Bits & Bobs: Replacement Parts for Board Games
By Alex J. Coyne © Gifts for Card Players
Board game bits get lost all the time, and we have a feeling that they might end up in the same place as lost socks. Sometimes you buy a pre-owned board game with some pieces missing, other times they just get lost over several hundred games and places.
In 2018 Alex researched how to find game pieces to restore your favourite game and we’ve updated and reposted for your enjoyment. Get those games ready for cabin season!
Replace the Entire Game
There are times where the way to replace an incomplete set will be to buy another set of the entire game and just replace the pieces that you have missing. Stash away the second box for just in case if any other pieces happen to go missing over time, or help someone else to complete their missing collection by advertising what you have on sites like Board Game Geek. This is especially useful if the board game in question is a very obscure, very rare or vintage title.
Contact the Game’s Manufacturer
Check out the official website of the game’s manufacturer: Many times there’s a special part of the website that offers spare parts, or you can get in touch with the game’s distributor to order the missing parts directly. Hasbro’s Toy Shop has a special section where you can order parts and refills for various games. There’s also Asmodee, Stonemaier Games, Czech Games and, we’d guess, thousands more: Just head to your search engine and look up “[Name of Game or Manufacturer] and [Replacement Parts]” to see what pops up.
Try a “Spare Parts” Supplier
There are also websites and e-stores out there that sell custom-made game pieces – or general replacement pieces. This helps if the board game you’re looking for is an extremely common one, though you’ll occasionally find some of the more obscure titles listed, too. Custom Game Bits is one supplier of replacement board game bits and, we’d assume, bobs. Board Game Geek has a list of Gaming Bits Suppliers for reference – way more than we can list here!
Other Board Game Enthusiasts
You’ll have a lot of luck asking other game owners what they have and trading around parts. Board Game Geek has a very useful Spare Parts Resources List that you can check out – and they list more board games than you can shake a stick at. If you don’t need originals and would like a new spin on a game, you can even try Etsy. Here’s the Board Game Geek list for threads containing Game Parts, or you can head over to Reddit/boardgames.
Visit Auction Sites
Straight auction websites like eBay and Amazon are also endless resources for tracking down whole sets or replacement parts – sometimes really random collections of game parts are available in bulk. Here are eBay quick links for…
A lot of the time, the game remains intact – but instead the game’s original rules go missing. In this case, auction sites are often your best bet, though the publisher or manufacturer of the rules might be able to help you out for a small fee: Just send the manufacturer an e-mail if you don’t manage anywhere else.
Again, Board Game Geek is right there with their list of Game Rules.
Of course, playing games online requires no parts other than your device or laptop. You can find online games at netbet.co.uk including roulette.
Second Hand and Thrift Stores
If you’re like the people in my friends group, you enjoy an afternoon of treasure hunting at second hand stores. Stores like Value Village (VV Boutique as it is known in these parts) and Salvation Army often have stacks of old board games in their toy department. And who knows – you might find a new game to try out while you’re at it!
