It’s the end of the holidays, and you are sifting through your pile of loot. You stack up the board games and review the titles. Do you know anything about some of the titles? Is there one that you know you don’t like? Not to fear. A game you don’t know, have no one to play with, or don’t like can be easily handled.
Loved ones always mean well when they wrap a game they think would you might enjoy. Returning a board game can be difficult if no gift receipt is available. Just because you don’t have a receipt does not mean your only option is to throw it in the closet until the gift giver shows up next year.
HOW DO I PLAY THIS GAME?
A game you don’t know how to play, or need more players to play is easily remedied by attending a local convention or meetup group. Most gamers enjoy teaching a new game to others and finding extra players is easy depending on the size of the event. In addition to checking out your Friendly Local Game shop, many Universities have gaming groups, and sites like MeetUp.com allow you to easily connect with other gamers.
I DON’T WANT THIS GAME
A game you don’t want can be handled a few ways. Donating, selling, or swapping are the best ways to off load your extra, gently handled games.
Donating to a local Goodwill type facility is a great way to help a charity and get a tax write off. Thrift stores are great places to find an old but slightly used copy of an out of print game. You have to do a bit of hunting and be patient but every so often a hidden gem is uncovered.
Selling games outright is a good way to get some of the value of the gift and reuse it towards something else, maybe a different game. Buyers can be found on craigslist or eBay. Some of the more popular games can fetch a decent price. Some of the local board game conventions even have tables set aside for attendees to bring things to auction. This can include more than just board games.
If you are feeling adventurous, a fun way to off load your game is to trade/swap with another gamer for something you want. Lots of conventions have a time/area set aside for game swaps and math trades. Math trades are really in-depth events where gamers makes list of stuff they have to trade and stuff they want in trade. A software program compiles all the info and makes matches that get posted for all to see. You may give your game to me but someone else gives their game to you, and I give mine to yet another. It seems pretty crazy, but it is more likely to net you a game you like while giving your game to a happy home. A fun side effect of doing trades/swaps is that you get to meet new people. It might be that they have a copy of a game you really want but the did not think to bring it, or they know who to contact about making further trades.
UNWANTED GAMES ARE FULL OF POTENTIAL
So don’t fret if you got something you think is a stinker. See if you can turn your piece of coal into a diamond. Might be that you can find someone to explain the game and sell you on the more fun points. Maybe you can get a bit of money selling your unwanted game and get the latest hot new item. How ever you decide to handle your games remember that even if it is played you can still sell or swap so maybe give it a try and see if it might just be a decent play.
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