Cooperative Board Games: A Beginner's Guide

Cooperative board games, where all players work together to beat the game rather than each other, have become one of the most popular categories in the hobby over the past decade. At Cardboard & Cider, they're consistently what we recommend to groups with mixed experience levels, and for good reason.

How cooperative games work ¶

In a cooperative game, the players share a goal and the game itself acts as the opponent. You might be trying to stop a disease from spreading across a map, escape from a sinking ship, or complete a mission before a timer runs out. Everyone wins together or everyone loses together.

This changes the social dynamic at the table significantly. Instead of trying to outmanoeuvre each other, players are sharing information, making joint decisions, and managing a shared problem. For groups who don't know each other well, or who include players of very different experience levels, this tends to produce a much more comfortable first session.

The 'quarterbacking' problem and how to avoid it ¶

The main criticism of cooperative games is that one experienced player can end up directing everyone else's moves, which leaves the other players feeling like they're just following instructions. This is a real issue in some games and with some groups.

The fix is usually a house rule: each player decides their own action before anyone else comments on it. Most cooperative games are designed with this in mind, and the better ones have mechanics that make it genuinely difficult for one player to see the whole picture at once.

Good starting points for new players ¶

The library at Cardboard & Cider has a section specifically for cooperative games, and the staff can point you toward titles that work well for first-timers. Generally, look for games with a play time under ninety minutes, a clear win condition, and a difficulty rating that doesn't require reading a forty-page rulebook before you start.

The Saturday teach sessions in September will feature two cooperative titles specifically chosen for new players. No experience needed.

When competitive games are the better choice ¶

Cooperative games aren't always the right answer. If your group is experienced and enjoys the tension of direct competition, a cooperative game can feel too low-stakes. And some of the best games in the library are competitive ones that are perfectly accessible to new players because the rules are simple even if the strategy runs deep.

The honest answer is that it depends on the group. Ask the staff and they'll give you a straight recommendation.

If you've never played a cooperative game before, the Saturday teach session is a good place to start. Martin picks accessible titles specifically for that format.