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Suggestions for cooperative games on BGA?

Posted: 13 October 2025, 21:16
by newbiegeek
I’m a cooperative person by nature but can’t seem to find a cooperative game I enjoy. Most cooperative games I’ve played IRL seemed engineered to be so difficult (or practically impossible) to win, I was turned off.

I do love Just One, but I enjoy it much, much more in person. I guess because it’s more of a party game. The joy of it is laughter over clues and thinking alike or differently. Also, not worrying about time.

Online a good cooperative game for me would have strategy and tactics like a good competitive game. Like, wouldn’t a cooperative version of Terraforming Mars be fun?

“Cooperative” doesn’t even seem to be a filter/category when searching for games here, unless I’m missing something??

So…looking for suggestions. Any cooperative games you like to play here?

Re: Suggestions for cooperative games on BGA?

Posted: 13 October 2025, 21:22
by Meeplelowda
newbiegeek wrote: 13 October 2025, 21:16 I’m a cooperative person by nature but can’t seem to find a cooperative game I enjoy. Most cooperative games I’ve played IRL seemed engineered to be so difficult (or practically impossible) to win, I was turned off.
"Forbidden Island" doesn't fall into the "so difficult (or practically impossible) to win" category. I personally think it's too easy. "The Fox in the Forest: Duet" is a nice coop if you like trick-taking games. Of course, in the category coop trick-taking games the "classics" are the two versions of "The Crew." But "The Fox in the Forest: Duet" is good if you only have two players (I don't like playing The Crew with the dummy hand).
newbiegeek wrote: 13 October 2025, 21:16 “Cooperative” doesn’t even seem to be a filter/category when searching for games here, unless I’m missing something??
"Cooperative" is a filter under the heading "Mechanism" on the Games tab.

Re: Suggestions for cooperative games on BGA?

Posted: 13 October 2025, 22:22
by newbiegeek
Thanks!

Re: Suggestions for cooperative games on BGA?

Posted: 14 October 2025, 01:54
by Exotic Dreams
Burgle bros?.. Also there is a search criteria for cooperative games

Re: Suggestions for cooperative games on BGA?

Posted: 14 October 2025, 03:24
by Meeplelowda
Exotic Dreams wrote: 14 October 2025, 01:54 Also there is a search criteria for cooperative games
Something different from this one?
Meeplelowda wrote: 13 October 2025, 21:22
newbiegeek wrote: 13 October 2025, 21:16 “Cooperative” doesn’t even seem to be a filter/category when searching for games here, unless I’m missing something??
"Cooperative" is a filter under the heading "Mechanism" on the Games tab.

Re: Suggestions for cooperative games on BGA?

Posted: 14 October 2025, 04:32
by FrankJones
Pandemic?

Re: Suggestions for cooperative games on BGA?

Posted: 14 October 2025, 07:06
by Meeplelowda
FrankJones wrote: 14 October 2025, 04:32 Pandemic?
I'd assumed awareness of Pandemic and thought it might have been one of the games that was considered "so difficult (or practically impossible) to win" even though it really isn't.

Re: Suggestions for cooperative games on BGA?

Posted: 15 October 2025, 19:49
by cigma
Meeplelowda wrote: 13 October 2025, 21:22 "Cooperative" is a filter under the heading "Mechanism" on the Games tab.
The games in the "cooperative" category are very versatile in theme, mechanism and complexity. Some of them can also be played competitive, so check carefully before you start your game!

It sounds like talking is important for you having fun with a cooperative game, so please note that a lot of cooperative games have limited or even no permission for talking. But here are some suggestions for you :-)

Since you mentioned Just One, I might suggest Concept to you, which is also a word guessing game. In each round there is one clue giver, who "explains" the word by cleverly combining a set of icons without talking. The guessing people may talk (or write in the game chat) and inspire each other. Our groups always had a lot of fun playing this game! And we usually play it in friendly mode to avoid the timer.

Another kind of game is Dedale, where all players place tiles in order to build a prison which the Minotaur can't escape. It can also be played very talkatively and has easy rules. It has 10 different scenarios with rising difficulty. Bandido is another tile placing game and you try to block Bandido from escaping. So it sounds very much the same, but Bandido has only one scenario and isn't as easy to win.

A third talkative type of game is Forbidden Island / Pandemic / Solar Storm / Burgle Bros. They have some mechanics in common and are more complex in their set of rules, but still not too difficult to win, I think. Of those Forbidden Island is the easiest one, but they all offer different levels of difficulty. In these four games you are all playing against the game in order to escape (in one way or the other).

Please let us know which game is your new favourite!