INDIANAPOLIS -- When Kingmakers general manager Rebekah Sherman thinks about her favorite moment in one of her board game parlors, it actually has nothing to do with games.
One night at the Columbus, Ohio location of Kingmakers, a room of people playing games sang along to "Sweet Caroline" playing over the speakers.
"I think about that -- and it's so weird because I'm not an emotional person," Sherman said. "But for some reason, that's like so emotional. Just like a group of people, all there, doing the same thing and just bonding. That moment of bonding was pretty intense and a lot of fun."
Moments like that are why she and Malika Jacobs decided to open an Indianapolis location of Kingmakers. It opened in February at 881 Massachusetts Ave. It offers hundreds of games, along with cold beer and snacks to enjoy as you play.
If your board gaming experience is limited to Candyland with your younger family members and cards when you're bored and the power is out, you're in for a treat. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of new games that take some ideas from the "classics," and build on them for a different experience.
The theme, meaning the story behind the game, is so important for bringing new people in, Sherman said.
You could be competing with others to design the best medieval castle, cooperating with your table to escape a collapsing temple with as many jewels as possible, or trying to figure out who among you is a spy by asking accusatory questions.
"So many games are about resource management," Sherman said. "Like, this cube is worth five points. But if this cube is a resource, like a tomato you're taking on a trip, then it makes you care about what you're doing. ... Those themes can let you dive into another world."
If you look at some of the games on the shelf at the parlor and get overwhelmed about what to play, don't worry. Recommending games is the employees' favorite part of the job.
"I love when there's this perfect mix of being able to teach games and people having a good time," she said. "When you teach a game, and you teach it really well, that table comes up to you and says, 'I love that recommendation. What are we doing next?'"
Don't just take her at her word -- take a look at the bottom of the story for her recommendations based on a few "classic" board games.
At Kingmakers, you can play all the games you want that visit for $5 (credit or debit only -- no cash). You can buy beer, wine, mead and cider on tap, as well as specialty sodas and hot beverages.
If you're hungry, Kingmakers doesn't allow outside food (to avoid messy hands on the games), but it does have snacks on hand to buy, such as:
- Albanese gummy bears, both regular and sour. "Holy cow, those sour gummy bears will knock your socks off," Sherman said.
- Broad Ripple Chip Co. chips
- Vermont Smoke & Cure beef sticks
- Chocolate-covered pretzels
The beer and snacks help turn it from a night playing board games into a night "out."
"You can get your friends to come out," she said. "You're going out and you get that 'going out' feel with that stay at home fun. ... This is a nice blend of getting out of the house, having some drinks with friends and having something that you can play and do while actually talking to people."
If you like... Then you'll like...
If you like chess, then you'll like The Duke:
"For people who really want to explore and get great at chess, it would be The Duke. You have your duke and your footmen and it's a board very much like chess with the squares. The idea is to capture the other player's duke. But what's really neat about this game is it has a grid pattern on the piece that shows you how to move it. There are jumping movements and sliding movements and all other kinds. But what's really cool is once you move the piece, you flip it over and it has a whole different set of maneuver rules."
If you like Risk, then you'll like Small World:
"It takes Risk and kind of spins it where it gives you a little bit more personality. What's neat about this is you get a race and a power. Those are two different components that you slide together. Every time you play the game, a different race could have a different power. ... You're putting these two components down and seeing how they move, how strong some are. It gives you more versatility and is a little more strategic than Risk."
If you like Trivial Pursuit, then you'll like Wits and Wagers:
"Wits and Wagers shines for me because I'm not good at trivia and it gives me a chance to participate and not feel like I'm stupid. In Wits and Wagers, all the answers to the questions are numbers. Everybody writes down what they think their guess is, but it doesn't matter what you guess, it matters what you vote on. There's a betting mechanic of 'Oh, I think that one is the right one!' It makes it fun for people like me. People who love trivia love it, people who don't can still be part of the game and not feel inferior."
