「桌遊」，也就是桌上型遊戲(Board Game)的簡稱，又稱不插電遊戲，是個近幾年來大家耳熟能詳的名詞，我最早認識這個詞彙是在某一年的新年節目上介紹的，因為農曆新年是個團聚的時刻，往常，我們都會和親朋好友，玩個幾圈的麻將，聯絡聯絡感情，節目上介紹，有些人，過年期間用老少鹹宜的桌遊來取代以往的麻將，進行社交互動，避免打麻將時，容易久坐不動、精神緊繃，甚至有時候還會輸錢傷感情等缺點，想想，好像真的可以試試看玩桌遊。
事實上，每年過年期間時，我們例行性的麻將還是照打，但是我倒是認識了不少一起玩桌遊的好朋友，桌遊這幾年來，也從小眾娛樂文化滲入大眾文化，桌遊產業也漸漸地萌芽生根，慢慢地茁壯起來，許多地區性的桌遊店會定期舉辦各種活動，例如主題遊戲夜、桌遊比賽、新遊戲試玩等活動，有些桌游愛好者組建了自己的俱樂部或團體，定期舉辦內部比賽、主題活動或社交聚會，像我因為以前常跑桌遊聚會活動，加入了好幾個群組，群組內常常有桌遊活動，只有參與者不夠時，才會開放外面的人進來參與。
還有各種大型展覽會，也很容易看到桌遊的身影，之前我發文的臺北國際書展或臺北國際電玩展，都有桌遊廠商參展，還有些桌游展會，會聚集了來自各地的遊戲設計師和遊戲公司或出版社，展示他們的新作品和最新的遊戲趨勢，之前我參加的桌游展會，蠻特別的，就在捷運站內，我和朋友主要想看看，有沒有好玩的新遊戲，可以順便試玩看看，現場的遊戲，真是五花八門，很多都是即將商品化或即將上市的新遊戲，中間的休憩區，就是開放讓大家試玩新遊戲的區域。
其中一款遊戲，叫做屁者先知，是一款爆笑推理的桌遊，遊戲中會模擬一群人在坐電梯，從一樓坐在頂樓時，在每層樓停留時，其中有人會偷放屁，假如電梯中的你們沒有憋氣的話，就會受到傷害，而電梯裡的大夥，必須在每回合討論時，把放臭屁的壞孩子捉出來，要不然，聞了太多臭屁的話，就會出局，假如你們有玩過知名的桌遊狼人殺的話，可以隱約感覺到，兩者好像有些類似，兩個遊戲都要透過討論過程，把壞孩子捉出來，我和朋友幾乎都在試玩區體驗遊戲，當體驗遊戲時，時間是過得飛快的，我們直玩到肚子咕咕叫，還是意猶未盡，問我有沒有值得買的遊戲呢？我個人覺得好的玩伴比遊戲重要。
"Tabletop gaming" or simply "board gaming", as it's commonly known, has become a familiar term in recent years. I first heard about it during a New Year's program. Since Lunar New Year is a time for family gatherings, we typically play a few rounds of Mahjong with relatives and friends to bond. However, some people have started replacing Mahjong with tabletop games during the New Year festivities. They find that playing tabletop games promotes social interaction without the drawbacks of sitting for long periods or the tension that can arise from Mahjong games, not to mention the potential for losing money and straining relationships. It seemed like an interesting alternative worth exploring.
In reality, we still stick to our traditional Mahjong sessions during the Lunar New Year, but I've met quite a few friends who enjoy tabletop gaming. Over the years, tabletop gaming has transitioned from niche entertainment to mainstream culture, and the industry has steadily grown. Many local tabletop game shops regularly host various events like themed game nights, tournaments, and game demos. Some tabletop gaming enthusiasts have formed their own clubs or groups, organizing internal competitions, themed events, or social gatherings. Because I used to attend tabletop gaming meetups regularly, I've joined several online groups where events are frequently organized, and sometimes they open up to outsiders if there aren't enough participants.
You can also find tabletop gaming featured at various large-scale exhibitions. Events like the Taipei International Book Exhibition or the Taipei Game Show often feature booths from tabletop game publishers or companies. Additionally, there are dedicated tabletop gaming expos that bring together game designers, companies, or publishers from around the world to showcase their latest creations and trends. I recently attended one such expo, and it was quite unique—it was held inside a metro station! My friends and I were primarily there to check out any fun new games and maybe try out some demos. The range of games available was incredible, with many being new releases or prototypes.
One game that caught our attention was called "The Prophet of Farts". It's a hilarious deduction game where players simulate being in an elevator traveling from the ground floor to the top floor. Along the way, someone keeps farting, and if you don't hold your breath, you'll take damage. The players must discuss and figure out who the culprit is during each round. If you've ever played the popular game Werewolf, you'll find some similarities—they both require deduction through discussion to identify the "bad guys". My friends and I spent hours in the demo area, thoroughly enjoying ourselves until our stomachs started growling. As for whether there were any games worth buying, I personally believe that having good gaming buddies is more important than the games themselves.
