Board Game Design 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Starting Your First Game

So, the other day, one of my regulars—a high school teacher—leans over the counter while I’m trying to untangle a mess of price-gun stickers.

“I’ve got an idea for a board game,” he says.

“Awesome,” I say.

“But… I have no idea how to start. Do I just… you know, open a blank document and start writing rules?”

It’s the question I get all the time, second only to “What’s a good game for two players that isn’t too mean, but still has strategy, and my partner won’t hate it?” (The answer to that one is a whole other blog post).

Everyone has an idea for a board game. But that blank page, that empty table… it’s terrifying. My answer usually surprises them.

“Here’s the secret: don’t start from scratch. Your first step in designing a game is to break someone else’s.”

The “Blank Page” Trap

Look, designing a game from thin air is hard. You’re not just coming up with a theme; you’re inventing systems, balancing math, engineering player interactions, and trying to figure out what “fun” even means.

It’s not “decision paralysis,” where you’re stuck between too many good options. It’s “systems-design overwhelm.” You’re staring at a mountain of complex, interconnected tasks, and it’s not a bit-by-bit process. You’re trying to build a skyscraper with no blueprints, and you’re still arguing with yourself about what shape the windows should be.

New designers almost always burn out right here.

When I teach board game design classes, we skip that mountain entirely. Instead, I hand them a simple, barely-a-game demo and give them one instruction: “Make it better.”

My “54-Card Challenge” Method

I start by giving my students a super-basic, 54-card deck. Why 54 cards? Because it’s the magic number. It’s the same as a standard deck of playing cards (with jokers). It’s not too big, not too small, and it’s a number that just feels right for a complete, self-contained game.

Here’s the entire “game” I give them. It’s intentionally a little bland.

• Components: 1 deck of 54 cards (some cards are repeated).
• Goal: Get the most points. Only the cards in your hand at the end of the game count toward your score.
• Setup: Shuffle the deck. Each player gets a hand of 5 cards. Choose a random starting player.
• On Your Turn: You have two choices:
  1. Draw a Card: Add one card from the top of the deck to your hand.
  2. Play a Card: Choose one card from your hand, play it to a central discard pile, and resolve its effect. (Some cards have effects; some don’t. All are playable.)
• Game End: When a player draws the last card from the deck, the game ends immediately. No final turns. Everyone counts the points on the cards left in their hand.

That’s it. We play it once or twice. It’s… fine. And then, the real class begins.

The Design Behind the Demo

Now, before I set them loose, I explain the simple design principles I baked into that 54-card deck. This is the “why” behind the rules.

• Points & Effects: Every card has a “Point” value on it, which can be positive or negative.
• Positive Cards: Cards with positive points (e.g., +3, +5) are straightforward. A modest +2 card might have a simple effect like “Draw 1 card,” while a +1 card might have a more aggressive effect like “Steal 1 random card from an opponent’s hand,” forcing player interaction.
• Negative Cards: These are the junk in your hand… mostly. Some are just -2 points and clog up your hand. But then you might see a card that’s -8 points. Just pure, painful poison in your hand. But its effect is: “Put this card on the bottom of the draw deck.” This make the timing to get rid of this card become a decision.
• Combo Cards: I also include a few combo sets. For example, a “Goblin” card that’s -3 points on its own. Pretty bad. But the text reads, “If you have a set of 2 ‘Goblin’ cards in your hand at the end of the game, they are worth +12 points total.” This adds a risky, set-collection element. Do you hold onto that first -3, hoping to find its partner?

Now, Go Break My Game

Once they understand the “why,” I give them the real assignment: “Adjust the game. Design new cards, change the rules, re-theme the whole thing. I don’t care. Just try to make it more fun.”

This is where the magic happens.

My students always blow me away. Some of them immediately re-theme the whole thing, scribbling on the blank demo cards. Some dive right into the mechanics, designing wildly overpowered cards that always break the game (but they’re so cooool, and that’s the point!).

They’re not paralyzed. They’re tinkering. They’re designing.

The Most Important Step: “Is It Better? And Why?”

After they’ve had time to mod the game, the next step is the most important one: Playtest.

I have them swap their new versions with other students. Then, I ask the group: “Which version was better? The original demo, or your new one?”

The answer is usually “The new one!” But then comes the hard follow-up:

“Why? Specifically, what did you change that made it more fun?”

This is where you start building your “Designer’s Eye.” A good designer must have their own preferences and be able to articulate them. It’s not enough to say, “This game is good.” You have to be able to say:

“This game is good because the setup is fast and it’s easy to teach. It has a high portion of randomness, so an expert isn’t guaranteed to win, which makes it more casual and party-like—perfect for family. But, the scoring is a bit opaque, which makes it hard for players to know who’s in the lead.”

See? That’s a real critique. Having an opinion and being able to back it up is the entire job.

Your First Step (and a Little Homework)

So, if you want to get a taste of board game design, stop staring at that blank page. Go “adjust” an existing game.

1. Pick a simple game. Something you know inside and out, like UNO or Love Letter.
2. Make one change. Just one! What if in UNO, “Draw 4” cards could be played on any card? What if the “Guard” in Love Letter could only be played as your first card?
3. Playtest it. See what happens.
4. Ask the magic question: Is it better? Is it worse? Why?

That’s it. You just did a full design loop.

For your homework: Take my “54-Card Challenge” demo above. You don’t even have to make the cards—just think about the rules.

What’s the first rule you would change to make it more interesting?

Maybe you’d change the “On Your Turn” options. Maybe you’d add a “hand limit.” Maybe you have a cool idea for a new card effect.

Drop your idea in the comments below! Don’t be shy.

In my next blog post, I’m going to do a full deep-dive into the specific card list and design philosophy of the 54-Card Challenge. We’ll talk about why that -8 card exists and how card ratios are the secret to the whole thing.

Until then, keep playing.