If you like playing board games and do not live with your family or in a shared apartment, it is quite difficult for you to indulge in your hobby – at least you could think so. Fortunately, there has been a trend towards digital implementations of great titles for PC, consoles and smartphones for several years now. These are some of the best digital board games.
Twice wood for once grain?
Klaus Teuber's "The Settlers of Catan" – often only called "Catan" – can now be described as an absolute classic. In the "Game of the Year 1995" you have to colonize an island and trade raw materials skillfully in order to be the first player to achieve the required number of victory points. In addition to numerous extensions and variants, there are also some implementations for PC / Mac, smartphones and Nintendos Switch. Many of these can either be played online against human opponents or against computer-controlled adversaries.
"Ticket to Ride", which was voted "Game of the Year" in 2004, is now similarly known. In the basic version, players have to connect major cities with railway lines on a map of the USA. The digital version of Asmodee Digital – which also has many other successful board game implementations in its publishing program – is available for PC, smartphones, PS4 and Xbox One and can be played online and offline with up to five friends.
"Carcassonne" is also considered a classic. In the "Game of the Year 2001" all participants put together a common map, but secure points by cleverly placing game pieces. Because the contract with the publisher Hans Glück was expired, the great "Carcassonne" app from CodingMonkeys was recently removed from the App Store (iOS). Due to the current Corona situation, however, it was possible to agree to make the game available again for a limited time. There is also a version of Asmodee Digital for PC, Android and Nintendo Switch.
Combat the pandemic
Together you are strong! The cooperative board game "Pandemic", also known as "Pandemie" in German, was nominated for "Game of the Year" in 2009, but could not prevail against the deck building title "Dominion" at the time. The aim of the game is to fight outbreaks of deadly disease and to save the world together. The digital version is available for PC, smartphones, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
Tactics fans get with "Neuroshima Hex!" Hours of hours of fun. In the Polish board game, which is based on the pen and paper role-playing game "Neuroshima", different factions fight each other in a post-apocalyptic sci-fi setting. Digital versions of the demanding game are available for iOS and Android.
The deck building games already mentioned, in which players put together a so-called deck of cards for a round, have become increasingly popular not only in the living room in recent years. The genre is currently experiencing real hype on digital platforms as well. One of the best known and most outstanding titles, of which there is unfortunately no domestic board game variant, is "Slay the Spire". In it, players climb a tower and face dozens of encounters with nasty monsters every round. The video game is available for PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch.
If you want to tackle things much more lightly, the party fun "Quiplash 2 InterLASHional" could be something that brings "Quiplash 2" for the first time in a localized version to PC, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. However, every player needs their own smartphone. Answers to questions that are as absurd and funny as possible should be given, which the other participants in the round should then vote on. And this is not only possible together in a living room, but also from the safety of your own four walls. However, the new version is not yet available. The publication is expected for mid to late April.