The summer is a great time for students to hit the reset button and reconnect with friends they have not seen in months. What better way to spend a cool summer night than with a tabletop game? Here is a list of five must-have tabletop games for students to play this summer.
Hold’em Havoc
A unique take on the classic game of Texas Hold ‘em, Hold’em Havoc adds a unique layer of fun for poker night. I was fortunate to get a chance to try Hold’em Havoc at PAX East earlier this year. Each card has an ability that can change the dynamics of the game, including looking at other player’s cards or getting rid of community cards that are laid face-up in the middle of all players. This fresh take on Texas Hold ’em is perfect for folks who are disinterested in the pacing of traditional poker games. Hold’em Havoc is perfect for poker nights with friends who want a faster-paced game with a bit more strategy.
Settlers of Catan
Created in the early 1990s, Settlers of Catan is a game older than many Drexel students. The premise of the game is straightforward and fun. A board covered in resource tiles represents different resources players can acquire. Dice are rolled to determine who gets what resources each turn. The resources can then be used to build roads, towns or villages. They can also be used for resource cards that give players the ability to do special actions like move a robber around the field to prevent other players from collecting resources. The simple rules make it easy to learn yet difficult to master. Its popularity has made it a staple at tabletop conventions and local game stores.
Blokus
Are you a fan of Tetris? Either way this game will be one you enjoy. Blokus focuses on a similar tile laying mechanic as Tetris, but with a few unique rules. Tiles can only be laid diagonal to another tile. A layer of strategy is added into the game when considering different ways to block opponents from laying tiles down. The winner is crowned when no player can lay any more pieces onto the board. The player who has the fewest remaining blocks at the end of the game is the winner. Like other games on this list, its simplicity makes it incredibly fun and easy to learn yet difficult to master.
Quoridor
Great for fans of strategic tabletop games, Quoridor is a strategy wall building game where players attempt to move their character piece into the opposing player’s field zone to win. The rules are simple: players can either place a wall piece to block their opponent’s movement, or they can move their player piece closer towards the goal zone. The game requires a lot of forward thinking, like chess, but is much simpler due to the limited number of pieces. Quoridor received the Mensa Mind Game award in 1997, meaning it is a great game for people who enjoy a duel of the minds.
Heroclix
Heroclix is by far the most complex game on this list, but hardcore fans of tabletop games will love the seemingly endless strategy options in a unique collectible miniatures game. The rules for this game are long. You will need a YouTube video to understand all the nuances of character abilities. The game becomes really enjoyable once you get the hang of things and are able to get a game going. Players assemble a team of heroes based on various franchises (mostly Marvel but there’s others as well). The goal of this game is to defeat your opponents before they defeat you. For a more detailed list of rules, and to see if Heroclix is something you would be interested in, check out their website: wizkids.com/heroclix/gameplay/how-to-play.