How to Start Building a Board Game Collection

Getting into the world of tabletop gaming can be an exciting yet daunting experience. There are so many titles out there, and deciding which ones to purchase can feel overwhelming. Luckily, there aren’t really many wrong answers. It’s all about finding which games best suit your play style. But how to start building a board game collection? Where do you even begin?

That’s what this article will cover! We’ll go over all the considerations you might want to take into account when starting out. You might already be very familiar with board games from playing with other people, or you might be entering this world for the first time. Either way, the advice in this guide should be useful for you. Let’s get into building your tabletop game collection!

Consider the Number of Players

Although there are so many incredible games out there, it’s important to be realistic about which ones you can actually play. For example, there’s no point buying games like Masquerade which rely on a large number of players if you’ll usually just be playing with your partner. Similarly, two-player games will be pretty pointless if you live alone and usually invite a whole group over to play. It’s all about being mindful of your circumstances.

With that in mind, it’s good to have games in your collection that are flexible on the number of players. Instead of choosing a lot of games which require a set number, look for games with a broad range. For example, Codenames can be played with any number from 4 upwards, I’ve played rounds of it with over 20 people before! Similarly, some smaller games can even be played solo, such as Stardew Valley or Slay the Spire, which both work smoothly with anywhere between 1 and 4 players.

Having a range of games to account for the likely scenarios you’ll find yourself in will be really useful. So you might have some two-player games, some 2-6 player games, and some that work best in larger groups. Just think of the people in your life who you’re likely to share your collection with.

Where Should I Buy My Board Games?

There are multiple options for this, and each have their pros and cons. Let’s talk through the main options:

In a Store

There are many stores that sell board games, ranging from large shops that simply have a board game section, to dedicated independent board games stores. I’d always recommend supporting the latter if you can, but you should do what works best for you and your needs.

Pros:

• Often a large range, and you can see how the boxes look in person.
• You’re supporting a local business.
• You can make sure to get a box that isn’t damaged in any way.
• Easy to browse through multiple games in one go, looking out for ones that catch your eye.

Cons:

• Often more expensive than buying online.
• You have to leave the house and interact with strangers.
• You’re responsible for getting the game safely back home.

Online

It’s so easy to find board games online, and you can either search for a specific game and shop around to find the best price, or you can go to a reputable website and browse their whole collection. Amazon also stocks board games, but I would never encourage supporting them. There are also many websites out there offering damaged games for sale, and these can be a great place to grab a bargain whilst still technically getting a new copy.

Pros:

• Often cheaper than buying in a store.
• You’re not limited to just the board games that your local store has decided to stock.
• Relatively easy to browse, you can just scroll through.
• You can get the games delivered straight to your house.
• You can see customer reviews.

Cons:

• You can’t see the boxes in person to assess the size and quality.
• You’re supporting the death of the high street.
• You could end up getting a damaged box.
• Browsing is much less exciting than in person.
• You can feel overwhelmed by choice, and it’s easier to go over-budget.

Second Hand

Never simply write off the idea of buying a game second hand. Whilst it can be nice to get something new and shiny, pre-loved tabletop games will still play exactly the same as a brand new one. Some places to look for second hand board games could be eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or even charity shops.

Pros:

• Likely to be much cheaper than online or in store.
• You can find older/ discontinued games.
• You’re helping to save the planet.

Cons:

• The seller could be lying about the condition of the board game.
• If you’re collecting in person, you’ll need to interact with a stranger.
• The game components could be dirty or damaged.
• Usually older, less popular games.

How Do I Make the Best Use of My Space and Budget?

When you’re deciding how to start building a board game collection, you need to be realistic about what you can afford. You also need to think about where you’ll put your new treasures. Board games boxes can get pretty chunky, and you’d be surprised at how quickly they can fill a space. Before you even start purchasing anything, you should have a clear idea of where your collection will go.

Once you’ve decided on a space to put them, you need to think how to to make the most of it. Often, this’ll be a relatively small shelf or cabinet. In those scenarios, you want to look for games with compact boxes. So many board games have disproportionate box sizes. You’ll open it up, and there’ll just be unnecessary plastic casing everywhere. Instead, you’ll want those games where every little area inside the box is taken up by a component.

As for budget, set a number, and stick to it! It can be so tempting to go over, as there are some fantastic titles out there. But there’s no reason you can’t add to your collection in the future. Sticking to your initial budget is important, as you don’t want to resent the games for getting you into debt. If you want to save money, shop around, and try to find titles that are on sale, or where someone is getting rid of them for cheap second-hand. You can even try print and play games!

Competitive Vs Co-operative Games

Outside of party games, there are two distinct categories of tabletop games – co-operative and competitive. They’re pretty self-explanatory, but let’s talk briefly about each one anyway.

Co-operative games are ones where all players work together to achieve a common goal. For example, this includes games like Pandemic where you all have to stop the spread of a deadly disease. The good thing about co-operative games is that it builds a true sense of camaraderie. There’s still excitement and strategy, but instead of going against each other, you’re going against the game itself. The only downside is that someone might make a mistake that affects everyone. It feels infinitely worse to let down your whole team rather than just yourself.

Competitive games are where you’re trying to win at the expense of your opponent. Even if there’s no means of actually sabotaging them, it still counts if there are winners and losers at the end. For example, games like Ticket to Ride and Carcassonne involve primarily focusing on your own circumstances, but at the end, the point totals still get totted up to discover a winner. Competitive games also account for genres such as social deduction games where you win or lose as part of a team.

Both types have their place in a board game collection, and there are fun titles to be found in either. Some games can even be in both, such as Betrayal At House on the Hill, where some rounds have traitors and some don’t.

Party Games

As well as regular competitive/ co-operative games, you also get party games. These will often have a competitive edge to them, but winning isn’t really the purpose. In fact, a lot of them don’t really have a clear end point, and you just play them until they’re no longer fun. The main purpose is to have a good time with them, and the intention is usually to make you laugh or to reveal more about each other.

The classic example would be Cards Against Humanity, the go-to game of students everywhere. However, especially in modern society, there are so many other games to go for. You’ll be spoiled for choice, and these games are very often on sale, too.

A word of warning – of all the types of tabletop games, party games are probably where you’ll find the most junk. So many titles are from companies just looking to make a quick buck. They’ll have put almost no thought into the game design, and you could end up with a game that everyone is bored of by round 1, but nobody wants to admit because it’s awkward to say so.

To avoid this, make sure to do your research first. Some party games I would recommend are:

• Telestrations
• Don’t Get Got
• One Night Ultimate Werewolf
• Just One
• Get the Ick

How Should I Balance My Board Game Collection?

Striking a healthy balance with your collection is critical to ensure that the games don’t just sit there gathering dust. You want to have a range of games to suit different moods, rather than multiple games that all fit the same purpose. You also want to take size and portability into account, in case you’re thinking of taking your games elsewhere, such as to a friend’s house or to a local board games group. Consider the length of the games too. You want some shorter ones that you can play almost as an appetiser, and some longer ones that you can dedicate an entire afternoon/ evening to.

You also don’t want to have your collection be too big, certainly not at first. When you’re first building your board game collection, there’s no reason to buy more than about 10 games. From there, you can figure out how often you play them, which kind of games are seeing the most use, etc, and use that information to help curate your collection as it grows naturally over time.

Here are my recommendations for how to mix and match different types of board games:

A Decent Board Game Collection Should Contain:

• At least 70% competitive games – Unless you have an unnaturally chill friend group, co-operative games are usually a bit less popular than competitive games. While you should definitely have one or two, you want to focus on having more competitive games.
• A range of play times – You’ll want one or two games that can be played in 30 minutes or less. Then, the majority should fall between 30 and 60 minutes, as this is usually the perfect length for the average attention span. Then you also want one or two that are over an hour for those more intense sessions.
• Just over 50% board games compared to card games – I would strongly recommend having a roughly even balance between board games and card games when you start your collection. Over time, this’ll probably gravitate towards having more board games, but at the beginning, you want to have a good mix of both to really figure out what you like and what you play.
• At least one party game – Sometimes you don’t fancy something with intense strategy, and you just want to have a laugh with your mates. Party games are perfect for this. Just… don’t pick Cards Against Humanity. It’s so overrated.
• Some games you’ve played before – If there’s a game you have access to that you already know you love, then it’s worth having your own copy. That way you can play it with other people, safe in the knowledge that you’re gonna enjoy it.

How Often Should I Add to My Board Game Collection?

This is entirely up to you! If you’re playing board games every week, and your friends seem interested in what you’re bringing to the table, then you’ll probably want to keep the collection fresh. However, if you play board games once in a blue moon, then there’s no point buying new ones all the time. It’s all about being honest with yourself about your circumstances.

Even if you really like board games, it’s still fairly pointless having a huge collection if you have nobody to play with. So it’s all about considering who would actually play this new game with you. You don’t want to be really excited about a new purchase, only to end up sad because you never get to take it for a test run.

The best plan is to keep an eye out on titles that take your fancy. Perhaps keep a little list of them in your notes app. Then you can purchase them when you have the budget for it, and when you know who you’d play it with. There’s no need to rush. Some games do get discontinued, but for the most part, you’ll usually have at least a few years to make a decision about what to buy.

Are Kickstarter Board Games Worth Backing?

Absolutely, they are! Kickstarter is often the go-to platform for small creators looking to get their games out into the world. But just because they don’t have the backing of a large publisher, doesn’t mean that they aren’t worth purchasing! Sure, not every game on there is going to be the best quality, but you can usually filter the better games out based on the appearance of the Kickstarter page.

Creators who are passionate about quality and have put a lot of effort into their game will often have a well-polished Kickstarter page. There will be decent graphics, a well-written description without typos, clear rewards, and quite probably some exciting stretch goals. You also want to make sure there’s a trailer, as this will suggest the game at the very least has a prototype so you can see what it’ll look like.

The great thing about Kickstarter is that not only are you supporting smaller creators, but you’ll be getting a game that none of your friends are likely to have. Having something unique is a really special feeling, and it may mean your friends are more intrigued to play it with you. Kickstarter is also often the place where popular video game franchises go when they’re thinking of making a board game, as with Slay the Spire. So if your favourite series is expanding to the tabletop medium, this may be where you end up purchasing from.

What Board Games Should I Add to My Collection?

When looking at how to start building a board game collection, it can be useful to have some titles to keep an eye out for. Of course, not everyone is going to have the same taste, but if you’re looking for recommendations, the following are fun to have in your collection:

• Codenames – 4-20 Players, best with around 6-10 players. Two teams have to try and guess their secret words using only clues given by their Spymaster.
• Patchwork – A two-player game where you both try to crate the best tapestry by buying new materials using buttons. Strategic gameplay and sturdy components.
• The Chameleon – 3-8 players, but most fun with at least 5 players. You all know the secret word, except for one player – the Chameleon. You need to subtly let the others know that you know the word, without giving it away to the Chameleon. The Chameleon wins if they manage to avoid detection or guess the secret word.
• One Night Ultimate Werewolf – 3-10 players, but best with at least 6 players. It’s a social deduction game where every player has a role, and the ‘good guys’ have to try and vote out a Werewolf, whereas the Werewolves need to try and avoid detection. It’s a very quick game, played in around 10 minutes as it only lasts one round per game.
• Ticket to Ride – Can be played with 2-5 players, but it’s most fun with 3 or 4. You have to create train routes to fulfil tasks that you draw. It’s simple, but requires a little strategy, and it’s really fun placing all your little train pieces down. There are loads of expansions, too, so you can choose the location that most appeals to you.

Conclusion

Hopefully this article has given you all the advice you need on how to start building a board game collection. There’s no one-size fits all method, hence why I’ve given you all the tools to figure out your own needs. No one collection is going to look the same as another, so you shouldn’t compare yourself to your friends. It’s all about finding the games that you enjoy playing, and that are practical for your gaming needs.

What titles were the first board games you ever bought? Which new games are on your wishlist for the next time you have some spare change? Join the discussion over in our Facebook community!

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