As a veteran gamer, we love to play with other veteran gamers if for no other reason than simple shared interest. Veteran gamers don’t shy away from complexity, they are as excited about the hobby as you are, it makes for a perfect match. That said as gamers we are always trying to sneak in ways to do more gaming and certainly we have all been in that position where we have a room full of people looking to be entertained that aren’t really gamers. Pulling Twilight Imperium out and introducing them to it isn’t likely to yield particularly good results and when someone suggests Monopoly I immediately have the urge to roll my eyes to the back of my head. Fortunately there are lots of really great entry level games, sometimes known as gateway games that are perfect for introducing people to the hobby without scaring them off or making them feel like they aren’t going to do very well in the game. The following top 10 list is made of such games, each one better than the last for introducing people to the wonderful hobby of designer games.

1. Small World
When I started making this list Small World was the unquestionable king of introductory games, not only because it’s very easy to teach and learn, both because it’s simple and streamlined, but because gamer or not, it’s a fantastic game in its own right. I find Small World is as popular among non-gamers, casual gamers and veteran gamers a-like. This is a game that simply caters to everyone and thanks to its cute fantasy art, very clever concept and versatility, playing as well with 2 players as it does with 3, 4 or 5, its ideal. Now I will admit that I did not review this game particularly high on boardgamegeek but it’s largely because I am a veteran gamer, I prefer to play games aimed at guys like me and Small World is really, well simple. It’s clearly not a game aimed to capture my attention and preferences, but I have never passed up the opportunity to play it and I find it hits the table a lot more often than any other light strategy game with my usual game group which is made up of largely veteran gamers. That says a lot about Small World as a game.

2. Ticket To Ride
This list would be incomplete without Ticket to Ride on it, it is the Monopoly of our generation. Rightfully so because it is the premiere family game and it has done beer and pretzel fun without that endless slog that old school family games like Monopoly or The Game of Life had. I find more than any other game on this list, Ticket to ride is great because it requires ZERO instruction ahead of time. You can simply setup the board and the explain the game as you play which I think is a huge benefit to using this game as an introductory game. It’s also a lot more kid friendly, I have played with kids as young as 6 and it works just fine. It has an appeal to kids as well, who doesn’t love playing with miniature toy trains. Simple, fun and actually does have a bit of umpf for those who dig into the nuisances of the games potential strategies, there really is some game here below the surface that might satisfy a more gamy group. It’s a classic, it belongs on this list.

3. Carcassonne
I think the first few games on this list I realized when I was writing it are almost kind of obvious to gamers, I would imagine that any gamer who would form a list like this would have Caraccassone on it. It’s such an obvious choice, easy to learn difficult to master it’s a game that draws you in if you have even the slightest interest in board gaming. There are various expansions for the game, but for the purposes of an introductory game the original Caraccassone is best. Though most of the expansions add only slightly more complexity so really any of them would work. Most gamers have their favorite, but for me personally, I like regular plain old Caraccassone. It’s a simple game and personally I have never felt it needed any expansions. I actually play this game quite often, It seems like every gamer I know has a copy so I think of all the games on this list, its really up there in terms of games I play regularly.

4. Dominion
This is probably where opinions will start to diverge. Dominion is slightly more complex than most games on this list, but it’s a game I think is very easy to grasp the rules of. Learning the strategies is another topic, it has some less than obvious ones and can take many plays to get your head around. I like Dominion as an introductory game however because it has this addictive “lets play again” nature to it. I have never introduced Dominion to any group that didn’t ultimately end up playing several games back to back. The bonus is that I love playing Dominion, so when I bring it out to casual gamers it feels more like a board game night with the guys, than an introductory game night and I really like that. I tend to stick to the core game for introductions, the rules for expansions tend to be a bit too complex for an introductory game.

5. Railways Of The World
This game lands on a slightly more complex level than the others, but I have had a lot of great results introducing it to non-gamers and getting them excited about the hobby. I find that sometimes, non-gamers are a bit put off by the “fantasy” or “kids” like art of most introductory games. After all most non-gamers have played more complex games anyway like RISK, Chess, Stratego and things of that nature. Just because someone is a non-gamer, doesn’t mean there stupid and I think that’s why Railways of the World is such a great introductory game. It kind of takes the players more seriously, yet is really no more complex than any other game on this list to teach. It has the benefit of looking amazing on the table, which is a really great treat for people who don’t ordinarily play games because it has this “wow” effect. It also has this thing where it looks complicated but isn’t, I find that non-gamers pick the strategy up really quickly and do quite well even in their first game and by the end of it do the classic gamer thing “I should have done X or Y”. A clear indication that they where into the game and are thinking about how they will do it next time, exactly what you want when introducing someone to gaming.

6. Cosmic Encounters
I was hesitant to add this to the list because while it’s a fairly simple game, it does have a science-fiction theme, it can get a little mean and some of the specific races can make the game a bit complex. Still I find that when people come over to my house, see my game collection, Cosmic Encounters gets that “what’s this” query from non-gamers. There is a draw to it, perhaps it’s the art but I have pulled it off the shelf by request from non-gamers more often than I have pulled it off myself as an introductory game. Cosmic Encounters does have that social negotiation element to it and people seem to like that, even though I would have not guessed that. I always imagine that non-gamers want to avoid confrontational games but quite to the contrary, I often get the comment from non-gamers or casual gamers that they want to play something with more interaction, which might explain why RISK is often requested. While familiar, I think people like games like RISK because it’s a confrontation game so there is something to it. Cosmic Encounters is a really great game, I love playing it with my own gaming groups so if it’s requested and there is interest in the science-fiction theme, there certainly is no reason not to use it as a gateway game. It is after all very easy to teach and grasp, so it’s not the complexity that would be a turn off. You just have to feel the room because that confrontation element can get quite nasty in Cosmic Encounters.

7. King of Tokyo
Simple games like Yahtzee are often requested and my eyes immediately roll to the back of my head. For the love of god if you want to roll dice there are far better games than Yahtzee to do it with. King of Tokyo is a perfect example. A very simple, dice chucking game that is actually fun and has a great theme that everyone can get behind as well. It’s a really great game for kids as well, in fact, this is the premiere “family game night” game because as parents we often want to let our kids win but don’t give them the impression that we are letting them win and as strange as it sounds, King of Tokyo is fun to play even if you intentionally throwing the game. There are lots of big moments and take those moments, plenty of gotcha’s and I have found that it really hits that almost party game level in terms of board games. Great, simple, dice chucking fun, perfect for those dinner parties when you’re trying to entertain guests with something other than boring conversations about politics.

8. Pandemic
Pandemic takes on a pretty unusual topic for a board game (viral outbreak) in which players cooperate in an effort to stop a global catastrophe. Not exactly what I would call an easy concept to sell to new players. It might almost be too much from a theme perspective alone, but there is no denying Pandemic’s streamlined, easy to learn design which fits perfect on this list as an introductory game. More importantly, in terms of “gamer games” that work well with non-gamers it’s ideal because it’s purely cooperative, so no one suffers at the hands of more experienced players. It’s a game where the actions of players have a lot of impact, but since your cooperating it’s not strange or insulting to offer advice and talk strategies at the table. The subject matter might work to your benefit as well as non-gamers tend to get put off by the “fantasy” element of most board games, where Pandemic is really kind of a “this could actually happen” type of subject matter which might register with more serious people who see board gaming as “play time for kids”. This game is oddly enough family friendly as well, as everyone at the table is working together, promoting a kind of team spirit thing, though perhaps children shouldn’t be too young. I often wish there was a Pandemic game with a lighter theme, but what Pandemic does best is provide a very challenging gaming experience without overwhelming you with rules so it really is a great introductory game. You just need to feel he room and make sure the subject matter is appropriate.

9. Kingdoms
I have always loved this game for its extremely easy to teach and learn rules, while simultaneously being immensely deep strategically. It’s a pretty fast game too boot which is always a consideration for introductory games and many games on this list might be a bit too long for some introductions. Kingdoms is a really great game in particular when dealing with “casual gamers” rather than non-gamers. Casual gamers are generally people who do sometimes play games or might have played games in the past like RISK or Stratego for example, it has that same simplicity, yet offers some depth and mastery that can be attractive to casual gamers. It’s easily one of my favorite short games, in fact, after you play it once and have explained the rules, it’s practically a filler game. Really solid design, versatile in the sense that it’s as much a gamers game as an introductory game and I find once I introduce it to group, they tend to want to replay it which again, is always a great sign that it’s having the desired effect. Highly recommend it In general for everyone, but in particular as an introductory game.

10. Lords of Waterdeep
Lords of Waterdeep has been mentioned on this blog a number of times and once again I have to put it on a list of games you should be pulling out. I realize I have a strange infatuation with this game, but it really does belong on this list though I will admit it’s really a “taking the next step” kind of game mostly because of its theme. This is a very simple game, in fact, I typically don’t teach it prior to playing but rather teach it during play, it’s that simple. The game has a lot of depth beneath the surface, but this really only comes through once you start and the depth is not complexity of the rules but of potential strategies. Really the only strike against it for this list is its fantasy theme which I find is kind of a turn off for a lot of non-gamers who want to avoid the “nerdy” element of board gaming as its often perceived. It really functions better as a game that you introduce once you have people’s attention and interest and they are over that awkward self-conscious stage where they feel they are being judged on how they spend their free time. It really has that spark as a game that triggers the gamer in all of us, once you get someone to play this game, the door really swings pretty wide in what you can introduce next so while its lowest on this list, it’s definitely to be considered an introductory game for all intense and purposes.