How to Transition From Competitive to Cooperative Board Gaming
For competitive players, one of the most appealing or entertaining aspects of board games is the chance to triumph over others.
They love that the game requires them to think strategically, adapt to the circumstances, and even see through their opponents in order to win. Some of these elements are still there in coop boardgames, but they don’t hit the same.
However, by ignoring this other genre, you are really missing out on some of the best tabletop experiences out there. So, if you want to learn how to transition to these games and which ones you should try as a competitive player, stick around.
Collaborative Board Games are Also Competitive
Many assume that these coop games aren’t that competitive, which couldn’t be farther from the truth. Just because you aren’t playing against others doesn’t mean strategy and careful decision-making are out of the window.
In fact, they are very similar to games on blackjack websites, where you play against the dealer, and in essence, need others to win.
On both top sites for blackjack and commercial casinos, having more people at the table is actually beneficial, as you can collaboratively thin out the deck. Once the shoe is halfway depleted, all of your card counting can start to take effect, and you get to win more consistently.
It should be noted that blackjack didn’t start as one of the cooperative card games, but those who played a lot managed to turn it into one. Now, just think how interesting this genre is when you play coop tabletop titles that were designed around this concept from the get-go.
Start with Collaborative Games That are Also Competitive
If the idea of coop board games isn’t too appealing from the start, you should try some hybrid products that are competitive but still require teamwork.
A great example would be Codenames. You still play against the opposing team, but you need to get in sync with your teammate in order to effectively communicate and win.
Alternatively, you can try Letters from Whitechapel and be the villain (Jack the Ripper). In essence, others will have to cooperate in order to beat you, and after you’ve been the bad guy for a few rounds, you might want to try to see how it feels to be the detective.
After all, each detective gets their own turn to lead the investigation, so if you crack the case, you still get to “win” even in this coop setting.
Work on Your Mindset
Moving away from the mindset – “My win is your loss,” to – “Share victory, share defeat,” isn’t always easy. However, this can be an opportunity to work on your leadership skills. To do so, you should pick the so-called hidden information games, such as Hanabi or The Crew.
Here, mechanics prevent you from controlling everyone’s turn, and if you let your frustration get to you, chances are you’ll all lose. So after each defeat, you need to figure out how to adapt your play style and cooperate in these circumstances.
This will also serve as a good eye-opener. Some of the best collaborative games are very hard, and the only way to win is to accept that you cannot be the hero of the story. They favour groups who know how to work together over groups where one or more players want to be in the spotlight.
Argue Your Reasoning
While collaborative board games are mainly about teamwork, there are those that do allow players to, let’s say, show off. These are detective or investigative games like Chronicles of Crime. Here you need to solve a crime together, but have limited time to figure out exactly what happened.
Now, there is no turn order or many restrictive rules on how you must approach this problem. The goal is to deliberate amongst each other what would be the best course of action, and this is where you get to flex your critical thinking muscles.
In essence, you should follow the story closely and then argue your position on why you think your group should investigate one individual or location over another.
Additionally, you need to be unbiased and listen to what other players say and think. In these games, drinking your own Kool-Aid will usually lead to failure, so it’s a good opportunity to keep your competitive side at bay for the sake of success.
