If you have played a few tabletop games, you will have noticed how game length varies drastically. Some games are specifically designed to last a very short amount of time. In fact, some games include a timer that explicitly limits the length of the game. Other games stretch over hours – or even days, but these are usually split into separate sessions, where you “save” the game and return to it another day.
Game length can have a huge impact on enjoyment. Long games especially can create situations where a player is too far behind the rest of the group to ever catch up or otherwise stuck in a dead end, and then the game becomes a chore.
Game designers have to carefully consider game length and ensure that all players get equal enjoyment. It can be hard to make a long game exciting for everyone until the end, but one often used mechanism is keeping victory points secret – either completely, or at least to a very large extent. That way nobody knows who is in the lead. Other games use an (often random) event that triggers the end of the game, therefore making it impossible to decide who will win.
What are your thoughts about game length? Do you prefer long or short games? Is there a game you like that ensures that all players enjoy it equally until the end? Please add your thoughts below to carry on the conversation.