Games are supposed to make our lives easy and relaxed after a long stressful day at work, and board games are not an exception. The catalogue of board game numbers has rapidly shot up since the 90s, so there’s no excuse for boredom, having a silent date night with your partner, or participating in a horrendous family gathering filled with introverted personalities. 

There’s a game for everybody in every situation—from family gatherings to date nights. However, the list of board games might be too overwhelming for you to find the perfect match. In this post, I’ve broken it down into reasonable chunks and sections to help you choose the suitable game for your upcoming free time.

Best Board Games for Adults

While selecting the best possible board games for adults, you’ll come across many games that will leave you in a tight spot. For this reason,  I’ve shortened the list for you. Let’s have a look at the best board games for you.

1. Betrayal at House on the Hill

If you’re enthusiastic about horror, you’ll be fascinated by Betrayal at House on the Hill, as it lets you discover just how long you’d last if you were a horror movie character. The board game dispatches players in a manor house in which there’s a scare element in each room you enter. 

Betrayal at House on the Hill is a game that builds tension and excitement, making you want to play more. It’s like opening a dark closet, and you don’t know what you’ll find. All the players must work in unison to make it alive. This makes it even more enjoyable. 

2. Pandemic

Even though the Pandemic board game leaves you vulnerable from the first minute, it’s still gripping as that’s the game’s sole purpose. From the very first minute, you’ll have to cure a deadly disease, be imaginative in your cure and be able to communicate effectively and quickly, or else you’ll be playing second fiddle to other players. The theme of fright and risk for an ultimate reward makes Pandemic one of the best board games ever. 

3. Wingspan

If you’re searching for the ultimate relaxing game you can enjoy as an adult, Wingspan is the best bet for your money. As the name suggests, you’ll have to attract as many birds as possible to your aviary for outstanding tokens. Every bird lover will find this game fascinating as it is competitive and satisfying and features over 170 bird illustrations.

4. Gloomhaven

Gloomhaven is also a fantastic and adventurous board game that best suits adults as it involves combat and a magnificent “The Witcher” setup. The board game is stuffed with maps, a unique storyline, and a kingdom mostly run by your thoughts and decisions. Gloomhaven is an addictive board game:  you’ll spend hours playing it, and even then, you won’t have seen everything there is to see in the game. 

Gloomhaven has surrogate features and missions that you can only unlock after completing specific tasks. This helps the game stay exciting and not become stale. Therefore, you’ll need to make a quick, decisive, and firm choice in every step you take if you want to move to Gloomhaven secret missions.

Best Family Board Games

Sometimes family gatherings become boring as no one has any lucrative ideas to liven things up. So, today I’ll share some of the best family games you should secure for an eventful and exciting family gathering. Let’s look at them.

1. Herd Mentality

At the top of the list, we have Herd Mentality, which is by far the best family board game you can even think of, as it has exciting yet straightforward rules. It’s a game that every family member can play easily, and that’s why it’s a fan favourite. 

Herd Mentality simply hinges on what every family member expects. It comes in quizzes where there is no correct answer except that you have to be among the majority of family members who select a particular solution. Even if some of your family members are introverts, be sure that with Herd Mentality, they’ll break out of their shells.

2. Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride is a relaxing and thoughtful game that you and your family can enjoy while spending time together. It comes with a railway theme controlled to its perfect balance so as not to easily relinquish tactical depth. And even though its players are regulated to a specific section, they can still provide an exciting experience. 

3. Sushi Go!

Looking for a card game that best suits your family? Sushi Go! is the best family card game you could think of. It’s straightforward, quick, and easy to play as it doesn’t come with complex rules. It’s possible to learn the game in 15 minutes. So, get ready to play multiple rounds with your loved ones. 

One fascinating thing about Sushi Go! is that you never know which card you will pick. Each player will have a different card selection and acquisition method. Generally, it’s a game you can play at every family gathering without getting bored. 

4. Catan

If your family members are enthusiastic about trading and other commercial activities, you should get Catan, as it’s an interesting trading board game they can relate to. 

The board game takes us way back to when we had explorers on a particular island where they had to establish themselves and settle before their rivals did. 

Since everybody has the same goal,  being clever and tactful will go a long way. The base part is that most of the island’s deep pockets are distributed according to probability. 

Best Board Games for Children

If you have kids, you probably know that there are games that don’t suit kids as they are too complex for children to comprehend. That’s why I’ve compiled a list of board games that best suit little ones. Let’s go through them quickly.

1. Spot It!

Spot it! tops the list of the best kids’ board games as it has numerous special editions such as Star Wars and Harry Potter. Kids can finish this game within 10 minutes. 

 

Spot It! is straightforward to avoid kids getting angry and frustrated over complex game moves. However, the game isn’t straightforward as it has some features and activities that will require kids to think critically and make a decision. This game is not only entertaining but also aids brain development. 

2. King of Tokyo

If you’re looking for the best board game that perfectly suits older kids, then King of Tokyo is your best bet. Featuring big and little monsters, it puts kids in charge of creatures such as Godzilla. Kids can secure points while they play. 

King Of Tokyo is swiftly moving across the city, and the best part is that it has numerous creatures to play with, which makes it even more enjoyable. 

3. Rhino Hero

Rhino Hero is the best board game for your kid after they are done reading or doing their homework as it doesn’t require much reading since it only deals with practical things. It’s a reasonably challenging game that requires your kids to assemble a tower and manage it, so it doesn’t crumble. What’s more interesting is that it doesn’t require much setting up as it comes with a few structures that need to be put together.

4. Hey, That’s My Fish!

Hey, That’s My Fish! is a fantastic game based on a competition between penguins controlled by multiple players that’s heartwarming to kids. Penguins move swiftly to pick up fish from a breaking iceberg. You need to outsmart other penguins to secure more fish. 

Best Two-Player Board Games

Two-player board games are helpful to liven up date nights, head-to-head competitions, or travel. They are great ways to restore and build a long-lasting emotional bond because most people tend to resonate more with good memories and experiences. So let’s have a look at the best two-player board games.

1. Disney Villainous

Disney Villainous stands out as one of the best two-player board games as it’s simple and has a happy ending. It’s a tactical game that requires you to ruin a foe’s plan in favour of your friend or loved one. 

Each character in Disney Villainous is unique and has a distinct playing style that doesn’t match his opponent’s. The game is interesting since you’ll discover new tactics when you finish some challenges. 

2. Jaipur

Jaipur is an excellent two-player card game as it’s delightful, compelling, and unusual. It has unique features that make it stand out from most board games. The game places you and your partner as traders in a specific city. The task is compellingly securing an invitation to Maharajas court by earning respect as a top businessperson. How you plan and execute your plan will be up to you: you only need to adhere to the rules. 

3. Pandemic: Hot Zone-North America

If you’re pursuing a strategy board game, you should go for Pandemic, as it’s a condensed version. Even though this makes the game easier to play, it still has some challenging elements that make it interesting. Even more impressive about this board game is that it allows you to develop your strategies and execute them effectively. 

4. Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective

Even though Sherlock Holmes was first introduced about 40 years ago, it is still one of the best two-player board games. It’s a mystery board game that first hit the market in the 1980s and still holds the high standards it held back then. Consulting detectives offer many unique challenges that will make you go out of your way and try to overturn every obstacle. 

5. Hocus Pocus: The Game

Hocus Pocus is a classic two-player board game drawn from the old Disney movie of 1993. At first glance, you might think the game is straightforward, but it’s not. 

The game has excellent missions to challenge your brain, and it comes in an art style to make it exciting and appealing. The good thing is that after playing it for some time, you’ll be able to notice where you went wrong and make changes. 

6. Bananagrams

If you’re looking for a superb word board game that isn’t boring, then Bananagrams is your best bet. It’s an exciting game founded upon a crossword puzzle, and you have to get creative and find the right words to join before your partner does it. Bananagrams keep your brain working, playing a crucial role in your brain’s continuous development. 

Best Co-Op Board Games

Co-Op games always require partners or players to work together to attain a specific goal: win. Such games are only easy to win if you cooperate with your gaming partner and work out strategies to make you emerge victoriously. Let’s look at some of the best co-op games. 

1. Horrified

When you look at most co-op games, you’ll realise that Horrified is the best pick out of the bunch as it has some exclusive challenges, which later on result in nostalgia. It has unique adventures that will need partners in the game to work together and come up with a solution to a particular challenge they are facing. 

2. Mysterium

As the name suggests, Mysterium is a great mystery board game that requires cooperation to develop tangible solutions. It involves a murder mystery that requires effective and immediate problem-solving before dawn. Its classic setting is based in the 1920s, with an ancient mansion and a Sherlock Holmes style. The best part is that the game is unpredictable, so you’ll need to be in your right mind to work out the mystery. 

3. Pandemic Legacy: Season Zero

If you need an excellent co-op experience in a board game, you should try Pandemic Legacy, a perfect strategy game for teamwork. Pandemic Legacy has a theme of the Cold War in the 1960s, which makes it stand out from other board games. The game requires you to stop Soviet spies and their bio-weapon. 

4. The Captain is Dead: Dangerous Planet

The Captain is Dead offers the ultimate tower defence co-op board game experience. In this  game, your commander has been defeated hands down, and now it’s you and your partner’s responsibility to continue on his mission and treat it as your own. The game prepares you to challenge every adversity and never give up. 

5. Jaws

Jaws is a great board game that requires team effort and cooperation to overcome challenges. The game was made from a 1995 classic movie where the characters hunted a shark together. In this game, one player will take on the shark’s role. 

6. Arkham Horror: Final Hour

If you’re a horror enthusiast, Arkham Horror is quite exciting as it’s one of the highest-rated co-op board games. The game requires your team to think of a solution to save the world from an apocalypse. The impending doom makes the game more fascinating, which leads to a one-hour plan and execution of world-saving plans. 

Best Old-School Board Games 

The bad thing about old-school board games is that most of them have lost the standard they had years ago. However, some classic games have maintained their standard since time immemorial. Let’s look at some classic board games. 

1. Clue/Cluedo

Cluedo is the best old-school mystery game of all time. It helps users discover skills and courage to take on Sherlock Holmes and Poirot. It was introduced in 1943 but still has relevance today. 

2. Risk

Risk is another excellent old-school board game that everybody should own. Since 1957, this battle mystery board game has been dear to the hearts of many people. The best part is that it comes in different versions you can try out. Its challenges are unique and require you to think wisely before making decisions. 

3. Monopoly

If there’s a game that everybody should try out, it’s Monopoly. Monopoly is a popular old-school game with many strategies that can be helpful in certain aspects of life. At the mention of board games, people always think about Monopoly, which shows its global impact. And even though the game might get too straightforward sometimes, it’s still satisfying. 

4. Articulate!

Articulate! is one of the best trivia board games that has been in existence since 1992. Even though the game is somewhat ancient, it still ranks as a top trivia board game everyone should own. Its rules are straightforward, making it easy for players to adapt and understand their roles. 

Conclusion

Since time immemorial, board games have been part of our lives, even though they were limited back then.  , There’s a superb catalogue of games you can play in every situation. Even better, the games have been categorised into groups of people — adults, kids, and family — who are most suitable to play them. Go through the lists above and find a board game that best suits your age and preference.