@mambatabac
"No game is objectively bad, but some games are subjectively bad to the entire population of the world" - hahaha good one 🤣
@CodyPoll
When explaining the rules, always start with the victory conditions and work your way backwards. It lets people anchor the information on why it’s important. Example: You win the game by having 10 victory points. Each town (show the piece) is worth one point; each city is worth two; two points for having the longest road; two points for having the largest army. You buy those things using these 5 resources. Each turn, a person rolls the dice; each tile that has the rolled number produces resources. Each town on those tiles produces one of that resource for its owner even if the owner didn't roll the dice; each city produces two of that resource. Towns and cities stack resource production if there are more than one. On your turn, you spend the resources you earned during everyone's turns.
@SterlingVanlaere
Extremely well written, cleanly produced and thoroughly insightful tips. This is top notch content, not just within the niche board-game field, but compared to the whole of YT. Major props.
@thedicetower
This is a great video, and great advice! Really enjoyed it!
@incandescentdream
I feel so personally called out and I love this video! The lure for expansions is definitely a struggle I understand. I'd add a number 11: You don't need to own a game you like if you played it at a friend's (or family member's) house. It's tempting, because you legit like the game, but guess what? You can play it with that friend any time you want for free! You don't need to own everything!
@jasonclough9380
For me, one of the biggest mistakes is "discussing every single rule beforehand". This may seem odd and may depend on the group, but if you are trying to get a new person into playing a game, you need to simplify and dole out the information on a need to know basis. I always find playing first and then having rules mentioned more useful then hearing every rule from the get go. A perfect example is trying to teach someone Yu-Gi-Oh (I know it's not a card game, but it works). I would start with basic info (how many cards they draw, how much life they have, and that the goal is to reduce opponent to 0). Then, when it's there turn, explain each action in the turn, describe the cards they have in hand, and so on. Then on my turn, I would show them more complex stuff (like special summoning and stuff). I always find that I get better retention from people when I piecemeal the rules rather than info-dumping to them.
@DrHopeSickNotes
Yep guilty of all of these... And just to add to your advice about not buying expansions with the base game, I'd also recommend not buying expansions without the base game.
@mathmusicandlooks
“I can’t lose another potential gamer to rock climbing. You can’t do both.” I just had to laugh. Rock climbing and playing games are two of my biggest passions.
@philiphanvy7092
This video spoke to my soul. I have 40 games and fall into traps myself. Especially with "expansions." Thank you, sir, for the intervention that I didn't know I needed.
@darkphantomtouch2551
1. Learn the Rules before the group come to play 00:20 2. Take the (Game Play Time on a Box and * 2) + ((50% if it's the first time being player) + (20% per player ))* 4 for AP Players 01:46 3. Don't Buy Expansions without playing the Core Game First 03:23 4. Player Count - Check BGG Player Counts recommendation as this is more accurate than a publisher possibly doing for marketing reasons 05:43 5. BGG Top 100 is not gospel. It is skewed towards more complex games, not always the most fun for you. 07:35 6. Stop Buying so many Games. You'll buy games just because they are half price, out of print come back in print, spending more time planning games you want and to get than playing them and tend to just be traded off unopened. You'll never be too old to play a game so stop hoarding and start CURATING - get rid of games and switch them in. 09:53 7. Don't rely on your Family and Friends to Play Board Games. Chances are they are not as -obsessed- committed to play. Go to a Local Game Group - it is nerve wrecking at times but you find people who are likely to be more into what you are. 12:05 8. Don't go to Kickstarter without knowing they are siren songs which sometimes will lure you to your (wallet's) death. Leave it to the experienced/well researched 13:26 9. Don't make people play games they won't like (linked into point 7). 15:38 10. Don't buy a game just because it's based on a theme/IP you like - the Board Game Box is a set of lies designed to sell you the game. 16:49
@SimpsonsRuleForever
One of the best-written, brutally honest Youtube videos ever about boardgames! I see below someone mentioned wishing they saw this years ago -- I agree. On top of the wisdom here, I laughed about every 45 seconds (wife and kids kept asking what was going on). Thanks, and keep up the great work.
@KoyasuNoBara
That "don't rely on friends and family" bit speaks to me. I got into Carcassonne because a guy I dated was a board game geek, and I enjoyed playing it with him. So I bought my own copy when I moved in with my sister. It sits in the closet, untouched for eight of the nine years I've owned it, because my sister hates it.
@chrisbowling5695
I LOVE your videos for 3 reasons: 1) Entertainment - you are hilarious. 2) Content : Always great information 3) Entertainment - you are creative AND hilarious. 4) Content : You are always spot on 5) Excellent content presented in a very entertaining way.
@jamessimpson7690
This video was painfully accurate. I have made most of these mistakes. AND I really need to make that leap to finding a gaming group. Thanks for making it, and for those of you new to the hobby - take notice!!! This is all so true.
@LukeClosely7693
March 2025 and you have just saved me £££. “Don’t overpay for out of print games when there are still so many great games available that you haven’t played”. Ooosh. I felt that one. And withdrew my bid for a game I couldn’t really afford and don’t really need. Excellent work Sir, keep it up
@danielburger2550
I found that the Game of the Year awards in Germany are always a good reference for fun games (I think each of the games you suggested for starting were games of the year in Germany) So you can look for "Spiel des Jahres". Also there is the "Kennerspiel des Jahres" which is aimed at more advanced gamers.
@suudlor
I have just started board gaming this week, and you nailed every mistake I was planning on making. This video alone must have saved me a fortune- monetary and time wise. Thank you very much for making this video based on your years of gaming experience.
@neilleleven
Why did it take me so long to find you? I’ve been struggling all week to find a common sense and HELPFUL voice in the board game community. Most are either hyper critical or meandering messes. Thank you for being you!
@asthasr2
I used to play board games with my friends; we had a good group with 3-4 people. This was in the mid/late 2000s. Unfortunately, one of our friends REALLY LOVED massive games with tons of dice (specifically TI3 and Heroscape). I don't mind them once in a while, but the gradual move from games like Catan and TTR over to those huge games killed our cadence and game night died. I didn't get back into it until recently, because I have kids now and they're starting to get into some things.
@actualol