My history with board games goes back far into my childhood, from early games of chess to weekend-long games of Risk, but there are a few games that have been instrumental in my growth as a gamer. Ascension opened my eyes to euro-gaming, and Catan made me realize I would never play Monopoly again, but when I first started viewing gaming as a serious hobby Small World was the game that captured my fascination. It was the first euro-style game I personally owned and one that I’ve played more times than I can count. Small World is the perfect poster child for the start of the board game renaissance, a euro-style game that delivers a deeply thematic experience while being easy to play.
Small World is an area control game, like classics such as Risk or Axis & Allies, however instead of long “paint the map your color to win” epic slogs, Smallworld features quick turns as players cycle through several fantasy races throughout an hour long game, each turn earning coins that count towards final victory. As a result of cycling through races, a mechanic the game calls “going into decline”, players always feel that the decisions they are making are impactful. Even a player far in last place will have a moment when they get a new, large army that conquers a large section of the board.
Another way Small World breaks with classic area control games by largely forsaking the use of dice for combat. Dice are still present, but add a small amount of variance instead of being the central focus of the game. The strategic combat combines with a nuanced selection mechanic for the various available races. Each time an option is skipped, it becomes more valuable for the next player, so even a seemingly weak option becomes a good choice as the game goes on. The careful evaluation of both combat and the available fantasy races creates a game strikes a great balance between variance and decision making.
If modern euro-games have one weakness, it is often a failure to blend mechanics and theme in a meaningful way. Small World does not suffer this flaw in the slightest. As players move their armies across the board, the game creates a feeling of watching history; the Dwarves start as dominant in one region, but are supplanted by the Giants, who are in turn taken down by the Elves. After the final turn players breathe a sigh, count their coins and break into discussion about what just happened to this world. Few other games use mechanics to tell as story as well as Small World does.
Since delving into the board game hobby, I’ve played many great games, but very few have stuck with me in the same way as Small World. Its blend of euro-game mechanics and theme create a fast paced area-control game that the group is always ready to play. Turns fly by as a great story unfolds across the board. Players looking to grow a board game collection will be hard-pressed to find a better game to add to their lineup.
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