The Unofficial Guide to Explaining Modern Board Games to Outsiders

Explaining board games to non-gamers often feels like trying to explain text messaging to my mother. Or explaining what's funny about South Park to a puritanical mom. Lots of blank stares. And in the case of board games, references to "Oh, I like Monopoly, too!" Ugh.

First, a bit of history to understand why we're in this position. In the past 50 to 60 years, children have corrupted many parts of our society that used to belong exclusively to adults--the Halloween holiday is one famous example, and board games are certainly another. They used to be part of the adult sphere primarily with such challenging games as chess and backgammon. Then somewhere along the line, board games took an ugly, dumb turn. A hobby that was once reserved for the meatiest minds and cleverest of brains in the world was now marketed for mass audiences and children. Monopoly, Sorry, Guess Who?, and Candyland--all games (and I use that word loosely) that are meant as time fillers that can be played quickly and by the simplest of folks. Why teach our children deep strategy and planning, when we can teach them how to pop a pop-o-matic bubble? Suffered a massive head injury lately? No worries! Anyone can play Chutes and Ladders or Sorry!

What we have today though is a revolution in the board game hobby. The adults--nay, the nerds--are reclaiming the hobby and art form of board gaming and the industry is exploding. The problem is, how do you explain it to laypeople?

The key, I think, is making the distinction between mainstream games and regular games. To simplify, I generally refer to the new-wave adult-targeted games as either "Euro games" or "thinking games". The latter can sometimes garner comments about Trivial Pursuit...but it's a crucial step away from Scene It. I think the next most important step is to describe what a difference there really is between games. These social strategy games chuck the spinner right out of the game and rarely make heavy use of dice. These are largely self-propelled games that are driven by movements, actions, and board construction--not chance.

Quality and availability are other issues. These aren't games you'll find at Target. (Although this distinction is dissolving more and more as I'm finding Settlers of Catan at Barnes & Noble and Bananagrams at Target. Wow.) These are game sets that are often crafted, that include wooden pieces, and that players take such pride in that they improve them.

I'll also make generalizations about game themes, describing them as largely sci-fi or historical fiction. And this, my gamer friends, is where I found the key is in reaching the unwashed drooling masses: Describe board games in terms of books, and even Cletus can understand. If Monopoly is pop fiction from the Oprah Book Club, then Carcassonne is a historical novel. Galaxy Trucker is an Asimov tale. Mainstream folks may never understand the virtue of either Agricola or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but at least they can respect the two and recognize that they are legitimate outlets for deep thinking and enjoyment.

Or if you're really tired and just don't have the energy to tell Granpaw or Hillbilly Jarvis that Parker Brothers just ain't your thang, then just say what I say: "Yes, you're right, that Monopoly is one great game. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a bottle of wine to open."