In this article, we take a look at the 30 best board games for families. If you would like to skip our detailed analysis of the board game industry, you can directly go to the 5 Best Board Games for Families.
Technology may have replaced multiple entertainment avenues, but board games have managed to hold out for a long time. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global board games industry was valued at $11.08 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to $26.04 billion by 2030, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.36% over the projected period. While most publications credit the 2020 lockdowns for this growth and revival of the board gaming industry, the market has flourished due to a myriad of other pertinent factors as well. As relevant as the ‘pandemic effect’ is, board games have managed to stay in the limelight through a culmination of several reasons, many of which were revealing their impacts even before the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Crowdfunding – The Fuel Behind This Consistent Growth
One of the most significant impacts has been generated by the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, which has brought publishing access to indie game designers without needing hefty funding. According to the company’s own data, over 84,000 gaming projects have been launched on the platform since it began in 2009, out of which 40,892 have already reached their funding goal. Kickstarter allows gaming enthusiasts to get early access to exclusive games and enables customers to have a say in the design and subsequent updates. This feedback-mechanism model results in games that are conducive to public demand and responsive to the gamers’ needs. More than 2,300 board gaming projects are about to begin their funding on Kickstarter in the coming months. Gaming connoisseurs can also look at the 15 Best Video Games Coming Out in 2024.
Kickstarter is not the only platform making waves in this space; even newbies like Gamefound are generating a considerable impact. Despite being relatively new in the space, the company generated $56 million in board gaming funding in 2023, as per data shared by Polygon. When this is added to the $226.2 million revenue that Kickstart engendered, 2023 can be considered one of the top years for board gaming. Gamefound’s most funded game of 2023 was Nemesis: Retaliation, which generated around $12 million. Several other games raised funds in the $1-4 million bracket.
Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter have helped a plethora of creative projects that might not have been economically feasible otherwise, and they have also led to a rise in the popularity of board game-specific YouTube channels, such as Games4Two and The Dice Tower. As themed and niche board games become more accessible to the everyday consumer; people have something to look forward to in the gaming space. The world’s largest board gaming convention, Internationale Spieltage SPIEL, or the Essen Game Fair, launched over 1,000 games during its 2023 iteration alone, welcoming 193,000 gamers from 85 countries. As board gamers gather for four days to try out hundreds of new games, one idea is reiterated repeatedly: in the 21st century, board games are more than just dice rolls and luck-based turns.
Top Trends in the Board Games Industry
Gaming giants like Hasbro Inc (NASDAQ:HAS) have been at the forefront of benefitting from the rising trend of themed board games. To ensure people don’t get tired of playing the same version of Monopoly, Hasbro Inc (NASDAQ:HAS) has created over 50 variations of the classic game, including special editions dedicated to Fortnite, Star Wars, and Game of Thrones. Another classic by Hasbro Inc (NASDAQ:HAS), Dungeons & Dragons, will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024, for which the company has planned a year-long celebration beginning in March. According to a company statement published on February 12, the company will be holding events worldwide, offering unique experiences inspired by the game’s history. Rich and dynamic events like these enable classic games to stay hyped even years after their original release.
The Influence of Media
The popularity of DnD also points to another rising phenomenon in the board game industry: the role of media. Stranger Things came out in July of 2016 on Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX), bearing a premise based around the classic role-player game, which many also consider the first of its type. According to the Daily Dot, Google searches for DnD rose 20% during the show’s first two seasons and another 50% during later seasons. The creators behind the game also came out with a DnD Stranger Things tie-in version in 2019, just before the show’s third season aired. This unlikely connection between modern media and an older form of entertainment might be surprising, but it has worked wonders for classic games like this one. You can also read about the best fighting video games of all time.
Building onto our previous example, DnD is not the only board game that has witnessed a boost due to a popular TV show. According to Fortune Business Insights, chess sales by Goliath Games were up 1,000% in November 2020, while chess sales on eBay witnessed a 215% growth around the same time. These drastic numbers were the product of the Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) series The Queen’s Gambit, which came out in October 2020. Another report by the Michigan Journal of Economics states that Chess.com, a popular online site for the game, added a whopping 2.8 million member accounts following the show’s release. Thus, in a span of five years, Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) contributed to massive growth in two classic board games, which had otherwise become pretty niche.
The Diversity in Games Today
At the end of the day, one of the biggest changes in the board game industry is the addition of diversity. It was harder to feign interest in tabletop gaming when the only available options were the same games that had been on the market for decades, but today, there are new experiences to invest in every day. On top of that, there is a game for every age bracket, interest, and group size. Board games span themes of every category, from communicating with ‘ghosts’ to trading on the stock floor – which means that even those interested in real-world subject matters such as stock trading, real estate, or financial markets, can find tabletop games suited to their passions.
Games such as Acquire, Panic on Wall Street, and Raccoon Tycoon are some of the leaders in this category. The fact that these board games are also accessible to younger teens means they can even be enjoyed by the whole family. The bottom line is that the gaming industry has expanded enough that games are not just limited to one avenue anymore. Because games exist on such a vast range of topics now, most people can find a point of entry into board gaming.
According to an article published by the Washington Post on December 24, 2022, Elan Lee, the creator of the popular card game Exploding Kittens, mentioned that while classic games are still popular, these new board game ideas have filled a hole in the industry. According to Lee and Rodney Smith, the founder of a YouTube channel dedicated to gaming, before, board games were mainly about brute competition, whereas today, several of them come with a cooperative gameplay mode. This essentially allows families to experience a different kind of gaming world together, enabling them to form memories.
All these changing industry trends have made board gaming a wholesome family experience again, leading to a rise in the demand for the best board games for families to enjoy together. Let’s now take a look at the 30 best board games for families.
30 Best Board Games for Families
Our Methodology
For the purpose of ranking the best board games for families, we looked through over 10 online rankings to develop a list of the 40 best games. We also scanned BoardGameGeek, a leading board game review website, along with the best-selling family board games on Amazon. We narrowed down our list to 30 games that had the highest number of ratings and ranked highly on both Amazon and BoardGameGeek (BGG). The list has been ordered in descending order based on the average of these two rankings. Wherever required, ties were broken based on the total number of Amazon ratings. Note that the BoardGameGeek rating is out of ten, whereas the Amazon rating is out of five. The average of the two rankings was computed after adjusting the BGG rankings to be on the same scale as the Amazon ones.
Based on this methodology, here are the best board games for families to play together.
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30 Best Board Games for Families
30. Crokinole
BGG Ranking: 8.03
Amazon Ranking: 4.3
Average: 4.15
Crokinole is one of the only ‘traditional’ games that still make it onto this list of the best board games for families. According to BoardGameGeek, Crokinole was first introduced in 1876 and can be played with children aged eight and above. Because the game dates far back, there are several gameplay variations, enabling players to choose a method that they enjoy best. The classic rules are laid out by the National Crokinole Association, providing a starting point for those who are just getting introduced to the game.
29. Codenames Duet
BGG Ranking: 7.45
Amazon Ranking: 4.6
Average Ranking: 4.16
Codenames is a party guessing game where the players are split into teams of two. Each team has a spymaster whose purpose is to help their team guess certain words with the help of particular clues. The game is published by Czech Games Edition in several different versions. While the classic variation accommodates more players, the Duet version ranks better on both Amazon and BGG. The latter is supposed to be played between two players, but it also allows players to play against the game itself as a single team, incorporating a cooperative element. Other pop culture tie-in versions of the game are published by USA-opoly, such as editions featuring Disney, The Simpsons, Harry Potter, and Marvel.
28. The Taverns of Tiefenthal
BGG Ranking: 7.58
Amazon Ranking: 4.6
Average Ranking: 4.19
The Taverns of Tiefenthal is published by Schmidt Spiele, a German game manufacturer, and combines deck building and worker placement. The game is suitable for 2-4 players and has a playtime of at least 60 minutes, making it perfect for longer game nights. Even though it is ranked as one of the best board games for families, it is lower on the list because the game involves a lot of luck. Despite that, the theme is original, and the various modules mean that players can make the game as simple or intriguing as they want.
27. Fantasy Realms
BGG Ranking: 7.52
Amazon Ranking: 4.7
Average Ranking: 4.23
Fantasy Realms, published by WizKids, is a game for 2-6 players with an average playing time of 20 minutes, making this one of the best family board games for quick game nights. The game won the 2021 Fairplay À La Carte Award and was also nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres (expert game of the year) in the same year. Fantasy Realms is essentially a card-building game where each player is tasked with creating the strongest kingdom.
26. Carcassonne
BGG Ranking: 7.41
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.252
Hans im Glück published the original version of Carcassonne in German in 2000, and the game was later released in English by Rio Grande Games and Z-Man Games. It is considered one of the best gateway games for younger children because the gameplay doesn’t involve complicated elements and yet encourages critical thinking and strategic decision-making skills. The game has over 100,000 reviews on BoardGameGeek and has received six awards in the board gaming industry while being nominated for several others.
25. KLASK
BGG Ranking: 7.63
Amazon Ranking: 4.7
Average Ranking: 4.257
KLASK is a board game combining air hockey and foosball. Players use magnets to steer their piece to the opponent’s side of the board in order to score points. The game has an average rating of 4.7 across 7,103 Amazon reviews. There are no complicated rules to learn or cards to distribute; the simple playing mechanism makes for quick gameplay on family game nights, which is why KLASK is rated as one of the best family board games.
24. Horrified
BGG Ranking: 7.66
Amazon Ranking: 4.7
Average Ranking: 4.265
Horrified is another cooperative game where players compete against some of the most well-known monsters in the world, trying to defeat them each. The game can be played solo or with up to four other players. Typical gameplay lasts 60 minutes, and the game is recommended for children aged ten and above. It is one of the best family board games to try in 2024.
23. The Quest for El Dorado
BGG Ranking: 7.67
Amazon Ranking: 4.7
Average Ranking: 4.267
The Quest for El Dorado is a racing board game published by Ravensburger, a market leader in the European gaming industry. Players use a deck-building mechanism to race around the board, which makes this one of the best board games for families. The game has around 24,000 reviews on BGG and can be played within 30-60 minutes. The player number range is from 2 to 4.
22. Jaipur
BGG Ranking: 7.49
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.27
Jaipur is published by Asmodee, a French company that is currently one of the leading game publishers in the industry, having released several popular games such as 7 Wonders, Catan, and Citadels. In Jaipur, players assume the roles of merchants and engage in trading endeavors to receive points. Shut Up and Sit Down, a leading board game reviewer, has praised the game for having depth as well as a quality of simplicity that makes it easily accessible for new players.
21. Stone Age
BGG Ranking: 7.53
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.282
The English version of Stone Age is published by Z-Man Games, and the game has been rated over 52,000 times on BGG. Stone Age is primarily a worker placement game in which players earn points and gather resources to come up top. Average gameplay can last up to 90 minutes, yet the variety of mechanisms within the game prevent it from getting boring.
20. Pandemic
BGG Ranking: 7.54
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.285
Pandemic is one of the most popular modern board games, with a whopping 18,000 reviews on Amazon and 123,000 on BoardGameGeek. It’s considered a family board game because of its cooperative gameplay, which requires players to work together to beat the game. The game is published by Z-Man Games and has won many prestigious board game awards since it first came out in 2008. Players form a team against several viral diseases that have broken out worldwide, trying to eradicate them each. The game has three expansions, all adding new features and allowing for an extra player.
19. Space Base
BGG Ranking: 7.55
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.287
Space Base is one of the most engaging games on this list because every player gets to take action regardless of who rolled the dice, so players can interact with all turns in the game. The game is quick to learn but is more suitable for kids aged 14 or older, so it’s one of the best family board games for teens and adults. Space Base is also highly replayable because of the variety of outcomes, so families can get multiple hours of entertainment from just one game.
18. That’s Pretty Clever
BGG Ranking: 7.58
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.29
That’s Pretty Clever is a dice drafting game where players use several combinations to score the highest number of points. The game doesn’t have complicated rules and yet balances strategy with quick thinking to make for challenging gameplay. On average, gameplay can last for 30 minutes, and according to most reviews, the game works well with any number of players between 1 and 4.
17. Century: Golem
BGG Ranking: 7.6
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.3
Plan B Games is the distributor behind the Century board game. The original trilogy begins with Century: Spice Road and doesn’t include the Golem editions, which came out later. Yet, these versions are rated higher on BGG as a family-friendly board game. The gameplay is exactly the same in the Golem edition as in the original version, with the only difference being in the theme and aesthetics of the game.
16. Patchwork
BGG Ranking: 7.6
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.3
Patchwork is one of the most popular modern board games because it took a niche hobby and made its aesthetics accessible to a broader population. In this two-player game, players collect various tiles to complete their patchwork quilts, with the goal being to create a high-scoring combination. The gameplay is not highly competitive, providing a relaxing environment for family board game nights. A round can be played in as little as 15 minutes, which also makes this a brilliant filler game.
15. Cartographers
BGG Ranking: 7.62
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.31
Cartographers is a roll-and-write board game published by Thunderworks Games in 2019. The game can be played with as many players as one wants, which is why it is one of the best family board games. The simple rules make Cartographers accessible to younger children as well. The game has around seven expansions, adding variety and challenges to the core gameplay.
14. PARKS
BGG Ranking: 7.68
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.32
One of the best things about the modern board gaming industry is exemplified by the game PARKS: the diversity of themes. In PARKS, players act as hikers across trails during various seasons, trying to gain the highest number of points in the process. The game is highly revered for its beautiful artwork and features illustrations from fifty-nine national parks in the United States.
13. 7 Wonders
BGG Ranking: 7.69
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.322
7 Wonders has been reviewed by over 103,000 people on BGG, making it one of the highest-rated family board games. The game can be played between 2-7 players and functions as a card development game. The goal is to gather the most points through cards and other features. Average gameplay lasts 30 minutes, which is another reason the game is famous for family game nights.
12. The Isle of Cats
BGG Ranking: 7.71
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.327
The Isle of Cats is a board game with a considerable competitive element and can be played between 1-4 players. Using expansions, the player count can go up to 6. The gameplay is based on rescuing cats, and the goal is to collect the highest number of points, which can be done in several ways. This is one of the family board games with a longer game time, which can reach 90 minutes at a time.
11. Ticket to Ride
BGG Ranking: 7.53
Amazon Ranking: 4.9
Average Ranking: 4.332
Ticket to Ride is one of the most reviewed games on this list, with over 25,000 reviews on Amazon and 74,000 on BGG. The game came out in 2004, which makes it one of the pioneers of the modern era of board games. According to Brighten Up Toys and Games, Ticket to Ride has sold over 8 million copies around the globe. There are several versions of the classic game, each focusing on a different geographical location or era, providing a great variety within the same gaming universe.
10. Azul
BGG Ranking: 7.75
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.337
Azul is one of the simplest family board games on this list. Players take turns drafting tiles on their personal boards, based on which they’re scored at the end of the game. The publishers have come out with three new variations, as well as two expansions for these variations. The premise in each version is the same, with the difference being mostly in the placement mechanism. The original Azul version has around 87,000 reviews on BoardGameGeek.
09. Camel Up
BGG Ranking: 7.58
Amazon Ranking: 4.9
Average Ranking: 4.34
Pegasus Spiele published Camel Up in 2014, and the game can be played between 2-8 players. It is a strategy board game where players place bets on camels involved in a race, trying to determine which will win first. The game is based relatively on chance and offers lightweight gameplay that can be enjoyed anytime. According to a review by Shut Up and Sit Down, the game provides surprising twists and turns despite being simple, which keeps things interesting on the board gaming table.
08. The Quacks of Quedlinburg
BGG Ranking: 7.83
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.35
In Quacks of Quedlinburg, players play as ‘quack’ doctors, who’re tasked with creating their own mixture of ingredients. Reviews on BoardGameGeek have called this a great gaming option for kids, which makes it one of the best board games for families. The game was first published in 2018 by Schmidt Spiele.
07. Clank!
BGG Ranking: 7.78
Amazon Ranking: 4.9
Average Ranking: 4.39
Three separate versions of this deck-building game are ranked within the top 20 family board games on BoardGameGeek: the original, Clank!: Catacombs, and Clank! In! Space!. The original version came out only in 2016, emphasizing how quickly the game has popularized. Collectively, the three versions have around 59,000 reviews on BoardGameGeek.
06. Everdell
BGG Ranking: 8.03
Amazon Ranking: 4.8
Average Ranking: 4.40
Everdell is another board game praised for its illustrious artwork, and it is the sixth-best board game for families. Even though players are primarily engaged in playing their own games, the gameplay still allows for a lot of indirect player interaction, keeping them engaged at all times. The game was released in 2018 by Starling Games.
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Disclaimer: None. 30 Best Board Games for Families is originally published on Insider Monkey.