Move over, mah-jongg. See ya later, Scrabble. There's a whole world of board games out there that hold potential interest for seniors who may be looking for something social, something different, and maybe even something new and challenging. Here are a few fun suggestions from an elder millennial for the older adults in the room.
Ticket to Ride
Publisher: Days of Wonder (2004)
For 2 to 5 players
Ticket to Ride, which debuted in 2004, is so engaging and accessible that it's considered a modern classic. The game board is a giant map of North America, with players assuming the role of 19th-century railroad builders connecting cities across the map. It's fairly easy to learn — hence a 1.82 complexity rating, on a scale of 5, from BoardGameGeek.com, a database of games and reviews — and there are even charming little plastic train cars to mark the routes you build. Ticket to Ride also has separate versions (gamers call them "expansions") featuring maps of Europe and Asia, a "Rails to Sails" edition that incorporates boats, and even a New York City subway edition. Expect gameplay to last between 40 minutes to an hour.
Splendor
Publisher: Space Cowboys (2014)
For 2 to 4 players
Players of Splendor pretend they are Renaissance-era merchants who collect rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and other precious stones to make into jewelry and earn points from wealthy noblemen. Splendor falls into a category of games called "resource management" because the number of gems of each type is limited. (It's kind of like how there's a finite supply of letters in Scrabble.) This element also leads to a slightly more competitive tone. To boot, the artwork is quite attractive. An average game takes about half an hour to play from start to finish.
Ransom Notes
Publisher: Charty Party (2021)
For 3 to 6 players
Only play this game if you want to laugh a lot. Ransom Notes is basically a leveled-up version of those kitschy refrigerator-magnet poetry sets you probably had at one time in your life. It's not a traditional board game; rather, the "boards" are flat magnets to which players stick words in response to randomly drawn prompts, often in nonsensical but hilarious combinations, based on the available pool of words. Perhaps the best way to describe it is by way of example. From the prompt "Convince a bank to give you a loan," one player assembled this response: "Discover versatile vision. Business and trade affair. Go compete today, but need treasure." This is a perfect game for a group that appreciates light competition and creative humor. In terms of play time, this game can go for as long or short a time as you want.
Azul
Publisher: Next Move Games (2017)
For 2 to 4 players
Players imagine themselves as artists in Portugal, where the ancient tile artform called azulejo is the basis for this game. The goal is to decorate the walls of an imaginary palace with beautiful tile patterns. It's another resource-management style game — players actually choose small, colorful tiles and arrange them on the game board — but it employs a more advanced level of strategy among the games on this list. (If you like chess, you'll probably really like Azul.) The artwork is phenomenal. Scoring each player's progress can be challenging, but don't let that be an obstacle. Expect a game to last for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Codenames
Publisher: CGE (2015)
For 4 or more players, divided into two teams
Codenames blends the familiarity of word games with the mystery and tension of a spy thriller. Players divide into two teams, each naming a "spymaster" to give clues that will help his or her teammates find each other with the correct secret code words. An incorrect answer could reveal an assassin, which ends the round. It's easy to learn, really gets you thinking, is flexible in terms of length of play time, and provides great entertainment for larger groups.
A note on where to find these games: Barnes and Noble in the Bridgehampton Commons shopping center has a great game section where you're likely to find all of these titles. Also check independent shops like the Wharf Shop in Sag Harbor and BookHampton in East Hampton Village. Note that a bigger game like Ticket to Ride could cost around $60, but you can also check with your local library — most of them are lending out board games these days.
