Does The Art Matter In A Board Game?

Art in board games has been a long and winding debate. After all, does art matter in a board game? It’s a similar question to whether or not a book cover truly matters, and today we’re going to answer that question.

The art in a board game matters. However, it should only matter in terms of improving the board game experience. It should not be the sole motivating factor in purchasing a board game.

People Like Pretty Things

We have a culture that is, for better and for worse, based around aesthetics. So, for the better, aesthetics (how beautiful something is) force us to consider what is beautiful and what we can do with things to make them beautiful.

There are so many different things we can do too! Just look at how many different art forms there are! Art, music, comics, writing, dancing, movies, TV shows, video games, and so many more.

That’s not to mention the aesthetics of design. This would be for things like building construction, websites, and the technology and appliances we use. How about interior design too?

Basically, aesthetics are everywhere. Heck, we can look out our windows and see examples of nature’s aesthetics.

But there’s also that “for worse” part of aesthetics too. Unfortunately, people, myself included, are obsessed with aesthetics. There’s an underlying threat to so many of the aesthetics we push. Examples include things like, “Be skinny or else,” “Be good-looking or else,” and “Be fashionable or else”.

In short, “Be perfect or else”. Our handwriting needs to be perfect, our grammar/spelling needs to be perfect. Even I struggle with making my content perfect.

And when something doesn’t meet an aesthetic or at least come close? Well…that’s where that “or else” comes in, doesn’t it?

Should People Like Pretty Things?

Book covers sell books. Board game covers and board game art sell board games. Good-looking people sell movies, TV shows, concerts, and more. Heck, good-looking people run scams more often than we’d like to think, and people buy in because those people are good-looking and know how to be charming.

In short, us liking pretty things makes us vulnerable to spending money on those pretty things. If you saw the best-written book ever, but it had the ugliest cover ever, would you buy it? You might, but it certainly wouldn’t be as easy of a choice to make as if the cover was a pretty one.

On the other side of things, would you be willing to play a board game that looked a little gross? Probably, but how often?

I’m not saying everyone struggles with this problem with pretty things, but a lot of us do. We don’t outright reject the things that don’t meet those perfect-aesthetic standards, but in many ways, we passively push them away. We don’t play them as much, look at them as much, get them as much.

So, where does that leave us with whether or not art matters in a board game?

Some Insight From Board Game Designers And Publishers

I remember once watching a video of a group of board game designers/publishers talking about pitching board games. For those who don’t know, “pitch” doesn’t literally mean they threw them; it means they were trying to get a publisher to pick them up.

One of the publishers who also happens to be a designer talked about how he couldn’t care less what the art was when hearing a pitch. I don’t exactly recall his reason why, but I imagine it was because the art wasn’t important when it comes to being sold on the mechanics of the game or when playtesting the game.

Trust me, look at some photos of early prototypes of games. Those things might as well be drawn with crayons. That, or they’re a bunch of white cardboard and paper put together.

Still, what he said stuck with me since then and made me really think about whether or not art matters in a board game. If it doesn’t matter as much during pitching and playtesting, then should it matter as much when it comes to playing and buying the game?

Does The Art Matter In A Board Game?

Yes, it does. I do agree with what (probably) that designer/publisher said about it not being the most important part though. Art can really help bring a game to life, but it shouldn’t sit higher than how the game plays.

For example, art can make a game feel more sinister. Just look at Mansions Of Madness 2nd Edition. That sinister feel adds a lot of atmosphere to the game and helps the theme to come across better.

As another example, consider the art of Queendomino. It’s bright, colorful, and fun. It communicates this is a lighthearted, fun game that lots of people can enjoy, and because the art is bright and colorful, it adds to that joy too.

Now, imagine, for a moment, that you just got a new game. It has amazing art! But each time you play it, no one’s laughing or smiling. No one’s standing up out of their seat when something crazy happens.

You just play the game then put it away. No one’s really upset because it’s not a bad game, it’s just okay. But, hey, at least the art’s amazing, right?

On the other side of things, you can have a game that is hilarious, full of juicy strategy and is just an all-around blast to play. People are talking about it for days and weeks after. One such game happens to be my favorite game: Ascension.

An Example With My Favorite Game

Ascension has great art now, but back when the first set came out, its art divided people. Lots of people thought it was sloppy or downright bad, others thought it had a unique aesthetic. I personally liked it, but guess what? Ascension is still around today, is releasing collector’s editions, and just released Ascension Tactics, another game in the series I enjoy.

So, when it comes to board games, art does matter, it’s just not the most important part. In the end, art is just one piece of the puzzle, but it can add a lot to a board game by immersing us more in the theme and adding to the overall feel a game brings to its players.

Did You Know?

(Each time you refresh the page you will get a new “Did You Know” fact!)

Did you know that Terror Below is a game inspired by the movie, Tremors? It’s not a filler game, but it’s a fun game nonetheless. Head over here to check out my review of Terror Below!

Conclusion: Does The Art Matter In A Board Game?

So, there you have it, an answer to whether or not art matters in a board game. It does, just not as much as we think it does.

What do you think though? Do you think art is the most important part of a board game or not? Let me know in the comments below!

And, as always, keep on gaming, fellow board gamers.