Board games

Wood you'll want to pick up

The Secretplay titles are the most tactile games in this collection. The Tower of Sex is a stacking tower of smooth wooden blocks, each printed with a task. You pull one, read it, place it on top, and the tower slowly leans. That small clatter when it finally falls is half the fun, and it usually ends the round with a laugh rather than a sigh. Kinky Domino works with chunky wooden tiles that feel good in the hand and make a satisfying click on the table.

The Sexxxzzle puzzle is slower. You fit pieces together and the picture or task reveals itself bit by bit, which suits couples who like a bit of anticipation before anything happens.

What a proper board game changes

A board with a track, playing pieces and squares gives the evening a shape. You roll, move, land and follow what the square says, so nobody has to come up with the next idea. Many people find that easier than improvising, especially early on. Mission 69 and the Kheper Games boards work this way, and Kheper Games has the most titles here, with several different themes and levels of boldness.

Honestly, the biggest difference compared with sex card games is time. A card is drawn and done in seconds. A board game needs a free evening, a clear table and someone willing to read the rules first. Fierce Game's The Fierce Night is built around exactly that, a full night as a couple rather than a five-minute warm-up.

One practical point: Diverty Sex and Secretplay are Spanish brands, so check the product description for the language of the board, cards and rules before you order.

Setting your own pace

Most games here start mild and get bolder as you move along the board. You can always bend the rules. Agree before you start that either of you may swap or skip a task, and the game stays relaxed. Some couples remove the cards that don't fit them, which is perfectly fine.

• For short, light play before anything else, the foreplay games are designed for warming up.
• For a group of friends, look at party games instead, as most board games here are made for two.
• Want to keep a game in a bag for a weekend away? Dice games are far smaller than a boxed board.

Wooden pieces should never be soaked. A dry or slightly damp cloth is enough, and the blocks keep their finish for years if they are stored dry in the box. Our tip: keep the box somewhere easy to reach, because a game you have to dig out tends to stay in the cupboard.