Building a deck during play, combining cards on the table, bluffing and cooperating are different experiences. Dominion, Race for the Galaxy, Spicy and the other selections here are standalone games: choose the kinds of decisions you want to make, then check the language and box contents.
A small box does not guarantee comfortable play on the move. Spicy and Love Letter focus on cards held in hand and a few shared elements; Trailblazers builds routes that spread out. Compare their demands on memory and their need for quiet and stability too, before choosing what to put in your backpack.
Dominion and Race for the Galaxy reward building a system; Jaipur focuses on trading, Schotten Totten on combinations along a border, and Radlands on direct attacks. Choose how much you want to hinder the other player and which kinds of decisions you want to explore together.
Size determines which cards you can protect; the range determines thickness and quantity. Compare Honu Moana Standard, Superior and Premium in the 63.5 × 88 mm size, then consider Euro, USA and Mini Euro only when they match the components in your edition.