Everyone’s board gaming journey has a beginning. For me, it wasn’t just one game — it was a collection of moments, laughter, strategy, and surprise that pulled me deeper and deeper into the hobby. These ten games weren’t just fun — they were milestones. Each one sparked something new: excitement, discovery, or the feeling of truly connecting with the people around me. Whether I still play them today or they’ve been replaced over time, they each have a permanent place in my heart for helping me fall in love with board games.
10. Blokus
Before I even knew what “area control” or “tile-laying” meant, Blokus captured my imagination. I first played it back in elementary school, long before I realized board games could be anything more than Candyland, Monopoly, or Uno. Something about trying to claim territory, outmaneuver my opponents, and fit my pieces together perfectly was absolutely fascinating. I didn’t have the vocabulary for it at the time, but I was hooked by the clever spatial puzzle and the simple but deep competition. Looking back, Blokus planted one of the first seeds that would eventually grow into a full-blown love for board gaming.
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9. Star Realms
Star Realms was a complete eye-opener for me. Up to that point, I had never played a true card game that packed this much action, strategy, and depth into just a deck of cards. My brother picked it up on a whim, and from the first game, we were completely hooked. It amazed me how much tension and excitement could come from something so compact. We ended up bringing it everywhere — restaurants, coffee shops, any spare moment we could find. Looking back, Star Realms was my first real taste of how endlessly creative board games could be, even without a big board or flashy components.
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8. Catan
This was the big one — and I know I’m not alone. We stumbled across Catan in a store, not knowing anything about it, and decided to take a chance. What followed was an instant addiction. I logged hundreds of plays, and it felt like every game offered something new. The resource gathering, the trading, the road and settlement building — it was all so satisfying. It had the right mix of strategy and luck, but compared to anything I had played before, it felt so much deeper. Catan wasn’t just a game; it was the gateway that pulled me, and everyone I played with, fully into the hobby. It held onto my top spot for a long time.
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7. Lost Cities
This was the point where I knew I was officially hooked. After Catan, the next game I picked up was an instant classic: Lost Cities. I had no idea it was designed by Reiner Knizia — honestly, I hadn’t even thought about games having designers before! Lost Cities was another brilliant two-player duel, with fast turns, clever hand management, and just enough push-your-luck tension. Every play felt like the perfect move was just out of reach, usually because your opponent was hoarding the card you needed. It still holds up today, and I love bringing it back to the table — it reminds me exactly where I was in my board gaming journey. It was also the first game I ever bought from a real hobby store, and it’s a classic for a reason.
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6. Forbidden Island
After my great experience with Lost Cities, I went back to the same board game store and asked the owner for a recommendation. He pointed me to Forbidden Island, and I’ll always be grateful he did. This was the very first cooperative game I ever played, and at the time, the concept completely blew my mind. The idea of racing against the game instead of competing against each other was so new to me — what feels second nature now was groundbreaking back then. Forbidden Island broke my brain in the best way possible. The tension of the sinking island, the race to grab the treasures, and the desperate final helicopter lift-off — it’s all stuck with me even years later.
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5. Dice Masters
Dice Masters was my first real step into the world of collectible games. Before that, I had never really seen the appeal — and honestly, I didn’t have the money to keep up with it anyway. But when a brand new game store opened in my city, and they announced weekly meetups for a new Marvel-themed dice battle game, it caught my attention. The packs were only a dollar, so it felt manageable even for a teenager. Me, my brother, and our friend started going every week, and soon we were regulars, battling it out and winning extra packs as prizes. Dice Masters didn’t just introduce me to collectible games — it introduced me to the community side of the hobby. It showed me how board games could bring together strangers who instantly felt like friends because of a shared love for gaming.
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4. BLOOD RAGE
By the time I found Blood Rage, I was fully into the hobby — and it coincided with going to my first local board game convention. Blood Rage was the very first game I demoed at a convention, and I even ended up winning a tournament for it that same weekend, earning myself a promo! That experience was huge for me. It encouraged me to start attending conventions, where I could dive even deeper into the hobby, learn new games, meet tons of people, and compete in more tournaments. Blood Rage itself was also a turning point — it marked the beginning of bigger, grander games entering my collection. Plus, the excitement of talking about it online with other players made the whole experience even better.
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3. Skull King
Skull King marks a major turning point for me — not just with games, but with conventions too. Me and my friends already enjoyed Skull King casually, but while I was competing in the Blood Rage tournament I mentioned earlier, my friend was upstairs winning the local Skull King tournament at the same time. His prize? A ticket to a state-level convention…which he went on to win as well, earning him a free ticket to compete at the big one: Gen Con. He told us, “Alright guys, we have to go,” and that’s how our tradition of attending Gen Con every year started. It’s now my favorite event of the year and has only gotten better with time. All of that — the trips, the memories, the incredible people we’ve met — started with just a few casual games of Skull King. It holds a special place in my heart and my board game journey.
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2. Gloomhaven
Gloomhaven was a major milestone for me — my first true campaign game and my first-ever Kickstarter. I had only heard incredible things about it, and when it finally arrived, it lived up to the hype. It’s the game that led to weekly meetups with my friends that have kept us connected through all sorts of life changes. The sheer depth of content was staggering, and the way it demanded teamwork made it stand out from everything else I had played before. Plus, it’s still the physically biggest game I own — a massive, heavy box that’s just as epic inside as it looks from the outside.
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1. Terraforming Mars
Terraforming Mars is still, to this day, my favorite game of all time. It just clicked for me like no other game ever has. After a random Saturday play, I immediately bought a copy, along with two expansions, and started playing it every single week. Since then, I’ve collected all the expansions, every addon, all the play mats — even component upgrades and gorgeous laser-engraved player boards from Etsy. I love the Steam version, too, and even went as far as printing and sleeving fan-made expansion cards. There’s just something about Terraforming Mars that captures everything I love about board games: strategy, engine building, creativity, and a sense of accomplishment. It’s a game that’s brought my friends and me together over and over again, and it still gives me that same excitement I felt on the very first play.
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Looking back at these ten games, it’s clear how much each one shaped my board gaming journey — from my first taste of strategy with Blokus to falling completely head over heels with Terraforming Mars. Each game opened a new door, introduced me to new people, new ideas, and new adventures. Board gaming has given me some of my favorite memories and closest friendships, and it’s incredible to see how a simple hobby grew into such a huge part of my life. I can’t wait to see which games will shape the next chapter.
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What about you? What games made you fall in love with the hobby? I’d love to hear your story!
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