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.
Monopoly is a popular board game that involves buying, selling and trading properties on a board with different squares. The goal of the game is to bankrupt the other players by charging them rent when they land on your properties. The game also has special cards and spaces that can affect the gameplay, such as Chance, Community Chest, Jail and Free Parking. Monopoly can be played by two to eight players, and each player chooses a token to represent them on the board. The game is based on the economic concept of monopoly, where a single entity dominates a market and eliminates competition. 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 do not know why people have that house rule. You also need to auction properties if one player that 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 that game board once they go bankrupt!
I honestly have really good memories playing this game and though its really long, the tension builds until everyone is so concentrated theres a wonderful silence coating everyone and everything, but its not awkward.
you take your turns, gaining and losing money and its 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?
This is a great game. You have to have as much money and properties as possible in order to stay in the game. You also have to get the same color property in order to build houses. The further you go in the game, the more expensive the property gets (with Baltic Avenue the cheapest and Boardwalk the most expensive).
Monopoly definitely deserves this spot. It's the perfect game if you want to have the fun of watching your friends go bankrupt, or someone flipping the board over in a fit of rage. Even though it gets boring after three hours, it still can't be beaten by any other board games.
Chess is a two-player strategy game that originated in India in the 6th century. The game is played on a square board with 64 squares of alternating colors, usually black and white. Each player controls 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns. The goal of the game is to checkmate the opponent's king, which means to trap it so that it cannot escape from any attack. Chess is one of the most popular and widely studied games in the world, with a rich history and culture. Chess has many benefits for the mind, such as improving concentration, memory, logic and creativity. Honestly 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?
Chess. Is a very strategic Game And you really have to think. If you don't play strategy you will lose I think chess is the best board game because it helps you with real things and if you're capable of mixing your real life with chess then you'll win. Everything goes according to chess, if you analyze the real life you'll see that your life is full of sacrifices (when you've said bad words, did 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.
In this game, you and your opponent have to take your time planning and improvising as they make moves you didn't anticipate. You learn to sacrifice some pieces for the sake of saving others, or to create a gap in the enemies defense. Given how old this game is, and how... "Educational" it is, I regret nothing in voting for it.
Unlike Risk and Monopoly, when you lose some pieces, or even a whole game, you tend to gain respect for your opponent, instead of a burning hatred and passion for revenge. (Once you've matured a bit, that is).
I still play it to this day, great game and teaching tool.
I think chess is the best board game because it helps you with real things and if you're capable of mixing your real life with chess then you'll win. Everything goes accourding to chess, if you analyze the real life you'll see that your life is full of sacrifices (when you've said bad words, did 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.
The board game Life is a classic family game that simulates the major events of a person's life, such as education, career, marriage, children, and retirement. The game was created by Milton Bradley in 1860 and has been updated several times to reflect the changing society and culture. The game is played on a board with a winding track that represents the journey of life, with spaces that correspond to different situations or choices. Players spin a wheel to determine how many spaces they move and follow the instructions on the space they land on. Some spaces require players to draw cards that give them additional rewards or penalties, such as money, fame, lawsuits, or taxes. The game also involves collecting pegs that represent spouses and children and placing them in the player's car token. The game ends when all players reach the retirement space at the end of the board. The player with the most money and life points wins the game. The Game of Life is such a great game and even though the old version is a classic, I like the newer version more. The newer version is a lot more simple!
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 and you have tons and tons of money OR you could end up losing, with no money, no house, NO NOTHING. This game is great for people aged +7.
This game is great! I played it with a few of my friends, before deciding to purchase it myself. Great fun. Definitely a must have with my family, played it for 3 hours, then stopped and left my friends and I wanting to play more.
I love this game so much! Espicially the new versions with all the new stuff. My best score at it was when I played a one on one and he ended with 3.5 million dollars but I ended with 5.9 millions dollars! So fun, a must play!
The board game Clue is a classic mystery game that challenges players to solve a murder by finding out who did it, with what weapon, and in which room. The game is based on the original Cluedo game that was created in England in 1949 by Anthony E. Pratt. The game can be played by 3 to 6 players, who take on the roles of one of the six suspects: Miss Scarlet, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, and Professor Plum. The game board depicts a mansion with nine rooms, and the players move around the board using dice or cards. The players also have cards that represent the six suspects, six weapons, and nine rooms. One card from each category is secretly placed in an envelope at the start of the game, and these cards are the solution to the murder. The players must use deduction and logic to eliminate the possible combinations of cards by asking questions to each other and making accusations when they think they have solved the case. The first player to correctly guess the cards in the envelope wins the game. It 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 was 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 too try to solve the murder. It's a great family game and isn't to long or too short. The only thing I would look for is that it may not be appropiate for young kids ( under 7 yrs )
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.
I really love that game I just hope I don't kill anybody. But it is really really fun.
Risk is a popular board game that involves strategic planning, diplomacy and luck. The game is played on a map of the world divided into 42 territories. The objective is to conquer all the territories by attacking and defending with dice rolls. Players can form alliances, negotiate and betray each other to gain an advantage. Risk can be played by two to six players, and each game can last from a few hours to several days. 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), and 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-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 to this game is that it's "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!
My favourite. A combination of strategy, negotiation and luck, but the best bit is the way luck works. The dice are loaded, but then dice will be dice and occasionally even the strongest attacker can be repelled. That's the most fun! The game starts small and builds to an almighty all-out-war crescendo, which I always thought works well.
I remember playing this wonderful game in History class with Miss Jennings and sometimes I would win the game ! I really like this game very much plus you get to use your head and it helps you learn many things in history like war battles and land battles too.. This game is a must play with family or friends.
The board game Settlers of Catan is a strategy game for three to six players that involves building settlements, roads and cities on a variable hexagonal board. The game is based on trading and managing resources such as wood, brick, sheep, wheat and ore. Each player earns victory points for their constructions and achievements, and the first player to reach 10 points wins the game. The game is popular for its balance of luck and skill, its replay value and its social interaction. Catan is simple fun, the game can recall 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 utilize again and again. Am glad to have purchase one, do not mind others of the sort. Good job to all settlers and may the upgrades benefit the beliefs. A great idea at last put together in the real world. Beautiful design and game mechanics to 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 and his Great Aunt had billions of board games. I had never even heard of this one but once I started playing it, me and my friend and his family played it every morning until I left the cottage and got it at home. IT'S SO FUN, and has luck and strategy in it. There's lots of rules but once you know all the rules you'll love it!
Settlers of Catan is an amazing mold 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 great job at selling it, anyways, it's fun, Awesome, Easy to find. The only flaw it has is that it's a little complicated but that's it. I absolutely love it.
I am happy with the top 5. But Settlers is the best I'm sorry to say... Settlers of Catan is a game like no other! If you don't know what it is BUY IT it is totally worth it. Completely different from any other board game. This game is unique as you play it you will know what I mean! So Try it it will introduce you to a brand new way to play Board games.
Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by placing tiles, each bearing a single letter, onto a game board divided into a 15×15 grid of squares. The tiles must form words that, in crossword fashion, read left to right in rows or downward in columns, and be included in a standard dictionary or lexicon. The game also has two blank tiles that are unmarked and can represent any letter. Once laid on the board, however, the choice of the letter that it represents is fixed until the end of the game. The words must also be connected to previously played words. The game ends when all letters have been drawn and one player uses all their tiles or when all possible plays have been made. As games go, Scrabble has everything. Each game is different due to 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, et al
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. 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.
There's enough complexity to Scrabble to please experts, but gameplay is simple enough to draw in millions of new players every year.
Battleship is a two-player strategy game that simulates naval warfare. Each player has a grid of 10 by 10 squares, where they secretly place five ships of different sizes. The players take turns to call out coordinates on the grid, trying to hit and sink the opponent's ships. The first player to sink all of the enemy's ships wins the game. Battleship can be played with physical boards and pegs, or with electronic devices that have sound and light effects. 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.
Best game ever! addicted to it! I own at least 5 types of battleship!
Checkers is a two-player board game that involves moving pieces diagonally across a square grid. The objective of the game is to capture all of the opponent's pieces or block them from making any legal moves. Checkers is a simple but strategic game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. Checkers is probably the most simple 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?!?!?
This game is simple for young people and is a classic for adults and I
Highly recommend to play or buy this game.
Sorry is a board game that involves moving four pawns of the same color from a start space to a home space. The game is based on the ancient Indian game of Pachisi, but with some modifications. The game is played with a deck of cards that determine how far a pawn can move. Some cards allow players to bump other pawns back to start, or to slide along special spaces on the board. The first player to get all four pawns to the home space wins the game. 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. Like 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 reccomend 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 new found feeling for the game, and my son's love for it, it must be a top 10.
I really love this board game , in this awesome game I tend to get competitive and sometimes I would win and kick some Sorry rear ends ! This game is awesome and it is must play during sleepovers.
Sorry, but sorry is the best game. Teaches you how to get revenge on your opponents and not take peoples crap.
Ticket to Ride is a board game that challenges players to build train routes across various regions of the world. The game is designed for two to five players and takes about an hour to play. Each player has a set of colored train pieces and a hand of cards that match the colors of the train tracks on the board. On their turn, players can either draw more cards, claim a route by playing cards of the same color as the route, or draw new destination cards that give them points for connecting specific cities. The game ends when one player has only two or fewer train pieces left, and then the player with the most points wins. 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
Great family game that involves some tricky strategy decisions.
The board game Candyland is a classic game for young children that involves moving gingerbread pawns along a colorful track to reach the candy castle. The game is easy to play and does not require any reading skills. Players draw cards that show either one or two squares of a certain color, or a special pink card with a picture of a location on the board. The player then moves their pawn to the next square of that color, or to the location shown on the pink card. Some pink cards have shortcuts that allow players to skip ahead, while others have obstacles that send players back or make them lose a turn. The first player to reach the candy castle wins the game. 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... EVERYONE has played Candyland. It is the gateway board game. It must be a top 5 based on this alone.
I don't know why this is so popular it's as generic as board games get.
I love candyland, it should be top 10 to be honest.
Come on! How fruity is this game.
Trivial Pursuit is a popular board game that tests the general knowledge and culture of the players. The game was created in 1979 by two Canadian journalists, Chris Haney and Scott Abbott, who wanted to play Scrabble but realized they were missing some tiles. They decided to make their own game with questions on various topics such as history, geography, entertainment, arts and literature, science and nature, and sports and leisure. The game consists of a circular board with six wedges of different colors, each representing a category. The players move around the board by rolling a die and answering questions from cards. If they land on a wedge space and answer correctly, they collect that wedge. The first player to collect all six wedges and answer a final question wins the game. Trivial Pursuit has been translated into many languages and has spawned several editions and spin-offs over the years. Awesome game. Its 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.
Snakes and Ladders is a popular board game for children that originated in ancient India. The game consists of a grid of numbered squares, some of which have ladders that allow players to climb up to higher squares, and some of which have snakes that make players slide down to lower squares. The objective of the game is to reach the last square on the board before the other players. The game is based on chance, as players roll a die to determine how many squares they can move. The game also teaches moral lessons, as the ladders represent virtues and the snakes represent vices. For those of you that are saying it is chutes and ladder 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. Same game but if you're wondering, Snakes and Ladders came first. It's really fun for youngsters.
Favorite board games so far - Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders and Girl Talk (the 1995 edition). Least favorite ones - 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.
It's just the stupid American version of Snakes and Ladders which is a better game. You will learn you lesson one day.
Blokus is a strategy board game for two to four players. The goal of the game is to place as many of your colored tiles on the board as possible, while blocking your opponents from doing the same. Each player starts with 21 tiles of different shapes and sizes, and must place them on the board in a way that only the corners of the same color touch. The game ends when no more tiles can be placed, and the player with the most squares covered wins. Blokus is a game that requires spatial thinking, planning and creativity. Excellent game for ages 5+. Good logic, spacial - 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,.
Easy to learn, fun to play and not all buy luck.
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, and 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 does drive your imagination. It brings structure to anything you can think of and immerses you into 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 this game and critical thinkers will feel right at home with the strategic options and builds they can make 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 dissapointed.
Convoluted and fantastic, gets your mind working, and imaginations running. It may be your classic version of hardcore nerd gaming, but it WILL surprise you. And you WILL end up getting in touch with your inner RPGer. Everything possible from mid-evil to zombie apocalypses... Never under estimate this game!
Monopoly is obviously voted first. How come Dungeons & dragons is so low? I'd expect people to vote this in top 40 at least. I probably like this board game more than most video games.
Scattergories is a board game that challenges players to come up with words that fit a specific category and start with a certain letter. The game is played in rounds, each with a different letter and a list of 12 categories. Players have a limited amount of time to write down a word for each category that begins with the chosen letter and is not a proper noun, a hyphenated word, or an abbreviation. Players score points for each word that is unique among all the players' answers. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. 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!
Great fun for all ages
Love love this game!
Carcassonne is a tile-laying board game for two to five players, designed by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede and published by Hans im Glück in 2000. The game is set in the medieval fortified city of Carcassonne in southern France and features a map-building mechanic where players draw and place tiles to create roads, cities, fields and monasteries. Players can also deploy their followers, called meeples, on the tiles to score points based on the completed features. The game is easy to learn and play, but offers strategic depth and replay value. Carcassonne has won several awards and has spawned many expansions and spin-offs. Another gateway game which is based on tile-laying and worker placements. Easy to learn, yet can get complex with strategies if you so choose.
Number two on my list. This game get even better when you start adding the expansions.
Infinitely replayable and expandable. We play a myriad of rules changes and its always still fun
What an awesome game!
Crazy fun. The more players, the merrier. Good for older children through adults. Love it.
Too much fun! Its hilarious 90% of the time. The other 10% is if you dislike/can't preform a card.
Stratego is a board game for two players that involves strategy, memory and bluffing. The game is played on a 10x10 grid, where each player controls 40 pieces representing different military ranks and special units. The objective of the game is to capture the opponent's flag or eliminate all their movable pieces. The pieces are placed on the board face down, so that only the owner can see their identity. The players take turns moving one piece at a time, either horizontally or vertically. When a piece moves onto a square occupied by an enemy piece, a battle occurs. The higher-ranked piece wins and removes the lower-ranked piece from the board. If the pieces have the same rank, both are removed. Some pieces have special abilities, such as bombs that can destroy any piece except the miner, or spies that can defeat the highest-ranked piece (the marshal) if they attack first. The game ends when one player captures the flag of the other player or has no more movable pieces left. Great game. Unfortunately, all the stores I've went to have took this item out of stock. I don't know how long its been since they stopped buying Stratego, but not many people kno 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, great game of strategy (duh) that is unique every game!
Brilliant Game! Builds memory & based partly on luck but leads to strategic pre-game set ups...
Mastermind is a board game for two players, where one player creates a secret code of four colored pegs and the other player tries to guess it in a limited number of attempts. The code-maker gives feedback to the code-breaker after each guess, using black and white pegs to indicate how many pegs are of the right color and in the right position, or of the right color but in the wrong position. The game can be played with different levels of difficulty, by varying the number of colors, the number of pegs, or the number of guesses allowed. Mastermind is a game of logic, deduction and strategy that challenges both players to think creatively and analytically. This game has been around for decades. Simple in concept, but requires deductive reasoning skills. Great little game that is sure to please players of all ages. 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 & friends.
Fun fun. I like this game
Axis and Allies is a board game that simulates the Second World War. It is played by two to five players, who control the major powers of the war: Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union. The game has two scenarios: 1941 and 1942, each with different starting positions and objectives. The game is divided into rounds, each consisting of several phases: research, purchase, combat movement, combat resolution, non-combat movement, mobilization and income collection. The game ends when one side controls enough victory cities or surrenders. For all intents and purposes, this is Risk 2.0. The difference is this: more complex troops, set-up, 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 to troops and strategies really help make this game replayable. My only real complaints are that the set-up 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 replay ability than most war games with a forced set-up. An under-rated gem in board gaming history for sure.
This game is risk except 10 time harder games can take days and outcomes are always different. 1940 Global edition is the best edition in my opinion, start off with 1942 if you are looking to get into this game.
Oh my lord I love this board game! I think it's better than Risk. I own Europe 1940, Pacific 1940, and Axis and Allies 1942. It's a great game but I can only play against myself cause my parents don't have time and my friends thinks it's boring
This game is a truly unique experience, rare have I played a game where I felt like I was in complete control of an army, it is a very fun game in my opinion.
Dominion is extremely easy to teach and anyone could 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, and 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 people who want to strategise - everyone loves the feeling of building their deck. If you pick this up you will play it many, many times. Without a doubt my favourite 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, ebcause you can choose different card combinations; Buy This. Now.
Never gets boring. Especially with an expansion or 3.
Best game ever - by far!
A hilariously funny family game! Worth it!