🎲 Analog Games

TLDR: As the world shifts more and more into digital interfaces, its easy to get your head scrambled and lost in a screen. If that’s your case, the Chad has you covered. Board games are not only a a thriving industry far away from being obsolete, but also there are plenty of games for you to choose

😩 Digital Fatigue
👴 A Pastime Alive and Well
♟️ There’s one for Everyone
🗡️ Here I Stand
🎴 Coup
🦠 Pandemic
🏰 GENOA
😎 The Chad Takeaway

😩 DIGITAL FATIGUE

We’re living in an era where our eyes are glued to screens like a digital chokehold, constantly swiping, scrolling, and tapping.

It’s exhausting.

In fact, experts say that the average adult will spend 17 years of their lifetime looking at screens, which is outright terrifying.

Boardgames are making a comeback, offering a legit escape from the digital dungeon.

They’re not just about rolling dice and moving pieces; they’re about laughter, strategy, and face-to-face interaction.

So, gather your crew, unplug, and dive into the tangible, thrilling world of boardgames. It’s a sure-fire way to beat the digital blues and get some real-life fun.

👴 A PASTIME ALIVE AND WELL

If you have been out of the rodeo for far too long, you might’ve made the assumption that board games have become an obsolete fad that has been cannibalized by the boom of videogames.

Let’s face it, even fifty-year old people are now playing Candy Crush and other puzzle games on their phone, and younger generations have probably broken more gamepads than they’ve ever rolled a pair of dice.

Nothing farther from the truth.

In fact, the board game market is not only holding strong, but it is actually exponentially growing with no signs of catching a break. It is expected to become a 7-billion USD industry by 2027.

Wait. What? You may ask. Are there that many people playing The Game of Life and Monopoly?

Are there still that many people left that haven’t figured out that Professor Plum killed Mr. Boddy with the Candlestick in the Ball Room in Clue?

♟️ THERE’S ONE FOR EVERYONE

Just like in any industry, new products actually get released every year.

Want to embark yourself as a Victorian Era governor and build your own prosperous colony? Try Puerto Rico.

Want to negotiate your way into a cutthroat stock market for beans against your friends? Bohnanza’s got you covered.

Each year, more and more gamers are diving right through into this untapped market, which happens to be extremely flexible: small companies are thriving as they fill different themes and genres, as well as different mechanics: from more casual, laid-back games, to complex wargames that will require you both skills as a great tactician while also being a superb diplomat.

So, what are Chad’s top picks? Here’s a curated list of 5 boardgames that will put your skills to the test.

🌾 SETTLERS OF CATAN

Let’s start off with the new all-time classic.

Settlers of Catan (or Catan, for short) has been coined as the catalyst that revamped the board game industry since it first appeared on German shelves in 1995.

To keep it simple, players start with their first small settlement and try to expand by gathering resources, building roads, and building cities.

You can also try to amass knight cards to browbeat your opponents and steal their resources. The game not only puts your negotiation abilities to the test, but also how well can you manage your resources. Definitely two skills that

🗡️ HERE I STAND

Oh boy, this gargantuan historically-themed wargame will turn your whole evening (and probably night) into a religious war.

As the Pope tries to quench Martin Luther’s protestant insurgency, an omnipresent Emperor Charles V locks horns with the Ottoman forces creeping from the East. France tries to keep his hold on Milan, while trying to fend off English invasions, led by Henry VIII, who’s busy trying to finally bear a male heir to his throne.

Here I Stand is an intricate game of diplomacy, where each of its six players controls a political power through the 16th century, battling for political and religious control.

It will definitely put your negotiation, intimidation, and strategic planning to the test, as well as measuring bar to give you a scope on how well can you read people, and it is a great game to practice your sweet talk.

Bear in mind, this is by far the more time-consuming game of the list, with games going up to 7 hours to complete, but if you can find other 5 other friends ready to give it a go, you will never forget that experience.

🎴 COUP

Am I a Duke? Am I an Ambassador? Nope, I’m the Contessa which the Assassin can’t kill. Coup is all about bluffing, bluffing, and bluffing.

Up to six players get dealt two cards each, containing different roles which in turn have different mechanics.

On your turn, you can announce to take the action linked to the roles you were dealt. The catch? You can totally lie. You can bluff and perform an action of a card you don’t have.

It’s up to your opponents to call you out. Be wary though: if you get caught, you’ll pay the consequences.

Coup games can last for 15 minutes at best, so they are great for a quick round or filler between other heavy games. It is a great test to our bluffing, deception, and manipulation.

🦠 PANDEMIC

Sometimes we need to stick together. Pandemic is all about teamwork. With a very innovative take. Pandemic puts all the players against the game itself.

That’s right, either everyone wins, or everyone loses.

Pandemic somehow foreshadowed the COVID-19 pandemic. Different new diseases are causing outbreaks around the world, and its up to the team to contain them, develop the cures and prevent a global epidemic from taking over the world.

Each player gets assigned a role, with different abilities that can come in handy along the way. The Medic can treat diseases quicker, while the Scientist can be more effective for finding a cure.

Pandemic will definitely test you (and your group) on your abilities to delegate, contingency planning, and resolve during critical moments.

🏰 GENOA

Welcome to the high-stakes world of Genoa, where players roam the rich city streets, wheeling, dealing, and aiming to build the most prosperous trade empire.

Here’s the catch: as you move around the city, your rivals are right there with you. It’s like a chess match on cobblestone streets.

Every move is a strategic dance, balancing your ambitions while not setting up your opponents for a killer turn. There’s trading, there’s deal-making, and yes, even some card purchasing action.

But here’s where the Chad skills come into play – Genoa is all about the art of subterfuge. You’ve got to play it cool, keeping your opponents guessing. Make them think you’re on the ropes when really, you’re two steps ahead, secretly lining up for a big win.

Genoa isn’t just a game; it’s a masterclass in strategy, negotiation, and keeping your poker face while you silently dominate the board.

😎 THE CHAD TAKEAWAY

These aren’t dusty relics. In our digital age, board games are the real deal for face-to-face thrills.

They’re about outsmarting and outmanoeuvring your pals right in front of their eyes – a true test of wits and strategy.

Board games cut through the screen-time clutter, bringing us back to basic, intense competition. They’re about more than just playing; they’re about engaging directly with your bros, revelling in the raw joy of real-life gaming.

For us Chads, game night means diving into a world where your moves matter. Whether you’re dominating in ‘Genoa’ or strategizing in ‘Catan’, each game is a battlefield where only the sharpest prevails.