Dear Reader:

You are viewing a story from GN Version 5.0. Time may not have been kind to formatting, integrity of links, images, information, etc.

Keeping It Casual: A Nintendo Fan’s Transition to Board Gaming

by rawmeatcowboy
30 June 2020
GN Version 5.0

Written by Chris James, Editor-in-Chief, Casual Game Insider magazine

I’m a Nintendo Fanboy. But I didn’t always realize this.

You see, I have played video games all my life, starting with the Atari 2600 and Commodore 64 when I was a young child. From my earliest stages of life, I watched and played the games that my older siblings were into. Then my brother and I saved up money working a paper route to buy our very first Nintendo Entertainment System. My mind was blown — almost as much as our game cartridges when they wouldn’t start up.

Then we were addicted to our Game Boys. When they were stolen along with all of our game collection (at Disneyland of all places), we decided to replace them with a Sega Game Gear, then soon picked up a Genesis. I really enjoyed these consoles as well, but soon got addicted to my friend’s Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64.

My video game preferences expanded much more over the years, from PC gaming (Quest and Unreal) to PlayStation and Xbox, I played all kinds of games seeking the next thrill. But over time, I have grown more and more tired of all the noise. I find myself yawning over the next big game — unless it’s coming from Nintendo.

There is just something about the games coming from Nintendo that continue to capture my interest. I am still fully addicted to every Mario game out there, and so many others just excite me. I have played and replayed retro Nintendo games more than any other games. I just yearn for the fun, colorful, and straight-forward gameplay of Mario, Donkey Kong, Kirby, and every other Nintendo franchise.

Why? Because I’m a casual gamer. I can say this proudly. I have embraced Nintendo for my core gaming needs. They just get me.

Board Games for Nintendo Fans

Fans of video games like myself can find just as much enjoyment (and sometimes more) by playing a game face-to-face with friends. But what most people don’t realize is that there is a similar divide in the world of board games.

How does one decide on a good board game? If you’re anything like me, sites like Board Game Geek just aren’t that appealing. The top-rated games on a hardcore board gaming site always include games that are far more complex, long, or overblown than I care to get into. Why? Because I’m a casual gamer.

Board gaming has become my social escape for over a decade, which is largely fueled by my history and love for video games. I entered the board game industry by designing and publishing games that I love (casual games) because all the emphasis seemed to be placed on the hardcore titles. Where were all the games I wanted to play?

I soon realized that there were many people out there who thought the same thing. We needed to define a new genre of games that could be promoted in their own category: the casual game. Games that weren’t marketed exclusively to children or families, but that stood on their own and could be enjoyed by adult game groups who just love to play games for the fun of it — without having to spend hours to learn a game, or dive deep into strategy and tactics. Basically, the same type of experience that Nintendo provides in the world of video games.

So, we launched the website Casual Game Revolution and began publishing a quarterly print magazine, Casual Game Insider, which is now celebrating its 9th year of publication. Playing and promoting great casual games has become my full-time job and my greatest passion. With the help of a great team, we bring you the best that the board gaming world has to offer.

Do yourself a favor and try some of the great new casual board games that have come out in recent years. You can read all about them in Casual Game Insider — as a Nintendo fan, you’ll find it’s right up your alley.

Vincent Paone from Dad’s Gaming Addiction put it this way: "As someone who has subscribed to Nintendo Power for years as a kid, I wholeheartedly approve of any magazine that helps expose folks to all sorts of family-friendly gaming content. Casual Game Insider magazine, focusing mainly on tabletop games, goes above and beyond in that regard."

Help us launch our 9th year of Casual Game Insider, now on Kickstarter.