Staff Picks - Board Games Edition!

The Hobby Lords Staff have compiled a list of their favourite Board Games for you to check out!

Looking for new Board Games to play can be a daunting experience if you don’t know where to start, so I asked the Hobby Lords Staff to give me their top recommendations that are compiled below!

Stardew Valley: The Board Game is a cooperative game for 1 to 4 players, designed by Eric Barone (ConcernedApe) and Cole Medeiros. Players work together to restore the Valley by completing Grandpa's Goals and revitalizing the Community Center. The game captures the essence of the popular video game, featuring activities like farming, fishing, foraging, and mining. Each game takes about 45 minutes per player, but can be adjusted for shorter playtimes. It's a game of strategy, teamwork, and fun that brings the beloved world of Stardew Valley to life!

Exploding Kittens is a quirky and fast-paced card game designed by Elan Lee, Matthew Inman, and Shane Small. It's a strategic game of "cat and mouse" where players take turns drawing cards, trying to avoid the dreaded Exploding Kitten card. If you draw an Exploding Kitten, you're out of the game—unless you have a Defuse card to save yourself. The deck also includes other cards that allow you to skip your turn, peek at the deck, or force your opponents to draw multiple cards, among other effects. The game is quick to learn, humorous, and can accommodate 2 to 5 players, making it a perfect choice for parties and casual gatherings.

Red Dragon Inn is a fast-paced, humorous card game designed by Cliff Bohm and SlugFest Games. In this game, you and your friends take on the roles of heroic adventurers who have just returned from a successful dungeon raid. Instead of continuing the quest, you celebrate by spending the night at the Red Dragon Inn.

The game involves drinking, gambling, and various antics as you try to outlast your friends. Each player has a character with unique abilities and a deck of cards that reflect their personality. The goal is to be the last adventurer standing with gold in hand. Beware of getting too drunk or running out of money, as that will knock you out of the game!

Gnome Hollow is a charming Euro-style board game designed by Adam P. McIver. In this game, players take on the roles of gnomes who cultivate a vibrant garden of mushrooms and flowers. Using spatial and worker placement mechanics, players place tiles to develop rings of valuable mushrooms. Once a ring is completed, they harvest the mushrooms, choose rewarding bonuses, and sell their mushrooms at the market for treasures.

The game features beautiful hand-painted watercolor components that capture the whimsical feel of gnomes and nature. It's a delightful game that combines strategy, planning, and a touch of whimsy.

Scythe is a strategic board game designed by Jamey Stegmaier. Set in an alternate-history 1920s Europe, players control factions that produce resources, develop economic infrastructure, and use dieselpunk combat mechs to engage in battles and control territories.

Players take up to two actions per turn using individual player boards, and the game proceeds until one player has earned six achievements. At this point, players tally their achievements, controlled territories, and gathered resources to determine the winner.

Scythe combines Eurogame mechanics with combat elements, offering a rich and immersive experience. It's a game of strategy, tactics, and resource management that can accommodate 1 to 5 players and typically lasts about 90 to 115 minutes.