11 underrated board games for every taste

Board games stores usually offer the most popular items - "Activity", "Imaginarium", "Carcassonne", "Jackal", "Mafia", "Arkham Horror" and other hits. They are also included in various ratings. In their shadow, no less worthy and interesting board games are lost, which simply did not manage to become as popular.

After talking with publishers, I have compiled a list of underrated board games in different genres and for different companies. Most of them you may have never even heard of. But every game on this list is noteworthy.

Something

Age: 13+.
Number of players: 4-12.
Length of the game: 15-60 minutes.

Players who love "Mafia" also know about the disadvantages of this board. To play an exciting game with a wide range of characters, you need at least 7 players. "The Thing" lets you play guess who your enemy is, even with four of you.

In this game, you are a search and rescue team who were sent to a mysterious island to find out what happened to the archaeologists who disappeared there. Already at the start, all players understand that Something has possessed one of them. It remains only to find out in whom. And kill the enemy before he infects everyone.

The task of the one who got the Something card at the beginning of the game is to infect the rest. They will interfere with him in every possible way: declare quarantine, lock the doors. But on the other hand, each infected person will take his side and help in the fight against the remaining people. If everyone is infected, Something wins. If you manage to find the enemy and kill him, the survivors win.

Who is the game for

Those who want to play an unusual analogue of "Mafia" in a small company.
For those who often have guests who love board games. Even 12 people can play "The Thing" - a great option for meeting close friends and for a party.
Board lovers, whose goal is to find the enemy among other players.

Glastonbury Alchemist

Age: 6+.
Number of players: 2-4.
Length of the game: 20-60 minutes.

If you start looking for a family board game for memory and attentiveness, you will most likely be offered Memo. Or, much less likely, Chik-Chirik. But there are other fun games that will suit you, and Glastonbury Alchemist is one of them.

In this game you have to collect the same ingredients or even brew potions - it depends on the chosen difficulty level. The subtlety is that in Glastonbury, alchemists immediately throw all the ingredients into a cauldron with a gurgling brew - and it is no longer possible to see what is floating there without a spell. You will not only carefully select the ingredients, but also memorize each of them, otherwise you will not be able to defeat your rivals.

The Alchemist of Glastonbury has many other advantages besides the interesting mechanics. This board can be played together, and the games do not become less exciting, which can be said not about every game. Here you need to think, plan several moves ahead and take into account the actions of other players - ideal for those who like strategies. Beautiful arts add atmosphere to the game. Finally, many players are attracted by the very essence - collecting ingredients.

Who is the game for

Parents who help their children develop strategic thinking and memory. Even preschoolers are happy to play "The Alchemist of Glastonbury"!
For those who love memory and attentiveness games. Especially for advanced players, there is a complicated version of the rules.
Fans of board games, in which there is no sharp rivalry and conflicts between players.
Those who prefer to hone their skills rather than rely on dice rolls. Chance plays a role here, but not as important as in many other games.

Keskife

Age: 8+.
Number of players: 4-8.
Party duration: 30 minutes.

Speaking of board games for noisy parties, they usually remember "Activity", "500 evil cards", "Equivoks" and similar games. And few people know about Keskife, although there is no less fun in this game.

Even a beginner will understand the rules in a couple of minutes. All players receive cards. Most have the same task: for example, to portray Michael Jackson, dance a waltz, measure furniture, or speak in a fictitious language. But someone is unlucky, and he will pull out a card on which is written a little offensive "You are a monkey." And the whole round (on average 40 seconds) such a player has to monkey - repeat after others, not understanding what exactly they are doing. When the madness ends, the players vote, trying to guess who was the monkey in that round. So if you want to win, pretend to be more skillful!

Who is the game for

Lovers of noisy parties.
Those who love to fool around and do not hesitate to look stupid.
For those who want to develop artistic skills.
Parents who are throwing parties with children. There is no vulgar humor or complicated words in "Keskif", so it is great for elementary school students and teenagers.

Muse

Age: 10+.
Number of players: 2-12.
Party duration: 30 minutes.

Muse is a fresh association game that, due to its novelty, is unlikely to be found in every board game store. The authors put their soul into it, and critics and experts unanimously predict a great future and popularity for it. We have no doubt that the Muse will soon be appreciated in Russia as well.

Vyacheslav Ratnikov publishing house GaGa Games.

If you love Imaginarium, Dixit and other board games that awaken your imagination, you will surely enjoy Muse. This is also a game of associations, and it contains strange and mysterious, sometimes completely crazy pictures. For example, a bandaged giant egg in a hospital bed receiving a ketchup transfusion, or a sea gushing into a room from a painting.

However, this is where the similarities with "Dixit" and "Imaginarium" end and the differences begin. Firstly, "Muse" is primarily a team board game, although if you wish, you can play it together or three. The goal is not only to help allies get victory points, but also to make the game as difficult for opponents as possible. Secondly, the "Muse" has an unusual gameplay. Let's break it down in detail.

Each round goes like this: one team (at least 2 people) takes 6 cards of masterpieces with illustrations and 2 cards of inspiration - it is written on them how to make an association. From this set, the team chooses one masterpiece and inspiration card and gives them to the opponent (a member of the second team).

The task of this player is to tell his team what is shown in the picture, in the way described on the inspiration card. Then all 6 cards with illustrations are shuffled and laid out on the table, and the team whose participant gave the hint tries to guess which card he was pointing at. You guessed it - they take the card for themselves. Not guessing - the second team will take it. The difficulty is that the player who makes the association does not know what is depicted on the other 5 cards. And so, for example, he makes it clear that there is an animal on the necessary card. And then it turns out that the animals are depicted on 4 cards out of 6 - and how can you guess?

The special charm of "Muse" lies in the cards of inspiration, because they make the imagination work to its fullest. There are 32 of them, and each puts the players in a narrow framework: you have to call a non-fictional holiday, show a motionless figure with your hands or make faces. Imagine: you need to tell your team what is shown on the third card (the one with the robot and the kitten) using a melody. Just? Unlikely.

Who is the game for

For those who love association games. Thanks to Inspiration Cards, each new game is different from the previous one, which means that it will always be interesting to play.
Team players. "Muse" is a good option for a party where not everyone knows each other well. Several parties, and even shy people will find it easier to communicate with others.
Anyone who wants to develop unconventional thinking. If there is not enough creativity and space for imagination in your life, Muse will help you fix this.
For beginners in the world of board games. The rules are simple, the gameplay is too - you can easily figure out what to do, even if Muse becomes your first board game.

Yes, Dark Lord

Age: 12+.
Number of players: 4-9.
Party duration: 30 minutes.

"Yes, Dark Lord" is one of those rare board games in which you need to role-play. However, it is much lighter than "Arkham Horror", Descent and other atmospheric board games.

Here you have to play the role of Rigor Mortis, the dark lord, or his loyal servant. The task of the servants is to explain to the owner why they failed their next mission to kidnap the princess, search for an artifact or destroy the village. Hint cards will tell the hapless henchmen what to talk about, and action cards will help push the blame onto another servant or interfere with his story.

The rules here are dictated by the overlord. For a stupid joke, disrespectful treatment, inconsistencies in history and other mistakes, he can throw a sizzling glance at the servant. Three such glances - and the servant is found guilty of failing the mission, unless he can beg for mercy. Ideal for a company of players who know how and love to weave stories!

Who is the game for

For those who love to invent and tell funny stories.
For players who like to get used to the role.
For those looking for great new entertainment for the company.

Gobbit

Age: 6+.
Number of players: 2-8.
Party duration: 30 minutes.

For those looking for interesting board games to react to, Dobby or Wild Jungle are usually offered. But the excellent game "Gobbit" from the French publisher OldChap Editions in Russia is not yet so well known. However, it is no worse than the above tabletops, and in some ways even surpasses them.

The game features cobras, chameleons, flies and gorillas. In the standard version of the rules, the food chain looks like this: cobras eat chameleons (but only of their color), they, in turn, swallow flies, and the gorilla can swat everyone at all. Each player in turn reveals the top card from his pile and, if he sees that he can hunt for the opponent's card, hits it with his hand. But for the "victim" not all is lost: if you notice the predator in time and quickly cover your cards with your palm, the hunt will fail.

This game requires not only lightning-fast reaction, but also attentiveness. Attack a creature of the wrong color - and the entire pile of cards you played goes to the center of the table. However, it can be won back. If flies of three different colors appear on the table at the same time, you need to quickly slap your palm on the central pile of cards and shout out the word "gobbit" to pick up the trophy.

Reminds me of other reaction games, right? But the "Gobbit" has interesting features:

Both hands can be used. Usually, in reaction games, you are allowed to use only the left or right - but not here. And if you pull out the gorilla, you can attack with both hands at the same time. This allows you to slam the cards of two opponents at once!
There are times when an open card makes a player a victim and a predator at the same time. Then you don't have to choose - you need to play with both hands at once in order to both attack and defend.
For advanced players, there are several complicated versions of the rules in which the food chain changes at random and flies start to explode.
Different levels of difficulty, allowing you to adapt the game to almost any age.

In "Gobbit" even the players who have been eliminated remain interested in the game until the end of the game. They become ghosts who can attack any paired cards, even if this does not bring victory. This move always adds spice to the endings of games and forces the players fighting for victory to act faster.

Vyacheslav Ratnikov GaGa Games.

Who is the game for

For those who love reaction and attentiveness games.
Parents who want to develop these qualities in their children. "The Gobbit" is so simple that even preschoolers will be able to play it on a par with adults.
For gamblers who prefer noisy and funny board games.

Suburbia

Age: 8+.
Number of players: 1–4.
Duration of the party: 1–1, 5 hours.

There are not so many good town-planning boards. And those in which you really have to build a city are generally few. There is, of course, Carcassonne Fortress, where you add tiles to the overall map, and Machi Koro, where you have to buy buildings - but this is a bit different from what you would expect from a well-thought-out city-building game.

Usually there is a lack of the ability to think over the infrastructure and correctly plan the development, the influence of buildings on each other, the course of the game changes as the city grows, the number of inhabitants increases and the formation of reputation. All these elements are present in Suburbia.

At the beginning of the game, each player receives a tablet - the base for the future town. You will buy buildings and "attach" them to form the infrastructure. The influence of buildings on each other is logical and understandable: for example, it is better to build a restaurant where people live, but a noisy municipal airport is far from this place. All available buildings can be bought on the real estate market. This market is available to all players, which means that someone else can buy the building you need. Prioritization and correct risk assessment are essential!

The larger the city, the more difficult it is to manage it. And you will also feel this for yourself: as the population grows, the level of complexity and the cost of maintaining the city increases, so if you bet on the fastest possible growth, you risk going bankrupt and losing your reputation. To prevent this from happening, you will have to think over actions for several moves ahead and soberly assess your strength.

If you like more aggressive interaction, don't be discouraged: each building tile can be used in several ways, which means that if you urgently need money, and your neighbor wants to build that airport, nothing will prevent you from selling the project, making money and leaving your opponent without an influx of passengers. Such an opportunity more actively involves in the game and makes you look more at other players, and not just rummage in your garden.

Ivan Lashin is a project development specialist for Cosmodrome Games.

Another argument in favor of "Suburbia": this game is ranked 96th in the world ranking BoardGameGeek. And this is the most authoritative and discerning community of board game fans on the planet.

Who is the game for

Fans of city-building board games.
For those who value high replay value.
For those who have already played simple board games and want to try something more difficult.

Abbey

Age: 10+.
Number of players: 2-4.
Party duration: 30 minutes.

The Abbey is one of the top 50 family games according to BoardGameGeek - and this is already a sign of quality and a reason to take a closer look at the game. In addition, advanced players will appreciate the unusual mechanic, in which the need to choose only one resource from all possible resources in each round is combined with a gambling auction.

In this game you have to become the abbot of a medieval monastery. Your goal will be to collect valuable manuscripts and volumes that can be donated, purchased and reproduced by hiring scribes. At the same time, you need to think carefully about each step: the accumulated gold may depreciate, the discarded volumes may turn out to be the rarest, and the collected ones may be overvalued. You can also incur the wrath of the bishop. Just remember this.

You can appreciate the charm of the "Abbey" only during the game. Therefore, if you decide to play this board, do not study the rules over and over again - it is better to just read them and play once or twice.

Who is the game for

For those who want to try a board game a little more difficult than elementary party games, but not too tricky.
Fans of board games who appreciate unusual mechanics and tweaks that affect the course of the game.
Those who prefer strategy games.

In some kingdom

Age: 8+.
Number of players: 2-6.
Length of the game: 20-40 minutes.

"In a Kingdom" is a wonderful family board game that adults and children can play on equal terms. However, sometimes it is even easier for children, because the goal of the game is to come up with a beautiful, fascinating fairy tale. Who will become her hero and where the action will take place depends on the cards in the hands of the storytellers. Also, the cards will tell you what objects should appear in the fairy tale and what events should happen.

By playing this board game, you will certainly hone your storytelling talent. After all, for inconsistencies in the plot, a protracted and uninteresting narration, nonsense and a long silence, you will be punished - the move will have to be completed and passed on to another player. Listeners should also be careful, because at any moment there may be an opportunity to intercept the thread of the story and become the storyteller himself.

Who is the game for

For those who are looking for a board to play with children.
Players who prefer entertainment without conflict and fierce rivalry.
For dreamers and anyone who wants to develop their imaginations.
For those who need a board to play while traveling. It won't take up much space!

Istanbul

Age: 10+.
Number of players: 2-5.
Length of the game: 40-60 minutes.

“Istanbul” is about the ability to think strategically and plan your actions a few steps forward. This option is hardly suitable for beginners in the world of board games, but experienced players who are looking for something new and interesting will appreciate it.

In this game you will become a merchant who has 4 assistants, relatives and a cart at his disposal. You can trade, including on the black market, send relatives of other merchants to prison for a reward, receive rubies in the Sultan's palace or in a gem merchant's shop, and contact a craftsman to increase the capacity of the cart. The goal of the game is to be the first to collect 5 rubies (or 6 if you are playing together). And believe me, this is not an easy task.

Who is the game for

For fans of strategic board games.
For fans of thoughtful games with long games.
For those who value replay value highly. In "Istanbul" there are different layouts of game tablets with locations - in fact, these are several levels of difficulty. Just move from one to the other, and the game will not bore you for a very long time.

Dominion

Age: 8+.
Number of players: 2-4.
Party duration: from 30 minutes.

In Germany, Dominion was named the best game of 2009. In Russia, this board is not yet very popular, and is simply unknown to many players. It's time to fix this.

One of the features of Dominion is the in-game deck construction. That is, here you collect the deck not before the start of the game, as, for example, in “Wars of the Magicians”, but right during the game.

At the beginning of the game, the players agree on which set of kingdom cards they will use. There are several ready-made sets, and each contains 10 types of cards - for example, a workshop, a mine, a village, a library, a throne room, and others. Moreover, you can create your own kingdom deck from any cards, and this will add even more variety. Kingdom cards are laid out on the table - during the game, players will be able to buy them for copper, silver and gold. Also, the cards of estates, provinces and duchies are placed on the table - they will help determine the winner in the final scoring.

Each kingdom card has its own advantages that can be used when played from hand. For example, a forge allows you to get 3 cards, a workshop - to get a card worth no more than 4 coins, and a lumberjack - to make an additional purchase. In addition, there are attack cards for attacking other players and militias for defense.

At the start, each player receives 7 copper cards (they come in handy if you want to buy something) and 3 estate cards, shuffles them, puts them face down and draws 5 cards. For coppers, you can buy one kingdom or estate card on your turn - the main thing is that there is enough money. If the money is not enough, the treasury can be replenished by taking another copper card, moreover, for free. You can also play one card from your hand to get a bonus or attack your opponents. At the end of the turn, all cards from the hand, including those acquired, go to the personal discard pile. After that, the player again draws 5 cards from his deck, and the move goes to the next party member.

At the moment when the player can no longer draw 5 cards, he shuffles all the cards from his discard and thus forms a new deck. With each next round, the deck will be gradually replenished with the acquired cards. But during the final calculation, its size will not play a role - only the cards of the estates that the player managed to buy are counted.

If the gameplay seemed difficult to you - believe me, after 1-2 games you will change your mind!