500 Games In 1 Year – What have I learned from playing 500 Games in 1 year?

For newcomers into the board game hobby, and those taking their first steps into the world of more serious games, things can be quite intimidating. A quick glance at Youtube will lead to a barrage of content creators telling you “10 Games You Must Play or “The Best Gateway Games”. The BGG rankings list will lead to a trail of options into the depths of the tens of thousands of games on the site and the sheer volume of games available at a local retailer can seem like you have just entered Narnia.

And this was one of the reasons I decided to set a goal for myself of playing ‘500 Games in 1 Year’. Yes, that is 500 different board game in 2024! This would force me to try a wider gaiety of games, take me out of my comfort zones and explore genres, publishers and designers I have never tried before. Averaging out at over 1.3 games per day, I knew this was going to be a big ask but as I write at the beginning of August I am safely into the 360s with less than a game a day now required to complete the challenge. I have been overwhelmed to see the interest on Social Media with my @boardgameaddictuk account growing from triple digits to 22k followers in a short span of time. Above all else I have enjoyed being to help people discover new games and provide honest reviews and opinions on a wide variety of titles.

I have been disciplined and made sure I am taking time to enjoy the games, and not just hitting games once and moving on. Over 2000 plays is testament to my dedication, and having joined a local games club and met dozens of local gamers online, at conventions and in virtual spaces, I have gained so much more from this journey than just playing games!

But what have I learned so far from this 500 games in 1 year journey? What are my big takeaways and how has it changed my involvement in the hobby? Lets start with one crucial thing:

Rulebooks – It is one of the understatements of the century to say that during my gaming binge in 2024, I have learned to appreciate a good rulebook. I have gained a new appreciation for the art and skill of writing a rule book that makes sense, follows a natural order and actually remember the players reading are new to the game. Learning dozens of new games has been largely an enjoyable experience, until the inevitable poor rulebook hits and the sails fly off the ship.

Set Up Time Needs to Be On Boxes – When trying to plan game nights and dedicating evenings to gaming sessions, on the handful of occasions I have been left stranded due to games that take so long to unbox, punch and set up that the gaming time is all taken up. I therefore lead a petition for “Set Up Time” to be included on boxes alongside player count, game time etc.

The Industry Has Never Been Stronger – I, like a lot of gamers, fall victim to the fascination of the new and therefore a not-insignificant % of games I have played so far have been 2024 releases. As well as this highlighting just the sheer volume of games on the market at present, and the amount released on a weekly basis, this has also helped me understand just how lucky we are to be in a true Golden Age of games. The level of creativity, originality, beautiful art, unique mechanics and wonderful gameplay I have experienced in this period has fare exceeded my expectations. As Board Gamers we have never been as blessed!

And the question I am always being asked as I embark on this task – What have been my favourite games of the 500 so far? Well here we go…

5th – Terminus – I have a full review of this coming to the blog soon, but suffice to say as well as being one of the heaviest games I have played so far this year, this is one of the best. Using a rondel system of movement, careful planning and fine resource management, this is a wonderful title that I am sure will appear on many ‘Best of 2024’ lists.