How Long Do You Have To Play Your Board Game for It To Be Worth Buying One?
Are you guys feeling bored?
How about a fun activity you can try out with friends and/or family?
Board games!
I guarantee that despite the name, you won’t be bored!
Jokes aside, I’m sure some of you love playing board games and spend hours and hours playing your favourite games.
Sometimes, these game sessions take place at my friend’s house, where they whip out their own copy of the game.
Then, there are other times when my friends and I pop by a board game cafe for a session.
So this brings up the question: Is it worth it to own a board game, or would paying to visit a board game cafe be more worth it?
Let’s find out!
TL;DR: Is It Worth Owning a Board Game?
Popular Board Games in Singapore
What are some board games you would consider buying?
Let’s look at some popular board games people buy here in Singapore.
Here are some of the top-selling board game titles, these range from simple, fun group games to the more complex games for hardcore board gaming fans.
| Board Game | Price |
|---|---|
| Saboteur | $24.90 |
| Codenames: Pictures | $35 |
| Monopoly: Singapore Edition | $49.90 |
| Cards Against Humanity | $29.90 |
| Settlers of Catan | $99 |
| Betrayal at House on the Hill | $59.90 |
| Exploding Kittens (Base Set) | $39.90 |
| Pandemic | $51.90 |
Board Game Cafe Rates
Now that we know the prices of the more common board games let’s look at the costs of going to a board game cafe!
Assuming everyone in your group of friends is a working adult, a fun board game session with friends would probably be a weekend activity.
Here are the weekend afternoon rates for two-hour packages at some of Singapore’s board game cafes.
| Board Game Cafe | Mind Cafe | Play Nation | Experience Point | King and the Pawn | Settlers Cafe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekend Two Hour Package Rates | $17.90++ (include free flow Drinks & Snacks) | $17.90++ (include free flow Drinks & Snacks) | $8 | $13 | $20 |
Since you are probably staying at the board game cafe for quite a while, you’ll probably want some snacks and drinks while you play.
With that in mind, we will be taking the rates from Mind Cafe and Play Nation at $17.90++
Furthermore, it is priced somewhere in the middle among the different rates the board game cafes we have listed offer, so you won’t have to worry about blowing your budget!
How Long Do You Need To Play?
Let’s crunch some numbers!
If you are paying $17.90 for a two-hour session at a board game cafe, this is how long you need to play the board games you bought for them to be worth owning.
| Board Game | Price | Hours Played |
|---|---|---|
| Saboteur | $24.90 | ~2hrs 47mins |
| Codenames: Pictures | $35 | ~3hrs 55mins |
| Monopoly: Singapore Edition | $49.90 | ~5hrs 35mins |
| Cards Against Humanity | $29.90 | ~3hrs 20mins |
| Settlers of Catan | $99 | ~10hrs 4mins |
| Betrayal at House on the Hill | $59.90 | ~6hrs 42mins |
| Exploding Kittens (Base Set) | $39.90 | ~4hrs 27mins |
| Pandemic | $51.90 | ~5hrs 48mins |
Now that you have seen the numbers, doesn’t it seem like it’s more worth it to buy a board game you and your friends really liked?
After all, given the amount of time needed to make buying a board game worth it, it will take only two to five sessions at the board game cafe for you to spend more than buying the board game itself.
Other Factors to Consider
Of course, this comparison isn’t all that matters when making such a comparison.
As a matter of fact, here are some other factors that might affect your decision to visit a board games cafe or buy the game.
Time Taken For Games
Games like Monopoly or Settlers of Catan take longer to play than the other games. Sometimes two hours might not even be enough for an entire game.
Owning the game can allow you and your friends to play for long hours without worrying about paying extra.
Furthermore, it makes it easier to track where everyone has stopped if the game spans multiple sessions.
Switching Between Different Games
Maybe you and your friends love going through a few different board games, or perhaps all of you just want to try out some titles before you buy them.
It doesn’t make sense to buy a board game only to have it collecting dust because no one wants to play it, right?
Therefore, one of the reasons why you might be paying for a trip to the board game cafes could be to access the library of board games available.
Food and Drinks Costs
Besides offering snacks and drinks, some board game cafes listed earlier also double as F&B establishments!
Of course, we can’t possibly go to our friend’s house and expect them to provide us with a menu, can we?
Furthermore, when we calculated the costs of playing the board games to be worth buying, we did not consider the cost of snacks and drinks.
If you’re planning on gathering at your friend’s place, maybe everyone can do some grocery shopping and split the costs!
No Available Space to Play
Unfortunately, not all of us are lucky enough to have friends who can host game sessions at their house.
Sometimes, it could be due to a lack of space, and other times, family members of you or your friends might not be welcoming to guests.
If that’s the case, it makes sense to pay for a space to play instead of gatecrashing your friends’ houses!
