Do you remember those times when all cloudy evenings were spent on the floor, moving colored pieces in a game of Risk or by multiplying your capital in Monopoly? Do you remember it as if it was yesterday, or rather because yesterday you won your latest game? Board games popularity in Poland has been growing steadily for several years now.
From games that are small in scale with simple rules to large maps with sometimes over-complicated rules. Everyone from children to adults can find something for themselves. There are those that stimulate gray cells and those that are best played after a few beers. Regardless of whether you are taking your first steps in this vast world of entertainment, or you are a board game master and hardly any title is alien to you, read our subjective guide to the world of board games and its scene in the Tricity.
Play at home or online
Board games have been enjoying unflagging popularity for several years, but last year and Covid restrictions have made board games one of the most popular ways to spend free time with household members and more. Although it was not possible to have social meetings for a long time, it does not mean that the games were not played in a larger group! In times of a pandemic, we learned to look for non-standard solutions in many aspects of everyday life, it was no different in terms of spending free time. With the onset of the lockdown, social life moved online, and board games also found their place here. The easiest way to play with your friends was to use one of the conference platforms. There were also meetups dedicated to players, such as 3city Boardgamers, which made it possible to participate in competitions with other game fans, outside the close circle of friends. 3city Boardgamers is a group that met at the Żak club before the pandemic during regular board games. This year, the group celebrates its 30th anniversary!
Board games culture
While board game fans quickly learned to deal with the pandemic, there is no substitute for a one-table meeting with a group of friends and their favorite game. Therefore, after the relaxation of the restrictions, everyone rejoiced “to the real”. There were many board game venues waiting for this moment in the Tricity. So if you want to play with your friends, and your apartment has limited space, there are numerous pubs and cafés that provide their customers with not only space, but also a wide selection of games. You can reach for them during a coffee break, or go to one of the numerous events dedicated to players – tournaments, presentations of new games or thematic meetings.
Where to play in the Tricity? You can choose from several interesting locations. In the city center there are Cybermachina and Game Over, where apart from board games, there will also be something for fans of video games (retro video games too). However, the real paradise for players is Wrzeszcz, where you can choose from Polufka located in the vicinity of the dormitories of the University of Technology, Klub Żak, where for several years fans of board games have regularly met, and Graciarnia, cluttered with board games, from the floor to the ceiling. In Gdańsk, there are also Next LVL i Kinguin Esports Lounge, so the choice is wide. In Gdynia on the other hand, you will find a pub Igranie w Lochu , where players will find a wide selection of games to choose from – from usual party games and complex strategy games.
Buying a game
Now you know where to play in the city. So let’s list the shops where you can stock up on board games! There are several shops with board games in the Tricity, including a real giant, i.e. Rebel. Store employees are real geeks, positively crazy game enthusiasts with extensive knowledge, who will be happy to answer every question and advise which game to choose, so that the gameplay is exciting, tailored to the circumstances as well as the taste, number and skills of players. Are you going for a bigger shopping trip and you want to buy something fast? Rebel has its branch in the Metropolia Shopping Center. Wrzeszcz is a real center of board games. In addition to Rebel, a shope like SideQuest is also in the area.
Rent a game or make one yourself
If you would like to know a given title before buying it and see if it is worth having it on the shelf, or you do not suffer from excess cash, but still just have to play the new edition of your favorite game, use the rental services. Fundacja Vademecum offers over 100 titles that can be taken home on bail. You will find a long list of games that are on offer. The rental is not the only interesting option for those on a budget! If you want to have a game with friends, all you need is a little time and … a working printer. In response to the Covid lockdown, many companies have made their games available for download and print. To take advantage of the offer, go to the Print&Play website, find the game you are interested in, print, cut and play as much as you want!
Over the last few years, board games have gained a large group of enthusiasts, which additionally grew significantly during the lockdown. Along with the pandemic, there are also new opportunities and alternative ways to play online games, thanks to which even locked at home, from the safe harbor of your own armchair, we can enjoy exciting gameplay.
Main image: Aksel Fristrup/unsplash.com
