Board games have been a source of entertainment for centuries. Games like Ludo and Chess are some of the best board games that humans have been playing since ancient times.
Board games don’t need many resources and space to play. However, some of them can take hours to finish and that too without a clear winner in some cases. Bottomline, they are good entertainers and a way to socialize. Moreover, strategy-based games like chess are best to improve your analytical skills.
You may have heard about or played popular board games like Monopoly, Checkers, Chess, Scrabble, Ludo and Chess. But there are many hidden fun board games that you can try with your friends and enjoy. In this blog, we have brought you a list of 5 such top board games; these games are interesting and interactive.
These are our picks of 5 best board games that are least known:
Azul Board Game
Azul is a new board game that has gained popularity in recent years. It was released in 2017 by Plan B Games. It is a strategy-based game and Michael Kiesling is its designer.
In the game, you will receive a task from the Portuguese king Manuel I, who on his visit to Alhambra palace, Spain, was amazed by its beautiful tile decoration. You as a tile artist are assigned to decorate the king’s palace of Evora with similar tiles.
Although the gameplay seems like a piece of cake, you as a player need to create a strategy to win. However, if you don’t plan well, you are more likely to fail.
As the game begins, every player receives a board that they have to decorate using tiles provided in the game. Each player has to take the tiles from the suppliers and arrange them in a pattern. There are multiple rounds comprising 3 steps, the first is the Factory offer, the second is wall-tiling and the third is preparing for the upcoming round.
Based on how the players decorate their place, they score points. They score extra points if they complete sets, however, if they waste resources, it affects their score. The game ends when a player creates five consecutive tiles arranged horizontally. The player who tops the scoreboard wins the game.
Splendor
It is one of the best board games that I like and recommend to all. In this game, players have to collect chips and work on card development. As Renaissance merchants, they have to purchase gem mines, invest in transportation, and establish shops to gain prestige points that are a must to win the gain.
When a player’s turn comes up, he has 3 options to choose from- 1st, he can collect gems, 2nd, he can buy and build a card or 3rd, he can reserve a card. If the player wishes to collect chips, he needs to collect either three chips of different kinds or two same kind of chips and if he buys a card, he needs to pay for it using the chips and add it to his playing area. However, if he wishes to reserve a card, he has to place it face down and he will lose a round. Nonetheless, for this, the player gets a joker chip and can use that as any gem.
To win this game, a player must reach 15 prestige points before other players.
Everdell
The game is themed on a developing civilisation of forest creatures dwelling within the valley of Everdell. As a leader of the group of those creatures, you get tasks to construct, host events and make civilisation thrive. It is one of the most popular board games in some countries but is still unknown to the majority.
As a player, you have 3 options to choose from, the 1st option is to place a worker from your collection of workers to perform various tasks like gathering resources, card drawing and other game actions. 2nd, out of the 5 cards of the game i.e. Travelers, Governance, Destination, Prosperity and Production cards, you need to generate resources, activate abilities and score points. The 3rd option is to prepare for the next season. Deployed workers return to your player card and new workers take their place.
You can choose from any of the 3 options and perform a certain action according to your strategy to win the game. The players play the game from the current season, i.e. winter to the onset of the next winter. The one who gathers the most points wins the game.
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7 Wonders
7 Wonders is one of the best board games which is based on card development. There are many types of cards in the game, some you can use for immediate effects, some give you bonuses and upgrades some cards give you discounts on your purchases and others provide military power and strength.
Antoine Bauza designed this strategy card game. In this game, players assume the roles of leaders and build their civilization by constructing things. Moreover, they work on strengthening the military, working on research and development and engaging in trade.
There are 3 ages in the game and the game goes through these ages, each age represents a different historical time.
You as a player have to draft cards and use them for various works like structure building, resource development and developing your civilisation. You need to select one card from the deck and pass on the remaining cards to the next player.
Moreover, you have to be strategic while playing this game and keep an eye on what cards the players next to you on both sides receive.
Your aim should be to accumulate as many victory points as possible. You can do this by performing the activities mentioned earlier. The player gaining the most victory points emerges as the winner of the game.
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective is one of the least-known games that have the potential to be on the list of top board games. Raymond Edwards, Suzanne Goldberg and Gary Grady are its designers. The game was first published in 1981 and since then its various editions with interesting changes have surfaced.
The game is set against the backdrop of Victorian London. As a detective you have to solve mysteries by following the leads, connecting the dots and probing the crimes.
Furthermore, you need to grill the suspects, look for clues, and put the facts and information together to conclude.
This game is very different from other games. It doesn’t involve any dice or rolls; all you have to do is focus on your mental ability and do thorough research to capture the culprits. Isn’t it so interesting?
The game teaches you the value of collaboration as you need to discuss the clues, bring pieces together and solve the mysteries together with other players playing along with you.