Not sure where to start?
If you are buying for a family, Kabuto Sumo and Things in Rings play in under half an hour and teach themselves at the table. If you want something with more weight to it, Wingspan is the one we recommend most often — approachable on the first play and better on the third. For a group that already plays a lot, The Crew: Quest for Planet Nine is a cooperative trick-taker that fits in a coat pocket and has beaten far better-known games at our tables.
Buying a gift
Anything in the $25 to $40 range is a safe landing spot for someone who plays occasionally, and that is where most of the modern classics sit. Tell us who it is for and roughly how many people play, and we will narrow it down — we have played most of what is on this page.
Try it before you buy it
Both shops keep tables and a library of demo copies. If you are within reach of Baltimore or Harrisburg it is worth coming in and playing a round before committing to a box — our Stevenson, Maryland store is minutes from Pikesville and Owings Mills, and our Lemoyne, Pennsylvania store is just over the river from Harrisburg. Open gaming runs most nights at both.
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