Players are enjoying a golden age of games on the tabletop. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Backerkit have democratized publishing, allowing indie designers to share their creative visions and reach players directly. The result is hundreds of new board games promising hours of fun each, published every year in every niche and genre you can imagine– and some you can’t . Why do the rules of game design matter? Even the most passionate players do not have time to pla