Postcards From Berlin #36: Brandenburg Gate-ways

By Jeff Allers
May 19, 2009

German Word of the Month: Gelegenheitsspieler (casual gamer)

This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the opening of the Berlin Wall, when East Germans were finally allowed to pass through Brandenburg Gate. There are many special events planned this year to commemorate that moment in history, and much of it, I’m sure, will take place beneath Berlin’s most famous tourist attraction.

I was thinking recently of the idea of the open gate – and all it represents – in relation to so many of the English-language gaming articles that use the term “gateway game.” Easy accessibility is implied, of course, meaning the rules are simple enough for anyone to grasp, the playing time is short enough for the modern family schedule, and the games are tight enough to keep just about anyone aged 8 and up interested until the end. Then there is also the underlying hope that this will be a game that awakens the interest of a gaming agnostic to the wider world of more complex board games – to cross over the wall, so to speak.

The funny thing is that I rarely hear this kind of terminology used in Germany. Perhaps it’s because the very nature of most German board games is to appeal to families, and German families on a whole seem to be much more open to playing board games, even those games of moderate complexity. A majority seem to be Gelegenheitsspieler, and many others have shelves full of good-sized game collections mixed in with their personal libraries. Many pack up the kids and take them to Spiel, the Essen gaming convention, every year or shuttle them to the week-long Oberhof “gathering” for Easter vacation. And of course, there is the much talked-about Spiel des Jahres award, which specifically looks for innovative games that are still playable by a wide range of age groups. Gateway games seem to be the norm for the industry here.

Even so, there are still Germans who haven’t passed through the gate or even been introduced to the possibility. As I’ve now had the opportunity to organize several game groups, it has been interesting for me to see what kinds of games will entice someone to the table.

With my former youth group, it was a game most would not call a gateway, as the rules are some of the most complex in my collectionand it has a fairly long playing time. Because of its rich theme, though, War of the Ring has been a consistent introductory game for teenage boys who are fans of the epic fantasy recently put on film. After making it through a game or two, they are usually ready to try some of the other games in my collection.

Another unlikely gateway game that has been enjoyable for some of the youth who have come to my new game nights is Age of Empires III. The initial appeal, as in War of the Ring, is the theme – and the fact that they enjoy the computer game. It seems that license tie-ins can be a good thing for serious board games after all – a fact that is not lost on Kosmos, which seems to be releasing a slew of original “designer” games connected with popular books and films. It is, at the very least, a refreshing switch from repackaging old-school games with the latest hot licenses.

Of course, Kosmos also has the distinction of actually creating a marketable license originating with a board game. Since its release in 1994, The Settlers of Catan has not only sold numerous expansions and spin-off games for the company, but also puzzles and even a novel based on the setting. I would not be surprised to see a motion picture on the horizon (although I would be more interested to see what Pixar would do with the card game Bohnanza and its many colorful characters).

In any case, theme seems to be a big part in making a game a “gateway,” regardless of complexity. Of course, themes may not often resonate the same way in different cultures. I’ve heard that the new Hans im Glück release Finca, for example, has gotten some mixed reviews in the States. The game’s setting in Mallorca, however, is an eye-catcher for Germans, as the Spanish island is one of their most attractive and inexpensive tourist destinations.

Surprisingly, though, I did find some exceptions to the “theme is a gateway” argument. As I was chatting with Michael at his game café recently, he told me his most popular gateway games were actually those from the abstract GIPF series. Apparently they are perfect for couples out on dates who happen upon his café and do not want to be overwhelmed with rules and theme – I suppose they have all the “theme” they need in their budding romances. Michael said that they are nevertheless impressed by the depth of the games and usually come back to the café, bringing more of their friends. Since the GIPF series is two-player only, Michael then has the opportunity to recommend various multi-player games.

Fellow Berlin game designer Günter Cornett took it one step further, adding an attractive albeit thin theme to his abstract design, Hey, That’s My Fish! , a game that has also proven successful with just about everyone I know, regardless of gaming experience. It has the simplicity and elegance of rules of the GIPF series, with just enough theme to attract the Gelegenheitsspieler. Günter has even made a large-scale version complete with blue tarp, vinyl tiles and penguin costumes, and he brought it to a recent park festival I helped organize. It was fun to experience the game in a new way, actually having to jump from one piece of ice to the next, and watching it disappear all around as the game progressed. It can only make the game more accessible, entertaining bystanders with a strategic board game played by grown men in silly outfits.

In the end, it’s easy to question the logic of even calling a game a “gateway,” as there really are no limits or rules as to how someone might be attracted to the hobby. Even if a game grabs someone, it might possibly be the only game they ever want to play.

And that’s fine with me…even if I have to dress up like a penguin.

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