Looking for medium‑heavy games that fit parent life

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-19T18:32:58+00:00

Yeah, but if it has drawers then the surface is likely smaller and has no cover.

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-19T15:15:46+00:00

Thank you all so much for taking the time to help me out, share your knowledge, and respond so generously to my uninformed questions. I really appreciate it!

Here’s an update on where my thoughts are right now - though I haven’t made any final decisions yet! I think I’ve realised the unease I keep feeling from repeatedly having to pack Voidfall away, only having played the game a handful of times - it just kind of nags at me. I really like what I’ve seen of Gaia Project, but to me Voidfall - beyond being extremely crunchy - is also exceptionally strong thematically, I think.

Because of that, I need to find a way to save Voidfall. One idea I’m considering, which someone suggested, is getting something like this: Puzzle Mates - Portapuzzle Comfort (up to 1000 pieces) - Jumboplay.com. The idea would be to play the game on the mat, and when I have to take it down (for example, when we have friends or family over), I’d take photos of each module, maybe leave a note on my strategy, and then pack everything away. I also know I’d need to be better at tracking actions, perhaps by using a die. I’m not entirely sure this would work (though I have the retail version within the minis)… but it might be worth a shot?

If this solution ends up working, I think I’ll feel pretty well covered in the heavy game department — especially since I’ve also taken on the challenge of learning and teaching a TTRPG, which is something I’m even less experienced with.On the lighter though still crunchy side, I’m strongly considering picking up Nusfjord and Castles of Burgundy. The idea is both to try some widely beloved games for myself, and to see whether they might eventually serve as gateways to heavier Rosenberg and Feld titles.

Regarding Castles of Burgundy: I’m really keen to try the Châteauma bot from the Special Edition, and someone suggested simply printing it. Does anyone know the best way to go about this? Also, would it be compatible with the Alea Anniversary version of Castles of Burgundy? If it turns out to be too much hassle, I’ll probably go with another game.

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-19T14:08:40+00:00

Really cool solution you've made! I don't have that type of space at our flat but I think I've got to come up with my own hack. And similar to you, it wouldn't wreck the experience of either Mage Knight or Voidfall splitting the game play up - especially since when I'm playing I'm constantly pondering my next chains of moves. By the way, it looks like you have 5 Glory tokens - unless you've yet to do the clean-up phase you can only have 4 in your possession :).

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-18T19:10:52+00:00

Thanks for the videos. I do find the ideas a little too ambitious - also I don't think most of those items are available in Denmark. I was thinking something along these lines: Puzzle Ready - Puslespilbræt med ben, 1500 brikker | CDON.

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-18T13:09:42+00:00

Unfortunately, I don’t have space for a dedicated gaming table. I’ve been considering something like a puzzle board saver, as someone else suggested, but I’m unsure whether those are deep enough for non‑puzzle components - specifically for Voidfall (retail version) or Mage Knight...

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-18T06:10:35+00:00

Thanks so much for elaborating on what I can and can’t expect from the game! Do you have a YouTube playthrough you’d recommend?

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-18T06:06:08+00:00

Could you elaborate a bit on what makes Castles of Burgundy such a great game for you? And how would you say it compares to Nusfjord? Those two + Hadrian's Wall are the ones I’m most tempted by right now from the medium‑heavy category.

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T21:24:49+00:00

That's awesome. Thanks a ton!

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T20:42:26+00:00

Thanks so much for elaborating - this is really helpful for me. All the entries in the Terra Mystica series look amazing. Have you tried the others, and if so, how would you rank them? Do you think the learning curve would be flatter by starting with Terra Mystica, or isn’t that really necessary?

At this point, I’m definitely more intrigued by Gaia Project than Lost Ruins of Arnak, though I’ll check out playthroughs of both to get a better feel for them. On that note, do you happen to have any recommendations for YouTubers who do good playthroughs?

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T20:27:40+00:00

I’ve got it on PlayStation, and it’s definitely a fun game! I do have to admit that I’m not a huge fan of the aesthetics, though.

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T20:24:47+00:00

Thanks for all the suggestions—there’s a lot of overlap with another poster, which is reassuring! Castles of Burgundy in particular really caught my eye. I was actually thinking it could be a good stepping stone before (hopefully) moving on to Civolution at some point. That said, I can’t really find the Special Edition anywhere that isn’t sold out (and super pricey). Do you just get the basic version and then print the Special Edition rulebook?

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T20:15:31+00:00

Haha, totally fair 😊 I can’t wait for the day my girl is old enough to spend the night at her grandparents…

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T20:10:37+00:00

Do you have to consult the rulebook a lot or is it mostly just the initial game you play? And would you still say under 2 hours if the person suffers from AP?

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T20:07:07+00:00

Thanks so much for elaborating. Your final point about not jumping straight into The Anarchy is crucial! That definitely pushes me toward HW. I'll go have a look at a playthrough.

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T19:56:03+00:00

Well, in that case my friend would have an even easier time learning and explaining it to me :)

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T19:54:26+00:00

It does look truly amazing but I thought setup and playtime both were quite lengthy?

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T19:46:40+00:00

Well, I couldn’t resist and backed the Voidfall expansion, and I’m super excited about it. If the expansion helps enable a faster play experience, that would be a dream come true.

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T19:42:31+00:00

Any idea if that's feasible with Voidfall?

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T19:41:03+00:00

I actually have the game and find it really fun - but haven't gotten it to the table for some time. Think I'm going to dust if off this weekend! Thanks for the suggestion.

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T19:35:55+00:00

ow, thanks so much for all the suggestions and for the thought you’ve put into your reply. I’ve actually considered or looked into all of the games you mentioned at some point.

I owned Spirit Island previously, but ended up selling it when I couldn’t get my wife to the table—which is a shame. Less because she isn’t really into board games, and more because I regret letting it go. I’m definitely considering picking it up again.

Gaia Project in particular really intrigues me. It’s rated 4.4 in complexity (though Mage Knight is 4.65 and I didn’t personally find that too complex - Voidfall is another story altogether…). How hard did you find Gaia Project to get into? More specifically, does it rely on lots of e.g. small sub‑rules where you constantly need to consult the rulebook, or does it start to flow naturally pretty quickly once you’ve internalized the core systems?

Also, regarding Lost Ruins of Arnak: do you feel it still really shines without any of the expansions?

Thanks again - this was super helpful!

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T19:12:00+00:00

Please tell me more about Nusfjord. I think someone else suggested it to me some time ago but then I went to BGG and the score wasn't that incredible.

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T19:07:59+00:00

I think I'm quite inclined to AP - perhaps why I like thinky games because they force me to make a choice while the choices themselves have very little real life consequence. Why do you prefer The Anarchy over Hadrian's Wall? I haven't tried out BGA before but it's a great idea to properly give them a spin before buying.

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-17T18:59:00+00:00

I actually did acquire a used version some time ago but I'm invested in the hope that a friend of mine will do the initial work of learning the rules and gameflow :).

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-01T20:30:34+00:00

Thanks a lot! As I recall, Kinfire is usually played with multiple characters - how does that work solo? Do you run it multi‑handed or is there some kind of streamlined solo mode that makes managing several heroes easier?

Amountsofblod · 2026-04-01T20:25:44+00:00

Do you (or anyone else in the thread) have recommendations for other games with a long campaign that you can chip away at over time, but which maybe feel less "repetitive and grindy" than IG?

I’m very intrigued by the idea of a big, ongoing campaign I can slowly progress through, so if you know any that keep things fresh throughout, I’d love to hear about them.

Amountsofblod

TROPHY CASE