10 Best Digital Board Game Accessories

Jun 21, 2023

From a board game touchscreen to RGB lighting, there are plenty of accessories on the market that can improve a digital board game experience.

The board game industry has been on the rise in recent years, as audiences reconnect with their hobbies. But, the gaming experience has had an upgrade; it's gone digital! There are now more digital board game experiences than ever, with players logging on to their smart devices and computers to play online with friends.

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But the digital experience can feel quite removed from the real thing. Luckily, there are plenty of accessories that can help the game feel a little more authentic while enhancing the experience. There are numerous benefits to digital board games and these technologies help to push the concept further.

Digital board gamers are usually surrounded by smart devices that they use as additional accessories to aid them in their gameplay experience. Downloading Board Game Stats onto a smartphone, in particular, allows players to keep track of their successes and failures from across their games.

Without Board Game Stats elements of digital board gaming, such as scorekeeping, can be hard to keep track of. But not only does this smartphone addition allow players to keep score, but it can also how long a game is played for and who it is played with. It can deliver all of this information in easy-to-understand graphs. It's available on iOS and Google Play and will turn any smart device into the ultimate tabletop accessory.

Whether it's a board game that relies on rhythm or a title that encourages the player to enter a fantastical world, music can really enhance an experience. But to get the music right, players need the correct accessories. A good sound system has to be linked to Melodice.

The Melodice website allows the user to type in the board game they are playing. Many of the physical versions of digital board games can be found in the software, meaning there is always a relevant result. The Melodice website chooses a suitable playlist for the game. This can then be played through state-of-the-art speakers, bringing the game to life on a different level. The combo of a sound system and Melodice is an excellent accessory for gamers who want immersion.

RGB equipment won't be a new concept for traditional video game fans. But they are accessories that can really help to improve the atmosphere and ambiance for a digital board gamer as well. RGB accessories are designed to light up and can be customized through unique software.

From LED lighting set-ups to colorful keyboards and a vibrant mouse, a gaming area can be transformed by RGB accessories. For the digital board gamers out there, who are using a keyboard, a mouse, and other PC equipment, these RGB additions can be altered to suit the game being played. Corsair is a great example of a company to look out for, which provides synchronized RGB software for accessories like headsets.

Regardless of whether it's a fantasy board game or a logic-based strategy experience, players are going to need to communicate with each other online. Sure, digital board games can be played in person—but a great thing about the medium is that players don't have to be in the same location.

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Thus, it makes sense that players should invest in headsets and other communication accessories so that the conversation can flow with ease. This is especially important for co-op games, where players are forced to work together for a shared goal. It's almost impossible to play online in a collaborative environment without a good headset.

Plenty of traditional board games require players to draw as part of the experience. Pictionary is a logical example. But when it comes to digital board games, players are often let down by the drawing software available. Trying to create a picture with just a mouse for example can be challenging.

However, players can invest in a quality stylus to use with their smart devices. A tablet would be especially useful in this case. Digital board games, like Drawful, are far easier to play when gamers can actually make physical contact with a surface with a pen-like device. For those looking to get into digital board games long-term, a tablet and stylus combo is an unexpected accessory that could make all the difference.

Board games can go on for a long time. Digital board games certainly aren't any shorter. Players have to be comfortable when they are sitting at a screen for an extended period. A gaming chair might be a classic accessory for console users, but it's also essential for board gamers.

Gaming chairs are uniquely designed for the posture of gamers, regardless of the style of the digital game. What's more, in-built systems such as a stereo kit can be perfectly paired with websites like Melodice, creating an immersive surround sound experience. Gaming chairs allow digital board game enthusiasts to play in style, especially with additional RGB features.

There are so many board games out there where the dice can control everything. That concept extends to digital board games, but it can seem pretty unsatisfying rolling dice on the screen. But there are now digital dice being developed that can add some authenticity back into gameplay.

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Dice+ is a prototyped example. Players would receive physical dice which they can throw across the table. This would then communicate with Android and iOS, tracking exactly what numbers the dice land on. Working with smartphones and tablets, this could have been an innovative piece of kit that aimed to take digital board gaming into the future. Hopefully, there will be more breakthroughs with this technology so that complete additions are brought to market.

Digital board gamers would love to have a physical set-up to base their play around. Rather than using a smart device, console, or PC monitor, gamers are looking for unique ways to interact with their titles. Digital gaming tables are a great fix. They can contain various games which players can co-operatively play in person.

The Arcade1Up Infinity Gaming Table is currently a standout. The device contains digital copies of classics like Monopoly or Battleships to play alongside friends. While it's still in its earliest days, new games are being added as the company works with larger intellectual properties. Gaming tables like the Infinity iteration are the future and could open the doors for indie board game developers to really thrive.

From murder mystery board games to ongoing sim-style titles, some experiences can be fun to play on the go. While a gaming table is not an easily portable accessory, a digital gaming board solves that issue. It applies the same logic as a gaming table but is far smaller.

Infinity has its own version of a gaming board and Gameboard-1 is another example to look out for in development. Tech experts are building these gaming boards to interact with physical components like small models, to help bring the gameplay to life. Projects like The Last Game Board are still being made but will help to shift the gaming market for good by blending the physical with the digital.

The digital board game industry is so new and so there are always exciting projects in development that could change the industry for good. There is a specific group of accessories that combine many of the previously discussed components, to create a singular experience.

The Teburu System is constantly being refined and will include games that take complete advantage of its unique design. It will integrate the physical and virtual worlds together, with the console-like device sensing the player's every move. It should work especially well with narrative-driven campaigns and looks to be the future of digital board game accessories.

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Politics graduate, freelance writer and all around film geek. If George isn't lecturing someone on the history of the MCU, he's probably ranting about the political consequences of Putin's latest horse riding trip.