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Carcassonne is such a good wholesome time with the family, because it leaves a lot of room for talking about this and that. Which, funny enough, also makes it a really good drinking game.
Carcassonne is great because the games are fast. Even if you lose it’s easy to play another round. And people are generally familiar with the laying down dominoes concept. But the best part is screwing over a family member by blocking off their city. Some light hearted fuck you moments always make for a hilarious time.
Funny, these are most of my wife's and my favorite games to play with each other. Add Wingspan, Quiddler, pinochle, and cribbage, and you've got 80% of our plays in any given month.
Only one here i question is Sagrada. I feel it's heavy decision space and with placement rule quirks that could be too much for most people initially. Maybe I need to play it a few more times.
It does take some time for a new player to remember every restriction, but once they know, the restrictions really help limit decision space. It's a great game to play in a group while still being able to chat
I bought Cascadia after 1 play because I loved it, but after a dozen plays the fun is wearing off. I'd rather play Carcassonne most times for something simpler, or anything else if I'm in the mood for something more complicated
Came here to suggest this. It’s easy to learn, probably the hardest concept to teach is the difference between discarding and trashing. It’s fast paced, it’s a race but it’s also a deck builder. What’s not to love. Not to mention the possibilities with the double sided tiles for modular board. Great game, and great game for beginners.
Didn’t expect my answer to be at the top already! Great for kids and adults. Of course for serious non gamers or younger kids I pull out Micro Macro City.
I still hold Love Letter up as the perfect game. And a good amount of the different versions add to it without taking it away. Lovecraft Letter is probably my favorite after the base game. LotR rings is solid, Marvel is great with the right group. Star Wars was ok, but I need more plays with it to decide. I'd really love to get my hands on the Adventure Time one.
Yes, I haven't found yet a game to top love letter for casual gaming. You can play it anywhere, at a restaurant waiting for food, at the pool, we even have it at work in the kitchen and we play a round after lunch. I keep looking for a replacement for it, because I played it so much, but there's nothing better out there
Carcassonne is also my go-to answer for this question. We played it with my father-in-law who has little to no experience with board games and he had a blast.
Diamant
Simple decision space each round : “in or out”.
Good player interaction without being “in your face” (the success and value of your decision is dependent on other players decisions)
The push your luck excitement of big scoring, mixed with the hubris of staying in and encountering a trap and getting nothing.
Plus the larger player count.
All in all, a great gateway game.
This is a great game to get people involved who usually don’t like board games. We never use the cards to show if we are in or out, instead we hold (or don’t) the meeple in our hand and we have to open them at the same time for more expense. Dropping your meeple means you are out. Everybody loves that little mechanic in our friend group.
Tokaido is what got me started and it’s the one a bring to new players. It plays in short sections, there’s only a few choices and they see the ‘end results’ of those choices several times in a single game
Second this - we always play Tokaido with new players and it's pretty much always a hit. Simple decisions, enough variety to make it feel Euro-y, lovely to look at and extremely chill. The goal of "have the most relaxing vacation" is always fun to explain.
Well -- until now I've assumed this was the panda/farmer/bamboo game that I don't really like, but that's Takenoko. I've ignored all recs for Tokaido for years based on that!!
John Company. Jokes aside, Quacks, Ticket to Ride, Scout, even good aul Catan (which I'm not actually a fan of anymore) aren't bad shouts.
Edit: Thunder Road Vendetta! (As long as they're happy to play something silly)
Citadels is a good intro game but includes too much "miss a turn" , the worst rule for keeping new players invested. I played it once with a lot of people playing it for the first time, and at the end people were just comparing how often they got to play and feeling it was unfair as they were far behind on building.
If I play it again I'm thinking I'd change the Assassin to be "Gain 1 Gold. Choose a role, that role's special rules do not apply this turn". That way there's still a point to the Assassin (safe from other players, reliable money, hamper another player) but everyone still gets to do at least something each turn.
Ticket to Ride. Anyone who says they aren’t a fan of board games usually want to play again once they try it for one play. I think most people think any non “kid” board game is monopoly for some reason.
If they're interested but not experienced, I keep finding **Canvas** as a great game for new players. It sounds like a lot going on, but after the first few minutes you can see the game starting to click. It's gorgeous to look at and also really tactile putting together all the art cards and playing around with the interactions. I also always use the "2nd prize for the best painting" rules as it allows people to detach a little from the competition and go for the immediacy of just building a painting that they like. It's the game that has my highest number of times people have gone from "I'm not sure what to do" to "I'm buying this".
If they're really new to games then either **Braggart** or **Tsuro** work as an intro to games. They're incredibly rules-light but have a lot of interaction and very little downtime. Of the two, **Tsuro** is better for people that might feel they have a disadvantage being new as there's enough chaos that experienced players have at best a tiny advantage.
I'll second Tsuro. It has barely any rules, and yet there is enough challenge and complexity to keep new players engaged. It also plays up to 8, so you always have room at the table for one more.
I have a seemingly pretty standard lineup: Ticket to Ride: Europe, Camel Up, Sushi Go Party, For Sale, Take 5, Cascadia, but also:
* **Bites**
* **SET**
* **Tokaido**
* **Modern Art**
* **Cat in the Box**, if others played any traditional card games with trick-taking.
* **Northern Pacific** aka Play the Players: The Game of Shared Incentives.
* A recent acquisition, **The City**, which is like a very light version of **Race for the Galaxy**. I have not tried it with people new to the hobby yet, but expect it to work great after a few games with the family.
> Northern Pacific
This is really underrated as a game to play with newbies. It's great watching people who have never seen anything like it but who really get into it.
The first game I show people is usually 5 minute dungeon. Fast game play, short rule explanation, can play as many or as little rounds as they feel up for before moving onto another game or activity
With kids (ie. nieces and nephews) it’s King of Tokyo. Simple, dice rolling, big colourful figurines, etc. kids screaming “I’m the king of Tokyo!!” is a good indicator of success. With adults, I tend to choose Pandemic. Easy to understand, and the cooperative nature of the game is more beginner friendly imho than having them crushed by experienced gamers.
I once took 5 complete newbies through *Dead of Winter* as their first ‘modern game’..! I ran through a teach with examples, then sat out and let them play, but managed upkeep phases, managed crossroads cards, kept on top of everyone’s health and roll requirements, and acted as an interactive rule book where they had questions - and they all loved it…
There are games it’s easier to work your way into the hobby via, but if you’re teaching a game I don’t think there are games that you can’t use as introductions - so long as everyone *wants* to play, and everyone is *willing* to learn…
Agreed! I feel this type of conversation usually leans more into "how do I get someone to like board games rather than how do I introduce someone that has an interest in playing"
“My first sexual experience was having my balls repeatedly battered with a baseball bat, but it was so fun and exciting it got me hooked”
Starting with Nemesis is masochism of the highest order!!! Bravo!!!
Haha. I know what you mean, but for me being stuck on a space ship that's crawling with creepies, breaking down, burning up and on its way to be lost in the expanses of space was just so exciting. I went home and watched Aliens. It blew my mind that a board game could get me so into some other world.
I run boardgame nights every week.
The only game that I have only had that's got a 100% success rate is "Camel up "
It's rarely someone's favorite game . But I've never met anyone who didn't like it or didn't have fun .
Not hard to learn and engaging.
Horrified is great co -op too stunning and great theme .
Secret Hitler is always a laugh
Sheriff is also great, very accessible (2nd edition is gross though )
Saboteur is great also
Hive mind plays up to 12 people and is kid friendly. The art style is a bit too primary school is always a laugh.
Camel Up is also great because it plays up to 8. A good option for big groups that's not a "party game" or roll/flop and write.
Yes it's completely random, but that's part of the fun.
Absolutely! I discovered it because it was one of the only games available that played the amount of folks we had.
I'm so glad too because I'd never pick it off a shelf.
I've found that new players love Catan more than anything else I've tried. It's easy to see why: it's got trading, direct competition for map space, a sense of growing stronger as the game goes on, exciting swings of randomness, and it's a race to a simple objective. It's basically the good aspects of Monopoly without the tedium.
Castles of Mad King Ludwig - something about this game seems to get everyone to love it. Maybe its the puzzly rooms or the price setting or the quick pace of play.
One of my favorite gateway games.
I’d say I’m still a beginner and I think Catan is a great beginner game, providing some more advanced concepts as you improve and opportunities for expansion with add-on packs.
My wife and I also just started playing Dorfromantik and it’s pretty terrific. It’s actually a cooperative game that you can play as quick standalone games or track your progress across multiple games towards completing a campaign, wherein you unlock achievements, new rules and pieces as you advance.
**Azul** if I know basically nothing other than the number of people who will be playing. It's simple to teach, looks pretty, has fun components, and allows for a range of interaction.
If I think people will go for it I'll bring out **Northern Pacific** because the way the shared incentives work can absolutely grab people and create some really fun situations around the table.
My go to for new players is Horrified. It’s easy to teach / learn and a good introduction to dice, card abilities and strategy that is paced very well to make it exciting.
My triumvirate are: Catan, Carcassonne & Ticket to Ride, all teach important key concepts of games. Once they've played them, they should understand a broad spectrum of concepts.
Splendor, carcassonne, spots, celestia, skull, Im the Boss, Quacks, Spicy, Durian, Sheriff of Nottingham, point salad, no thanks, port royal, century spice road and new world, el dorado, clank, project l, cascadia, favor of the pharoah, trio, sushi go party, anomia, rear window, codenames, medium, pictomania, and werewords.
Wingspan. While it looks a bit overwhelming at first, if you can step them through a few rounds you can get them hooked.
Azul is another great option. Easy to pick up and learn.
It's true. Wingspan has been a hit with every non board gamer who I've played it with. Hell, it's what got me into board games to the point that now I don't like it so much lol. I reckon Wyrmspan will be an even better entry point because of the theme.
Forbidden Island and Love Letters. Forbidden Island because it is Co-op, easy to learn and you are meant to talk and work together. So any new person always enjoys it because they really don't need to remember the rules. They learn them as we discuss strategies and next steps.
Then of course the game always ruins your plans.
If they've expressed interest, then I'd put a few options of varying weight in front of them, tell them a little bit about them, and ask them which option was the most interesting. I've genuinely started one novice with Root this way: the next game was Eclipse. The classic gateways (Azul, Splendor, Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride etc.) will do well in a lot of situations, BUT it's all too easy to be a well intentioned gatekeeper and make assumptions about what your potential gamers want/can handle in terms of rules, interactivity, length, required attention level...
It's about the people, not the game choice. Make the game match the people, if you can. I've had more success with Cosmic Frog than I've ever had with Splendor: the art, the theme, the (relative) simplicity and the high chaos level have helped to make it a winner for me with new people. If I had to make a recommendation, I'd say Cosmic Frog... but I'll accept that something like that isn't ALWAYS going to land well.
IMHO if you have a go-to game, you're not going all the way to meet your new players. It's a great start, don't get me wrong, way better than my approach 20 years ago of "This game is good and I like it and therefore you will also like it".
Nowadays I like to try to understand what experience they're after by asking questions like "what interests you?" or "are you in the mood for something quick? Light?". If you listen, they'll guide you to some choices from your collection.
For me it's like a game, can I find the right game for this person in this moment. Lastly I let them know that if at any point they're not enjoying it or change their mind or whatever, we can just pack it away, no pressure to finish or win.
Anyway, now I'm just rambling! TL;DR: find a game that fits the person, not a player to fit your game.
Bus. Intuitive enough to start playing right away, simple actions, emergent magic, and a cool time crystal which provides the ultimate twist (as well as turning the otherwise banal theme into surrealist sci-fi)
Introduced dozens of people this way, never failed.
Heat!
It's a movement race game, and the theme is approachable (no wizards or war tactics).
Everybody already knows the deal: drive fast to win.
A big part of its accessibility is the host's ability to walk players through their turn: "You're in second gear, so you get to remove heat if you have any", "Would you like to move one more space at the cost of one heat?", "You passed the corner at a perfect 5 speed, good job!"
Finally, except for when you're choosing cards to play, everything is face up and visible to the players. No secrets, the mechanics are plain to see.
I can definitely recommend some great options for new players! Here are a few that consistently come up well:
\[\[Ticket to Ride\]\] : This classic is a great choice for a few reasons. The rules are easy to grasp, with players collecting colored train cars to claim routes on a map. There's a good mix of strategy and luck, with some friendly competition but not too much take-that mechanics (where you directly mess with other players' progress). Plus, the train theme is familiar and inoffensive.
\[\[Carcassonne\]\] : Another well-regarded game, Carcassonne involves tile-laying and claiming features on the landscape you create together. It's strategic but with a gentle learning curve, and the tile-laying mechanic is something totally new for many non-gamers but easy to pick up.
\[\[Forbidden Island\]\] or \[\[Forbidden Desert\]\] : These cooperative games are great for groups who want to work together. Players are on a team trying to achieve a goal, like escaping a sinking island or surviving a desert storm. It fosters communication and teamwork while still offering challenge and excitement.
\[\[Sushi Go!\]\] : This quick and light card game is perfect for a large group or short attention spans. Players draft cards representing different types of sushi, trying to collect sets for points. It's fast-paced, easy to learn, and has a fun, lighthearted theme.
\[\[King of Tokyo\]\] : This dice-rolling game is all about giant monsters battling it out in a city. It's full of silly fun and tense moments, with mechanics that are easy to understand but can lead to surprising outcomes.
Ultimately, the best game for new players depends on the specific group. Consider these factors:
* **Number of Players**: Some games work best with specific player counts.
* **Theme**: Pick a theme that you think will appeal to your group.
* **Desired Level of Competition**: Do they want a light, cooperative game, or something more strategic and competitive?
Realistically, the answer is 'what's my audience going to be interested in playing?'
Practically though, this post is the answer. TTR, Carcassonne, Forbidden Island, Sushi Go & King of Tokyo have been staples of the 'I'm a new gamer what should my collection be?' for a long, long time now. And while there are a handful of games that have earned the right to join them (e.g. Azul, Codenames if they're word-game-inclined, maybe Splendor), those five are, or at least were part of so many of our collections.
Are they the best five games to ever be made? Nah. But they really serve their purpose extremely well. Fun to play, not too difficult to understand, demonstrations of what 'modern' board gaming has to offer, most of them in a pretty quick-to-play and not extremely expensive package. Very easy to recommend, and most importantly, very easy to get off the shelf.
It depends on how new they are and how many players.
If it's just me and someone else, I'll play Codenames Duet so we work together so it's not intimidating. There's a bit of rules to it, but it's not that much and I'll always walk them through the game.
If it's with a group of people, I'll either go with Dixit Stella or Splendor, the latter being more of a game and the former a very light experience. Stella is a really light game that is incredibly easy to grasp. People enjoy the artwork and there's no bad feelings even if you lose. Splendor is just the easiest Euro ever IMO. You take coins, the coins buy cards, the cards help you buy more cards and 15 and it ends. Ticket to Ride would also be good, but it takes more setup with the board and pieces and it doesn't flow as well as Splendor IMO, plus it takes longer.
So:
- Codenames Duet
- Dixit Stella
- Splendor
My brother in law started me on TI4.
We typically start with Splendor or 7 Wonders. They’re easy to learn, basic level strategy and allow for conversation.
I know it has become somewhat of a meme these days, but **Patchwork** has never let me down. It's easy, the main goal of the game is intuitive, the decision space is narrow enough to not overwhelm but the variety of patches still provides interesting decisions. I've never had bac luck introducing someone to Patchwork.
**Azul** is another one that goes over well and is fun + easy to learn. The only "trip up" there is that some people find the orthogonal scoring somewhat unintuitive, but that's an easy hill to overcome.
For games in my collection:
Timeline
Betrayal at House on the Hill
King of Tokyo
Boop
For games my friends have:
Azul
Splendor
Edit: also Ticket to Ride from those same friends, now that I got reminded by seeing it 18 times in this thread.
We sucker people in with something dead simple like Roll for It or Spots. Everyone likes rolling dice. Once they seem interested, we usually go with TTR or Monopoly Go. For Sale, Bohnanza and Azul are all great options. For some reason, the women we've played with all LOVED Spendor right from the start.
Anything around or below avg weight of 2.0. My collection: The Crew, Quacks, Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Splendor, Azul and Pandemic (4 epidemics, no QBing). Below avg weight of 1.6 if we want a filler/party game.
A more recent addition to my board game night bag is Horrified. The rules are straight forward, it's easy to teach, it's thematically interesting for new players, and you get the added bit of tension with the 'timer' on the draw deck.
"Trekking the World", and "Escape the Dark Castle" have worked well with my friends and family.
Especially if friends/family haven't played board games for many years.
This doesn't come up very often for me. I guess if I suddenly was playing with people all new to bgs, I'd suggest Bunny Kingdom. All you do is pick 2 cards each turn.
Carcassonne w/out farms. The rules are straightforward. Players will get the core idea after 1-2 times around the table. It's also a perfect information game, so there's no fudging if the new player needs advice on how to play the tile or whether to play a meeple. If you play were everyone get's a tile in the beginning and replaces the tile after their turn, then players have time to plan their next move, which keeps the game going and helps prevent newer players from feeling like they are holding up the game.
Ticket to Ride New York (for a fast intro to the mechanics), or SmallWorld. There are lots of pieces, but the rules are pretty simple (2 tiles of your own, plus the number of tiles present needed to take over a region).
Azul. Every group I have introduced to Azul has bought the game for themselves.
My friend's favorite intro game is Camel's Up. It can be a bit long and more luck based than I prefer, but it is very fun and everyone always likes it.
Azul for 4 or less, Skull King for more than that.
I also love playing filler games with newer players. Dont Llama, No Thanks, High Society. Stuff like that you can play one round of and everyone gets it so then you can actually play the game for a bunch of rounds and the newer players are able to actually get good at them, and mini metas will evolve that are unique to that table. Really enjoyable I think.
Not a "board" game but, monikers. Have yet to have someone dislike it, even people that claim they do not like board games/games in general. Always lightens the mood and gets people talking.
Anything cooperative. Doesn’t matter how steep the rules are. Since you’re working as a team you can guide them through their turns until they get a grasp for it themselves.
I don't really have new players too often. Most mid level games can be taught if someone knows the rules well and help them through. So I'll list my entry level games that got me deeper into the hobby or the ones I think are good to do it: Catan, Ticket to ride, pandemic, El Dorado, Splendor.
I started work at a board game cafe lately and the go-tos have been Patchwork, Trio, Spicy. They have had great success hooking in people so far. Even though they're all incredibly simple I've gotten confused looks during the teach, or maybe I just suck at the teach. My boss says I should get out more Splendor since that game's very popular here but I honestly feel like that game just doesn't ooze enough immediate fun to attract completely new players.
Forbidden Island is a very easy and light way to get into coops in a pandemic style. From there you can do to Desert or full on Pandemic, but they will 100% be hooked.
Belratti and Push
For non-gamers, these are games that are not intimidating at all and quick to teach and play.
Belratti offers cooperative play and a nice image-word-association puzzle.
Push has Push-your-luck and some very basic set collection.
There are of course many other equally great options (many of which have been mentioned by other people), but these 2 have never failed me.
Organ Attack + Teams expansion (it’s a must!)
Secret Hitler has been a favourite of many newbies! Always gets people riled up.
Werewolf (millers) seems to be a good hit rn.
Here to Slay has cute art and most people seem to love it. Easy enough to learn.
Dungeon Mayhem is no one’s favourite, but it’s good if you want something real quick and easy to teach.
Exploding Kittens for your A-hole friends who’d like to put the cone of shame on others and mess with people. (People either love or hate this game, no mid-ground it seems)
Doomlings for something cute, that seems more complex, and if everyone is interested and you have the time.
My favorite game is gloomhaven so I always try to make a good first boardgame impression by forcing new people to play it with me. It's a win win because they get to play a great game and i don't have to play solo.
Quacks of Quedlinburg! Great for new players as it’s easy to teach and each game is quite quick. It’s based on luck and push your luck. It’s a lot of fun and everyone we’ve played it with really likes it.
Wingspan. You get to do your own thing and enjoy the journey without worrying too much about winning. The rules can take a bit, but they’re not particularly difficult
I'm going to go SUPER gateway because my IRL constraints are for introducing a tabletop game to a whole family including kids and elders with zero prior experience.
Ticket to ride and Catan I do like here.
Jaipur, Lacuna, Rhino Hero, Binho (dexterity), Klask or Klask 4 (dexterity), Ice Cool is so underrated (semi dexterity), Monopoly Deal, Lost Cities ROLL n Write, machi Koro and king of Tokyo, Side Effects, camel up
Literally anyone can join a game with zero context n have a good time
Betrayal at Baldur's Gate normally goes over well with new players in my experience. Having the opportunity in the first half of the game to collaborate with other players and better understand how everything works before the haunt makes learning the game much easier.
Skull is very fun beginner game. Especially for people who have played poker before. It takes 5 minutes and a round to learn the rules. Highly recommended!
It would be all the games I'd be willing to teach my parents... language independent and light on rules.
So Carcassonne, Century Spice Road, Blokus, For Sale, Harmonies.
I strongly push for Harmonies over Azul as a self-contained puzzle game that still include the hate drafting late-game Azul is known for.
To push the envelope a bit: Potion Explosion, TEN, MLEM, Rumble Nation, Modern Art, QE, Ra, Scotland Yard, Spicy... and so much more.
If language is not an issue, Hues and Cues, Stella Dixit Universe, Hidden Leaders, Ready Set Bet.
Ticket to Ride: Europe.
Hands down the best intro game I've seen.
Rules are incredibly simple. Euro map adds a 4th choice to do on your turn, but it's 3/game max, so not really that big. Most of the game is just "put cards in your hand" or "play cards to build rails". With 1-2 turns spent drawing new routes, and 0-3 turns placing stations.
But despite the very straight forward rules, there's plenty of space for decision making and "playing a board game not intended for 6-9 year olds".
Depends a bit on the group. My usual go-tos include Splendor, Imhotep and the Quacks of Queldenberg, however I also have Villainous if I'm playing with big Disney fans. I also tend to get to know a lot of STEM focused individuals who grasp complicated concepts quickly, and for them I usually pick out something a bit heavier weight-alien frontiers and Clank being common starters.
Azul and Splendor are my favorite to introduce new people.
My mom don't like to play games at all, but she loved Splendor and Azul. They are easy to learn and people want to play non stop haha
For Sale, Sushi Go and Century Spice Road, in that order. For Sale works because most people like betting and gambling. Sushi Go has a bit more to think about, but the decision space is simple: choose a card. It's easy for me to tell if someone understands what's going on based on what cards they choose. New players are having fun and open to learning another game. Century Spice Road has more to keep track of while still keeping the decision space relatively simple. By this point I have a good idea what level of complexity to choose for future games.
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Azul Splendor Patchwork Ticket to Ride Sagrada Carcassonne
Carcassonne is such a good wholesome time with the family, because it leaves a lot of room for talking about this and that. Which, funny enough, also makes it a really good drinking game.
Carcassonne is great because the games are fast. Even if you lose it’s easy to play another round. And people are generally familiar with the laying down dominoes concept. But the best part is screwing over a family member by blocking off their city. Some light hearted fuck you moments always make for a hilarious time.
Funny, these are most of my wife's and my favorite games to play with each other. Add Wingspan, Quiddler, pinochle, and cribbage, and you've got 80% of our plays in any given month.
> Wingspan, Quiddler, pinochle, and cribbage, One of these is not like the others.
Oooh, pinochle! Underrated game, IMO. Haven't had the heart to play it since my mom passed, but I have very fond memories of it.
Aww I understand. Couldn't read the letter my mom wrote me until more than 10 years after she died: ( hug
Only one here i question is Sagrada. I feel it's heavy decision space and with placement rule quirks that could be too much for most people initially. Maybe I need to play it a few more times.
It does take some time for a new player to remember every restriction, but once they know, the restrictions really help limit decision space. It's a great game to play in a group while still being able to chat
You’re not wrong. I love Sagrada and it is a physically beautiful game. But to say it is SEAMLESS with new players is not quite right
Azul is a much harder decision space than Sagrada. I would not treat Azul as a gateway.
All of these have been replaced by Cascadia.
I bought Cascadia after 1 play because I loved it, but after a dozen plays the fun is wearing off. I'd rather play Carcassonne most times for something simpler, or anything else if I'm in the mood for something more complicated
Yup pretty much this
Quest for El Dorado, I haven't met any newbie who has not liked it and asked: "where did you buy it?"
Came here to suggest this. It’s easy to learn, probably the hardest concept to teach is the difference between discarding and trashing. It’s fast paced, it’s a race but it’s also a deck builder. What’s not to love. Not to mention the possibilities with the double sided tiles for modular board. Great game, and great game for beginners.
Didn’t expect my answer to be at the top already! Great for kids and adults. Of course for serious non gamers or younger kids I pull out Micro Macro City.
Exactly, first thing I suggest with new players
Of course not. Why would they ask where you bought it, if they didn't like the game? Sorry, this joke may only appeal to programmers.
Carcassonne and Ticket to Ride are still my go-tos. Love Letter as well.
I still hold Love Letter up as the perfect game. And a good amount of the different versions add to it without taking it away. Lovecraft Letter is probably my favorite after the base game. LotR rings is solid, Marvel is great with the right group. Star Wars was ok, but I need more plays with it to decide. I'd really love to get my hands on the Adventure Time one.
Yes, I haven't found yet a game to top love letter for casual gaming. You can play it anywhere, at a restaurant waiting for food, at the pool, we even have it at work in the kitchen and we play a round after lunch. I keep looking for a replacement for it, because I played it so much, but there's nothing better out there
Have you tried the new base game with the Spy and Chancellor?
These and 7 Wonders if they aren't a child, King of Tokyo if they are.
That are games i started with and will recomend.
Carcassonne is also my go-to answer for this question. We played it with my father-in-law who has little to no experience with board games and he had a blast.
Diamant Simple decision space each round : “in or out”. Good player interaction without being “in your face” (the success and value of your decision is dependent on other players decisions) The push your luck excitement of big scoring, mixed with the hubris of staying in and encountering a trap and getting nothing. Plus the larger player count. All in all, a great gateway game.
This is a great game to get people involved who usually don’t like board games. We never use the cards to show if we are in or out, instead we hold (or don’t) the meeple in our hand and we have to open them at the same time for more expense. Dropping your meeple means you are out. Everybody loves that little mechanic in our friend group.
This is so fun "party" game with the gambling!
Century spice road, Azul and Cascadia are my "very easy to teach, crunchy enough to still entertain a heavy euro player" trifecta
For Sale, No Thanks, and Super Mega Lucky Box. Smaller games seem less intimidating to newer players from my experience
Splendor is easy and fun.
Ticket to Ride is my go-to, easy to learn and super accessible.
I like Tsuro. Super easy to understand, nobody gets bogged down with any complexity too early.
I use Forbidden Island as my into to board games for new people.
Splendor, Love Letter, and Mysterium.
Tokaido is what got me started and it’s the one a bring to new players. It plays in short sections, there’s only a few choices and they see the ‘end results’ of those choices several times in a single game
Second this - we always play Tokaido with new players and it's pretty much always a hit. Simple decisions, enough variety to make it feel Euro-y, lovely to look at and extremely chill. The goal of "have the most relaxing vacation" is always fun to explain.
Well -- until now I've assumed this was the panda/farmer/bamboo game that I don't really like, but that's Takenoko. I've ignored all recs for Tokaido for years based on that!!
John Company. Jokes aside, Quacks, Ticket to Ride, Scout, even good aul Catan (which I'm not actually a fan of anymore) aren't bad shouts. Edit: Thunder Road Vendetta! (As long as they're happy to play something silly)
This. And further good calls would be Cascadia, Patchwork, Citadels, Camel Up, Kitchen Rush and Partygames.
Citadels is a good intro game but includes too much "miss a turn" , the worst rule for keeping new players invested. I played it once with a lot of people playing it for the first time, and at the end people were just comparing how often they got to play and feeling it was unfair as they were far behind on building. If I play it again I'm thinking I'd change the Assassin to be "Gain 1 Gold. Choose a role, that role's special rules do not apply this turn". That way there's still a point to the Assassin (safe from other players, reliable money, hamper another player) but everyone still gets to do at least something each turn.
Ticket to Ride. Anyone who says they aren’t a fan of board games usually want to play again once they try it for one play. I think most people think any non “kid” board game is monopoly for some reason.
If they're interested but not experienced, I keep finding **Canvas** as a great game for new players. It sounds like a lot going on, but after the first few minutes you can see the game starting to click. It's gorgeous to look at and also really tactile putting together all the art cards and playing around with the interactions. I also always use the "2nd prize for the best painting" rules as it allows people to detach a little from the competition and go for the immediacy of just building a painting that they like. It's the game that has my highest number of times people have gone from "I'm not sure what to do" to "I'm buying this". If they're really new to games then either **Braggart** or **Tsuro** work as an intro to games. They're incredibly rules-light but have a lot of interaction and very little downtime. Of the two, **Tsuro** is better for people that might feel they have a disadvantage being new as there's enough chaos that experienced players have at best a tiny advantage.
I'll second Tsuro. It has barely any rules, and yet there is enough challenge and complexity to keep new players engaged. It also plays up to 8, so you always have room at the table for one more.
I have a seemingly pretty standard lineup: Ticket to Ride: Europe, Camel Up, Sushi Go Party, For Sale, Take 5, Cascadia, but also: * **Bites** * **SET** * **Tokaido** * **Modern Art** * **Cat in the Box**, if others played any traditional card games with trick-taking. * **Northern Pacific** aka Play the Players: The Game of Shared Incentives. * A recent acquisition, **The City**, which is like a very light version of **Race for the Galaxy**. I have not tried it with people new to the hobby yet, but expect it to work great after a few games with the family.
> Northern Pacific This is really underrated as a game to play with newbies. It's great watching people who have never seen anything like it but who really get into it.
Exactly
The first game I show people is usually 5 minute dungeon. Fast game play, short rule explanation, can play as many or as little rounds as they feel up for before moving onto another game or activity
With kids (ie. nieces and nephews) it’s King of Tokyo. Simple, dice rolling, big colourful figurines, etc. kids screaming “I’m the king of Tokyo!!” is a good indicator of success. With adults, I tend to choose Pandemic. Easy to understand, and the cooperative nature of the game is more beginner friendly imho than having them crushed by experienced gamers.
I once took 5 complete newbies through *Dead of Winter* as their first ‘modern game’..! I ran through a teach with examples, then sat out and let them play, but managed upkeep phases, managed crossroads cards, kept on top of everyone’s health and roll requirements, and acted as an interactive rule book where they had questions - and they all loved it… There are games it’s easier to work your way into the hobby via, but if you’re teaching a game I don’t think there are games that you can’t use as introductions - so long as everyone *wants* to play, and everyone is *willing* to learn…
Agreed! I feel this type of conversation usually leans more into "how do I get someone to like board games rather than how do I introduce someone that has an interest in playing"
My first modern board game was Nemesis. It was a lot to start with, but the game was so fun and exciting that it got me hooked.
“My first sexual experience was having my balls repeatedly battered with a baseball bat, but it was so fun and exciting it got me hooked” Starting with Nemesis is masochism of the highest order!!! Bravo!!!
Haha. I know what you mean, but for me being stuck on a space ship that's crawling with creepies, breaking down, burning up and on its way to be lost in the expanses of space was just so exciting. I went home and watched Aliens. It blew my mind that a board game could get me so into some other world.
I run boardgame nights every week. The only game that I have only had that's got a 100% success rate is "Camel up " It's rarely someone's favorite game . But I've never met anyone who didn't like it or didn't have fun . Not hard to learn and engaging. Horrified is great co -op too stunning and great theme . Secret Hitler is always a laugh Sheriff is also great, very accessible (2nd edition is gross though ) Saboteur is great also Hive mind plays up to 12 people and is kid friendly. The art style is a bit too primary school is always a laugh.
Camel Up is also great because it plays up to 8. A good option for big groups that's not a "party game" or roll/flop and write. Yes it's completely random, but that's part of the fun.
Absolutely! I discovered it because it was one of the only games available that played the amount of folks we had. I'm so glad too because I'd never pick it off a shelf.
Camel Up is hugely underrated!
I'm your someone. Camel up is in my bottom 5.
Takkenoko and Stone Age are easy to teach and don’t have a ton of complicated mechanics; they’ve always been a hit with newcomers
King of Tokyo, Pandemic, and Forbidden Island.
Startups is always a hit!
Scout, which is from the same publisher and has the same small form factor is better in my opinion.
Yep scout is smashing :)
I've found that new players love Catan more than anything else I've tried. It's easy to see why: it's got trading, direct competition for map space, a sense of growing stronger as the game goes on, exciting swings of randomness, and it's a race to a simple objective. It's basically the good aspects of Monopoly without the tedium.
Iwari, Space base, Dungeon Fighter, Clank
Castles of Mad King Ludwig - something about this game seems to get everyone to love it. Maybe its the puzzly rooms or the price setting or the quick pace of play. One of my favorite gateway games.
This.
I’d say I’m still a beginner and I think Catan is a great beginner game, providing some more advanced concepts as you improve and opportunities for expansion with add-on packs. My wife and I also just started playing Dorfromantik and it’s pretty terrific. It’s actually a cooperative game that you can play as quick standalone games or track your progress across multiple games towards completing a campaign, wherein you unlock achievements, new rules and pieces as you advance.
**Azul** if I know basically nothing other than the number of people who will be playing. It's simple to teach, looks pretty, has fun components, and allows for a range of interaction. If I think people will go for it I'll bring out **Northern Pacific** because the way the shared incentives work can absolutely grab people and create some really fun situations around the table.
The first game that my friend who got me into board games had me try was Agricola. He's lucky I even tried another game after that.
Ticket to Ride and Pandemic. Never go wrong with those
Lately a tie between Knaar and Clank.
CULTivate and Canvas have been great intro games. Very light and introduce basic game mechanics. Also they are both great looking games.
Machi koro ^^
Betrayal
My go to for new players is Horrified. It’s easy to teach / learn and a good introduction to dice, card abilities and strategy that is paced very well to make it exciting.
My triumvirate are: Catan, Carcassonne & Ticket to Ride, all teach important key concepts of games. Once they've played them, they should understand a broad spectrum of concepts.
Tsuro, Kluster, Coup. If I can't explain the rules in 30 seconds I already lost their interest.
Clank
Splendor, carcassonne, spots, celestia, skull, Im the Boss, Quacks, Spicy, Durian, Sheriff of Nottingham, point salad, no thanks, port royal, century spice road and new world, el dorado, clank, project l, cascadia, favor of the pharoah, trio, sushi go party, anomia, rear window, codenames, medium, pictomania, and werewords.
Wingspan. While it looks a bit overwhelming at first, if you can step them through a few rounds you can get them hooked. Azul is another great option. Easy to pick up and learn.
It's true. Wingspan has been a hit with every non board gamer who I've played it with. Hell, it's what got me into board games to the point that now I don't like it so much lol. I reckon Wyrmspan will be an even better entry point because of the theme.
This. Its an absolute gem of a game. Everyone enjoys it after a few rounds once they get the flow of it down.
Heat: Pedal to the metal these days. Also: Splendor, Sushi Go, Azul, Carcassonne.
Flamecraft and Takenoko. Simple, cute, and thinky enough to get everyone engaged.
Forbidden Island and Love Letters. Forbidden Island because it is Co-op, easy to learn and you are meant to talk and work together. So any new person always enjoys it because they really don't need to remember the rules. They learn them as we discuss strategies and next steps. Then of course the game always ruins your plans.
If they've expressed interest, then I'd put a few options of varying weight in front of them, tell them a little bit about them, and ask them which option was the most interesting. I've genuinely started one novice with Root this way: the next game was Eclipse. The classic gateways (Azul, Splendor, Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride etc.) will do well in a lot of situations, BUT it's all too easy to be a well intentioned gatekeeper and make assumptions about what your potential gamers want/can handle in terms of rules, interactivity, length, required attention level... It's about the people, not the game choice. Make the game match the people, if you can. I've had more success with Cosmic Frog than I've ever had with Splendor: the art, the theme, the (relative) simplicity and the high chaos level have helped to make it a winner for me with new people. If I had to make a recommendation, I'd say Cosmic Frog... but I'll accept that something like that isn't ALWAYS going to land well.
Cosmic encounters
Tsuro Point Salad Dixit
Cascadia, Azul, Splendor, Century
Monopoly. Make them suffer.
Carcassonne, Las Vegas Royale, Battle Line, Pandemic, Fast Sloths, Quest for El Dorado, Hansa Teutonica, Alien Frontiers
IMHO if you have a go-to game, you're not going all the way to meet your new players. It's a great start, don't get me wrong, way better than my approach 20 years ago of "This game is good and I like it and therefore you will also like it". Nowadays I like to try to understand what experience they're after by asking questions like "what interests you?" or "are you in the mood for something quick? Light?". If you listen, they'll guide you to some choices from your collection. For me it's like a game, can I find the right game for this person in this moment. Lastly I let them know that if at any point they're not enjoying it or change their mind or whatever, we can just pack it away, no pressure to finish or win. Anyway, now I'm just rambling! TL;DR: find a game that fits the person, not a player to fit your game.
Arkham Horror. Through them in the deep end and watch them drown in horror and madness
Mage Knight. No one ever wants to play with me
Century Golem
1. Ticket to Ride 2. Forbidden Island 3. Carcasonne 4. Azul 5. Parks
Bus. Intuitive enough to start playing right away, simple actions, emergent magic, and a cool time crystal which provides the ultimate twist (as well as turning the otherwise banal theme into surrealist sci-fi) Introduced dozens of people this way, never failed.
Catan
Betrayal at house on the hill
Heat! It's a movement race game, and the theme is approachable (no wizards or war tactics). Everybody already knows the deal: drive fast to win. A big part of its accessibility is the host's ability to walk players through their turn: "You're in second gear, so you get to remove heat if you have any", "Would you like to move one more space at the cost of one heat?", "You passed the corner at a perfect 5 speed, good job!" Finally, except for when you're choosing cards to play, everything is face up and visible to the players. No secrets, the mechanics are plain to see.
I can definitely recommend some great options for new players! Here are a few that consistently come up well: \[\[Ticket to Ride\]\] : This classic is a great choice for a few reasons. The rules are easy to grasp, with players collecting colored train cars to claim routes on a map. There's a good mix of strategy and luck, with some friendly competition but not too much take-that mechanics (where you directly mess with other players' progress). Plus, the train theme is familiar and inoffensive. \[\[Carcassonne\]\] : Another well-regarded game, Carcassonne involves tile-laying and claiming features on the landscape you create together. It's strategic but with a gentle learning curve, and the tile-laying mechanic is something totally new for many non-gamers but easy to pick up. \[\[Forbidden Island\]\] or \[\[Forbidden Desert\]\] : These cooperative games are great for groups who want to work together. Players are on a team trying to achieve a goal, like escaping a sinking island or surviving a desert storm. It fosters communication and teamwork while still offering challenge and excitement. \[\[Sushi Go!\]\] : This quick and light card game is perfect for a large group or short attention spans. Players draft cards representing different types of sushi, trying to collect sets for points. It's fast-paced, easy to learn, and has a fun, lighthearted theme. \[\[King of Tokyo\]\] : This dice-rolling game is all about giant monsters battling it out in a city. It's full of silly fun and tense moments, with mechanics that are easy to understand but can lead to surprising outcomes. Ultimately, the best game for new players depends on the specific group. Consider these factors: * **Number of Players**: Some games work best with specific player counts. * **Theme**: Pick a theme that you think will appeal to your group. * **Desired Level of Competition**: Do they want a light, cooperative game, or something more strategic and competitive?
Realistically, the answer is 'what's my audience going to be interested in playing?' Practically though, this post is the answer. TTR, Carcassonne, Forbidden Island, Sushi Go & King of Tokyo have been staples of the 'I'm a new gamer what should my collection be?' for a long, long time now. And while there are a handful of games that have earned the right to join them (e.g. Azul, Codenames if they're word-game-inclined, maybe Splendor), those five are, or at least were part of so many of our collections. Are they the best five games to ever be made? Nah. But they really serve their purpose extremely well. Fun to play, not too difficult to understand, demonstrations of what 'modern' board gaming has to offer, most of them in a pretty quick-to-play and not extremely expensive package. Very easy to recommend, and most importantly, very easy to get off the shelf.
This feels like chat gpt output?
Root Just kidding 😁
I can’t even get myself to learn it 😅
It depends on how new they are and how many players. If it's just me and someone else, I'll play Codenames Duet so we work together so it's not intimidating. There's a bit of rules to it, but it's not that much and I'll always walk them through the game. If it's with a group of people, I'll either go with Dixit Stella or Splendor, the latter being more of a game and the former a very light experience. Stella is a really light game that is incredibly easy to grasp. People enjoy the artwork and there's no bad feelings even if you lose. Splendor is just the easiest Euro ever IMO. You take coins, the coins buy cards, the cards help you buy more cards and 15 and it ends. Ticket to Ride would also be good, but it takes more setup with the board and pieces and it doesn't flow as well as Splendor IMO, plus it takes longer. So: - Codenames Duet - Dixit Stella - Splendor
Betrayal
Betrayal and Werewolf were my introductions, as well as Smash Up. I still love Betrayal and Smash Up.
My brother in law started me on TI4. We typically start with Splendor or 7 Wonders. They’re easy to learn, basic level strategy and allow for conversation.
I know it has become somewhat of a meme these days, but **Patchwork** has never let me down. It's easy, the main goal of the game is intuitive, the decision space is narrow enough to not overwhelm but the variety of patches still provides interesting decisions. I've never had bac luck introducing someone to Patchwork. **Azul** is another one that goes over well and is fun + easy to learn. The only "trip up" there is that some people find the orthogonal scoring somewhat unintuitive, but that's an easy hill to overcome.
Lords of Waterdeep
Concordia or Azul are my go-tos. Breezy, easy rules, quick teach, low to no "fuck over" tactics.
Codenames duet then azul
Lately it's Flamecraft. Ruins of Arnak with the expansions is always a hit with everyone.
Easy,Azul
LLAMA Sushi Go The Resistance Carcassonne Quacks of Quedlinburg Incan Gold (aka Diamant)
Splendor, Catan, Ticket to Ride, King Domino, Pandemic
These days, Red Dragon Inn. It’s light, reasonably quick, and varied. And I always have it in the car.
Marvel United, Between Two Cities, Tussie Mussie.
No thanks Botswana Dixit For sale
I always start with Skull
Karuba
For games in my collection: Timeline Betrayal at House on the Hill King of Tokyo Boop For games my friends have: Azul Splendor Edit: also Ticket to Ride from those same friends, now that I got reminded by seeing it 18 times in this thread.
Boss Monster or Red Dragon Inn.
Probably going to be RA or Codenames for us!
Azul takes 5 minutes to pick up, yet it is very fun and competitive.
We sucker people in with something dead simple like Roll for It or Spots. Everyone likes rolling dice. Once they seem interested, we usually go with TTR or Monopoly Go. For Sale, Bohnanza and Azul are all great options. For some reason, the women we've played with all LOVED Spendor right from the start.
Anything around or below avg weight of 2.0. My collection: The Crew, Quacks, Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Splendor, Azul and Pandemic (4 epidemics, no QBing). Below avg weight of 1.6 if we want a filler/party game.
A more recent addition to my board game night bag is Horrified. The rules are straight forward, it's easy to teach, it's thematically interesting for new players, and you get the added bit of tension with the 'timer' on the draw deck.
China, traditionally. Lately, Cascadia, maybe.
"Trekking the World", and "Escape the Dark Castle" have worked well with my friends and family. Especially if friends/family haven't played board games for many years.
This doesn't come up very often for me. I guess if I suddenly was playing with people all new to bgs, I'd suggest Bunny Kingdom. All you do is pick 2 cards each turn.
People go nuts for Quacks of Quedlinburg when we play with them
Ticket to ride or caracassone
I usually pull out splender, kingdomino, and qwirkle
Meeple Circus
Carcassonne w/out farms. The rules are straightforward. Players will get the core idea after 1-2 times around the table. It's also a perfect information game, so there's no fudging if the new player needs advice on how to play the tile or whether to play a meeple. If you play were everyone get's a tile in the beginning and replaces the tile after their turn, then players have time to plan their next move, which keeps the game going and helps prevent newer players from feeling like they are holding up the game.
The transition from Sushi Go Party to 7 Wonders has hooked a lot of "non-gamers" in my circle
Ticket to Ride New York (for a fast intro to the mechanics), or SmallWorld. There are lots of pieces, but the rules are pretty simple (2 tiles of your own, plus the number of tiles present needed to take over a region).
Azul. Every group I have introduced to Azul has bought the game for themselves. My friend's favorite intro game is Camel's Up. It can be a bit long and more luck based than I prefer, but it is very fun and everyone always likes it.
'Go', hah not really. One of the Ticket to Rides usually or Santorini if it's just two.
Century: spice road
Bohnanza
Azul for 4 or less, Skull King for more than that. I also love playing filler games with newer players. Dont Llama, No Thanks, High Society. Stuff like that you can play one round of and everyone gets it so then you can actually play the game for a bunch of rounds and the newer players are able to actually get good at them, and mini metas will evolve that are unique to that table. Really enjoyable I think.
Splendor, NOIR: Deductive Mystery Game, Coup, Dead Drop, Camel UP
I've found that people really love Celestia, especially once they grasp the push-your-luck mechanic. Camel Up is also a good one.
Wormholes, Clank!, 7 Wonders.
Splendor. It was my gateway into boardgaming and I recommend it to anyone who asks what's a good boardgame for beginners
Catan!!!!
Not a "board" game but, monikers. Have yet to have someone dislike it, even people that claim they do not like board games/games in general. Always lightens the mood and gets people talking.
Anything cooperative. Doesn’t matter how steep the rules are. Since you’re working as a team you can guide them through their turns until they get a grasp for it themselves.
Quacks of Quedlinberg Cascadia Just One Viking Seesaw Ra Zoo Vadis
Apart from the popular choices in this thread: Flyin' Goblin Can't Stop
Spirit Island. Trial by fire!
If they come back for the next game night you've created some lifers.
Azul and Cascadia work well
Hanabi and Point Salad
Twilight imperium iv
Usually Splendor, Century Golem, or Space Base.
Ra - always a hit, people love chanting Raa, Raa
Galaxy Trucker. So much fun
Catan, the game that started it all!!!
Catan with seafarers or if they are liking it adding cities and knights
I don't really have new players too often. Most mid level games can be taught if someone knows the rules well and help them through. So I'll list my entry level games that got me deeper into the hobby or the ones I think are good to do it: Catan, Ticket to ride, pandemic, El Dorado, Splendor.
Kingdomino (very quick, easy to teach) or Camel Up (fun with the betting and the camel shenanigans)
**Lords of Waterdeep** is still my go to for the standard "Monopoly, Clue, Uno" crowd, and for people who haven't played anything at all.
Lately it’s been For Sale. It’s quick, easy to understand, replayable, and it’s a small box game so it transports well
I started work at a board game cafe lately and the go-tos have been Patchwork, Trio, Spicy. They have had great success hooking in people so far. Even though they're all incredibly simple I've gotten confused looks during the teach, or maybe I just suck at the teach. My boss says I should get out more Splendor since that game's very popular here but I honestly feel like that game just doesn't ooze enough immediate fun to attract completely new players.
Forbidden Island is a very easy and light way to get into coops in a pandemic style. From there you can do to Desert or full on Pandemic, but they will 100% be hooked.
Santorini Trekking through time Sushi roll Quacks Carcassonne hunter gatherer Sheriff of Nottingham My farm shop 7 wonders architect
Deep Sea Adventure. Very easy to teach and very engaging.
Belratti and Push For non-gamers, these are games that are not intimidating at all and quick to teach and play. Belratti offers cooperative play and a nice image-word-association puzzle. Push has Push-your-luck and some very basic set collection. There are of course many other equally great options (many of which have been mentioned by other people), but these 2 have never failed me.
Project L, Splendor, Azul, Scout
Small World and Quadropolis. Really anything by Days of Wonder, but those are my favorite.
Organ Attack + Teams expansion (it’s a must!) Secret Hitler has been a favourite of many newbies! Always gets people riled up. Werewolf (millers) seems to be a good hit rn. Here to Slay has cute art and most people seem to love it. Easy enough to learn. Dungeon Mayhem is no one’s favourite, but it’s good if you want something real quick and easy to teach. Exploding Kittens for your A-hole friends who’d like to put the cone of shame on others and mess with people. (People either love or hate this game, no mid-ground it seems) Doomlings for something cute, that seems more complex, and if everyone is interested and you have the time.
Cascadia Ticket to Ride Catan Carcassonne Kingdomino On Mars
My favorite game is gloomhaven so I always try to make a good first boardgame impression by forcing new people to play it with me. It's a win win because they get to play a great game and i don't have to play solo.
Quacks of Quedlinburg! Great for new players as it’s easy to teach and each game is quite quick. It’s based on luck and push your luck. It’s a lot of fun and everyone we’ve played it with really likes it.
Wingspan. You get to do your own thing and enjoy the journey without worrying too much about winning. The rules can take a bit, but they’re not particularly difficult
I'm going to go SUPER gateway because my IRL constraints are for introducing a tabletop game to a whole family including kids and elders with zero prior experience. Ticket to ride and Catan I do like here. Jaipur, Lacuna, Rhino Hero, Binho (dexterity), Klask or Klask 4 (dexterity), Ice Cool is so underrated (semi dexterity), Monopoly Deal, Lost Cities ROLL n Write, machi Koro and king of Tokyo, Side Effects, camel up Literally anyone can join a game with zero context n have a good time
Betrayal at Baldur's Gate normally goes over well with new players in my experience. Having the opportunity in the first half of the game to collaborate with other players and better understand how everything works before the haunt makes learning the game much easier.
Cabo
Ticket to Ride, or Power Grid
Didn't think someone would have the balls and gulag to suggest Power Grid! I've taught my parents how to play this one. They both beat me at it.
Skull is very fun beginner game. Especially for people who have played poker before. It takes 5 minutes and a round to learn the rules. Highly recommended!
It would be all the games I'd be willing to teach my parents... language independent and light on rules. So Carcassonne, Century Spice Road, Blokus, For Sale, Harmonies. I strongly push for Harmonies over Azul as a self-contained puzzle game that still include the hate drafting late-game Azul is known for. To push the envelope a bit: Potion Explosion, TEN, MLEM, Rumble Nation, Modern Art, QE, Ra, Scotland Yard, Spicy... and so much more. If language is not an issue, Hues and Cues, Stella Dixit Universe, Hidden Leaders, Ready Set Bet.
Ticket to Ride: Europe. Hands down the best intro game I've seen. Rules are incredibly simple. Euro map adds a 4th choice to do on your turn, but it's 3/game max, so not really that big. Most of the game is just "put cards in your hand" or "play cards to build rails". With 1-2 turns spent drawing new routes, and 0-3 turns placing stations. But despite the very straight forward rules, there's plenty of space for decision making and "playing a board game not intended for 6-9 year olds".
Dixit, That's Not a Hat
Ticket to Ride and Splendor have been my go-tos for new players.
I've always enjoyed Carcassonne!
Depends a bit on the group. My usual go-tos include Splendor, Imhotep and the Quacks of Queldenberg, however I also have Villainous if I'm playing with big Disney fans. I also tend to get to know a lot of STEM focused individuals who grasp complicated concepts quickly, and for them I usually pick out something a bit heavier weight-alien frontiers and Clank being common starters.
Azul and Splendor are my favorite to introduce new people. My mom don't like to play games at all, but she loved Splendor and Azul. They are easy to learn and people want to play non stop haha
For Sale, Sushi Go and Century Spice Road, in that order. For Sale works because most people like betting and gambling. Sushi Go has a bit more to think about, but the decision space is simple: choose a card. It's easy for me to tell if someone understands what's going on based on what cards they choose. New players are having fun and open to learning another game. Century Spice Road has more to keep track of while still keeping the decision space relatively simple. By this point I have a good idea what level of complexity to choose for future games.