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Best Language Independent Games
Dong Back Kim
Korea
Sydney Australia
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Hi all,
As a non-English native speaker living in a country using English, I have only bought those English versions. I don't really mind any levels of language dependence of games but then it is bit scary to imagine that under such circumstances it is highly possible there would be only game mates who don't speak or read English much but only Korean. Although it's been a short period of time being a board gamer, I've already learned no matter how good collection of games I have, unless there is a board-game-open-minded friend, it can be nothing but seen as some sort of outcome of anti-social mental disorder or psychotic behaviour.
Because of this fear, I would like to compile a collection of good "language independent" board games here. Please feel absolutely free to add more items if you think they are good language independent games.
Thank you very much!
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Dong Back Kim
Korea
Sydney Australia
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You don't even need to talk during the game. The construction names written in English might be a barrier to be an absolute language independent but those alphabet aren't complicated as those chinese characters so it is a great language independent game!
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Matej Hrovatic
Slovenia
Rimske Toplice
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This is probably my favorite language independent game.
Some of others
K2
Lost Cities - Fun short 2 player game
Ubongo series
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Dong Back Kim
Korea
Sydney Australia
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A very good board game yet with no text involved during the game.
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4.
Board Game: Qwirkle
[Average Rating:6.89 Overall Rank:416]
Dong Back Kim
Korea
Sydney Australia
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Like many abstract games are language independent, this one is not an exception. It is a very interesting abstract game yet it is very easy to learn unlike other fearful abstract games like Go. =)
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Classic language independent game with just the right mix of luck and strategy.
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6.
Board Game: Dixit
[Average Rating:7.50 Overall Rank:77]
Dong Back Kim
Korea
Sydney Australia
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I haven't met a person who doesn't like Dixit. This game is by far the most language independent game in the world. However, this doesn't mean the language of the players in the group can be more than one. The game is language independent but it requires a very high level of information abstraction skill, vision recognition ability, psychiatric knowledge and verbal representation skill to be the winner.
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7.
Board Game: Hive
[Average Rating:7.37 Overall Rank:115]
Ronald Chavez
United States
Hacienda Heights
California
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Another abstract game that uses no language. Heck there is not even a starting board.
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Dong Back Kim
Korea
Sydney Australia
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Games using numbers only are usually language independent ones. This one is quite popular in Korea. I think it's because it is very easy to learn about "how to think more". This game is famous for boring downtime during the play because opponent is often thinking in 7th dimensional strange world and believe what they've seen in the parallel universe exists in the current world especially on the game table for some reasons. Nonetheless, I do think this one is still a very attractive game for beginners of board game world.
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9.
Board Game: K2
[Average Rating:7.31 Overall Rank:252]
Dong Back Kim
Korea
Sydney Australia
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Matej Hrovatic
Slovenia
Rimske Toplice
Since I personally don't like mountain climbing, I'd never paid attention on this one because it has big mountain climbing image in the front of the box. However, after Matej recommended this, I looked it up and guess what. I now really want to play this one. I like the cool theme of the game as well. I checked one of the video review and it seems YES it is language independent game!
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10.
Board Game: Blokus
[Average Rating:7.14 Overall Rank:214]
Dong Back Kim
Korea
Sydney Australia
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Tetris in real world. This one is a puzzel game for 2 and 4 players (not 3 players really). It is really easy to learn and quick to play but once the learning stage is passed, it is a actually territory taking game! Very good family game!
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Dong Back Kim
Korea
Sydney Australia
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Bohnanza is not 100% language independent game to be precise because each card has their own name on the card. However, even it is played by someone who doesn't even know English alphabet, it can be easily learned and played because their illustrations and colors are distinctive so I say this game is language independent and yet a great fun game!
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Dong Back Kim
Korea
Sydney Australia
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If you can only count number 2 to 10 (note that 1 is not included!) then this game is definitely the number one game in your list! My wife and me have played this countless times. It's really strange though this game just gets heavier and heavier as we play more. A very nice 2 players card game!
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Dong Back Kim
Korea
Sydney Australia
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Mr. Jack is definitely a language independent game. In fact, no language is involved during the play. This one looks a fun to play at glance but once the investigation begins... it becomes a very scientific and mathematical game because it requires to construct binary search trees and compile a list of hypothesis on the Jack. The real investigation begins in 6th or 7th turn!
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Dong Back Kim
Korea
Sydney Australia
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This is a very simple trick-taking card game with a great fun. It has similar fun feeling like the lost cities!
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15.
Board Game: Shogun
[Average Rating:7.69 Overall Rank:45]
Roel Theuws
China
Guangzhou / Eersel
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Great game, no language needed.
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However, I don't think you fully understood what I meant by "Language Independent" (perhaps I abused words in a vague way). By "Language Independent", I meant, even the game is published in "a language" it is still playable by the ones using different languages. I didn't mean whether the game involves such verbal communication or not. For example, dixit is designed by a French (isn't it? 
