When buying a board game for yourself, it’s good to ask a few small questions.
Who will I be playing this with?
Do I want a more involved board game or one that’s easier to learn?
Do I want a cooperative board game or a competitive one?
What is my budget?
What replay value does this game have for me?
These are good starting questions to narrow down what sort of game you would like to get. For instance, if you were playing with you kids, you would want a game that is easier to learn and play. If you were playing with adults, you might opt for a game with more complex rules and mechanics. There are some board and card games that can be played by yourself, but for the most part its assumed you will be playing with someone else so it’s good to keep them in mind when purchasing a new game.
There are also different game types. One being whether it is co-operative, the players versus the game, or competitive with everyone against everyone. Pandemic is a good example of a popular cooperative game, where the players fight against disease outbreaks all over the world. On the flip side, you have games like clue (cludeo) or Monopoly where only one player can win and they play against their friends for the victory. There are of course some games that tip-toe this line of cooperative and competitive play like Betrayal at house of the Hill (a personal favorite of mine).
Especially when it comes to the more expensive board games, you want to make sure you are getting value for money through replaying the game a lot. Some games will only have a limited number of replays due to certain mechanics within the game and others will have infinite replay value. It all depends on the style of game, and of course who you are playing with that will determine these factors. For people who are starting out with board games, I would recommend going with the more classic style board games which are generally a little cheaper due to their popularity.
In the end through, it all comes down to personal preference and you will like some games more than others and that’s okay! As long as you are giving it a go, you will defiantly find a few board games that are perfect for you and your situation.
If you are looking for a game to buy someone else, check out my guide to buying board games as gifts article for some ideas how to find the perfect gift.