Heroquest or Castle Ravenloft?

[jaycrockett]

I have Wrath of Ashardalon and I think it's bad, like astonishingly bad, for a dungeon crawler. So bad I dig it out occasionally and try to understand what about it I must be missing. Nice minis, that's about it.
I don't care for HeroQuest but it's pretty clear what it's going for. I just don't like board games that require DM's.
For a dungeon crawler (kindof) I've been playing Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion.

 

[orangefruitbat]

Obligatory video with definite answer:

 

[Jacob Lewis]

Why... are these the only options? Just curious.

 

[cavalier973]

Why... are these the only options? Just curious.

They aren’t. If you know some other board game, please relate why it should be considered.

What I am really after is something simple, but with elements (miniatures, dungeon tiles) that can be used with straight up D&D rules. That way, when I don’t have time to prep an adventure, I can still play something D&D-ish with the group.

 

[cavalier973]

Obligatory video with definite answer:

One of the best videos on the Internets. I think this video was the reason Hasbro decided to do the reissue.

captcorajus has done a video comparing the new and the old versions. The rules are the same; it is the artwork and miniatures that are slightly different.

 

[Retreater]

They aren’t. If you know some other board game, please relate why it should be considered.

What I am really after is something simple, but with elements (miniatures, dungeon tiles) that can be used with straight up D&D rules. That way, when I don’t have time to prep an adventure, I can still play something D&D-ish with the group.

HeroQuest doesn't use tiles. You're stuck with the board, so it isn't really customizable as a D&D adventure would be. But I think the minis, furniture, and system itself are the most fun of what I've played.
The Adventure System games have good minis but no furniture. The tiles are mostly generic and would only be moderately useful in D&D. I think the game system itself is probably my least favorite dungeon crawler. I have bought all of them, but just break them down for minis.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

HeroQuest doesn't use tiles. You're stuck with the board, so it isn't really customizable as a D&D adventure would be. But I think the minis, furniture, and system itself are the most fun of what I've played.
The Adventure System games have good minis but no furniture. The tiles are mostly generic and would only be moderately useful in D&D. I think the game system itself is probably my least favorite dungeon crawler. I have bought all of them, but just break them down for minis.

Actually the expansions have tiles that sit on the board. I have actually found use for them in my tabletop games, since they can work as (small) battlemaps in a pinch.

As for miniatures, HeroQuest gives you a good amount of goblins, orcs, skeletons, zombies and mummies, which in my eyes are a good array of "standard" foes.

 

[Bilharzia]

They aren’t. If you know some other board game, please relate why it should be considered.

What I am really after is something simple, but with elements (miniatures, dungeon tiles) that can be used with straight up D&D rules. That way, when I don’t have time to prep an adventure, I can still play something D&D-ish with the group.

Quite a few

Category: Dungeon Crawler

A tactical-combat, cooperative, player(s) vs. environment/overlord game with exploration and a story-based objective (e.g.; escape, kill the monster). Dungeon Crawlers often feature: Character progression/leveling Equipment/loot Puzzle solving Random events Traps...

boardgamegeek.com

 

[cavalier973]

Is there leveling-up in Heroquest?

 

[Retreater]

Is there leveling-up in Heroquest?

No. But you do get magic items and better equipment.