Losing Balance - the role of balance in board games (Topic Discussion)
Balance in board games is one of those much-talked-about topics that keeps cropping up. Some people want games to be perfectly balanced, so that players' only advantage comes from their skill and hours of practice and graft. Others relish highly unbalanced games, where it's nigh-impossible to win, but when you do win, it feels amazing. Yet, balance in board games is much more complex and subtle than that. In this article, I want to look at the role that balance plays in board game design.Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2025/12/02/losing-balance-the-role-of-balance-in-board-games-topic-discussion/Useful LinksCosmic Encounter Board Game Geek page: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/39463/cosmic-encounterVotes for Women review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/02/10/votes-for-women-digital-eyes/Godzilla: Tokyo Clash review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2025/08/09/godzilla-tokyo-clash-saturday-review/Pandemic review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/01/18/pandemic-saturday-review/Root review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/02/12/root-a-game-of-woodland-might-and-right-saturday-review/[1] Cole Wehrle interview on balancing powerful positions with strategic liabilities, Elevation Games, https://www.elevation.games/blog/interview-with-cole-wehrle-designer-of-root-john-company-and-pax-pamirOath review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2021/11/27/oath-chronicles-of-empire-and-exile-saturday-review/[2] Cole Wehrle interview on emergent asymmetry in Oath, Tabletop Gaming, https://www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/features/oath-an-interview-with-cole-wehrle/Doubt is our Product Board Game Geek page: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/401361/doubt-is-our-productMusicIntro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/)Music: Relaxing Lofi - Ena, produced by Sascha EndeLink: https://ende.app/en/song/12224-relaxing-lofi-enaMusic: Relaxing Lofi - Dyo, produced by Sascha EndeLink: https://ende.app/en/song/12225-relaxing-lofi-dyoSupportIf you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/support/(Photo by Austin Neill on Unsplash)
