Board Game Geek

There is only one place on the Internet that can truly be considered the source for board games, and that is Board Game Geek.

The easiest answer that can be given is that it is an Internet site dedicated to easy and hard-to-find published board games. Though accurate, that statement does not really cover the full scope of what Board Game Geek is. When you venture on the site, you will be absolutely overwhelmed by the vast amount of information found here. Features and resources run rampant through the dense site, and if you are not too sure of what you are looking for then expect to get lost.

If you are a game geek yourself, then this site is a definite stop on your list for board game information. Getting around the site can be daunting until you get used to all of the features. The design itself could be more helpful to you so take your time to familiarize with the options and features presented here. Once you get the hang of everything, the site can be very rewarding. Luckily, the guys and gals at Board Game Geek have seen fit to incorporate an easy to use rollover menu at the very top of the site.

The guide that is provided is pretty useful and easy to use. Although it is a dry read and very straight on the nose, the information is broken up into several categories and sub-categories. You can get to the guide by using the rollover menu at the top of the page and going to "Help" then clicking on "Guide to BoardGameGeek." Once there, you will see the headings and sub-headings:

• Major Content
  • Front Page
  • Forums
  • Miscellaneous
  • Bazaar
  • GeekLists
  • … and more.
• Buy, Sell and Trade
  • Marketplace
  • eBay Integration
  • Buying Guide
  • Trading Guide
  • The Unofficial Guide to Trading
• Other
  • Administration
  • Content Rules
  • Advertising
  • Geek Features like GeekCoins, GeekMods and more
  • Glossary of Common Terms
  • … and more.

Keep in mind that clicking on these links will take you to guides about those features.

Once you know where you want to go, you should use the menu at the top of the screen.

• Home
• Games
• Forums
• GeekLists
• Bazaar
• Misc
• Help

• Home: This option can take you back to the front page, check up on the recent submissions as well as read the BGG wiki. The welcome tab serves as a very detailed "About Us" page.

• Games: One of the most important tabs in the menu, the games tab lets you track down your game by various means (if you know the name of the game, you can just use the search box). You can find pictures of games, read reviews, learn about the various mechanics of board games and browse games by category.

The category tab deserves more insight as it is one of the most concise features of any board game resource. You may not have a specific type of game in mind, so this feature can really get your mind in the gaming mood. There are over 70 categories of games you can choose from including:

• Horror
• Abstract
• Civil War
• Fantasy
• City Building
• Deduction
• Pirate
• … dozens more.

• Forums: The forums on the site work like every other forum you may have been on. You can read and post messages, check out the hot topics and more. You have to be registered in order to participate on the forums though.

• GeekLists: Think of these GeekLists as a sort of Amazon "wish list" meets polls and a forum. The GeekLists allow you to vote and post about anything related to a game geek subject, like D&D March Madness which pits monsters from Dungeons and Dragons against each other and the site visitors can vote.

• Bazaar: A shopping center of sorts where you can check out board games on eBay or browse the site to see what site members have for sale. You can also buy BGG merchandise from the site.

• Misc: If there is something you are looking for and can't find or you just want to explore the site, then this is the category for you. Here you can find answers to geek questions, find stats and check out guilds among various other items.

• Help: When you can't find the information you need, this is the place to be and where you find all those helpful guides.

The pages for the games are very detailed and organized . You can see reviews and viewer ratings. You will also learn the number of players needed, publisher website, description, marketplace and eBay listings and pictures from gamers. You will even learn what awards the game may have won.

Registering on the site is completely free, and you don't have to register in order to use the site. Registering does afford you some benefits including adding new games to the databade, posting to the forum and adding images to the database as well. You can also use the handy quickbar.

When you first enter the site you will notice a lot of eBay listings. This is a nice feature for all you fans of auction site. You will see many listings for board games plus time left and current bid. You can click on the item to go to that listing.

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