Fun fact. April 13th is world Scrabble Day. Here at Overclockers UK, we saw this as the perfect opportunity to look at one of the different facets of gaming. Tabletop gaming. More specifically, the best ways to play tabletop games digitally.
We are currently living through a board game renaissance. Game Night no longer means getting halfway through Monopoly before someone flips the table in an epic rage quit. From Carcassonne to Catan all the way round to Indie Kickstarters, there is a board game out there for everyone. So, grab a cuppa and come with us as we take you through the best ways to play digital board games. With a few cheeky hardware recs thrown in along the way.
Benefits of a Digital Game Shelf
Any board game enthusiast will tell you; these games take up a lot of space. There are only so many Kallax bookshelves in the world! So, the real benefit to digital board gaming is how much space you’re going to save, as well as a few pretty pennies. Without all the components and inserts, digital board games can be considerably cheaper than their physical counterpart.
Asmodee Digital Board Games et al.
To clarify, when I say “digital board games”, I do not mean “Words with Friends” and the other Scrabble-esque games developed through social media. I mean full blown, digital versions of popular tabletop games. Open up Steam and search for the first board game that comes to mind.
Game of Life, Potion Explosion, Carcassonne, Catan, Wingspan; there are many great digital adaptations of board games. Complete with their own captivating soundtracks and quirky animations. Many use local or online multiplayer modes where you can play with friends or against strangers, so you can always get your board game fix.
Another great benefit is that there’s more than just the base game available. Take Carcassonne, for example. First published over twenty years ago, this tile-laying game has spawned many expansions to add new layers of gameplay to a basic mechanic. On Steam, you can pick up a selection – or all! – of these expansions with the base game. The physical versions would take up an entire shelf, whereas the digital version takes up just 12GB. Also, the digital game scores for you. No brainer.
Your Digital Shelf
Of course, with so many board games available on Steam, you have to consider how much space you have on your digital shelf. Expanding your storage with a lightning-fast SSD will solve any issues that arise from the need to have them all. (Anyone else blame Pokémon for their hoarding?) At Overclockers UK, we have a choice selection of SSDs from brands such as WD, Samsung, and Seagate, all with impressive capacities.
Here are three 1TB SSDs to give you an idea.
Seagate FireCuda 530
| Features |
|---|
| PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD |
| TBW 1275TB |
| Read 7300MB/s |
| Write 6000MB/s |
| 3 year data recovery |
Samsung 970 EVO
| Features |
|---|
| PCIe 3.0 NVMe M.2 SSD |
| TBW 1200TB |
| Read 3500MB/s |
| Write 3300MB/s |
| 5 year limited warranty |
Lexar NM790
| Features |
|---|
| PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD |
| TBW 1000TB |
| Read 7400MB/s |
| Write 6500MB/s |
| 5 year warranty |
Tabletop Simulator
Sticking with Steam, another option is Tabletop Simulator. Developed and published by Berserk Games, this is a fully rendered, 3D gaming environment for solo and multiplayers. It even supports VR. TTS is a physics sandbox where there are no limits to the gaming possibilities. Want to flip the table because you’re losing? Then flip the table. There’s a whole button for it.
The base game includes access to classics, such as chess, checkers, and poker, as well as the community workshop. Here is where TTS really comes into its element.Thanks to the complete customising options, players are able to replicate their favourite board games and make them available for all to play.
Games are made into a variety of languages and many come with automated scripting to bypass the fiddly nature of repopulating boards. Imagine replenishing the Star Realms market using your mouse and F to flip – it’s a hassle!
Being able to build your own table is available to all players. Publishers running Kickstarter campaigns often use this feature for playtesting prototypes. You can import images and assign them to blank boards, pieces, or cards. Customise layouts, change how objects are linked, and bring to life your dream game. Whether you’re making a board game or designing a dungeon for your next DnD session, there truly are no limits.
TTS Specification
For a game this complex, you would expect the specifications to be quite demanding. However, the only real stipulation is having DirectX 10.
| Component | Minimum Spec |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 7 SP1+ |
| Processor | SSE2 instruction set support |
| Memory | 4GB RAM |
| Graphics | Graphics with DX10 (shader model 4.0) capabilities |
| DirectX | Version 10 |
| Storage | 3GB available space |
Having spent many an hour at the virtual table, I will say this: 4GB of RAM is not enough. Most of the games run fine on this amount of memory, but those with lots of pieces, built-in expansions, and complicated scripting will crash your computer if the RAM is not up to scratch. I tried to open the Stardew Valley board game before upgrading, it did not end well.
Better safe than sorry, 16GB, or perhaps even 32GB RAM will keep Tabletop Simulator running smoothly. Plus, the benefit of higher RAM capacity will extend to the rest of your gaming library. If you’re in the market for a cheeky upgrade, here are a couple RAM kits Overclockers UK can recommend.
Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 16GB DDR4 RAM
| Features |
|---|
| 16GB RAM (2 x 8GB) |
| DDR4 |
| 3600MHz clock speed |
| CAS 18-22-22-42 timings |
| RGB lighting |
Kingston Fury Beast 32GB DDR5 RAM
| Features |
|---|
| 32GB RAM (2 x 16GB) |
| DDR5 |
| 6000MHz clock speed |
| CAS 40-40-40-77 timings |
| Sleek black aesthetic |
The Try Before You Buy Approach
Perhaps you’ve only recently discovered the wealth of tabletop board games out there, and aren’t sure where to invest your time. There are free-to-play options, too. Browser-based websites such as Board Game Arena and Tabletopia have the option to create free accounts.
Tabletopia is like a web-based version of Tabletop Simulator, offering more perks to the premium accounts. Board Game Arena, on the other hand, puts far fewer restrictions on free members. Play with fellow gamers across the world at real-time or turn-based tables, over a mind-boggling selection of board games. Even compete in tournaments!
With these being web-based, having a stable connection is paramount. If your internet dies halfway through a game, your opponents have the option to boot you from the game if it takes too long to log back on. Very frustrating for all involved. With a proper gaming router, this will not be a problem.
TP-Link Archer AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 MU-MIMO Gaming Router
| Features |
|---|
| Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax Wi-Fi) |
| 5GHz: 4804Mbps / 2.4GHz: 1148Mbps |
| Ultra connectivity: WAN, LAN, and USB ports |
| 1GB RAM and 128MB Flash memory |
ASUS TUF Gaming AX3000 V2 Dual Band WiFi 6 Router
| Features |
|---|
| Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax Wi-Fi) |
| 5GHz: 2404Mbps / 2.4GHz: 574Mbps |
| 160MHz bandwidth |
| 1.5GHz tri-core processor |
Another thing to consider is your screen size. Some games are sprawling, others have dynamic layouts; getting a bigger display will mean you spend less time scrolling up and down, or zooming in and out of gameplay. Smaller screens, especially laptop screens, don’t give you the full benefit. Here are a couple of gaming monitors which provide great canvases as well as all the juicy benefits for AAA titles. Cheeky bonus, if you would like to know which monitor panel type is best for you, check out this article!
iiyama 24″ G-Master GB2470HSU-B5 IPS Gaming Monitor
| Features |
|---|
| 1920 x 1080 display resolution |
| 24″ display size |
| 165Hz refresh rate with 0.8ms response time |
| FreeSync Premium |
| IPS panel type |
ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1R 24 IPS Gaming Monitor
| Features |
|---|
| 1920 x 1080 display resolution |
| 24″ display size |
| 165Hz refresh rate with 1ms response time |
| ASUS Gameplus technology |
| IPS panel type |
Don’t know your VA from your TN? We have a dedicated guide detailing the different monitor panel types and what they are good for. Never again will you scratch your head at IPS!
In Need of an Upgrade?
Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from looking at all these options and going, “Yes, please, I’ll take the lot.” Maybe evening thinking it’s time to completely upgrade your system. Here at Overclockers UK, we sell gaming PCs and gaming laptops to suit every need. These are my top picks for the digital board gamer.
Refract Gaming Jade Pre-Built PC
| Features |
|---|
| AMD Ryzen 7 7700 CPU |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti GPU |
| 32GB DDR5 RAM |
| Comprehensive storage |
| Windows 11 64-bit |
Gigabyte G5 Gaming Laptop
| Features |
|---|
| 15.6″ FHD 144Hz display |
| Intel Core i7-137620H CPU |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU |
| 16GB DDR5 RAM |
| 1TB PCIe SSD |
So When’s Game Night?
Drop us a comment below with your favourite virtual tabletop game. You can often find me at the Welcome To… table on BGA!
PC specs are subject to change.
- 8 min read
Emily Haylock
Author
Emily is a board and cosy gamer, keyboard obsessive, and content copywriter for Overclockers UK. She has been with Overclockers UK since 2020, writing about everything from noblechairs to 8Pack PCs. She writes from within her desk nest with a foster pup at her feet. (What, a desk duvet is a totally normal thing!) In her downtime, she likes to play board games, farming sims, and old-school Final Fantasy. IX to be specific. It is the best, and that is a hill she will die on.
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