Great tabletop game design is part creativity, part persistence—and part learning from other smart brains. Sometimes, the best design advice doesn’t come from game designers at all. It comes from artists, scientists, and leaders who understood how to think simply, act boldly, and learn from failure.
In this post, I’ve gathered 10 powerful quotes from famous minds and connected each one to practical lessons you can apply to your board game designs. Whether you’re building your first prototype or refining your 10th, these bite-sized bits of wisdom can help you stay focused, inspired, and moving forward.
1. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
— Leonardo da Vinci
How it helps game designers:
Great tabletop games don’t need to be complicated to be engaging. Prioritize clarity and elegant mechanics. A clean design that’s easy to learn but hard to master (like Ticket to Ride or Love Letter) often has broader appeal.
2. “Play is the highest form of research.”
— Albert Einstein
How it helps game designers:
Playtesting is your laboratory. Each test session isn’t just validation—it’s an opportunity to learn what your game really is. Approach playtests with curiosity, not defensiveness.
3. “Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
How it helps game designers:
Too many rules or mechanics can bog down gameplay. Refine your design until only the most essential elements remain—especially important for casual or gateway games.
4. “If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one.”
— Russian Proverb
How it helps game designers:
Trying to please everyone leads to a bland experience. Focus on a core audience. Is your game for crunchy Euro fans, party gamers, solo players? Nail the experience they want.
5. “Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
— Albert Einstein
How it helps game designers:
Game design is an art form that thrives on iteration. Don’t be afraid to play with crazy mechanics, weird themes, or strange combinations. Creativity often leads to innovation (just ask the makers of these fun inference and deduction games).
Bonus fun fact: I share the same Meyers Briggs personality type as Albert Einstein, so of course he gets multiple quotes here, haha!
6. “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.”
— Henry Ford
How it helps game designers:
Bad playtests, negative feedback, failed launches—they’re all useful if you reflect and adjust. Keep a design log, review player comments, and make deliberate improvements. And who knows, one day you might find yourself pitching to a publisher.
7. “Done is better than perfect.”
— Sheryl Sandberg
How it helps game designers:
It’s easy to keep tweaking forever, but sometimes you need to finish and get the game out into the world. You can always iterate later. Get it to the table.
8. “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
— Benjamin Franklin
How it helps game designers:
Good game tutorials and rulebooks let players learn by doing. Consider including guided setup turns, player aids, or visual rule summaries to improve onboarding.
9. “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.”
— Henry Ford
How it helps game designers:
You’ll hit dead ends. Publishers will pass. Playtesters will be confused. Keep your eyes on the core experience you’re trying to deliver—and push through the frustration.
(Need to print some cards for your prototypes at home? See how I do that for my games)
10. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
— Wayne Gretzky
How it helps game designers:
Pitch the game. Submit to contests. Publish the print-and-play. Apply for that convention booth. Success in game design takes guts—so take your shot.
Let These Quotes Guide Your Next Move
Designing games is hard—but you’re not alone. These quotes are more than motivational fluff—they’re reminders of what matters in the creative process: simplicity, curiosity, courage, and persistence.
The next time you’re stuck, overwhelmed, or second-guessing your game idea, come back to this list. Let these words push you to keep testing, keep refining, and most of all—keep creating.
Because the only thing standing between your idea and your finished game… is you taking the next step.
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