Tabletop Station Starter Set
The board game industry is growing rapidly and is bigger than it has ever been. There are thousands of board games released every year. The good news is there are only a few of those thousands that will be good enough to stand the test of time. There are also countless reviewers that will help to weed out the bad games to find the few games that will stick around. In other good news, there are more ways than ever to try out new games. Conventions are jam packed with demos of new games and most will have a substantial library to play games from. There are board game cafes opening around the world with smaller libraries of great games to try. Our own library is available to play at local spots around the area. But what if you want to start your own collection? There are so many great games out there. How do you choose? That’s where the Tabletop Station Starter Set comes in. We play tons of games and research even more. This starter set is what we believe are 15 games to have a fantastic, small, well rounded collection. The list is not concrete by any means and some of these games you may not like. I encourage you to do your research apart from just our suggestion. We will be revisiting the list monthly to see if it needs updating. That doesn’t mean that if a game drops from the list it is suddenly bad. It may just no longer be available. You don’t need hundreds of games to have a great collection.
I won’t lie to you. This list was hard to put together. The list started out with close to 50 games on it. Whittling it down to 15 games was difficult and there are so many great games we left off, but we will leave those for you to discover on your own as you make your journey into more games. Now, in alphabetical order, the list.
7 Wonders Duel
Player Count: 2
Play Time: 30 Minutes
Age: 10+
Our 2 player pick for this list is 7 Wonders Duel. The other games on this list can be played at 2, but this is the only 2 player specific pick. This has been a staple for us since the beginning of our board game adventure. The design allows for multiple avenues of victory and every game feels different. Plus, with two expansions, the game can grow as you grow as a gamer.
Arboretum
Player Count: 2-4
Play Time: 30 Minutes
Age: 8+
Apart from Arboretum being beautiful to look at, it provides more interesting decisions with one deck of cards than some games with hundreds of pieces. Every time we play this I am reminded just how good the game is. The small footprint means it doesn’t take up much room on your shelf or the table. If you do pick this one up, avoid the deluxe edition. The foil cards awful.
Azul
Player Count: 2-4
Play Time: 30-40 Minutes
Age: 8+
There is a reason there are 3 different versions of this game. The core concept of the original Azul is so simple. It took the board game world by storm and was very hard to find during its initial release. We are recommending the original version here because it is the simplest, but any of them are great choices. Just try not to eat the pieces no matter how delicious they look.
Carcassonne
Player Count: 2-5
Play Time: 30-45 Minutes
Age: 7+
Carcassonne is a classic. We have had so many great games of Carcassonne that it had to make this list. A game the whole family can enjoy. Depending on the players, the game can be peaceful or a battle over cities and points. Another game with plenty of expansions which will keep the game feeling fresh as your collection grows.
Century Spice Road (Century Golem Edition)
Player Count: 2-5
Play Time: 30-45 Minutes
Century Spice Road does one of my favorite things in games. Choose one action on your turn and that’s it. This makes the game easy to learn while still making the decisions interesting. The game comes in two versions, the Spice Road version and the Golem Edition. They are the exact same game with different themes. If you can find the Golem Edition it is worth it. The artwork and components are fantastic. Expansions also keep this relevant, though they are not essential.
Chronicles of Crime
Player Count: 2-5
Play Time: 30-45 Minutes
Age: 8+
Ever wanted to solve crimes from your dining table? Chronicles of Crime is several crime dramas in a box. It is also on of the most innovative games to come out in recent years. The game uses QR codes and an app that will transport you and your group into whatever case you are trying to solve. There are expansions for this with more cases as well. Even a set that is better suited for younger children.
Don’t Mess with Cthulhu
Player Count: 4-8
Play Time: 30 Minutes
Age: 10+
Deduction and hidden roles in games add so much depth, however, sometimes these games can put unwanted pressure on people. Don’t Mess with Cthulhu almost completely removes this pressure without sacrificing what those hidden roles bring out in a game. This game never gets played only once when we bring it to the table.
Horrified
Player Count: 1-5
Play Time: 60 Minutes
Age: 10+
There are countless amazing cooperative games out there. We could have put 10 different games in place of Horrified, although that just proves how good of a game it is. Cooperative games always make great options to introduce new players to the hobby since everyone can learn the game together and you don’t have to worry about competing against each other. The name makes it sound scarier than it is and the universal monster theme means it is great for all ages.
Just One
Player Count: 3-7
Play Time: 20 Minutes
Age: 8+
Our party game pick is Just One. I will be honest, part games don’t make it into our collection very often. Just One breaks the trend of most games in this genre and provides a memorable experience along side a great game. Making a party game cooperative was a genius design decisions and it works so well.
Menara
Player Count: 1-4
Play Time: 10-60 Minutes
Age: 8+
Dexterity games are always a good time. Usually everyone ends up rooting for each other to do well even when you are playing against on another. In Menara you are all working together which intensifies the magical teamwork that often comes out of dexterity games. There’s strategy to be discussed and everyone will be holding their breath as the pieces are placed on the table. This game is difficult, but it will make you want to keep trying again and again to get the win.
Quacks of Quedlinburg
Player Count: 2-4
Play Time: 45 Minutes
Age: 10+
Quacks of Quedlinburg won the prestigious Spiel de Jahres award in 2018. The award for game of the year in Germany. This push your luck game continues to impress anyone we introduce it to. Who knew pulling bits from a bag could be such fun.
The Quest for El Dorado
Player Count: 2-4
Play Time: 30-60 Minutes
Age: 10+
Our pick for racing and deck building games is wrapped up into one. Quest for El Dorado marries these two categories together so well. The modular board ensures that you will have plenty of different courses to keep the game fresh. Build the best deck and cross the finish line first to claim victory.
Tiny Towns
Player Count: 1-6
Play Time: 45-60 Minutes
Age: 14+
Tiny Towns is a simple game on the surface. It takes only a few minutes to learn, but it is so difficult to do well. I have played many games of this where I ended up with single digit or negative points. You will want to keep playing this to master it. The game will have other plans, however, since the buildings and resource production will be different every game. Also, plays very well from 2 all the way to 6 players.
Welcome To…
Player Count: 1-100
Play Time: 25 Minutes
Age: 10+
The pick for the roll and write category had to go to Welcome To… This game is so good. It can play an infinite number of players provided you have enough player sheets and pencils. It has multiple expansions that add new themes and one or two more rules to the game. It might take a play or two to figure it out, but it is well worth the effort.
I hope you enjoyed the list and I would love to hear your thoughts if you are new to gaming and have picked up any of these games. Leave a comment down below and let me know what you think. Also, if you have any questions about the game leave a comment and I will be sure to answer them. As always, happy gaming!
