Upgrading Your Board Game Components: Worth the Price or Unnecessary Expense?

Are You Really Gonna Spend That Much on Upgrades? The Board Game Component Conundrum

Let’s face it, there’s something magical about board games. And sometimes, that magic comes from the little bits and pieces found within the game: the wooden meeples, the plastic tokens, the metal coins, or even the humble cardboard chits. Ah, yes, the never-ending allure of game components! And while we all enjoy a well-crafted game session with stock components, the undeniable appeal of upgraded components has got us all thinking, “How much is too much when it comes to upgrading my favorite game?”

Stepping Up the Game

Now, we all have that one particular game that holds a special place in our hearts, be it Dominant Species, Gloomhaven, or Azul, to name a few. And, it’s only natural to want to enhance your experience with some sweet, sweet component upgrades. There are several options out there, from 3D printed resources and terrain tiles to acrylic overlays and custom meeples. Yes, there’s a rich smorgasbord of tempting upgrades to feast your eyes upon. But, is the cost worth it?

Cash for Components – The Pricey Situation

Ask any board game enthusiast and they’ll tell you – upgrading components can be expensive. Just take a look at some board gamer conversations:

The Upgrade Dilemma

James would like a full set of 3D terrain tiles for Mage Knight, but the price is prohibitive. Meanwhile, johnson wishes for better trays for Azul but isn’t ready to shell out the dough for wooden trays. Or consider the case of Ginger Gruetzenbach and Any James who both love Dominant Species, and while they could potentially upgrade to 3D printed animal tokens, they can’t justify spending more than the game’s original cost on these enhancements.

So, the question that’s left hovering over our heads is – how much should one spend on game upgrades? Is it justified?

Component Love – Where Do You Draw the Line?

As with any topic, people come down on either side of the fence; some firmly believe that standard components work well and feel no need for a cosmetic upgrade, while others will jump at the chance to improve the game experience.

For instance, Krissie loves Dominion but doesn’t care much for metal money. She does, however, enjoy the feel of coin capsules and sees the value in upgrading her tokens. Brian Hacker, on the other hand, has the Dominant Species upgrade and feels that the expense was worth it, even if it was initially hard to justify.

So, it all boils down to personal preference and how much weight you give to the visual and tactile aspects of a board game. One person might feel that the immersive qualities that upgraded components bring are worth the expense, while another may be satisfied with their gameplay experience using the base components.

Stay Budget Savvy – A Balanced Approach

If you’re not quite ready to empty your wallet on expensive upgrades, take a look at some savvy methods shared by other board gamers:

• William FB suggests sticker upgrades for Dune Imperium that make pieces look like high-quality components without the material waste.

• Tim Robert has multiple sets of Iron Clays, which he uses universally across games like Brass, Powergrid, and Age of Steam.

• If you have a 3D printer, consider creating your components, as some board gamers have printed organizers or storage solutions for their games.

Upgrade or Downgrade, It’s Your Choice!

At the end of the day, we all have different priorities when it comes to enhancing our game experiences, and there’s no right or wrong answer. Whether you’re upgrading your game simply because you love the tactile feel of enhanced components or you’re satisfied with the base game experience, what matters is that you’re enjoying the game.

So, whether you’re all in for the gorgeous game upgrade or you’re playing it cool with the classic components, keep rolling those dice and conquering those meeples. Meanwhile, stay tuned for more board game-related chitchat, where we delve into topics like immersion, gameplay, and those pesky storage dilemmas!