Euro games — Store offers players a fun, global way to interact

It's a lighthearted group that sits around the table tonight.

The St. Petersburg game board in the center of the table is a source of banter instead of competition, as it can be some nights. The point of the game is economy control and resource management while trying to keep opponents from getting the resources they need. It appears as though Gary Averett, a frequent visitor to Game Night Games where the group is gathered, is going to win tonight.

"It's like one of those tense and action-filled English novels," said Zoe Wieth, who is playing St. Petersburg with Averett. "Nothing is happening, but you're glued to the screen because you have to see what happens."

As the players complete the fourth and final phase of the game, Averett's prediction of his impending win comes to pass, and he ends the game well ahead of the other players.

Game Night Games, 2030 S. 900 East Suite E in Sugar House, provides people such as Averett and Wieth a place where they can come play board games several times a week, with those same games available for purchase. The store specializes in European and family strategy games.

European games generally have beautiful artwork, tend to be more interactive than traditional American board games and play more quickly, so a typical game takes 90 minutes or less, said Tim Hall, who co-owns the store with his wife, Valerie.

Games are also based more on strategy than luck. Two of the most popular and well-known European games are Ticket to Ride and Settlers of Catan. Settlers has been out since 1995 and won the German Game of the Year Award, which is kind of like the Academy Awards of board games, Hall said.

Many of the games are German, because the German culture values time spent around the table playing games, Valerie Hall said.

"Germany is the most productive area for game designs," Tim said, noting that the store does carry some from France and Italy and even a few classic American games such as Twister. "The thing that the average person may not understand based on their experience is how these board games can be like a hobby instead of a pastime or tradition. These games are so good people tend to play them more often. Because they don't take as long to play, they fit more into the average person's schedule."

This is just the case for Averett, who doesn't have a lot of spare time.

"With me, time is very, very valuable, and I get very little spare time to do anything," he said. When he was younger, Averett would play word games, but they would take two to three weeks to finish. Online word games are faster, but there's not as much interaction. "I don't really have a favorite game. It's the one I can play or who I'm playing with more than what I'm playing."