Beyond tabletop RPGs there is a world of standalone Board Gaming experiences that provide in-depth strategic experiences without the need for too much time commitment. Recently, board gaming has transformed from simply being in-person experiences, and there is a growing list of ports for people to play on console and PC. Many independent board game developers and larger, more recognizable titles have used Unity and other engines to create versions of their games for online and remote play. Even the Nintendo Switch has a large amount of great board game ports for people to play on the go.
The best of these digital tabletop games are both great gameplay experiences as well as good ports. These versions represent the original game faithfully and provide a similar experience that fans and newcomers alike will appreciate. Many of these are much less expensive than the $60 price tag of AAA titles and can provide even more hours of gameplay through multiplayer options.
Tabletop Simulator has proven itself to be a great tool for the board games that cannot produce a digital copy, but it’s only available on computers. Official ports can provide a more scripted and easy-to-use experience so that fans of tabletop gaming can get into their favorites without setup or hassle. These titles are available on many platforms, from PC to Android to Switch to iOS, meaning that no matter what device someone has, they can experience these fun brain-teasing games.
Gloomhaven is a Cooperative Tactics RPG with Deep Combat and Story
Gloomhaven still reigns over many other board games and digital games of its ilk - its cooperative nature makes games fun with and without companions. The basic format of the game is similar to a tabletop dungeon crawler, with four starting characters of different classes going through different story-based scenarios in order to get loot, level up, and reach the end of the mission. However, the difficulty has been notched up quite a bit from a standard campaign of Dungeons & Dragons.
Positioning, attack modifiers, and character-specific actions all make the single player and multiplayer campaigns of this game an intense experience for strategy and tabletop RPG fans. The digital version makes no concessions either, with beautiful 3D graphics and no changes to gameplay. Gloomhaven is currently only available on PC, but it’s critically acclaimed and well worth the investment for those who have access to it.
7 Wonders Brings Together Empire Building and Card Drafting
Fans of strategy games like Age of Empires and Civilization 6 may recognize the empire building gameplay of 7 Wonders, but what makes this award-winning card game unique is its drafting gameplay. Players pick cards which give them resources, prestige, military, and science, and then pass the rest of their cards to their opponents, meaning that unlike the classic Pokemon TCG and other card games like it, players cannot use the same cards when formulating their own strategies. Throughout three rounds of drafting cards (called eras), everyone will use their resources to build an ancient wonder of the world, and specialize their empire to gain the most points.
Currently, 7 Wonders is only an app on the Android and Apple app stores, but its single-player modes and expansions make it a worthy purchase. The touch-based interface makes it a great game to pick up and play and the app tracks points with an easy-to-understand UI. The game can also be over in less than 45 minutes, meaning that the experience is great for those looking to get an in-depth strategic experience in a short time frame.
Dominion’s New Free-to-Play Client Lets Players Experience a Classic
Another game fans of deckbuilding roguelikes might want to check out is the free-to-play version of Dominion, which came out last month. The port has been reviewed well so far and the game is often cited as the one which started the deck-builder craze that games like the new horror-themed digital card game Inscryption have expanded upon. At the beginning of the game, players draw a handful of gold and try to buy new actions from a tableau. Once they’ve built up a deck of actions and gold, they then buy victory point cards faster than their opponents.
There is an interesting push and pull in Dominion, as victory point cards do not do anything on their own – players must balance buying them and action cards. In addition, there’s always a race to beat other players to the victory point cards before they run out, as once three different piles are gone, the game is over. Dominion is the epitome of an easy-to-learn game that is hard to master, and with the multitude of different expansions and the addition of online play, one that is easy to lose countless hours to.
Istanbul Is an Award-Winning Intensely Strategic Euro-Game
After delving into fantasy board games like Dungeons and Dragons' spinoffs, it might be nice to return to something more grounded. In the world of Istanbul, players take the role of a merchant traveling between shops and palaces to gain wealth, resources, and precious rubies by bartering and trading. Players grow their merchant empire by controlling a small amount of assistants which head to different locations on the board. Each location has a different effect which will gain them some sort of reward which can be used to buy rubies - the ultimate goal of the game.
Istanbul is a game where players never have enough of something they need and are always figuring out ways to get it. Movement, management, and worker placement are all heavily important to success, and everyone is constantly stepping over each other to enact their plan most efficiently. With a card system and a modifiable board layout, the game is also never the same twice. Istanbul is available on PC, Mac, Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch, and each version perfectly captures the spirit and speed of the original game with online play to boot.
Board gaming’s social aspects still carry over to digital when voice calling with friends and playing it in real-time, and the strategic decisions in the games above make for great tension and competitive moments. Whether competitive or cooperative, these games provide a fun and challenging alternative to more action-oriented or story-driven games. Their design is meant to be experienced over and over again, and the fast-paced design of these online versions makes them great for repeated playthroughs.