Game Pieces & Parts

Board Game Pieces and Parts

Nearly every board game worth playing comes with many pieces and parts. Depending on the specific title, these include: dice, cards, pawns, tokens, miniatures, figurines, and various unique board-game pieces. These pieces can easily be lost, especially for older games; luckily, nearly any game can be made ready to play again by replacing lost parts.

Without the right game pieces, board games are often impossible to play. But a smart gamer knows that you never have to re-buy the game just to replace missing pieces. Many manufacturers sell small packs containing just the pieces to a certain board game. Monopoly, Clue, and other popular games nearly always do this. Classic games, such as chess, checkers, and poker will always have sets of pieces available. Several independent sellers also offer mass-produced generic game pieces. These pieces can be used to play nearly any game if you don’t mind giving up on an exact match. Many tokens, pawns, and figurines are universal to different games. For example, meeples for Agricola, Viticulture, Carcasone, and other board games are interchangeable.

If you can’t find exact replacements for board game pieces:

• Many generic tokens, pawns, and figurines can be subtly painted or modified to fit those missing from your games.
• Cards are nearly always hard to replace without re-buying the whole game. Instead, consider buying blank board-game cards. Then, you can look up online screenshots of the real cards. Simply write in the missing information, and you have a playable stand-in. This trick works for any game with standard or miniature cards.
• Unique game pieces, such as a rare miniature or specific character, can often be replaced easily, as long as the replacement is labeled and is close to the original’s size.

These are some of the easiest game pieces to replace for any board game. As most games require dice to play, stocking up on spares is always a good idea. Available types include four-sided, six-sided, 10-sided, 12-sided, and 20-sided dice. These are commonly referred to as D4s, D6s, D10s, D12s, and D20s, respectively. With a pair of D10s, any number combination between 0 and 100 can be rolled. Most basic board games, such as Monopoly, only use the basic D6s. More complex tabletop games and most RPGs will utilize D20s and others with a less-common number of sides.

• One important reason to buy extra pieces is in order to create your own game.
• You don’t have to be a professional game designer to make your own game. Self-made board games are a perfect activity for corporate events, family reunions, or just to put a unique twist on game night with friends.
• Most games will require some type of player token. Dice are also very common. Card sets, fake money, timers, and board stock are also important tools for the DIY designer.