Have you ever browsed a shop, looking at different board games or scrolling through an online store, and felt intimidated or put off by the sheer size of some of the game boxes? I have—many times. I’d often assume that a big box meant a long, complex game that would be difficult to learn or play. But once I started to bite the bullet and try some of the games I was hesitant about, I realized that many of them are bulky simply because of the number of components—not because they’re overly complicated or hard to play.
With that in mind, and with the help of some fellow bloggers, I thought it would be a great idea to put together a list of the top 5 games that are surprisingly easy despite their bulky appearance. These are listed in no particular order, and I hope that by seeing some of these options, you’ll feel encouraged to try out a few of those intimidating-looking games—or even give one of the titles mentioned here a chance.
Elder Sign – Kieran
This is a game I’ve had my eye on for some time. I’ve always been a big fan of eldritch-themed games, but I know that some of them can be difficult to learn, master, or even play. When I saw Elder Sign, I decided to bite the bullet and take a stab at it to see how it plays.
From the moment I opened the box, I’m not afraid to admit I was intimidated by the sheer number of cards and pieces. I had a hint of fear that it would take a while to learn and might be a bit much to play at times. But as soon as I started reading the rules and getting into the game, it turned out to be much easier than I originally feared.
The rulebook guides you through everything you need to know, the cards explain mechanics clearly, and the only consistently difficult part (or downright impossible, if you have my dice luck) is the dice rolls working against you. The cooperative gameplay, the variety of locations, and the unique behaviour of the eldritch beasts make every session feel fresh and exciting.
For me, this is my top pick for board game night when I have friends who want to play a challenging horror game that isn’t hard to learn. Every friend I’ve introduced this game to has ended up wanting to buy it themselves—they were surprised by how fun and easy it is to play.
Gloomhaven Jaws Of The Lion – James Loves Games
Gloomhaven is more than a board game. For some it’s a way of life, or what some people would call a lifestyle game. Having played a bit of Gloomhaven digital and being looked at like I had two heads by anyone I suggested buying the physical copy with to play the 100 odd missions contained within its gargantuan box, while also being put off by the idea of building each mission from blocks like some dungeon crawling Lego enthusiast, I looked into the prequel Jaws Of The Lion.
What I found was a much smaller box than the original (though still quite bulky compared to most other games), with a very gentle beginner friendly tutorial which holds the players hands as it teaches the core mechanisms of the game one by one. Rather than building each scenario from the plethora of modular tiles and parts, each scenario is played on pages of a book so set up time is a fraction of its older brother’s.
The gameplay is just as engaging as the original and the 25 missions (several of which are optional) was a much easier sell to family and friends who had been disinterested in spending several years playing the game with me. If you are interested in dungeon crawlers, hand management puzzles or legacy co-op games, this is a no-brainer. It’s insanely good value for what you get in the box and is probably my favourite game of all time. So, what are you waiting for? Destroying Verming Raiders and Blood Monstrosities is only a click away, get it in your basket and you can thank me later.
Axis & Allies – and why it’s an easy game – Neil Parker
Axis and Allies is a good game. It has gone through several versions and usually in quite a large box. There are lots of pieces. Perhaps most daunting to some, is the time required to set-up and play and it can be off-putting.
But! Despite all this negativity, I would recommend it as a great game and an easy one to learn and play. Here’s why…
Firstly, the rules are fairly simple. There are no difficult concepts to get your head around. There are a few rules to be mindful of, eg how submarines work, but otherwise, it is easy and a single game will be enough to appreciate gameplay.
Secondly, there is variety in gameplay and unit options without offering too much. The variety of units, especially in the later editions, mean a good choice is often available to give yourself options for action and whilst there are often key moves or considerations to make, there is room for strategic manoeuvre.
Finally, I would also say that it is a good game for several friends to play, but it works very well as a two-player game, which also reduces downtime for both players.
With several editions available, including my favourite, the anniversary edition, there is variety. The anniversary edition has the Italians as a sixth, albeit reduced power, nation and there are versions that focus on Europe and Pacific, with slightly different rules in play.
Big Box, Big Fun, (Big Tree), Simple Rules – Everdell – Tim Evans
When you think of a game with a lot of extras, my mind can’t help but remember my first experience of Everdell. With it’s giant tree model in the centre of the board (that you need to build from several pieces at the setup of each game), the textured resource tokens to the sheer volume of beautifully illustrated cards, there’s a lot to literally unpack with this title from Starling Games.
But when it comes right down to it, Everdell is a cozy mix of worker placement, card collection and tableau building, played out at your own pace (even amongst rivals at the table). Everything you need is explained neatly on the board and cards once you are familiar with where to look, and you can quickly start to chart a course through the synergies of point scoring on offer.
From the squishy berry resources to the tiny woodland creature meeples, it is a game which feels good in the hand, looks impressive in flight on your table and will definitely be a talking point on game night to any getting lured into this world for the first time.
A word of caution comes with this title however, once you get lost in this woodland realm of the base game there is even more excess and beauty to be found in the plethora of expansion and spin-off content. If you play down in the woods today you may be in for a wonderful surprise…
HEAT – Pete Bartlam
HEAT has a lot of stuff that you introduce at your own pace (pun intended?) and a slick autosystem for running robot cars, so you can always have a full grid. Let me explain…
You select a Gear from 1 to 4 and play the same number of cards. Total the speeds on them and move your car that number of spaces forward. When you go through a corner your total speed must not be more than the printed Speed Limit. If it is you pay 1 Heat card per point over or spin out and restart. Continue until someone crosses the finish line and wins. Simples!
And that my speed demon friends is basically it!
Heat has 4 tracks, loosely, based on real circuits in France, USA, Italy and Great Britain. This gives enough variety for my U3A Games Group to get stuck in without over-complication and the ducking and diving with up to 2 spaces slipstreaming can be fierce.
But, hey, there’s more, right? Well, yes. The Legends Module: the simple system to run robot cars, auto autos, if you will. The best automation system I’ve seen. I’d always run a full grid with this and it’s an absolute boon when I have last minute drop-outs!
Still more? Garage Module tailors cars with asymmetric abilities; Weather and Road Conditions that change Corner and Sector Effects; Championship with Press and Sponsorship. Then the Expansions to consider.
Run all or none as you like. Have fun!
Because this is such a fun one for me to cover, I thought it would be nice to add a surprise sixth opinion to the list. I hope that if any of the five above intrigued you, this one will help you decide to take the plunge—whether it’s with that one bulky game you’ve been thinking about or any of the six mentioned in this review.
HeroQuest – Sophie Jones
HeroQuest comes in a huge box packed with miniatures, dungeon tiles, and everything you need for a dungeon crawl. Despite the impressive size, the game is surprisingly easy to learn and play.
I remember playing HeroQuest as a child. My mum was the dungeon master, and I would roll my dice, move my barbarian, and search rooms for treasure, traps or secret doors. Some turns meant opening a door and discovering what lay beyond. That was when goblins, Dread Warriors or Abominations would appear, ready for battle. Combat was simple. Roll dice to attack, roll dice to defend, count skulls and shields, then mark the results on your character sheet.
The character sheets themselves are well laid out, allowing players to track health, weapons and gold found along the way. This keeps things organised and lets you build a connection with your hero as you progress through quests, making each adventure feel rewarding rather than fiddly.
Now, playing the revised version as an adult, I’m happy to say it’s still just as straightforward. Roll dice, move, explore. But the excitement remains. There’s that buzz of not knowing what’s behind the next door, the tension of a bad roll, and the satisfaction of navigating your way through the dungeon to complete the mission.
You do need someone to be the dungeon master, but even that role is simple. Read from the campaign book, set the scene, and follow the instructions. A bit of flair with dramatic storytelling or cheeky monster banter brings the game to life.
HeroQuest is a massive game bursting with miniatures and adventure, yet beneath it all is a welcoming, easy-to-play ruleset perfect for any gamer ability. Roll the dice, move your hero and see what the dungeon throws at you. It’s big, bold and brilliantly simple.
