How to introduce PnP games to friends via
Game Night!

So it has been a month or two since you are exploring this newly found world of print-and-play. The few games you tried so far are in solo mode, and now you are considering them for a few trusted, handpicked friends whom you feel will love it as much as you do. That sounds like a great idea, but bear in mind-, how you introduce the games to your friends can get tricky. Push too hard and they might detest it. But with the right arrangements, you might just end up having a little gang of print-and-play buddies!Â
If the title hasn’t given it away already, we are planning a curated game night for print-and-play newbies! And you will totally ace it in 8 steps.
Step 01 | Selection
Games
When it comes to selecting print-and-play games for newbies, it is important that the games are as entertaining as it’s easy to learn. Don’t opt for a game that will take forever to learn. The game should:
– be easy to learn
– have a small game duration (less than 15 minutes preferred)
– not have too many parts
– be one that you can conduct well
– have an interesting theme
– be quite entertaining
– be able to entice the entire group together
Once you have a list of games chosen for the game night, narrow it down to two, or at most three games. Once listed, if you are caught in which games to choose, then prioritize the ones that can be customized to your needs. For this article, based on the criteria mentioned above, we are recommending two games- All is Bomb by Letibus Design and Escape of the Dead by Experimental Playground. Feel free to check the game review we wrote for both games if you are new to them.
Friends
The equation in this case is simple- you have to pick friends who are open to learning and playing new games, competitive in spirit, and lean towards creativity. The aim is not to have a standalone game night, but rather to develop a culture of playing and exploring new print and play games together in the future.

Step 02 | Customization
This step is quite interesting, a bit challenging, and will definitely test your creativity. You will need to personalize the game components to entice the players and make them more interested in participating in the games. For example- in the game Escape of the Dead, you can swap the six zombies with illustrations of your friends as their zombie versions! Or in the game All is Bomb, you can swap the princess with one of your friends, or have their favorite food in place of the ones there are in this game. The illustration can be hand-drawn, AI-generated, or even illustrated digitally using Photoshop or Illustrator; it is entirely up to you. But we can guarantee you that these customized game components are guaranteed to make a lasting impression on your soon-to-be PnP buddies!
Step 03 | An eye-brow-raising invitation
It cannot be just a text on your message group, or a call to see if your friends are available; the invitation has to make a statement. You have to give an indication that something special is afoot- so make sure to build some suspense, and release some teasers. Imagine sharing a ‘coming soon’ image, with the illustration of your friends as zombies. Would that get your friends curious, and interested? If so, do it! Do what you feel would entice your friends more than anything. But using the customized game parts you just made could be the perfect bait.
Step 04 | Preparing the game setup
So your friends have already shown peak interest in whatever you are building up for, and they have agreed to be a part of your game night- bravo! Now it’s time to set up the atmosphere of the gaming zone. You don’t need to go over the top with the decoration, just play with the light of the room to create a mood. We recommend using a multi-color LED light system or Neon Lamps, as they are highly flexible and can help set the perfect mood for each game. And if you are blessed with the combination of having an outdoor space available with great weather conditions, then make the most of it!

Step 05 | Gameplay and Tutorial Rounds
Your friends are sitting around you, stunned from the atmosphere you have created, and can’t wait to play the games you’ve assigned for the event. You announce yourself as the game master for the night, and start the proceedings.
For a start, you announce what the gameplay format will be like:
– The games for the evening will be announced
– A detailed go-through for the first game will be conducted by the Game Master
– A tutorial round will be played by the Game Master for everyone to get a basic understanding of the game
– Each friend, on their turn, will get to play the game once while the rest of the friends give advice (good or bad!)
– The winners of the game will get a point, while the loser won’t
– The same procedure will be followed for the second game
– With the end of two rounds for the two games, the points table will be overviewed. The friend with the maximum points will be awarded as the winner of the Game Night. In the event of a tie, the players will go through a tie-breaker by playing any one of the games one more time.
As a game master, you should take ample time to explain the rules of the game to your friends, and also let them help assemble the game parts for them to connect with the game. The duration of the gameplay for this game night may not even exceed two hours- and that is fine. Everyone is new to it, so you have to factor in their attention span.
Step 06 | Go with the flow!
It is common to have a preconceived notion that regular game pauses can be required for chats and snacks, but we beg to differ. For print-and-play games, momentum is everything. It’s best to go with the flow and energy of your friends during the game session. As a game master, and the host to your first-ever game night, ensure the energy is at an all-time high so that your friends end the session wanting to play more games!
Step 07 | Mini Trophies
Be it a DIY or 3D-printed trophy, this evening deserves to have a token to commemorate the amazing time spent together at your first-ever game night. Who knows, this might be the start of a series of game nights, paving its way to being a tradition among your friend circle!

Step 08 | Post-Game Debrief
It is very important that your intention is as clear as it can be to your friends. Once the session is over, walk them through your little journey of playing games and how you thought it would be wonderful to have everyone together for a game night to create some wonderful memories. Announce that you are on the lookout for more PnP games, and ask your friends if they want to join you, to try new games on another game night.Â
So, what are you waiting for? Open your calendar, find the right place and time, and start preparing to teleport your friends to the wonderful realm of print-and-play games!

Tasliman is a board game developer based in Bangladesh, with the dream of exploring the world of games and introducing it to anyone new to it. He is the founder of Kraftz, a brand that develops board games commercially, as well as with reputed entities like BRAC and The Gates Foundation.