You might be wondering about legacy board games and what gamers see in them. These games are different from your regular board games - they transform permanently as you play multiple sessions. The game evolves based on your choices and how well you play, which creates an unmatched experience that develops over time.
Rob Daviau brought legacy board games into the spotlight with Risk Legacy in 2011. The genre really took off when Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 arrived in 2015 - a game that many consider the most important breakthrough in legacy game design. These games work best as campaigns that you play with the same group of people. Players make decisions that leave lasting marks on the game - they stick on labels, write directly on the board, and sometimes even tear up cards. So picking the right legacy board game for your group means you need to understand this unique style and what makes it such a hit.
TL;DR
Legacy board games revolutionise traditional tabletop gaming by creating permanent, evolving experiences that build upon each play session.
- Legacy games permanently alter components through stickers, writing, and destruction, making every decision genuinely consequential for future sessions.
- These games create deeply personal experiences where your copy becomes uniquely yours, fostering shared memories and emotional investment within gaming groups.
- Popular beginner options include Pandemic Legacy: Season 0 or 1 for cooperative play, Zombie Kidz Evolution for families, and Charterstone for worker placement fans.
- Unlike traditional games focused on winning, legacy games prioritise the journey itself, with campaigns typically lasting many sessions before completion.
- The permanent nature means mistakes have lasting consequences, creating heightened tension and making players focus on long-term strategic planning beyond single sessions.
Legacy games transform your gaming nights from repeatable entertainment into meaningful adventures that become part of your group's shared history, with the altered game serving as a physical testament to your collective journey.
But wait... there's more
Understanding legacy board games
Image Source: The New Yorker
Legacy games break core conventions when players make permanent, physical alterations to components based on their choices and game outcomes.
Standard board games keep each play session isolated, but legacy games build upon previous sessions to create an evolving experience. Rob Daviau, a groundbreaking designer in the field, describes legacy games as "experiential" rather than "repeatable," comparing them to attending a concert where "you buy a ticket for an experience".
The games' unique identity comes from their focus on irreversible change. Players follow instructions to write names on cards, add stickers to the board, or even destroy certain components entirely. The games also introduce new rules mid-campaign that expand both mechanics and storylines.
Legacy titles include sealed boxes or envelopes that players find throughout gameplay, which creates excitement with each new revelation. The campaign structure tells a cohesive story - to cite an instance, see Pandemic Legacy: Season 1's three-act structure.
The biggest problem with these games is their finite replayability. However, many enthusiasts believe that the unique, shared experience justifies the investment. Some games remain playable in their final altered state after completion, while others provide refill packs to enable additional playthroughs.
What happens during a legacy game
Legacy board games create a unique experience that sets them apart from regular tabletop games. These games make your decisions stick, and their effects carry over to future sessions. Players physically change the game components by adding stickers to boards, writing on cards, and sometimes even tearing up elements they no longer need.
The game grows with you through the campaign. You'll open sealed boxes, packets, and envelopes that show new rules, pieces, and challenges. These surprises can add completely new mechanics, characters, or board sections that change the way you play.
Your choices matter more than ever. A sticker that gives a territory a lasting advantage or a character's permanent battle scar can't be erased. This makes the stakes feel much higher than regular board games.
The lasting nature of these changes creates a strong emotional connection. Players feel more tension because their mistakes will affect future games. This builds a unique story where your specific game develops based on what you decide.
Many legacy games offer different story paths. Your choices open up new directions, which means no two groups will play the same game. This personal development becomes your group's own experience - one that you can't recreate or start over.
Why people love legacy games
Legacy board games create deeply personal experiences that connect with players emotionally. Players feel engaged by real consequences in these games. Every choice matters because permanent changes affect future games. Players care less about winning and more about the trip itself. Many gamers report stronger emotional connections because mistakes leave lasting effects on future sessions.
These games shine at creating shared memories. Similar to your favourite TV shows, Pandemic Legacy tells compelling stories that bring people together.
Players love how they can customise these games. Each copy becomes unique with handwritten notes, strategic stickers, and pizza stains that tell your gaming group's story. The board becomes evidence of your shared adventures.
The best legacy board games give players three distinct ways to enjoy the game: strategy planning across multiple sessions, physical reminders of epic moments, and a rewarding sense of growth that mirrors real life.
Choosing the best legacy board game for you
Image Source: Age of Miniatures
Your group's priorities and experience level will shape the choice of your first legacy board game. Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 stands as the second-highest rated game on BoardGameGeek and draws players in with its familiar cooperative gameplay. Players make permanent changes through their decisions as the game unfolds across 12-24 sessions.
Zombie Kidz Evolution works great for families with young kids, as children from age six can play quick 15-minute rounds. Machi Koro: Legacy needs just ten games to finish, which makes it perfect for people new to modern board games.
Worker placement fans might want to think over Charterstone. This charming game takes 12 sessions to complete, and each one runs 45-75 minutes. Charterstone's complexity helps create lasting family memories - as one player put it, "you're crafting something that is yours".
Seasoned players often pick Gloomhaven or its more streamlined prequel Jaws of the Lion, which cuts down setup time without losing its strategic depth.
The group should set clear guidelines about quarterbacking (telling others what to do) before starting any legacy game. Each player should control their own moves to keep everyone involved. Remember that losing is part of the experience - these games usually let you retry failed scenarios.
Lasting Legacy
Legacy board games set themselves apart from traditional tabletop experiences with their unique mix of lasting consequences and developing narratives. These games change with each play session and create customised adventures that unfold across multiple gatherings. The physical changes - adding stickers, writing on components, or even destroying cards - make every choice matter.
The emotional investment these games create, explains their rising popularity without doubt. Your decisions impact more than just one session and promote moments that become part of your group's shared history. The game board changes into evidence of your collective experience, filled with custom touches that tell your story.
The right match depends on your group's priorities and skill level. You could start with the available Pandemic Legacy games or tuck into the complex world of Gloomhaven. Note that legacy games work best when players welcome both wins and losses as part of the story that unfolds.
Legacy games turn board gaming from simple entertainment into meaningful moments that stick with you long after opening the final box. Your experience becomes something uniquely yours - an adventure shaped by your choices and strategies. The permanently changed game sits on your shelf as proof of your shared story.
