and knock that lemonade on all the little trains. If your board games could use a good cleaning for any reason at all, read these tips. You’ll want to be prepared because the wrong cleaning methods could lead to further damage. Then, make sure you that your board games are well maintained to minimize damage in the future. Cleaning Your Board Games Before you clean your board games, you will need to gather a few materials. We recommend the following: Sponge Cloth or paper towel Mild soap Warm water Vinegar While most board games have protective coverings on them, you will want to go slowly and be gentle with your cleaning process. Each board game is made slightly differently, and you never know if a cleaning method could damage it until you try it. To make sure all goes well, take these steps. Step 1: Wipe down any residue. If you’re cleaning up after a recent spill, make sure to wipe off any wet spots with a towel of some kind. Then, make sure your board and pieces are dry before attempting to clean. This way, you will have a better sense of what kind of cleaning you need to do with your pieces. Step 2: Prepare a solution. You will not want to place soap or water directly onto your board and pieces. Instead, place a small amount of soap and water (or vinegar if you have concerns about soap) directly onto a towel. Make sure to have your materials nearby so you can dip the towel again. Step 3: Test a small area. Again, it is difficult to know how a cleaning solution might affect your board game. Test a small area of the board first to see how your solution works. If there’s a spot on the board that is less vital to the game, start there. After it dries, you can then proceed to clean the rest of the board. Step 4: Clean the board and other components. Now you’re ready to clean your entire board. Gently wipe down the board with your solution and any pieces that also need cleaning. Cards will need extra care as they are more likely to receive water damage. Take your time with it. Step 5: Dry. You can dry your board game and components in one of two ways. First, you can wipe it down with a dry cloth. Second, you can leave it out to air dry. If you leave it out to air dry, make sure it is in a cool, dark space. It might be tempting to leave it in the sun, but that will discolor your components. Maintaining Your Board Games Once your board games are cleaned, there are several steps you can take to make sure they stay that way. First, make sure your board games are stored properly so they do not get damaged when not in use. When storing your games, make sure all the components fit into the box and the lid is closed. You can also put your pieces into small bags or containers to make sure the pieces don’t get lost, scattered, or dusty. As an added bonus, you can put a dryer sheet into the box to give it a fresh smell. The other benefit to storing your pieces is to maintain them during gameplay. Small bags or containers allow you to keep your unused pieces safe and protected while playing. That way, if there’s a spill, it will only affect the pieces out (if any of them). Similarly, you can put your cards into protective sleeves to minimize damage, too. Use this sizing chart for your cards to buy the right size. There are steps you can take beyond the games to maintain your board games, too. Wash your hands before you begin each play. Keep plenty of napkins nearby if you are having snacks as you play. Furthermore, you might want to invest in some side tables for your treats so they do not sit next to your game. Then, when you go to put the game away, clear everything else first and wash your hands once more before putting everything in the box. And if you play board games with kids, teach them all these tricks, too. They will learn the habit at an early age. Plus, making sure everyone in the family knows how to maintain the games will keep them available for playing that much longer. How do you keep your board games clean? Kristen Hi there! I’m Kristen. I’m a game writer, a Dungeon Master, and like you, I love tabletop games. Visit our About page to learn more about me. I wrote this Cats and Dice article to help you enjoy gaming even more. Did it help? If so, our kitties (and our site) would be grateful for a little gift through Ko-Fi.

The post Quick Tips for Cleaning and Maintaining Your Board Games appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Board games go well with snacks and drinks. It’s fun to have a cool lemonade or a similar refreshment as you beat grandma at Ticket to Ride for the 50th time. What’s not so fun is when you get excited and knock that lemonade on all the little trains.

If your board games could use a good cleaning for any reason at all, read these tips. You’ll want to be prepared because the wrong cleaning methods could lead to further damage. Then, make sure you that your board games are well maintained to minimize damage in the future.

Cleaning Your Board Games

Before you clean your board games, you will need to gather a few materials. We recommend the following:

  • Sponge
  • Cloth or paper towel
  • Mild soap
  • Warm water
  • Vinegar

While most board games have protective coverings on them, you will want to go slowly and be gentle with your cleaning process. Each board game is made slightly differently, and you never know if a cleaning method could damage it until you try it. To make sure all goes well, take these steps.

Step 1: Wipe down any residue.

If you’re cleaning up after a recent spill, make sure to wipe off any wet spots with a towel of some kind. Then, make sure your board and pieces are dry before attempting to clean. This way, you will have a better sense of what kind of cleaning you need to do with your pieces.

Step 2: Prepare a solution.

You will not want to place soap or water directly onto your board and pieces. Instead, place a small amount of soap and water (or vinegar if you have concerns about soap) directly onto a towel. Make sure to have your materials nearby so you can dip the towel again.

Step 3: Test a small area.

Again, it is difficult to know how a cleaning solution might affect your board game. Test a small area of the board first to see how your solution works. If there’s a spot on the board that is less vital to the game, start there. After it dries, you can then proceed to clean the rest of the board.

Step 4: Clean the board and other components.

Now you’re ready to clean your entire board. Gently wipe down the board with your solution and any pieces that also need cleaning. Cards will need extra care as they are more likely to receive water damage. Take your time with it.

Step 5: Dry.

You can dry your board game and components in one of two ways. First, you can wipe it down with a dry cloth. Second, you can leave it out to air dry. If you leave it out to air dry, make sure it is in a cool, dark space. It might be tempting to leave it in the sun, but that will discolor your components.

Maintaining Your Board Games

Once your board games are cleaned, there are several steps you can take to make sure they stay that way.

First, make sure your board games are stored properly so they do not get damaged when not in use. When storing your games, make sure all the components fit into the box and the lid is closed. You can also put your pieces into small bags or containers to make sure the pieces don’t get lost, scattered, or dusty. As an added bonus, you can put a dryer sheet into the box to give it a fresh smell.

The other benefit to storing your pieces is to maintain them during gameplay. Small bags or containers allow you to keep your unused pieces safe and protected while playing. That way, if there’s a spill, it will only affect the pieces out (if any of them). Similarly, you can put your cards into protective sleeves to minimize damage, too. Use this sizing chart for your cards to buy the right size.

There are steps you can take beyond the games to maintain your board games, too. Wash your hands before you begin each play. Keep plenty of napkins nearby if you are having snacks as you play. Furthermore, you might want to invest in some side tables for your treats so they do not sit next to your game. Then, when you go to put the game away, clear everything else first and wash your hands once more before putting everything in the box.

And if you play board games with kids, teach them all these tricks, too. They will learn the habit at an early age. Plus, making sure everyone in the family knows how to maintain the games will keep them available for playing that much longer.

How do you keep your board games clean?

The post Quick Tips for Cleaning and Maintaining Your Board Games appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]>