The world feels messy right now, an understatement for many of us. Board games may feel like a silly thing to spend time on when things are hard or fearful. If that’s all we do—escapism only, positivity only—then it can become toxic. But whatever you might be struggling with, you need joy and connection in addition to the struggle, because the good and the bad don’t cancel each other out, they exist simultaneously. Both can be true at once.

Board games can help us bear that simultaneous experience of good and bad and they can actual help us in our desire to make the world a better place. Cooperative games, in particular, are about the people at the table working towards the same goal, overcoming problems as they come, winning and losing together. Some of them are directly about saving the world, like Pandemic (working to stop the spread of disease across the globe) or Chronicles of Crime (collect clues to solve a crime) while others are less dire but just as reliant on the players collaboration like Dorfromantik or Wilmot’s Warehouse. Even our speed puzzling events need the two puzzlers to work together to complete the puzzle, and even better to do it quickly.

All of these things are fun, but they aren’t just fun, they’re a way we practice things like patience and collaboration and empathy. They’re a way we meet people and deepen relationships that extend well beyond the gaming table. Bar regular Jason shared some thoughts about gaming with me, he said, “The most important elements of play are the people.”

Try coming to our Community Tabletop nights on Wednesdays, or at other times, ask for a “join the table” sign for your table when you come visit—we’ll seat other folks with you and y’all can save the world together.

Alice C, board game librarian

Play the 7 Wonders Cinematic Universe

Ok, it’s not a cinematic universe, it’s just a series of games in the same playspace. Owner Matt W’s favorite game is 7 Wonders, a card-drafting game about the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. Players choose cards from the hands of cards they’ve been dealt and reveal them simultaneously, then pass their hands to the next player. Each player has a sense of what’s available in those hands—cards that give resources, that fight their neighbors, that build exponentially, that can lead to other, better cards, etc.—but not precisely what they’ll receive in their next hand. The game is played in three “ages,” or rounds, with players building up their wonders with different kinds of cards to score the most points. It’s fast-paced, a bit complex, and satisfying at most player counts up to 7.

But at 2 players, it’s abysmal. There’s a 2-player mode in the base game, but it’s no fun. Luckily, the designers developed a 2-player version called 7 Wonders Duel which is much, much better. Players draft cards from a shared tableau rather than from each others’ hands and there are several ways to win to pay attention to.

But wait, there’s more! Just this last year, a Lord of the Rings version of Duel came out, 7 Wonders: 3: Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth. Like 7 Wonders Duel, players are drafting cards from a central tableau, but they’re also moving either Frodo or the Ring Wraiths closer to Mordor or taking over locations in Middle-Earth—rather than scoring points, players are trying to manage the various areas of the Lord of the Rings. It’s intensely thematic and an excellent addition to the series!

Try the pretzels and beer cheese

Huge, salty pretzels and hot, smooth beer cheese? Sign us up! These satisfying pretzels are in our Shareables menu for a reason—you may want to eat them all yourself, but you’ll need to share them with someone at your table, they’re so filling and delicious. Do try to keep the cheese from dripping on your game (your librarians will thank you!), and do order them the next time you’re in. They’re a great accompaniment to a game of 7 Wonders!

Want to play a 4 or 6 player game but it’s just you and your partner?

Want to meet new folks who also love games?

Want to demo games by local designers?

Every Wednesday at 6:30pm, we hold space for y’all to come and meet new gaming friends! Bring a friend or two or come on your own—we’ll seat you with other lovely gamers to play games and make the world a little better.

This past Wednesday, our group played Happy Bee, Sheriff of Nottingham, and Three Sisters—good times!