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Board Game Definition

Game Definition: Deck Builder

by Linda Wrobel April 15, 2023

Every week the EFG staff will be defining a gaming term that is either confusing or ill-defined. Please leave a comment with any terms you find confusing and we will try to include them in future editions!

The gaming definition this time around is a term that is applicable to board games, but can also be found in some video games:

Deck Builder

A deck-building game is a card game where players begin with low-value or undesirable cards. Over the course of the game, players curate the cards that are in their deck. As they add new cards, it creates a new individual draw deck to optimize what they draw. Players accomplish this curation by both discarding and/or adding different cards to their personal decks. The ways players can add new cards to their deck varies game to game. Many games have a central field or market which players can select from to acquire more powerful or desirable cards.

The First Deck Builder Game

Dominion by Rio Grande Games is credited with being the first deck-builder game. They also won the Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) in 2008. As of the time of this writing, Rio Grande Games has published 15 expansions to Dominion. You can learn more about Domino of the Rio Grande Games site here.

Are Collectible Card Games the Same as a Deck Builder?

A Deck builder card game is different from Collectable card games. In a deck builder all the cards a player will need are included in the game box. Players are trying to improve the cards in their deck over the course of the game. In contrast, Collectable Card Games (CCGs) players work outside the game session to craft a deck by collecting cards often in random sets. Much time, effort and money is used to create a strong deck. Once a game begins the cards in the deck do not change. Some of the most well-known Deck builders are Magic The Gathering and Pokémon.

Examples Of Deck Builder Games:

Abandon All Artichokes’
Sushi Go
Dominion

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April 15, 2023 0 comment

Board Games Parent Resources Gaming Glossary

Board Game Definition of the Week: Roll and Write/Flip and Write

by Linda Wrobel April 15, 2023

written by Linda Wrobel

The gaming definition this week is a term that is applicable to board games:

Roll and Write/ Flip and Write

In games with a roll/flip and write mechanic, players role dice, or flip over a card(s) and make decisions based on the dice or cards. Typically player have a paper or dry erase record sheet to document their selections. This decision making is distinctive to this genre of games and the record page is typically more complex than just a score sheet. Roll/Flip and write games often involve other players simultaneously when the roll or flip occurs. However, player interaction is not required. Some Roll/Flip and write games also have a solo mode or variant.

Roll and Writes

Roll and Write games involve dice being rolled to provide the choices for the player or player group. The most well known roll and write is Yahtzee, but many more have come onto the market with a range of themes and complexity levels. Roll and Write games typically are small and portable and often have very streamlined rules. In some games players make decisions and participate with every dice roll, such as in Qwwix. Other times decisions are only made on your turn.

Examples of Roll and Write Games

Qwwix
Bloom
That’s Pretty Clever
Three Sisters
Harvest Dice

Flip and Writes

Flip and Write uses the same premise as when using dice, but utilizes cards instead. In these games there is a deck that is revealed to generate the choices for players. In a game such as Silver and Gold, there are patterns revealed by the cards as they are flipped and players need to mark their personal cards.

Examples of Flip and Write Games

Silver and Gold
Next Station London
Super Mega Lucky Box
Explorers

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April 15, 2023 0 comment

Board Games Parent Resources

Board Game Definition of the Week: Meeple

by Linda Wrobel August 31, 2022

written by Linda Wrobel

Every week the EFG staff will be defining a gaming term that is either confusing or ill-defined. Please leave a comment with any terms you are confused by and we will try to include them in future editions!

The gaming definition this week is a term that is applicable to board games:

Meeple

Meeple refers to tokens used to represent people, animals, or creatures in board games. Most commonly they are wooden, and the typical shape is like a person. However, they are also found in a huge range of animals or other shapes as well as a range of materials.

The Meeple has become a ubiquitous symbol of board games. Gamers can find many items to decorate their game spaces with Meeple art or objects. Meeples come in a huge range of games and serve a range of purposes within games. Some examples of their application in games can include: marking the players location on the board, as a score tracker, to mark and effect on the board, or claiming a tile.

History

The word Meeple come from the blending of “my people” in reference to the game Carcassonne. The term Meeple emerged in 2000, and credited to Alison Hansel for creating the word. In 2015 Meeple was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Dragoon Meeples — Metal Dragon Meeples from Dragoon

A Few Examples of Meeples in Games:

Fire in the Library: “typical” meeples
Dragoon: Metal or plastic dragons
Carcassonne: Where it all began
King Domino
Fire Tower: Rising Flames Fire Hawks (Featured in cover photo above)

So there you have it! Our guide to meeples. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just starting out, we hope this article has helped introduce you to the wonderful world of meeples and shown you how much fun they can add to your gameplay experience. Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts on our favorite gaming token! Do you prefer wooden ones, like most gamers? Or do you like something a little more flashy and eye-catching? We want to hear from you!

You can also look at our other video game definitions from previous weeks here!

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August 31, 2022 0 comment

Board Games Parent Resources

Gaming Definition of the Week: Set Collection

by Linda Wrobel April 14, 2022

written by Linda Wrobel

The gaming definition this week is a term that is applicable to many well-known games: Set Collection

Set collecting is such a ubiquitous feature in games, while a game may also have other mechanics, often set collecting is also incorporated.

In set collection players are gathering certain collections of a given item, often represented on cards. These collections have a designated value in the game or allow opportunity in the game.

Examples of set collection within a game.

In Sushi Go, which is primarily a Card Drafting game, certain cards score more points when collected in a set. For example, Sashimi cards score 10 points when a player has a set of three. Should a player only have one or two they score no points.

The game Mystic Market has players gathering different ingredients. When they collect a designated number of the same ingredient they can be sold. Players can also collect sets of ingredients to create potions.

Examples of Popular Games with Set Collection

Ticket to Ride
Splendor
Pandemic
Forbidden Island
Azul
Wingspan
Dragonwood

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You can also look at our other video game definitions from previous weeks here!

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April 14, 2022 0 comment

Board Games Parent Resources Video Games

Gaming Definition of the Week: Casual Game

by Michael Duetzmann August 19, 2021

written by Michael Duetzmann

The gaming definition this week is a term that is applicable to both video games and board games: Casual Game

Casual Game: A game designed to be played with little to no game skill or knowledge ahead of time. Qualities of a casual game include a wide range of playability by age, an intuitive and recognizable game play experience, and a steady and slow rate of increasing complexity as the game progresses. Casual games will often develop advanced styles and methods of play among more experienced players, but these developments never impact the initial, approachable game experience.

Casual board games have very few simple rules and are easy to pick up and play. Often party style games are casual games too, since their rules are streamlined.

Examples of Casual Video Games

Tetras
Mario Cart 8 Deluxe
Many mobile games, such as Candy Crush

Examples of Casual Board Games

Codenames
What Do You Meme, Family Edition
Cinco Linko (formerly known as OK Play)

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August 19, 2021 0 comment

Board Games Parent Resources

Gaming Definition of the Week: Abstract Strategy

by Linda Wrobel May 20, 2021

written by Linda Wrobel

The gaming definition this week is a term that is applicable to many well know games: Abstract Strategy

Abstract strategy: A strategy game in which the theme is not important to the game experience of playing. Some of the oldest games are abstract strategy games. While they with may have a light theme associated with them, such as in Chess, the theme is not essential to the game.

Abstract Strategy games are often for only two players, and have streamlined rules. They also do not use shuffled cards or dice to create random chance. Without the random element Abstract Strategy games, as their name indicates rely exclusively on the players using strategy to win. Typically, these games also have an infinite number of alternating turns until the win condition is met.

Examples of Classic Abstract Strategy Games:

Mancala
Chess
Checkers

Examples of Modern Abstract Strategy Games:

Tak
Onitama
Hive

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May 20, 2021 0 comment

Board Games Parent Resources

Gaming Definition of the Week: Cooperative Games

by Linda Wrobel March 19, 2021

written by Linda Wrobel

The gaming definition this week is a term that is applicable to games: Cooperative Game

A cooperative game is a game where all the players work together for a common goal. Typically players are working against the board or a timer, and the players all win or all loose depending on if they can meet the win condition in time. There are games available at all levels from the youngest gamers to heavy weight games that are cooperative.

Examples of Cooperative Games:

Hoot Owl Hoot: Players are working to get the Owls Home before the sun rises
Last Defense: Players are working together to save the city from invading monsters, and only have 20 minutes
Pandemic: Players work to find a cure for four diseases before the infection level gets too high
Forbidden Island: Player are trying to escape a sinking island before too much is flooded
Smoosh and Seek Treehouse: Players are trying to find all the hiding woodland creatures before Mr. Prickles, the porcupine finishes climbing the ladder.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

You can also look at our other video game definitions from previous weeks here!

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March 19, 2021 0 comment

Board Games Parent Resources Video Games

Gaming Definition of the Week: Kaiju

by Michael Duetzmann March 12, 2021

written by Michael Duetzmann

The gaming definition this week is a term that is applicable to Board Games, Video Games and Movies: Kaiju

Kaiju: A genre of action and horror movies that originated from Japan. Kaiju’s direct translation from Japanese is “Strange Monster”. The Kaiju genre has always featured a gigantic, building sized creature, often several of them fighting each other, or a large monster against many, many people.

In the context of gaming, The Kaiju genre refers to games where the player either plays as or is pitted against a giant monster, and is either the general theme of the game, or the centerpiece of a dramatic climax in the story.

Example of Famous Kaiju:

King Kong
Godzilla

Kaiju in Video Games:

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
City Shrouded in Shadow
Shadow of the Colossus Remake

Kaiju in Board Games:

Last Defense
Kaiju Crush
King of Tokyo

Kaiju in Movies:

(There is an extensive library of movies with Kaiju, this is just a small sampling of films)

Pacific Rim (2013)
‘Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Rampage (2018)

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

You can also look at our other video game definitions from previous weeks here!

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

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March 12, 2021 0 comment

Board Games Video Games

Gaming Definition of the Week: Polyomino

by Stephen Duetzmann November 5, 2020

written by Stephen Duetzmann

The gaming definition this week is a term that is applicable to both video games and board games: Polyomino.

A Polyomino is a geometric shape made up of a group of equal squares touching on their edges.

These shapes are very important to the game design world because of all the different ways that they can be pieced together into a bigger puzzle.

The best, and most popular, example is Tetris. In Tetris, five different polyominoes that each contain four equal squares (called tetrominoes) fall from the top of the screen. Players are tasked with interlocking them at the bottom of the screen with as few holes as possible. Any complete rows that the player creates are cleared from the board as a reward.

The shapes in Tetris even have names. There was a meme that flew around in the last year or so that came just short of personifying them, but their names are straightforward.

Square
L
Skew
T
Straight

Polyominoes are also quite popular in the board game space. Part of this is because their shapes make great plastic and cardboard components. Their flat surfaces are also a great place to showcase interesting artwork or bright colors. The design reason is simple. The number of different available shapes is relatively small (especially if they are all made of a smaller number of equal squares), and the number of ways that they can be interlocked is vast. This leads to wide variety in game play situations.

Suggested Activities

Polyominoes are a great learning tool and there are all sorts of activities on the web that you can do with your kids.

This is a sheet you can print out, color, and cut to make a fun polyomino activity,
Second Chance by Uwe Rosenburg
Think Fun Brain Fitness Pathwords Game

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

You can also look at our other video game definitions from previous weeks here!

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

Make sure to keep your eyes on Engaged Family Gaming for all of the latest news and reviews you need to Get Your Family Game On!