How to Design a Board Game

Coming up with a Basic Idea

Come up with a specific theme. Most board games revolve around a central premise or idea that helps determine how actions are taken and sets the tone for the player. When developing your theme, make a list of your interests or favorite genres and game types. Some of the most common themes for board games include space travel, medieval adventure, magic, and supernatural creatures like vampires and werewolves. For example, “Risk” is a military strategy campaign in which players compete for world domination, while “Candyland” takes place in a colorful fantasy world where everything is made of sweets. Take inspiration from other games that you enjoy, paying close attention to how the theme relates to the way the game is played.

Determine the ultimate goal of the game. Typically, a game’s primary objective will be suggested by its concept. How will players win, and what do they have to do to come out on top? It will be necessary to have a goal in mind before you can move on to formulating the rules. If your game deals with pirates, the objective might be to find and uncover a stash of buried treasure before the other players. In a horror-based card game about a flesh-eating virus, the victor will be the player who manages to survive to the end.

Write out a short description of your game. In 1-2 sentences, summarize the game's basic premise and primary themes. Be specific about what it is players are trying to achieve. Your description should say something like “‘Shop ‘til You Drop’ is a four-player game where players make their way through the mall looking for the best bargain. The player with the lowest amount on their credit card at the end of the game is the winner.” This description will also serve as a kind of rough pitch should you ever attempt to sell your concept to a gaming company.

Choose a gaming style. Put some thought into what sort of basic mechanics will work best for your game, such as how many pieces will be needed to play and what each of them will do. You might choose to incorporate cards to add an element of strategy, or encourage players to keep score or write down clues on a separate piece of paper. Try to narrow down a style that's a logical fit for the theme you've selected. A combination of different elements can help make gameplay more sophisticated. For instance, players could roll dice to see how many spaces to move their piece, then draw a card matching the color of the space to receive directions for their next roll. Make an effort to tailor the complexity of your board game to the age range of its intended player. EXPERT TIP Ashton Wu Ashton Wu Board Game Expert Ashton Wu is a Board Game expert at Shelfside. After delving into the Yugioh tournament community while growing up, Ashton launched himself into the board gaming community in 2014 and went into reviewing board games as a career full-time in 2019. His YouTube channel Shelfside has over 35K subscribers and over 4 million views, assisted by written reviews on the Shelfside website and BoardGameGeek.com. He also consults with gaming companies to build high-quality gaming products. Ashton is a tournament commentator, board game playthrough director, and host of the Shelfside Podcast, where he talks about board games with his business partner, Daniel. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in addition to the Technology Management Certificate. Ashton Wu Ashton Wu Board Game Expert Create a board game that is quick to set up, easy to play, and moves fast. Shorter games are usually more fun. Board game experts are seeing a trend towards shorter, streamlined games. A game with better flow, speed, and ease of movement will be much more enjoyable, so focus on mechanics that prevent dragging and make each turn impactful.

Working Out the Gameplay Mechanics

Devise a set of rules. Start with the goal of the game and work backwards to figure out what players will need to do to get there. Ideally, the rules you create should be simple, logical, and consistent, so that the game plays out the same way every time (with different results, of course). In many classic board games, players roll dice and move their game piece a certain number of spaces depending on the number that comes up. More sophisticated games, like "Thunderstone" or "Settlers of Catan," challenge players to build strong card decks or score points in order to win. For a game with a “paperboy” theme, players might roll to complete their newspaper route before the school bell rings while encountering obstacles like lawn sprinklers and unfriendly dogs on the gameboard. Keep them extremely basic at first. Little by little, you can make your rule system more intricate by adding secondary objectives, random events, or penalties for making poor decisions.

Determine how many players the game will have. Different types of games will work better with a different number of players. Most board games are designed for 2-4 players, but it may be possible for as many as 6 people to participate if the rules are simple and there are enough cards or pieces to go around. Keep in mind that the more people you have playing, the more difficult it will be to make the game mechanics work. A head-to-head strategy game could be played by as few as 2-3 people, whereas one that involves identifying a criminal from a lineup of suspects would benefit from having more players in order to make the gameplay more of a challenge.

Decide what type of objects the game will use. Your game might call for individual player pieces, cards, tokens, or any number of other components, depending on the theme and specific mechanics. The choice of what type of item will be used to perform the different actions is ultimately up to you. However, it will be best to go with accessories that are most practical for accomplishing the game’s goal. Stick to 1 or 2 components to keep the gameplay from getting convoluted. Players who are forced to juggle cards, coins, dice, and a pen-and-paper scorekeeping system will quickly find themselves overwhelmed.

Design the layout of the board. Now that you have an idea of how your game will play out, envision the exact form it will take. Designate your starting and ending points, draw out spaces, and mark where important pieces will be played. Be sure to label what each element is and describe how players will interact with them. When you’re finished, you’ll have a working blueprint for your game. The simplest game boards are there to direct the players’ movements. Others might serve as a platform for laying down cards and reading their outcomes, or provide clues for solving puzzles. Commit a crude version of your game board to paper as soon as an idea hits you. This will make it easier for you to work out any remaining kinks without losing the thread of the game.

Completing Your Board Game

Give your game a name. The title of your game should tie into its central theme. For instance, a game that’s about alien lookalikes trying to replace mankind could be called “Takeover.” Try out different ideas and see which one fits best. The ideal title should contain fewer than about 5 words, and be something inventive enough to stick in the player's mind. If you find yourself stumped, it may help to zoom in on key images from the game. What’s the most desired object in the game, or the most important part of the “story”? Take your time thinking up the perfect name. This can be one of the hardest (and often final) parts of the creative process.

Create a rough prototype. Use scrap cardboard to fashion the playing board, and turn improvised objects into game pieces. If your game involves cards, draw them yourself on paper or cardstock. The prototype for your board game doesn’t have to be fancy—all you need is a quick mockup that will allow you to give it a shot and see how it works. Don’t worry too much about how your prototype looks. The only thing that matters at this stage is whether it plays the way it’s supposed to. If you’re serious about making your game a reality, send your materials off to a custom printing company to have them printed professionally. The price will vary depending on the different components required, but you can typically expect to pay around $10-20 per game for a wholesale order.

Play-test your game. Once you have a functional prototype, invite a few trusted friends over for game night. After each round, stop to discuss what worked and what didn’t and encourage them to share their thoughts on how the game could be improved. Take detailed notes on the feedback you receive. It will be useful when it comes time to draft the next iteration. Make sure your players are people you can trust to give an unbiased opinion. That way, you can be sure that they’re shooting straight with you. Rather than giving your play-testers an in-depth spiel on how to play, write out the rules and see if they can figure them out for themselves. That way, you’ll know whether or not your instructions make sense. In order to draw out more helpful criticism, ask specific questions, such as, “Did the basic rules make sense?”, “Was there anything that confused you about the mechanics?”, or “What would have made this game more fun?”

Make improvements for the next edition. Take the criticisms you received from play-testing, along with your own observations as the creator, and use them as a guide to continue shaping your game. With each overhaul, your game will get better and better. After you’ve made a few tweaks, get your play-testing group back together and see what they think of the new version. Designing a unique, innovative board game is a slow process. You may have to go through multiple versions before you end up with a game that’s anything close to what you originally imagined.

Pitch your board game to a gaming company. Refine the rough description you wrote when developing the concept for your game into a professional 1 page pitch. Be sure to highlight the most important themes and gameplay mechanics, and include a note mentioning what makes your game different from the countless others like it. Then, submit your pitch to the company's development department, along with a polished, playable prototype. If it's innovative enough, they may get back to you with an offer. Shop your game around to different companies to find one you think would be a good match. Parker Brothers, for instance, specializes in turn-based, family-friendly games, whereas companies like Games Workshop and Arcane Wonders tend to put out titles with more emphasis on complex strategy and customization. Game developers don't have time to look at each and every submission in depth, so it's important that you send them a prototype that's fully functional. easy to comprehend, and different enough from the rest of their catalog to warrant publishing.

Making a Functioning Board Game

Cut out a durable game board. Plot out the specific dimensions you want your board to have, then trim your backing material using a utility knife and straight edge. You can then draw or paint on designs related to the game's theme. If you want your board to close with a professional quarter fold, use a utility knife and ruler to cut a slit from the center straight to the outer edge and fold the board into 4 distinct squares around the centerpoint. Stiff cardboard or composite board will be sturdy enough to hold up under hours of play. A sheet of vinyl backing (also known as "contact paper") is another good choice. If you've got some graphic design expertise, use an illustrator program to create a design for your game board. Print the design on sticker paper, then transfer it to the board for a cleaner, more professional look.

Write out a rule sheet. Provide players with detailed instructions on how to play your game. Walk them through the process step-by-step, from the first dice roll to the last card draw. Explain all the major pieces, card types, and board zones, as well as any special circumstances under which the rules might change. It's important that you use clear, easy-to-understand language when typing up your rule sheet, especially if your game has a complicated structure. This is a good chance to see the game's mechanics laid out in front of you and review for inconsistencies before you first play-through.

Fashion game pieces from ordinary objects. When putting together your first prototype, you can use just about anything to stand in for player pieces and other components, from clothing buttons to toys to other miscellaneous knickknacks. Draw upon many different objects to serve the different functions needed to play your game. Once you have a wide assortment, organize the various pieces by material so there will be some consistency to them. Make sure your accessories are just the right size for the game board. If they're too big, they may look disproportionate. If they're too small, they'll be hard to keep up with and may be easily lost. Try buying and painting small figurines to create detailed, one-of-a-kind game pieces.

Draw playing cards by hand. Cut sheets of heavy card stock into squares and trace your designs onto both faces. Alternatively, you can pick up a pack of small-sized index cards and do your doodling on the unlined back face. Use permanent inks so your artwork doesn't run or smudge easily. Include any other relevant information that the player might need during gameplay, such as category, point value, and directions for how certain actions should be followed up. One you've got your cards looking the way you want them, run them through a lamination machine. This will help safeguard them from tears, spills, and other accidents while lending them a sleek finish.

Package your prototype. Track down a clothing box of a similar size and stash your mockup materials inside. That way, you'll be able to keep everything together and protected when you're transporting it from place to place. Display the title of the game proudly on the box. A few original illustrations will also add a bit of DIY flair, if you're the artistic type. Assuming you're not as concerned with appearances, you could also invest in a compartmentalized carrying case to keep the game board, cards, player pieces, and other accessories neatly organized.