Top 15 Boardgames to have in your Hostel!

NOTICE!!!! This is a really long post, that I had to split into 2 Parts!

I’ve read the other topic about games on this forum and I loved it. But since I saw that the last reply was quite some time ago i thought of writing a new thread with my top 15 Board games for hostels. I owned a boardgame shop once and I love hostels, so I pretty much know what hostels need and which games can offer that. I would also like to hear about which games you guys use and how they do their job.

I have chosen the below top 15 games according to: How easy it is to learn, Number of players, Level of Interactions, Fun Factor, Randomness Factor and Time needed to play a game.

15. Mastermind . This game is a 2 player game. Fun and simple. Anybody can learn to play this game in less than 2 min. This game got low in the top since its a bit too easy, its not challanging enough for me at least. Some people have a blast playing this, thats why its in the top. Game time: 10-15 min, the game has no written text.

14. Connect 4 . This game is a real no brainer. Easy, Fun and can be challanging, the only downside is thats only a 2 player game. Game time: 10-15 min, the game has no written text.

13. Battleboats. This game made it in here because of its popularity. Everybody knows how to play this game and in case he is an exception he can learn it in less than 1 min. This game is fun and exciting, again the only downside is that its only a 2 player game and it does not encourage people to socialize. Game time: 10-30 min, the game has no written text.

12. Rummy. Up to 4-player game, Fun to play, easy to learn and also has a huge popularity. This game got low in the top because of its random factor which can frustrate certain people, also although it is a 4 player game it does not encourage socializing as much as other games are. Game time: 20-50 min

11. Cards + Poker Chips. Now cards are really needed in a hostel. You can play a lot of well known games from poker to whist and most of those games can be played by 4+ people. Also most of the card games are quite good as Icebrakers. Game time: 10 min – a couple of hours

10. Chess. This game is probably the most popular game ever. Everybody knows it! A great game of Intelect. The only problem with this game is that most of the people get intimidated by it or some claim it to be too old fashioned. Another big disadvantage is the number of players and the fact that you need silence to concentrate on your next moves, which is rarely found in a hostel. Game time: 20min - 2 hours.

9. Through the Desert. This game is a up to 5 player strategy game. Really fun, easy to learn and makes the people interact quite a bit. The only downside of this game is that it doesn’t have that big of a popularity. Game time: 20- 40 min, the game has no written text.

8. Carcasonne. This game is a great tool for any hostel! Its a up to 5 player family game, easy to learn, fun to play and it comes in so many versions that you can easily buy one that fits your hostel theme! Only drawback is that its a bit random which can frustrate some of your guests. Game time: 20-40 min, the game has no written text.

7. Settlers of Catan. This game is almost perfect. A up to 4 player game that encourages as much interaction as possible, really fun to play, not to mention that it is very easy to learn. This game is also quite popular in europe and can create addiction. Its major drawback is the fact that its played with dice, which adds an extreme amount of randomness. Game time: 20min – 1 hour. The game has written text, I suggest you buy it in English.

6. Twister. This game has a great popularity, its extremly easy to learn, and its a huge amount of fun. Sadly you need a lot of place to play this game and people have to be in a party mood to start playing it. Most of the people must already know eachother in order to play this game. THIS GAME IS NOT AN ICEBRAKER. Do not buy it for that purpouse. Game time: 30 min- ????, the game has no written text.

5. Ticket to Ride. This game is really interesting. Its a up to 5-player game, you can learn to play it in less then 3 minutes and it encourages guests to interact. Another helpful thing about this game is that it comes in many different versions just like carcasonne and you can buy one to fit your part of the world and add to your hostel character. 30-50min. The game has written text, I suggest you buy it in English.

4. Shadows over Camelot. What game is better for socializing then a Co-op game? This is a fun game to play where your guests have to work together angainst the game! its a up to 7 player game, it takes you 10 min to learn to play the game and it is a lot of fun, actually this game can get so fun that people just don’t want to stop playing it! The only downside of this game is that once you play this game often enough you will figure the one thing you have to do to win every time, but that is not a real problem in a hostel. Game time: 1 hour- 1hour and 30 min. The game has written text, I suggest you buy it in English.

3. Citadel. A up to 7 player game that highly encourages your guests to interact. Its a strategy bluff game which makes it really interesting. Most of the people that play this game fall in love with it, yet its not that addictive. Its only drawback is that it takes 15 min to learn to play it. Game time: 20-50 min. The game has written text, I suggest you buy it in English.

2. Saboteur. This game is WOW! Its a fun awsome game that you can play with up to 10 people! This game is a Bluff Co-op game, as in: there are two sides, the good guys and the traitors. You do not know who the traitors are so you have to interact to find out. This game is really easy to learn , Extremely fun and a great Icebraker! If you want an awsome game for your hostel BUY THIS GAME! Game time: 15-30 min, the game has no written text.

1. Jenga. This is the PERFECT hostel game. Its extremly easy to learn, its heaps amounts of fun, and most important of them all, its the best Icebraker I have ever seen. All the hostels should have this game! Rules are so easy that they are intuitive, its even capable of Breaking the ice in case there is Laptop invasion in your common room (worst thing that can happen for your fun hostel atmosphere) Game time: 1-30min, the game has no written text.