Top 10 Best Board Games of All Time
The world of board games is a magical realm where strategy, luck, and friendly competition combine to give us countless hours of joy and entertainment. From the earliest forms of checkers played in ancient civilizations to the modern, complex games that unfold whole universes on our dining room tables, board games have been a part of human history for millennia. They have the power to bring people together, to create memorable moments, and to challenge our minds in the most enjoyable ways possible.But how do we go about picking the 'best' board games of all time? What makes one game rise above the rest? Is it the intricate strategy that it demands, leaving us chewing our nails as we plan our next move? Is it the thrill of unpredictability where a roll of the dice can change everything? Perhaps it's the rich and immersive storyline that draws us into its world, or maybe it's simply how much laughter and fun it brings to our game nights.
I love Monopoly. I agree that the game can be incredibly luck-based and whoever has the most properties at the beginning tends to win. If you think Monopoly takes ages, make sure you follow the rules in the instruction manual. Not using the free parking space as a money-collecting space helps keep the game short, and I don't know why people have that house rule. You also need to auction properties if the player who lands on it does not wish to buy. I am just putting these two official rules out there that make the game easier and faster.
Overall, Monopoly is a great game to play on a family game night. Just don't let anyone flip the game board once they go bankrupt!
I honestly have really good memories playing this game, and though it's really long, the tension builds until everyone is so concentrated there's a wonderful silence coating everyone and everything. But it's not awkward.
You take your turns, gaining and losing money, and it's all balanced on luck and strategy. It really is such an amazing game, and I think it fully deserves to be at the top of the list.
Also, free parking, am I right?
Chess is a very strategic game, and you really have to think. If you don't play strategically, you will lose. I think chess is the best board game because it helps you with real-life situations. If you're capable of applying chess strategies to your life, then you'll win. Everything goes according to chess. If you analyze real life, you'll see that your life is full of sacrifices (like when you've said bad words or done bad things) and strategy. It's like a war where you protect the king, your children. The one who knows chess can rule the world better than the one who knows Risk. The chess player will understand the risks of everything. So, I guess it really helps.
Honestly, Chess should be tied with Dungeons & Dragons. It's simple, yet incredibly versatile. It's a genius game that focuses on skill instead of luck and doesn't take long to learn. How in the world is Monopoly, a game about literally buying buildings that takes forever to learn and takes way too long to play, better than Chess?
I love the game of Life because there are so many different ways your game could go. It could turn out to be an incredible game where you have tons of money, or you could end up losing, with no money, no house, nothing. This game is great for people aged 7 and up.
This game is great! I played it with a few of my friends before deciding to purchase it myself. It's great fun. Definitely a must-have with my family. We played it for 3 hours, then stopped, and it left my friends and I wanting to play more.
I love this game so much, especially the new versions with all the new stuff. My best score was when I played one-on-one, and my opponent ended with 3.5 million dollars but I ended with 5.9 million dollars! So fun, a must-play!
Clue is a fun family game. It is the best detective game there is. I love it! My family and I play it every free time that we get. I love it so much that if it were a person, I would want to marry it. It is the BEST!
Clue is my most favorite of all board games! The point of the game is to try to solve the murder. It's a great family game and isn't too long or too short. The only thing I would note is that it may not be appropriate for young kids (under 7 years) because it's about a murder.
I love this game. It's fun and easy to play. It also makes you think a lot. It's perfect for a wet weekend.
Simple enough to teach to anyone, yet complex enough to satisfy more hardcore gamers. There are multiple versions, including a few spin-offs of popular franchises. Although the arrows are much more boring than the detailed infantry units of previous versions, the choice for mission-based gameplay with a variety of objectives and power-ups, as well as better balanced cards-to-troops ratios, gives the most recent version an edge over previous versions. If you want to take it to the next level, you can make up different units with strengths and weaknesses or additional mission objectives with varied power-ups and so on. My only real complaint about this game is that its "lengthy playtime" of 3-4 hours (despite being nothing compared to most war games) scares off a lot of first-timers.
I agree with most people on here - many say it's all about luck due to the dice and the cards at the beginning of the game. Those people are actually oblivious to how much strategy you have to integrate into your gameplay. Like a real war, luck is a big factor, yes - you never know who's going to win, adding to the suspense - but if you have a godawful strategy, even good luck's not going to save you.
This game has a well-deserved place on this list. While there are better games, this one happens to be my particular favorite. The only problem I'd have with this is that it ignites temper among the players - the goal is to ruthlessly conquer, after all. All in all, it's not the best family-night game, but it's still a timeless classic that's not really as famous as others, but as well designed. Take a risk and try it out!
Catan is simple fun. The game is similar to Age of Empires for the personal computer. The progression is amazing, and there are many ways to win, so the game can be played again and again. I'm glad to have purchased one and do not mind others of the sort. Good job to all settlers, and may the upgrades benefit your beliefs. A great idea at last put together in the real world. It features beautiful design and game mechanics that engage the imagination each time around. Neat.
I started playing this game when I was 12, just by chance, when I went to my friend's cottage. His great aunt had billions of board games. I had never even heard of this one, but once I started playing it, my friend, his family, and I played it every morning until I left the cottage and got it at home. It's so fun, and it has both luck and strategy in it. There are lots of rules, but once you know all the rules, you'll love it!
Settlers of Catan is an amazing mix of luck and strategy put into a box. It's incredibly fun, awesome, and brings a family the joy of trading wood for sheep. It's a lot more fun than it sounds. You also get to build roads! I'm not doing a great job at selling it, but anyways, it's fun, awesome, and easy to find. The only flaw it has is that it's a little complicated, but that's it. I absolutely love it.
As games go, Scrabble has everything. Each game is different due to the luck of the draw, but your own cleverness and skill can compensate for a bad draw. It's also terrific for teaching children logic, spelling, spatial relations, and more.
I love Scrabble. I always end up with at least 200 points, or 175, or a tiny bit less. Of course, my dad's high score was around 370 or something. But I still love this game. It really makes you think.
You normally wouldn't really want to play Scrabble, but once you start playing, you suddenly treat it as one of the best games in the world.
This game is absolutely amazing. It combines luck and strategy, so every time you play it, it will be a different experience.
Battleship is a fun, great game to play. I probably play it every week for fun.
It is very interesting. Improved my sense of guessing.
Checkers is probably the simplest board game, but it still requires good strategy if you want to win. I don't play it that much, but I still love it.
Its simplicity, yet need for total strategy, easily makes it the best board game for anyone to play.
I can't even play this game on the computer, and (by you I mean anyone) you expect me to play it?!?!
Sorry is very deep, yet easy to get into. It also has a good amount of strategy involved, as each player controls four different pieces. In games like Monopoly, you roll a die, move that many spaces, and that's it. In Sorry, numbers have more variability. For example, getting a 2 lets you draw another card, or getting a 4 forces you to move backward. Needless to say, I always have a good time with this game, and I highly recommend it.
I have decided I hate Sorry. As a child, I loved it. I played it with my dad all the time. Now I am a father, and my 4-year-old son loves Sorry. Loves it. Sorry is on the table at least twice a week. How did my dad do it? For this newfound feeling for the game, and my son's love for it, it must be a top 10.
I really love this board game. In Sorry, I tend to get competitive and sometimes win, kicking some Sorry rear ends! This game is awesome and is a must-play during sleepovers.
For those of you saying it is Chutes and Ladders, not Snakes and Ladders, a little fact is that in North America the game is called Chutes and Ladders, and in the rest of the world, it's called Snakes and Ladders. It's the same game, but if you're wondering, Snakes and Ladders came first. It's really fun for youngsters.
My favorite board games so far are Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, and Girl Talk (the 1995 edition). My least favorite ones include Heartthrob: The Dream Date Game, Girl Talk Date Line, Twister, Electronic True You Personality Profiler Game, and Electronic Dream Phone (the 1996 edition).
My mom bought me this game (Shoots) in 1978 when I was 3 to show me that counting does not go from 29 to 100. And there is a number called 17. It was a tipping point in my life.
When you rate a game on 'best of all time,' you have to include influence in your decision. Not everyone has played Risk, Apples to Apples, or Ticket to Ride - or even Chess (ouch), sad but true. EVERYONE has played Candyland. It is the gateway board game. It must be a top 5 based on this alone.
I love Candyland. It should be top 10, to be honest.
Come on! How fruity is this game?
Best game to get people who don't normally play games to start playing games. Super easy and super fun. (I Recommend Europe)
Best family game. Way better than "Sorry," that's for sure. Should be much higher on the list.
Ticket to Ride is a suitable family game for up to six players. It has different versions. It should be one.
Awesome game. It's really fun to play with people who have no idea what their history, science, etc., is!
Definitely one of the most fun board games I've ever played.
Dungeons and Dragons is such a versatile game. It doesn't even feel like a board game because of how open it is. There are so many different scenarios that can happen. It feels like a strategy game with a bit of humor and it's basically the only board game with a storyline.
I love this game because it drives your imagination. It brings structure to anything you can think of and immerses you in a fantastic world. It is the largest influence on role-playing games. Without Dungeons and Dragons, games like World of Warcraft and The Elder Scrolls wouldn't exist.
More people should play this game. With the proper guidance, casual players can learn to enjoy it, and critical thinkers will feel right at home with the strategic options and builds they can create within this game. I believe it deserves to be scored higher because it has influenced so many games, but only too few see the true value of what an amazing game this truly is. Pick it up and play with your friends and family. You won't be disappointed.
Excellent game for ages 5+. Good logic, spatial relations games. Easy to learn. Mastery with a bit more time.
Blokus is a game of strategy. It is very underrated, in my opinion.
Great fun, quick game. It doesn't have to take all day.
Can't believe this isn't at least Top 10. Causes less arguments than Monopoly, at least.
It's fun to think of something and compare at the end!
Another gateway game, which is based on tile-laying and worker placements. Easy to learn, yet it can get complex with strategies if you so choose.
Number two on my list. This game gets even better when you start adding the expansions.
Infinitely replayable and expandable. We play with a myriad of rule changes, and it's always still fun.
Crazy fun. The more players, the merrier. Good for older children through adults. Love it.
Too much fun! It's hilarious 90% of the time. The other 10% is if you dislike or can't perform a card.
Good even for younger children about 4+. Helps develop observation skills and discerning skills. Plus, it's just fun. Easy to learn.
Stratego is a great game. Unfortunately, all the stores I've been to have taken this item out of stock. I don't know how long it's been since they stopped buying Stratego, but not many people know about it now.
Buy this game, people, and be amazed at the fun you will have!
I've been playing this game since I was 10 years old. I haven't found any other board game as addictive as this.
Especially with the old wooden pieces, it's a great game of strategy (duh) that is unique every game!
Mastermind has been around for decades. It's simple in concept but requires deductive reasoning skills. It's a great little game that is sure to please players of all ages. It's best to look for an older used version.
Fun game, makes you think, but super enjoyable.
Fun family game and game night game.
Great game for families and friends.
For all intents and purposes, this is Risk 2.0. The difference is this: more complex troops, setup, and combat. But also more fun (well, sometimes). This game can be extremely long if everyone involved knows what they are doing, but will typically take 5-6 hours. The massive variety of troops and strategies really help make this game replayable.
My only real complaints are that the setup provides no leniency, forcing players to instead make strategy with what they are given (I prefer the "choose your territory and troop placement" style of war game, and while you can make edits, even small changes can lead to huge imbalances later in the game), and few people are willing to learn this game due to its insane amount of depth. Fortunately, strategies can be almost completely different every time you play, adding higher replayability than most war games with a forced setup. An underrated gem in board gaming history for sure.
Dominion is extremely easy to teach, and anyone can have fun playing it, no matter how much experience they have with board games. It's also filled with decision-making, as every card combination will make for a new game. Those who can pick apart strategies and combos will have a great advantage. It works with people who want to play a relaxing game or those who want to strategize - everyone loves the feeling of building their deck. If you pick this up, you will play it many, many times. Without a doubt, it's my favorite game ever.
Dominion is probably my favorite board game of all time! It's quite easy to teach to everyone, and as you play, you can get more complicated each time. Every game is different because you can choose different card combinations. Buy this now.
Never gets boring. Especially with an expansion or three.