The Digital Difference

by Marlene Rivers

There is an ongoing trend of classic board games being ported to digital platforms. For instance, the popular tabletop wargame Ogre by Steve Jackson was revived last year through a video game adaptation. Some studios are even pushing the envelope, like Asmodee Digital, who is bringing classic board games to virtual reality. And before that, popular board games like Ticket to Ride and Splendor were already released in digital versions.

Of course, there are tabletop games that exist exclusively in digital. Blizzard’s Hearthstone is a prime example, as well as Valve’s upcoming card game Artifact, which is based on DOTA 2.

Here’s the million-dollar question: Is the gameplay any different?

Splendor Digital Edition

Digital board games retain many similarities to their physical counterparts. Most of the rules stay the same, with only slight adjustments to the digital version. This is true of digital games in general, in that the titles typically stay close to the source material. The catch is that there is room for developers to expand, such as animating the characters or moves made by the players. They can even leverage music to set the mood, especially if the game is associated with a popular band. This was the strategy used by Foxy Bingo on their KISS game, which features tracks from the band to enhance the gameplay. The game would have seemed incomplete without adding any of their songs. There are physical music-themed board games, but playing them just isn’t the same without hearing the actual music. This is an advantage digital games have over analog games.

Digital and physical board games also have their obvious differences, and the main one is the level of complexity. When playing tabletop games, it’s the players’ responsibility to keep the rules in mind. Once someone makes the wrong moves, the group is ultimately playing a different game. Also, some board games employ stats so the players have to make an effort to keep track of them. On the other hand, the rules are fixed in video games. This means, players can’t pull off any illegal moves or will be automatically corrected if they accidentally make wrong ones. It relieves the players of ever having to memorize the mechanics, since video games usually explain them mainly through tutorials. They also keep record of your stats as the session progresses.

As for which is better, it all depends. There are some aspects where physical board games fare better than virtual games, and vice versa. Digital ports might take the fun out of the game by making it simpler. Case in point: some people enjoy setting up a deck of cards in Ascension and Dominion, but that’s done automatically when playing their digital versions. At any rate, technological advancements led board games into its Renaissance period. Tomas Rawlings pointed out how many board game concepts have become a reality thanks to online crowdfunding efforts.

The debate of whether you should go for digital or physical ultimately depends on your preferences. Some people hate the idea of physically interacting with others, while some players love the appeal of sitting at a table playing board games with friends. We’re lucky to live in a time where both digital and analog tabletop games are flourishing.

Marlene Rivers is a freelance writer and fledgling game developer. She is currently learning how to port classic board games to digital. She has been a video game and board game enthusiast for 10 years, and her favorite title of all time is Dark Souls (both the video game and board game). 

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