When you’ve got a limited amount of time to play a game or two, such as a lunch break at work, or if you’re introducing friends to the tabletop gaming hobby, it can be useful to have some games on hand that are quick to teach and easy to learn. I’ve sorted this list into three sections, but the sections are not mutually exclusive, just a way to offer quick lists for specific situations – several of the games on this list fit into multiple sections. 

1. Teach/Learn and Play in 30 Minutes or Less
2. Introduction to Tabletop Games
3. Gaming with Kids

Teach/Learn and Play in 30 Minutes or Less

Game Details
Name	Between Two Cities (2015)
Complexity	Medium Light [1.81]
BGG Rank	678 [7.01]
Player Count (Recommended)	1-7 (3-7)
Mechanism(s)	Closed Drafting, Highest-Lowest Scoring, Neighbor Scope, Set Collection, Simultaneous Action Selection, Solo / Solitaire Game and Tile Placement

Game Details
Name	Cat Lady (2017)
Complexity	Light [1.42]
BGG Rank	928 [7.06]
Player Count	2-4
Mechanism(s)	Open Drafting and Set Collection

Game Details
Name	Hanabi (2010)
Complexity	Medium Light [1.69]
BGG Rank	456 [7.06]
Player Count	2-5
Mechanism(s)	Communication Limits, Cooperative Game, Hand Management, Memory and Set Collection

Game Details
Name	Pixel Glory (2014)
Complexity	Medium Light [1.89]
BGG Rank	6959 [6.61]
Player Count	2-4
Mechanism(s)	Auction/Bidding, Deck, Bag, and Pool Building and Rock-Paper-Scissors

Game Details
Name	Santorini (2016)
Complexity	Medium Light [1.73]
BGG Rank	218 [7.41]
Player Count (Recommended)	2-4 (2-3)
Mechanism(s)	Grid Movement, Map Reduction, Race, Square Grid, Team-Based Game, Three Dimensional Movement and Variable Player Powers

Introduction to Tabletop Games

Game Details
Name	Azul (2017)
Complexity	Medium Light [1.76]
BGG Rank	65 [7.78]
Player Count	2-4
Mechanism(s)	End Game Bonuses, Open Drafting, Pattern Building, Tile Placement and Turn Order: Claim Action
Notes from Rebecca	A great intoduction to puzzle board games.

Game Details
Name	Lanterns: The Harvest Festival (2015)
Complexity	Medium Light [1.56]
BGG Rank	847 [6.89]
Player Count	2-4
Mechanism(s)	Hand Management, Pattern Building, Set Collection and Tile Placement
Notes from Rebecca	A great introduction to pattern building and set collection.

Game Details
Name	Megaland (2018)
Complexity	Medium Light [1.89]
BGG Rank	2314 [6.66]
Player Count	2-5
Mechanism(s)	Push Your Luck
Notes from Rebecca	A great introduction to modern press-your-luck tabletop games.

Game Details
Name	Paperback (2014)
Complexity	Medium Light [1.99]
BGG Rank	532 [7.16]
Player Count (Recommended)	2-5 (2-4)
Mechanism(s)	Cooperative Game, Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, Delayed Purchase and Open Drafting
Notes from Rebecca	A great introduction to deck building.

Game Details
Name	Ticket to Ride (2004)
Complexity	Medium Light [1.84]
BGG Rank	201 [7.41]
Player Count	2-5
Mechanism(s)	Connections, Contracts, End Game Bonuses, Hand Management, Network and Route Building, Open Drafting, Push Your Luck and Set Collection
Notes from Rebecca	A great introduction to route building. There are several variations of Ticket to Ride, featuring many different maps. The original has a US map.

Gaming with Kids

3+ years old:

Game Details
Name	Dragon Rapid Fire (2016)
Complexity	Light [1.00]
BGG Rank	21224 [5.35]
Player Count	2-4
Mechanism(s)	Dice Rolling and Roll / Spin and Move
Notes from Rebecca	This game of racing dragons is adorable and fun. It does contain some small pieces, so keep an eye on little ones who have a habit of sticking things in their mouths.

Game Details
Name	Flashlights & Fireflies (2015)
Complexity	Light [1.00]
BGG Rank	14004 [5.96]
Player Count	2-5
Mechanism(s)	Uncredited
Notes from Rebecca	A fun game of hide and seek in the woods with firefly-powered flashlights! My 10-year-old niece still loves to play this one.

Game Details
Name	Rhino Hero (2011)
Complexity	Light [1.02]
BGG Rank	813 [6.93]
Player Count	2-5
Mechanism(s)	Hand Management, Lose a Turn, Score-and-Reset Game and Stacking and Balancing
Notes from Rebecca	A great (and quieter) alternative to Jenga, you'll build a tower with sturdy cards as Super Rhino attempts to climb and jump his way to the top. Just don't be the one to knock the tower over!

7+ years old:

Game Details
Name	ICECOOL (2016)
Complexity	Light [1.04]
BGG Rank	976 [6.80]
Player Count (Recommended)	2-4 (3-4)
Mechanism(s)	Area Movement, Flicking and Take That
Notes from Rebecca	Players are penguins racing around their school trying to catch fish and avoid the hall monitor. This game is fast and fun. Players flick penguins across the board and through doorways to maneuver around the school.

Game Details
Name	King of Tokyo (2011)
Complexity	Light [1.49]
BGG Rank	363 [7.16]
Player Count (Recommended)	2-6 (3-6)
Mechanism(s)	Dice Rolling, Die Icon Resolution, King of the Hill, Open Drafting, Player Elimination, Push Your Luck and Re-rolling and Locking
Notes from Rebecca	It's a battle of gigantic proportions as monsters, robots, and aliens try to take over Tokyo City! This is a fun, dice rolling, push-your-luck game.

Game Details
Name	Roll For It! (2011)
Complexity	Light [1.04]
BGG Rank	3495 [6.13]
Player Count	2-4
Mechanism(s)	Dice Rolling
Notes from Rebecca	A family-friendly dice and card game.

10+ years old:

Game Details
Name	Love Letter (2012)
Complexity	Light [1.19]
BGG Rank	301 [7.23]
Player Count (Recommended)	2-4 (3-4)
Mechanism(s)	Deduction, Hand Management, Player Elimination, Score-and-Reset Game and Take That
Notes from Rebecca	A game of intrigue and deduction as players compete to get their declaration of love delivered to the Princess. There's also a Batman version!

Game Details
Name	Munchkin (2001)
Complexity	Medium Light [1.81]
BGG Rank	5109 [5.88]
Player Count	3-6
Mechanism(s)	Hand Management, Take That and Variable Player Powers
Notes from Rebecca	Find a dungeon. Kick down the door. Defeat the monsters. Grab the loot. Thwart your opponents.

Game Details
Name	Splendor (2014)
Complexity	Medium Light [1.79]
BGG Rank	192 [7.43]
Player Count	2-4
Mechanism(s)	Contracts, Open Drafting, Race and Set Collection
Notes from Rebecca	Splendor is loved by gamers of all ages. Players are gem merchants competing for wealth and visits from the nobles. Develop strategic thinking and planning skills with this beautiful game.