Choose Games that Fit Your Guests
You probably have an idea of who you want to invite, but take an extra minute to consider that list of people, specifically their ages and overall gaming experience. Age is pretty straightforward– every board game box lists a recommended age range, taking into consideration both difficulty and adult themes/languages. If this is a family party, select games on the lower end, but if everyone is an adult, it might be fun to mix things up with a game that has a darker storyline, incorporates drinking, or features some sexy humor. That doesn’t necessarily mean 18+ is always right for adults; games in the 14+ range are often ideal.
If these are hardcore experienced gamers, they might get a little bored with classics like Life or Apples to Apples. Beginners might prefer these more basic games, or to at least take a slower pace to learn something more challenging. If you have a mix bag, you may want to consider partnering pros and beginners into teams, or creating a quick and relaxed “practice” run to get everyone feeling comfortable.
Include Heroes and Heroines
You shouldn’t play Mystery Date just because there’s a lady present anymore than you should mount a steer head on the wall for the fellas, but regardless of who is coming to your party, you may want to check out some board games made by women. There aren’t a lot of ladies in the industry, which is likely the reason that some strategy and role-playing games have a tendency to ooze masculinity, with few female characters integrated in the story. By contrast, board games by female developers typically offer more balanced and empowering storylines. Keep in mind that these aren’t “games for girls”, they’re just a special variety of unique games that both men and women can enjoy.
Prepare for the Sore Loser
Losing can make some people’s blood boil, and when one of your friends is narrowing their eyes while grumbling curses under their breath about “unfair rules” or “everyone’s out to get me”, it can be a total downer for your party. The best line of defense might be to simply not invite that person, but sometimes it might come from someone you didn’t expect. Just in case, you’ll want to have some non-competitive games on hand. Co-Operative board games are a great option, because everyone works together to win (or lose) as a team, and nobody is singled out. You could also consider some light-hearted active games, like Pictionary, Quelf, Charades, or Cranium After Dark, but played without a board or score mechanism. Each turn is just a chance to do something silly, and the game simply ends when everyone is tired of playing.
Learn the Rules
One of the worst parts of game night is when the host unwraps a brand new game, and everyone sits around the table in confusion as they try to decipher how to play. Some games can be exceptionally complex, or involve unconventional gameplay, and this process could easily take up 30 minutes of precious party time. As the host, you should make it your responsibility to read through the manual beforehand and ensure that you clearly understand the game well enough to walk through everything with your team. If the materials aren’t the greatest, or if the thought of public speaking makes you sweat uncontrollably, you can also try checking YouTube for video gameplay tutorials, which tend to be clearer and more concise than written manuals. We still suggest trying to read the manual first, since it’s possible the video (which is often made by a third-party) might leave out certain details.
Make Sure You’re Fully Equipped
In addition to the games, the essentials an awesome board game night are food, drink, and a table. To make sure it goes off without a hitch, take some extra time to ensure these things are set and fit the needs of your guests. Are there food or drink allergies? Picky eaters (or drinkers?) If you don’t feel like catering to everyone, it might be a good idea to have others bring their own snacks and drinks, but be sure that you’ve at least taken out the trash/recycling bins so that there’s plenty of space to dispose of the packaging. You also need to make sure there’s enough space on the table for everyone to set their drinks down a comfortable distance away from the action. This can be tricky– a lot of games, like Betrayal at the House on the Hill, can get larger and larger depending on game play. You’ll want to set up the games on the table to see just how much space is needed. If necessary, consider grabbing an end table or two to either rest drinks or parts of the game board on, but make sure the setup is as cohesive to efficient game play as possible. (Reaching over the onion dip to grab cards every turn can have some nasty consequences.) Make sure the chairs can still fit as well; nobody will care if you have to pull out a lawn chair or bean bag in order to have enough seats, but make sure they can reach what they need to (or plan to help them reach).
Finish Flawlessly
If your game night is going well, guests may end up staying over a lot later than expected. There’s nothing worse than having to leave in the middle of a game, so make sure you have some quick-play games in your arsenal to bring out as it gets later in the evening. Some good options are Codenames, any Love Letter series, or “We Didn’t Playtest This At All”. It’s a wise idea to have an air mattress or couch that you can easily set up just in case anyone stays a lot later than expected or has had too much to drink. If you want to be sure to avoid this, we recommend setting a clear end time, and communicating this it to guests when inviting them. As a friendly reminder during the night, you can ask the group something like, “What should we play for the last hour?” Then, when the time comes, start putting things away and thank everyone for coming. They should get the messages. Try to be nice and not overly pushy, but if someone isn’t leaving, don’t be afraid to flat out tell them to go. If they still aren’t getting it, just ask them to play a round of outdoor hide & seek. (It works every time.)
Keep It Going
Board game nights get better and better the more you have them, so definitely don’t stop at one. Keep in touch with the group, and use facebook or google calendar to make the events and keep everyone on the same page. To avoid falling into the dreaded “We should hang out some time!” spiral, it might work best to set an official recurring date, like the first Thursday of the month, and just stick to it, even if not everyone can always attend. If the crowd becomes consistently small, or you have room to host more people, try reaching into another friend circle, or invite others to bring guests. It’s a great way to keep the event alive long-term, make new friends, and spread the love of board games throughout your community.
