Have you ever tried playing a board game? There is nothing quite like playing a challenging and strategic game of strategy and creativity. There are board games that are strictly for adults and others that are designed with children in mind.
The big difference between card games and board games is that board games usually contain a variety, diverse assortment of game pieces all interact on top of some well-designed game board or another playing surface; whereas many card games traditionally use dice or other random game elements. These are the two types of traditional games that most people think of when they envision a game board. In addition to having game pieces that interact with one another, there are also game pieces that represent other elements from the game world as well. These might include cities, terrain, places, animals, and more. Some players may even use miniatures to represent actual people or other items that would be found on the board.
When it comes to card games, each player is only permitted to have a specific hand of seven cards. This means that there are only certain maneuvers that can be performed during the duration of a game. While most players can and will try to do their best to win a game, sometimes players can get to the point where they need to make a decision or try to beat their opponent.
Often this will result in them having to discard either one of their available amounts of money or one of their remaining cards. If you have seen the popular board game called Chess, you may be familiar with the concept of people. Players are typically dealt a series of chess pieces (called "mice"), each with a value. The more valuable the piece the greater its worth, i.e., more powerful chess pieces will produce a higher value overall. In the case of Meeples, each of these "pieces" represents a different value on the board.
At the end of every game round, the winner is the player who has the most available money (the "Camel Cup"). If the game ends in a draw, with both players having an equal amount of money, then the player with the most available money at the end wins. Many people familiar with the game, refer to the draw as "follow the camel." The idea behind this is that you will eventually end up with more money than your opponents. It is at this point that players take the step into territory that may be a bit unfamiliar to them.
As you can see, the difference between a board game and a card game is primarily the amount of playing time that is required for everyone involved. Board games generally require more prolonged thinking. For instance, a game of Monopoly requires multiple turns of contemplation on all aspects of the property deal, and players often spend several hours debating the merits of buying property versus renting it out. A game of Scrabble requires players to think of many word combinations before coming up with a response, while a game of Candyland requires a relatively shorter thinking time.
In addition to the time commitment involved with playing the board game, another important factor is the material the game is played on. All board games must be played on a playing field, and most tabletop games are also played on a tabletop. While acrylic materials are more durable and are more easily cleaned up, playing on a carcass is a more durable option that allows for more thorough cleaning of dirt and debris from the surface of the board. A tabletop game of Scrabble would also benefit from occasional cleaning and dusting off the board, as well as regular dosing of playing material.
The cost of playing a board game can range anywhere from a few dollars to thousands of dollars. In the former case, the most expensive materials are usually metals or wood. For the latter, acrylics or meeples are more common choices. Acrylic and meeples are cheaper and more versatile options, but some game designers still use metal or wood for their more elaborate pieces, such as the jousting arena in Clue or the cityscape in Viticulture. Whether players prefer acrylic, metal, wood, or a combination of the two, any type of board game will be interesting and challenging when players can customize each turn and each action. Learn More>
