Top 7 Simple Board Games For Strategy Lovers

If you’re anything like me you crave games with strategy and depth. Yet if you’re anything like many of my family members and friends you prefer games that are simple to learn and easy to understand. So playing games often comes down to finding a middle ground that suits both types of players. Today I’m going to discuss some of my favorite games that are simple to learn but still scratch that strategy itch. I’ll order them from most simple to most complex:

1. Coup: I’ve discussed coup in a blog post before. It's an incredibly simple game where each player is given two character cards and a limited set of actions. But players can bluff about which cards they have in order to take additional actions. It’s fast paced and never fails to excite and every time I’ve played the group has wanted to play at least 2 or 3 times before moving on.

2. Nine Minutes Kingdom: This game has a lot packed into a simple package. Players build a kingdom out of nine square cards and compete to earn the most points by completing objectives called edicts. The game includes a fun closed drafting system, interesting tile laying, and often conflicting objectives that make every decision count. It takes only a short time to learn and sometimes only minutes to play.

3. Carcassonne: Carcassonne is the classic of tile laying games. Players lay tiles to build roads, cities, and other projects and maintain claim over their projects by placing meeples. It's simple and approachable enough to please most anyone, but it's also a game that can really make you think.

4. Forbidden Desert: Forbidden Desert might be the best introduction into cooperative games. The simple gameplay, unique table presences, and fun theme will be enough to draw in even the least committed players. Yet this game never fails to make a tense experience, where every decision matters and where working together is the only option.

5. 7 Wonders: 7 Wonders is a good choice for many players’ first forays into the world of strategy gaming. Deceptively simple on the surface, 7 Wonders is definitely an easy to learn, difficult to master type of experience. Someone who has played 7 Wonders before can easily teach the game within a few minutes, but even experienced players will be honing their strategies for many games to come.

6. Era: Medieval Age: Era: Medieval Age is definitely a step up in complexity, but a small step. And the fun dice play, careful resource management, and 3D components really make it feel like you're building a kingdom in the medieval era. There are many ways to earn points and multiple paths to victory that keep this game fresh and will appeal to any strategist.

7. Settlers of Catan: Say what you will about Settlers of Catan, but for many people this was their introduction into strategy and into more complicated games. Its a classic for a reason: tense gameplay, fun player interaction, strategy, and just the right amount of luck. Not to mention multiple paths to victory that can really keep other players guessing. Catan will always hold a special place at my table and its simple enough to be friendly for players of all levels.

Extra Recommendations: Quest, Qwixx, Azul, Codenames, Shifting Stones, and Skull King.