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Game Collection

A guide to the Pratt's video games, consoles and board games!

Browse Board Games

cartoon animals armed with weaponsImage Credit: Root: A Game of Woodland Might and Right by Leder Games. Art by Kyle Ferrin.

On this page you can browse board games by categories such as type, game mechanics, complexity, number of players and play time. Definitions for game categories are adapted from the Board Game Geek glossary.

Abstract Games Classic Games Party Games Solo Mode Strategy Games Thematic Games
 

Abstract Games

Abstract games minimize luck and usually do not rely on themes or story. They have no hidden information (such as not being able to see your opponent's cards), no non-deterministic elements (such as shuffled cards or dice rolls), and (usually) two players or teams taking a finite number of alternating turns. Examples of abstract games include chess, shogi and go.

A mosaic of brightly-colored tiles.
A mosaic of textiles.
Yut Nori board and play pieces.

Classic Games

"Classic" is a somewhat-nebulous category that includes well-known titles that have usually been around for several decades. They are usually relatively easy-to-learn and are sometimes geared towards younger audiences.

Illustrated birds on a white field.
A smiling king with a white beard stands before a fanciful land made of candy.
A group of individuals standing in front of a moonlit mansion at night.
Red and yellow coins with the number 4 engraved on them.
A silver dog and a cat standing on the
A patient laying on a hospital bed with a doctor in scrubs treating him.
A war scene : A man on a horse, cannons firing and shooters aiming.
Scrabble pieces which spell out win, way and plays
Game board of snakes and ladders with blue snakes.
Four uno cards.

Complexity: Light

These games have simple rules and are easy to learn quickly. Great for more casual board game players who want to get into the game quickly, or who want more fun and interaction rather than strategy and competition.

New York skyline and a airplane flying against a bright pink background
Squares, circles and triangles in colors of red, yellow, green and blue.
Illustration of six monters Lord Cinderpuff (Dragon), Hoots McGoots (Owlbear), Dr. Tentaculous (Mind
A mosaic of hues ranging from warm and cool colors.
Six boxes showing illustration of a couple, an abstract chair, a circular pattern, a resting chair, 3d polygon and a frog
A party of people, russian dolls and a dragon.
A werewolf standing on the roof in front of a full moon.
An illustration of people holding a voice modulator playing a game engraved in gold color.
Four uno cards.
A paisley pattern style skull.

Complexity: Medium

These are games of average complexity, many of which are relatively easy to learn but hard to master. Good for gamers who want to balance strategic depth with playability.

A mosaic of brightly-colored tiles.
A video game hero falls into a trap while a green monster watches.
A city with a riverfront, ships and mountains, airplanes in the background.
A kid wearing red boots, holds a chainsaw ,axe and wears a horned helmet.
A vintage car approaching a mansion on the hill under lamp posts and fog in an alley of old houses.
A mosaic of textiles.
A war scene : A man on a horse, cannons firing and shooters aiming.
A king pondering over a map with chess pieces and his court subjects watching.
Scrabble pieces which spell out win, way and plays
A man on a ship fighting an octopus and lightening strike in the sky.

Complexity: Heavy

These games have more complicated rules that take longer to learn. Great for avid board gamers looking for a rewarding challenge. 

An ominous house looming above the viewer.
A war scene: People in the fields, men on horses and huge machinery robots.
A bird flying with its wings spread out.

Party Games

Party games encourage social interaction. They generally have easy setups and simple rules, and they can accommodate large groups of people and play in a short amount of time. Lots of laughs!

New York skyline and a airplane flying against a bright pink background
Illustrated birds on a white field.
White text on a black field.
A futuristic aristocrat with strange jewelry.
A mosaic of hues ranging from warm and cool colors.
A party of people, russian dolls and a dragon.
Moose wearing a red cap and a pair of sunglasses.
A werewolf standing on the roof in front of a full moon.
An illustration of people holding a voice modulator playing a game engraved in gold color.
A paisley pattern style skull.

Solo Mode

These games incorporate a "solo mode" component where a single player can compete against the game.

A war scene: People in the fields, men on horses and huge machinery robots.
A bird flying with its wings spread out.

Strategy Games

More complex games in which players' decision-making skills have a high significance in determining the outcome. Strategy games often require decision tree analysis, or probabilistic estimation in the case of games with chance elements. Strategy games can include abstract games, with artificial rules and little or no theme, and thematic games with rules designed to emulate and reproduce a real or fictional scenario.

A king pondering over a map with chess pieces and his court subjects watching.
A war scene: People in the fields, men on horses and huge machinery robots.
A bird flying with its wings spread out.

Thematic Games

Thematic games are designed around a strong theme which drives the overall game experience, with rules and game mechanics designed to support this overarching narrative. These games are sometimes referred to as Experience or "Ameritrash" games. The latter term was originally intended to dismissively differentiate them from Eurogames (aka German-style games), which focus heavily on game mechanics rather than narrative themes. However, the term has been widely embraced by fans of the genre.

An ominous house looming above the viewer.
A kid wearing red boots, holds a chainsaw ,axe and wears a horned helmet.
A vintage car approaching a mansion on the hill under lamp posts and fog in an alley of old houses.
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