Carcassonne

Build the countryside one tile at a time, then fight over it.

Carcassonne has you drawing and placing tiles to construct a medieval landscape of roads, cities, fields and monasteries. Place a follower — a "meeple", the game that gave the word to the hobby — on what you build, and score it when it's finished.

The tension comes from the shared map: your city is one tile away from being joined to someone else's, and your follower is stuck there scoring nothing until it's complete. Every tile you draw is a small decision with a real effect on the board everyone's building together.

A gateway modern classic and a Spiel des Jahres winner, still one of the easiest "yes" recommendations in the store.

The details
Players: 2–5
Playing time: 30–45 minutes
Ages: 8+
Publisher: Z-Man Games
Designer: Klaus-Jürgen Wrede

Perfect for: Families, new board gamers, anyone building something a neighbour is about to ruin

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