How to Make a Board Game

Tap to Read ➤ Mayuri Kulkarni

Whether it is at a family reunion or at a friends' get together or an office party, board games never go out of style. They are easy and fun to play and sometimes challenge your intellect, wit, and smartness too. Dump the conventional ones and come up with a board game of your own using the guidelines given here.

Board games have been played for many years now. Based on innumerable themes, they make for one of the most popular indoor games. The theme can be as simple as snakes and ladders or something complicated and business-related, like monopoly.

Chess, the most famous board game has an important place in international sports. These are some of the top board games played all over the world. Some have rules that require complete luck, while some like chess need strategies to play, and some require both luck and strategies to play and win.

You can easily make a board game by yourself. All you need is a theme, few pictures related to the theme, a cardboard, and pieces to move on the board.

There are several questions that will arise when it comes to designing it, like the concept or theme that is to be used, the number of players to be included, and many other elements. You don't have to fret, though, as it is very easy. The following steps should get you there.

Theme

The first and foremost thing to be done is deciding what type of a board game do you want to make. Whether, it is word-based or just luck-based where the one who reaches the end of the board first, is the winner. Decide the number of players who can play in one round of the game.

You can also make one that requires you to be strategic, like in chess or checkers. Quiz-based games can also be made where you can frame questions depending upon the theme.

Rules

Once you have decided the theme, it's time to make the rules. Plan the rules according to the theme and note them down. Make a soft copy of the rules and get a print of it, so that the players can read it before they start to play.

Design

Take a white paper and draw a rough sketch of the board game on it. Decide whether you want to utilize the whole space of the paper or make a few squares and use them for the game.

Depending on the theme, decide the landmarks where the player will gain extra points or lose points. Draw pictures or download images accordingly. Use these images when you will actually make the game. Ensure that you plan what is going to happen at each step of the game. See that gaining and losing of the points should be well-balanced.

Construction

Take a white cardboard and draw the required spaces on it with a pencil or a marker. Then, glue the images in the required spaces. Purchase dices from a general store. There are a number of options you can use for moving the pieces on the board.

If it is family-themed, you can use pictures of your family members as moving pieces. If it is a war game, then use small toy soldiers. Small toy cars can be used for a car race themed game. Ensure that each moving piece is different from the other. If the theme is business, then make fake money notes using paper.

Instead of buying those conventional board games, why not build homemade board games. Now, when you know how to make a board game, think innovative and come up with a great board game. Your friends and family will surely enjoy playing your design and creation.