A reader offers some recommendations for board games to play on PC and mobile, including Ticket To Ride and Through The Ages.
Board games have seen a great resurgence in popularity over the last couple decades. The rise of the internet, which many assumed would kill off the industry once and for all, has instead allowed people from all around the world to share their passion. This increase in popularity has seen innovation within the industry increase dramatically, and nowadays you’ll find far more interesting games than the usual Monopoly or Mouse Trap you were often forced to play every Christmas.
Of course, especially in these difficult times, it’s not always easy to get together with friends and family to play the real thing. Fortunately, many of the best games are now available in digital form. So, with another lock-down upon us, I thought now would be the perfect time to present my top five digital board games.
5. Isle Of Skye
In Isle Of Skye players draw three random tiles from a bag each round and are then given the chance to purchase tiles from other players at the price they have set. Once the auction is over players place their tiles in their playing area to create a small kingdom. Points are awarded after each round based on the four scoring objectives selected at random before the game. The key to the game is deciding on just how much it’s worth spending to secure certain tiles. Will it score you enough points to justify the cost or should you save your money and hope a better tile becomes available later?
The digital version allows for both local play (against other humans, AI or a mix of both) as well as online play. The only downside is that it’s virtually impossible to find a live game online, meaning that you’ll have to play asynchronous multiplayer with a turn time limit of 72 hours, so games do generally take a while to complete.
Game: 4.5/5.0
Digital Version: 3.5/5.0
4.Splendor
At the start of the game three levels (•, ••, •••) of ‘development cards’ are laid out, each has a cost in gems to purchase with the higher level cards being more expensive and generally worth more points. On their turn players either take up to three gem tokens of different colours from a limited pool or, using the gems listed, build one of the available development cards and place it in their personal tableau.
Each of the development cards built provides a free gem that can be used towards building future cards, and the aim is to build a more efficient ‘engine’ than your opponent(s) so that you can more quickly build your tableau. A further complication is added by the Noble tiles that provide bonus points to the first person to have the matching amount and colour gems shown, with the target being to reach 15 points first.
Splendor is often referred to as a gateway game and you’ll find it on many people’s list of recommendations for people new to the hobby. The digital version is easy to use and offers a nice tutorial and single-player challenges to help people learn the ropes before heading online. Once online you’ll usually find a live game pretty quickly and, thanks to a fairly strict turn time limit, games can be played in less than 15 minutes.
Game: 4.0/5.0
Digital Version: 4.0/5.0
3. Agricola
Agricola is a ‘worker placement’ game in which players attempt to build a farm over the course of 14 rounds. On their turn players place a worker on any of the empty board spaces and take the associated action (collect wood, plough fields, etc.), each round a new action space is added to gradually increase the available options.
This is a game that is all about resource management, especially since you need to ensure you have enough food to feed your workers during each of the five harvest phases to avoid a significant points penalty. The fact that each action space can only be used once per round also adds an extra element of strategy as you try to predict where your opponent(s) may want to go, and this often leads to a lot of tough decisions.
The digital version has an excellent selection of offline modes, including a well implemented tutorial and a series of solo challenges, alongside the usual option to play regular games against the computer. Online you’re given plenty of options regarding rule variations and the amount of time players will be given to take their turns, and that all adds up to make this an excellent package.
Game: 4.5/5.0
Digital Version: 4.0/5.0
2. Ticket To Ride
Ticket to Ride has arguably played a bigger role than any other game in the hobby’s recent renaissance, and I’m sure even many non-gamers know the name. The rules are pretty simple as players collect coloured cards, and then use them to place their trains and complete routes between the different destinations on the map. Throughout the game points are earned for each route completed, with longer routes being worth more points, before bonus points are awarded at the end if players are able to join specific destinations as highlighted on their secret cards.
At first Ticket To Ride can feel a little random, and there is certainly luck involved with what cards you draw, but within a few games you start to realise the importance of paying attention to the cards and routes your opponent(s) take early on. Games between experienced players can often become very tense with each not wanting to give away their intended routes too early, and you have to consider your options before every turn.
As with the board game, the Ticket To Ride app was very much at the forefront of helping board games reach a bigger audience. Since its initial release back in 2004 it’s undergone a series of updates and these days, as well as offering a great tutorial and good offline options, it also provides what is probably the best online experience as well, thanks to its karma system that allows you to prevent quitters and cheaters from joining your games.
Game: 4.5/5.0
Digital Version: 4.5/5.0
1. Through The Ages
Through the Ages is a civilization building game, and is certainly the most complex title on this list. On their turn players draft and play cards in order to improve production, science, military power, etc., with the ultimate goal being to score the most culture (points) by the end of the game. With many different potential paths to victory it does take a bit of practice as to how best to use all the cards available but played against opponents of similar ability it makes for an intensely enjoyable experience.
Of all the digital versions I’ve played this is the only one that has completely replaced the physical game in my collection. The board game itself can take well over two hours, largely due to all the cards and cubes that need to be constantly moved around, but with the digital version that is all taken care of automatically and this keeps games under 45 minutes, even with four players.
What really makes Through The Ages stand out however is the sheer number of options. You have an excellent tutorial for new players, computer opponents of varying difficulties to play against, and a series of increasingly difficult, and brilliantly designed, challenges. Online you can choose to play against friends or open your games up to anyone, and you have the option to make games with turn times ranging from 60 seconds to three days. Through The Ages is a very good board game, and this makes it even better.
Game: 4.5/5.0
Digital Version: 5.0/5.0
Honourable mentions:
If you enjoy any of the digital board games on this list then you might also want to check out The Castles Of Burgundy, Patchwork, Lords Of Waterdeep, Small World, Roll For The Galaxy and a whole host more on PC and mobile.
By reader drlowdon
The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
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