Board Game Travel Box

Bring classic games anywhere with this travel-friendly game box.  Have fun, and consider that small pieces pose a choking hazard for young children. 

Key Features

• Largest part fits on a 180x180 mm print bed

• Pieces and tokens are large enough to actually use

• Double-sided game boards in 10 combinations

• Optional double-decker box stores 4 game boards

• Trays organize loose pieces

• Easy-to-print threaded knob secures the box for travel

• Print more parts if you ever lose anything

Customize

There is plenty of room for modification and creativity.  I include a blank template and a set of step files, making it easy to customize your own boards and create remixes.  Mix and match games and colors for a personalized setup.  Go full multi-color for maximum flair, or keep it simple with a light and dark color.  You can even substitute game pieces – note that some resizing may be needed.

Games

• 8x8 board

  • Chess

  • Checkers

  • Reversi (like Othello)

• Ludo (like Sorry)

• Dots and Boxes

  • Squares

  • Triangles

• Mancala

• Backgammon

There are 10 lid combinations available (if you do not count alternates).  Set A uses Dots and Boxes on the bottom, and Set B uses the 8x8 board on the bottom.

Colors and Printing

More colors = more fun.  You can get by with a single color and differently shaped pieces in many games, but I strongly recommend using at least two colors to avoid confusion and improve gameplay.  As explained further below, some games require two colors for the board or pieces.  

You can use an automatic filament changer, or (like me) you can insert pause commands between layers and manually switch colors.  If you only care about functionality, multi-color parts only need one or two filament changes.  Alternatively, you can paint parts.

Pieces and Details

How many pieces do you need?  Check filenames for the minimum amount, though I recommend printing a few extras.  For player tokens, the specified number is per player.  You can reuse some pieces for multiple games, saving space and reducing print time.

Chess and Checkers board:  You need alternating light/dark colors for the squares.  The standard 8x8 board is a single piece, but the alternate version uses square inserts printed separately.

Chess pieces:  You need a light and dark color to distinguish between players.

Checkers pieces:  You need a unique shape, logo, or color to distinguish between players.  12 pieces per player.

Backgammon board:  Points should be alternating colors.  Like the 8x8 boards described above, there is a single piece version and an alternate version with inserts.  Note that the sharp end of the points are a little tricky to print cleanly.

Backgammon pieces:  You need a unique shape, logo, or color to distinguish players.  15 pieces per player.  2 six-sided dice.

Reversi:  You need a unique shape, logo, or color to distinguish between players.  Reuse pieces from Checkers.  64 pieces to cover an 8x8 board.

Ludo:  Pieces are a unique shape, though you can also use different colors.  4 pieces per player.  1 six-sided die.

Dots and Boxes:  You need a unique shape, logo, or color to distinguish between players.  36 dual-color pieces to cover a 6x6 board, or about 36 single-color pieces per player.  Players share 84 edge pieces.  (Note that Dots and Boxes – Squares can reuse Checkers/Reversi pieces, but the Triangle version cannot because it has smaller spaces.)

Mancala:  Reuse pieces from Dots and Boxes or Backgammon.  You do not need distinct colors or shapes.  48 pieces.

Six-Sided Die:  Use a symmetric infill and do your best to evenly distribute weight between the top, bottom, and perimeters.  Or, you can use extra dice from other games.  Standard trays fit up to 19 mm, and double-decker trays fit up to 27 mm. 

Thanks for visiting, and enjoy!

Edit: Checkers uses 12 pieces per player.  I don't know how I missed that mistake.