Teaching complex games to new players: rewarding or just pain?

I've been trying to get my friends into heavier games like Spirit Island. On one hand, seeing someone's face light up when they finally get a cool combo feels amazing, like you've unlocked a new world for them. But then, the other side is spending half the night repeating rules while they stare blankly at their player board. I'm starting to think maybe it's kinder to just stick with simple games for mixed groups. But part of me believes every gamer should have the chance to try the deep stuff. Where do you all stand? Do you push through the teaching pain, or save the complex games for your hardcore group?

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3 Comments

smith.felix7mo ago

Teaching Spirit Island to newbies? That's like throwing someone into the deep end of a pool filled with math homework. That's a special kind of pain right there.

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joseph_torres7mo ago

Calling Spirit Island math homework is completely missing the point! The game is about working together and using cool powers, not doing calculations. I've taught it to several friends and they loved the story and choices. Math feels like a chore, but this game feels like an adventure. Sure, it has lots of rules, but you can start slow with the basic spirits. It's a blast once everyone gets into it, no pain involved!

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amy_johnson7mo ago

I tried teaching my sister once and she got that glazed look halfway through explaining the fear deck. We never made it past the math homework pool.

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