Eurogame

[citation needed] Likewise, they generally require more thought and planning than party games such as Pictionary or Trivial Pursuit.

Due in part to postwar aversion to products which glorified conflict, the 3M series of strategy and economic games, including Acquire, became popular in Germany.

They offered a style of gameplay without direct conflict or warfare and led the way for designs that focused on resource management and competitive strategy through more peaceful means.

Although German-style designs were already popular within Germany, The Settlers of Catan, first published in 1995, paved the way for the genre outside Europe.

Knizia's notable designs include Amun-Re, Blue Moon City, Ingenious, Keltis, Lord of the Rings, Medici, Modern Art, Ra, Taj Mahal, Tigris and Euphrates, and Through the Desert.

[6] As the market expanded, some designers began creating deeper, more complex games often referred to as “gamer’s games” or “expert games.” Titles such as Agricola (2007) by Uwe Rosenberg and Terra Mystica (2012) by Helge Ostertag and Jens Drögemüller introduced more detailed resource management, longer playing times, and heightened decision depth.

[7] Other games in the genre to achieve widespread popularity include Carcassonne, Puerto Rico, TransAmerica, Ticket to Ride, Alhambra, Brass, and Terraforming Mars.

While Germany still leads in per capita board game purchases, the popularity of Eurogames has spread worldwide, and many titles now receive international distribution and acclaim.

[9] They also differ from abstract strategy games like chess by using themes tied to specific locales, and emphasize individual development and comparative achievement rather than direct conflict.

They are generally simpler than the wargames that flourished in the 1970s and 1980s from publishers such as SPI and Avalon Hill, but still often have a considerable depth of play.

Games such as Puerto Rico that were considered quite complex when Eurogames proliferated in the U.S. after the turn of the millennium are now the norm, with newer high-end titles like Terra Mystica and Tzolkin being significantly more difficult to master.

[10] To win, the player either has to achieve specific single-player campaign goals or beat the score of a simulated opponent that takes actions according to special rules outlined in the scenario.

Recent Eurogames suitable for solo play include Wingspan,[11] Terraforming Mars, and Spirit Island.

The role played by deliberately random mechanics in other styles of game is instead fulfilled by the unpredictability of the behavior of other players.

Examples of themes are: Although not relevant to actual play, the name of the game's designer is often prominently mentioned on the box, or at least in the rule book.

Later, Ticket to Ride was developed for both the iPhone and the iPad, significantly boosting sales of the board game.