All this month we are celebrating the world of board games with fellow Phoenix Remix writer Board Not Board. All month we are going to talk about board games whilst focussing on different areas.

Do you think that computer games and apps are ruining the enjoyment people have from board games?

App versions of games can remove some of the mechanics which can be a good or a bad thing, depending on how satisfying those mechanics are. Games which have app accompaniments are interesting – I’m playing Mansions Of Madness at the moment, which has one – although the line between the two things takes a bit of finding. How much does the app take care of? That’s not always clear.

What convinces you to buy or test a game?

That it will be fun, interesting or useful or, hopefully, all three.

What are your top three classic board games and why?

I still really like Super Cluedo Challenge; I’ve played it again recently and it’s still satisfying. Also Uno and Connect 4, because I have small-ish children and they’re fast and playable by anyone.

What are the most overrated board games and why?

I’m going to have to say Monopoly, even though it’s a boring answer, so my apologies for that.

What are the most underrated board games and why?

There’s a Cluedo variant with a kind of on-running narrative called Cluedo Mysteries that my eldest found in a charity shop which I’d nominate for that.

Do you live heavily by board games rules or do you tend to meld / adjust them?

I would always want to start with the correct rules to see how the game is supposed to be played, but I don’t mind playing different versions of rules; as long as both players are playing the same game, it doesn’t really make much difference.

What would you like to see happen to board games in the next 10 years?

Ooh. There’s a game called Spirit Island which has a kind of mechanical AI in the way the game plays against you (play it and you’ll see what I mean; it’s not steampunk or anything, just very clever) so I would want more of that.

The Monopoly Pieces are ever changing – what do you think the pieces will be in the future to reflect society?

I’d like to see an aggressively classist version of Monopoly, just to see what that would look like. As a game is so heavily rooted in capitalism I’d be interested in it really pushing that theme harder.

Do you think board games could work in AI and virtual reality based world and what games would work best?

I am excited by this question but I have no sensible answer to give for it.

More from our writer Board Not Bored next Wednesday