Board Games for Couples

While this post has nothing to do with applying board game mechanics, it does have a lot to do with real life, and real life is often a lot more interesting than theory.

I googled "Board games for couples" just to see what I could find, but I was very disappointed by the results. Of the top ten results five were geared toward "adult" board games, ie, games to spice up your love life. Sex games seem a bit silly to me. Instead of trying to make things happen with cheap ploy's and other's opinions of what makes good romance, why not improve your relationship?

My wife and I enjoy playing board games together as a fun way to spend quality time together. We are both very competitive game players, so sometimes we get upset when we don't win, but overall, playing games together has been a very positive experience, and something that we can have in common. Here then, is a list of top five games that we prefer to play together:

1. Carcassone (Rio Grande Games): Tile laying game. The hardest thing to learn is the scoring. We love it because every game is different, its simple to set-up, and the strategy is not too heavy.
2. Small World (Days of Wonder): Beautiful game with a fanciful theme. Easy to learn and play. Hardest thing is the set-up.
3. St. Petersburg (Hans Im Gluck): Germany's version of Monopoly, only six-times shorter and a whole lot friendlier. Great to play over a mug of hot cocoa and a TV movie.
4. Thurn and Taxis (Rio Grande Games): Non-aggressive game about the first international postal service. A bit counterintuitive to learn, but very easy and fun once you get going.
5. Ticket to Ride (Days of Wonder): Simple game with light strategy. Not a lot of down-time between turns. We like it because you have to plan ahead!

Thats our list for now. Hope you look one of these up and give them a try someday with your significant other, and may your relationships be blessed.