Who needs video games when you have little wooden cubes and a bunch of cards?

Electronics? Psh who needs ’em! If you are reading this, you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to stare at your screen for hours on end and you enjoy playing games (on tables) with real humans. At some point in your life, you started playing games like Monopoly, Cards against Humanity, and..er.. Hungry Hungry Hippos (probably?); Sure these games maybe fun for some of your friends and family but it’s not enough, YOU have been craving something more. Fear not dear reader! This week Tuong La and geeky guests Josef Addleman, Stephen Peeling, and Ryan Heffernan bask in the glory that is strategic tabletop games and share a hot Top 5 list that will leave you catching the board game bug!

What makes a good Gateway Board Game?

1. Accessibility – is it easy to learn?
2. Time – how long does it take to play?
3. Complexity – is there strategy?
4. Ultimately we are looking for games that make you want to play other games!

Shoot us an email about your favorite gateway board games at ranked@podcavern.com!

See you in two weeks!

-Tuong

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**SPOILERS** The Gateway Board Games Lists!

Group Top 5

5. Ticket to Ride

4. King of Tokyo

3. Blueprints

2. Pandemic

1. Settlers of Catan

Unordered Personal Lists

Tuong’s List

1. Settlers of Catan
2. Sentinels of the Multiverse
3. Munchkins
4. Tsuro
5. Dominion
6. Jaipur
7. Ticket to Ride
8. Machi Koro
9. Pandemic

Jo’s List

1. Blokus
2. Splender
3. Battleline
4. Poker

Steve’s List

1. Dominion
2. Ticket to Ride/ Settlers of Catan
3. Pandemic/ Sentinels
4. Temporum
5. Blueprints
6. Condotierre
7. Machi Koro
8. Jaipur
9. Tsuro
10. Boss Monster
11. Munchkins
12. Mr.Jack
13. Carcasonne (sorta)

Heff’s List

1. Blue prints
2. Puerto Rico
3. Condotierre
4. Lords of Waterdeep
5. Settlers of Catan
6. Machi Koro
7. Powergrid

(photo credit from http://www.nonsensicalgamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Blueprints_Cover.jpg)