We were all there. Open the new board game, immerse yourself in the settings, and maybe even read twice. The first playback? Magical. The mechanics click, the art is beautiful, everyone laughs (or at least pretend to understand scoring). But then it just sits. On your shelf. Untouched.
These are board games that shines once and then never return to the table. Maybe they are too long or too complicated. Whatever the reason, it deserves love, but probably only once. Here are games that you will be shortly obsessed, then you will retire quietly forever.
10
7. Continent
Choose a Si-Own Adventure and then Choose-Néco-Else
7. The continent is the dream of an explorer: a massive map and the format of selection-own own preparation that feels really epic. I fell in love with the long weekend, I overturned hundreds of off -road cards and whispered “just one more tile” to 2:00
But as soon as I came across a blind end at my second curse and I had to retreat to 80% of the island, my enthusiasm disappeared. The idea of restarting from scratch? No. It was amazing, but only once. Then I returned to shorter games where he was eaten with a bird, not three hours.
9
Eldritch horror
It's you vs. Cthulhu (and a book of rules)
Eldritch Horror throws you into a global race to stop the apocalyptic Doom. And the first game? Incredible. Globetrotting, you collect traces, seal gates and hardly survive. But it is also 40 decks, full of rules for playing and lasts only 30 minutes.
The stunning box with bed surface and golden edges? It will chase your shelf for years. The fact that it's nice doesn't mean you play it twice.
After the first victory (or loss) you will probably look at the table, mess of tokens and your mentally fried teammates and think, “That was great. Let's … Entertainment, yes. Repeatable? Not without a reserved group and lots of coffee.
8
Tokaido
The peace path you need only once
Tokaido is beautiful. Everything from minimalist art to reassuring games screams “meditative experience of board games”. The game can be absolutely full of moments of ZEN: collecting souvenirs, visiting hot springs, eating perfect meals.
However, it turned out that peaceful walks do not have much play value. Once you have seen the sights, it will feel more like a waiting room than a way. I still recommend it to newcomers and then I quietly suggest something with DICE another game night.
7
Betrayal in the house on the hill
The first game is scary. Another one is broken.
Betrayal Nails Vibe: Spooky House, Creepy character, random persecution. The first game is messy in the best way. But the more you play, the more cracks show. Some scenarios are unbalanced. Some ghosts break down if someone opens the bad door at the wrong time.
And as soon as you have seen several ends, they will start mixing. You may remember your first betrayal or terrible loss, but then things start to care less!
6
Scythe
Beautiful game, but it's a full -time job
Scythe is one of the most beautiful games that I own (and I wanted to love it). Mech alternative history, player mats, smooth source engine. During my first session it all clicked and felt like discovering a new hobby. Then I didn't play it for three months and forgot everything.
If the phrase “Tableaus Tableau” causes your group to silence, maybe you choose something a little lighter. The right crowd makes or stops whether the game can see the daylight again.
The rules are not heavy, but they are simply dense that the occasional group will never touch them again. My copy sits in perfect condition, still admired, still not pissed. It's like owning a luxury car, but it never pulls it out of the garage because the clutch is nervous.
5
Twilight Imperium
The largest game you will never have time for
Twilight Imperium is a space opera in a box and the box is the size of a coffee table. The fractions are deep and the game somehow makes taxes fun. I really loved my full game (all eight hours).
But to get six friends to commit themselves to the whole day, read the book Rules and not save in the middle? That was a one -time miracle. Now he lives in my wardrobe as an ambition and reminds me that some games are too big to fail and too big to play.
4
Smulhane
You played the first five scenarios. Admit it.
Smulhaven is brilliant. It is a tactical struggle, branching of stories and upgrading cards that immediately combined many players. Some even refer to all storage tanks as an adult. But somewhere between “unlocking this new class” and “Track 20 Modifiers” is easy to lose steam.
Many game games are mentally exhausting. Not because they are bad, but because they ask you to solve puzzles and manage six mini economies on the first attempt. Some games just require more than your weekend brain can give.
We said we'd come back. We did not, and now it is a blame box of $ 150, which sits under the coffee table and judges me. I know Smoomhaven is good. I also know that I will probably never play it without a nanny campaign.
3
Time stories
A puzzle with a time travel with zero playback value
Time Stories is a kind of game that lets you think, “Lords, that was smart.” Then you realize that you will never play it again unless you buy other scenarios. I loved the first one: the mechanics on the board, the tense debates, and the right amount “Oh no, we went wrong.”
But when it ended, my motivation. I didn't want to play the same story, and the idea of buying five expansion for other one -time puzzles felt exhausting. Great game, amazing concept, zero longevity.
2
Eradicate
Adorable animals, aggressively complicated rules
Root is what happens when forest creatures declare war and everyone needs their separate book rules to keep up. I was sold to artistic style and asymmetrical fractions until I realized that the game took longer than playing.
As soon as I clicked everything, I loved my first game. But if you don't play every week, no one can remember how to be a vagabond. Or Woodland Alliance. Or anyone. Every time I recommend playing again, I see the fear of my friends. And honestly? I don't blame them.
1
Pandemic Heritage (Season 1)
You can only store the world once
Pandemic heritage is an experience on full stop. My group played her obsessed for several months, unlocked new content and actually panic over the disease. It seemed like a mini -series HBO in the form of a board game.
But here's the catch: As soon as it ends, it's over. You can't reset it. You can't play it again. It happens to memento of your past teamwork and maybe a few bad decisions. I do not regret a single moment, but I also do not need another permanently changed gaming box on my shelf (from this reason I threw it off). One beautiful, chaotic ride was enough.
