Board Games | Cats and Dice | Board Games, Tabletop Games, and Cats! https://catsanddice.com/category/board-games/ FIND NEW GAMES, LEARN TO PLAY, ENJOY CUTE CATS Fri, 30 May 2025 16:04:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://catsanddice.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/favicon.ico Board Games | Cats and Dice | Board Games, Tabletop Games, and Cats! https://catsanddice.com/category/board-games/ 32 32 The Best Food-Themed Board Games to Fill Your Heart (and Stomach!) https://catsanddice.com/food-themed-board-games/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=food-themed-board-games Mon, 21 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=1290 When you’re stuck at home for whatever reason, it often feels as if the only options are to eat food and watch TV.  Those things can be fun, but board games are even more fun. And why not combine these activities into food-themed board games? It’s a delightful and delicious way to spend a day! What counts as a food-themed game? It’s simply any board game that has food in any way.  Food-themed board games are also great because they vary in difficulty, the number of players, and competitiveness. Some are short, while some are long. Some or cooperative while some are competitive. Many of these are also great for families. What are you waiting for? Check out the best food-themed board games to play with your family while you stay inside and snack. Food-Themed Board Games To make it easier to find the best food-themed board games for your interest, scroll down based on the theme. Sushi Games Sushi has really taken the world by storm both in and out of restaurants. That includes the board game world, too. These food-themed board games are some of the top-ranked on Board Game Geek. Sushi Go! If you love sushi, you’ll love Sushi Go! This quick card game that’s great for families is all about eating a delicious sushi meal. You’ll choose cards that will help you score more points than your opponents. The goals you can complete include: After three rounds, the player with the most points wins! A game only takes 15-30 minutes and is great for all ages. If you need a bigger sushi meal, you can get Sushi Go Party, which includes more decks (along with the original) for a different variety to the game.  Sushi Roll Like sushi but prefer dice to cards? Then you need Sushi Roll. This is the dice version of Sushi Go, and just like the card game, you’ll choose from a selection of dice to complete your sushi meal. It makes a great addition to a sushi lover’s board game collection. Maki Stack If you love sushi, then you know it’s not that hard to stack up your rolls for a tasty bite. But do you know how hard it is blindfolded? You’ll find out in the dexterity sushi board game Maki Stack!  Different sushi pieces will need to be balanced just right according to flipped-up cards in order to deliver them to happy customers. But be quick! You don’t want to keep the customer waiting, either. Be the fastest chef to win this 2, 4, or 6-player family food-themed board game.  Pizza Board Games Pizza is a staple on board game night, so it makes perfect sense to bring a pizza-themed board game to your table, too. New York Slice Ever dreamt of running a pizza shop in New York City? Now’s your chance! 2-6 players will choose from cut slices and then decide whether to eat or sell their slice.  One player cuts while the others choose and the cutter changes each time. Different kinds of pizza come with different point values and powers, so choose wisely. The pizza fan with the most points at the end wins.  Pizza Party This pizza-themed two-player only dice game is great for kids and adults alike. The dice represent different pizza toppings, and you’ll roll them five times or until you match the toppings you need on your pizza card. The first player to complete six slices of pizza wins the game (and a delicious pizza)! P for Pizza If you can’t choose between a word game and a food-themed board game, now you won’t have to. P for Pizza is like a faster, cheesier version of Scattegories. You’ll build your own pizza slice by matching letters to provided categories before anyone else does. Once you do that, you’ll go ahead and put your triangle piece into your slice. You’ll need to match more difficult categories to letters to win, though! You can’t complete a slice with only easy answers. The first person to complete their pizza slice wins.  Vegetable Board Games It might not always be fun to eat your vegetables, but it sure can be fun to play with them! Check out these vegetable-themed board games. Scoville The name of this game refers to the pepper, yes, but it’s also the name of a town. The town of Scoville loves to eat peppers so, so much, they don’t have any time to grow them. That’s why they hired you! In this vegetable-themed board game, you’ll plant peppers, cross-breed them for the hottest new pepper, harvest them, and sell them. Become the best pepper-seller in Scoville to win the game.  Point Salad While this point-scoring card game may be simple to learn and play, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to win! One side of the cards features six different kinds of vegetables including carrots, peppers, and lettuce. The other side will tell you how to score points. By choosing the best vegetables for your unique point needs, you’ll earn the most points and win the game. Morels Foragers know that you can’t just eat any old mushroom that appears in the woods. They also know that morels aren’t any old mushroom.  This two-player only card game uses two decks, one for daytime and one for nighttime. You will collect mushrooms, cook them up, and sell them for points. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. Bohnanza “To bean or not to bean!” That’s the question this 2-7 player vegetable-themed card game asks. You plant and harvest bean cards to earn coins, but you have to be clever about the order you plant in order to get a bountiful harvest. Different kinds of beans and harvest are worth different coins, and whoever earns the most coins wins.  Dessert Games For those who have a serious sweet tooth (including myself), these games make the perfect “dessert” to your gaming night. Finish off your games with a dessert-themed board game.  Go Nuts for Donuts Get your donuts, fresh out of the oven! But be careful – if someone goes for the same donut as you, then no one gets it. That’s how Go Nuts for Donuts works.  You’ll want to collect the most delicious and unique donuts to score as many points as possible. No one gets a donut that more than one person bets on, though. This 2-6 player food-themed board game is a must for anyone with a serious sweet tooth.  Truffle Shuffle There’s something so delightful about opening a box of truffles with all your favorite flavors, and that’s what Truffle Shuffle is all about. This quick dessert-themed card game is all about selecting high-scoring sets of truffles to put in your box and sell. The player with the best collection of truffles wins.  Sundae Split We all know what a traditional ice cream sundae looks like: three different flavors of ice cream, bananas, and a cherry on top. But unique ice cream sundaes are often more satisfying. That’s what Sundae Split is all about. Players will get to choose from ingredients to build their ice cream sundae. But if it’s your turn to share the ingredients, you’ll choose last and just have to make the most of what you have! If you can create an ice cream sundae that customers love, you’ll win the game.  Pie Town A town all about pies? No need to pinch yourself – you aren’t dreaming! Pie town is a food-themed board game all about running a successful pie-making business.  Using dice that represent your workers, you’ll need to select the best ingredients, bake amazing pies, and sell them to happy customers. Become the best pie shop in a pie-centered town, and you’ll win the game.  Restaurants and General Food Can’t choose just one type of food? Don’t worry – there are great food-themed board games for you, too! Try out these board games about restaurants or all types of food. Kitchen Rush If you enjoy the video game Overcooked, then you’ll love Kitchen Rush. This real-time cooperative game is designed to replicate the excitement and stress of a real kitchen. You’ll need to get ingredients, clean dishes, cook food, and serve customers to make money and win the game. For 1-4 players, Kitchen Rush is played over four rounds, each lasting four minutes. That means you can run a successful restaurant in just 30 minutes with others or as a solo board game. Foodie Fight This is a great game for trivia buffs and casual game nights. Foodie Fight is just like Trivial Pursuit for foodies. Categories include Food Stars, which is questions about celebrity chefs, and Dining Out, which is all about restaurants. The first player or team to answer three questions correctly from all six categories wins the game.  Hasty Baker In this 2-6 player card game, players race to win a baking competition by collecting the right ingredients for their recipes. You’ll have to watch out, though, because other players can sabotage you! The first player to 5 points wins this family-friendly card game. Time to Eat! These are the best food-themed board games that you can buy today. Food-themed board games are a great way to spend a cozy day indoors as you eat your favorite food.  As you can tell, this list includes games for anywhere from 1-8 players, for families or couples, and even for solo players. Some games are quick while others take some time. All these food-theme board games are definitely fun. What’s your favorite food to eat while playing food-themed board games? KristenHi there! I’m Kristen. I’m a game writer, a Dungeon Master, and like you, I love tabletop games. Visit our About page to learn more about me. I wrote this Cats and Dice article to help you enjoy gaming even more. Did it help? If so, our kitties (and our site) would be grateful for a little gift through Ko-Fi.

The post The Best Food-Themed Board Games to Fill Your Heart (and Stomach!) appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> When you’re stuck at home for whatever reason, it often feels as if the only options are to eat food and watch TV. 

Those things can be fun, but board games are even more fun. And why not combine these activities into food-themed board games? It’s a delightful and delicious way to spend a day!

What counts as a food-themed game? It’s simply any board game that has food in any way. 

Food-themed board games are also great because they vary in difficulty, the number of players, and competitiveness. Some are short, while some are long. Some or cooperative while some are competitive. Many of these are also great for families.

What are you waiting for? Check out the best food-themed board games to play with your family while you stay inside and snack.

Food-Themed Board Games

To make it easier to find the best food-themed board games for your interest, scroll down based on the theme.

Sushi Games

Sushi has really taken the world by storm both in and out of restaurants. That includes the board game world, too. These food-themed board games are some of the top-ranked on Board Game Geek.

Sushi Go!

If you love sushi, you’ll love Sushi Go! This quick card game that’s great for families is all about eating a delicious sushi meal. You’ll choose cards that will help you score more points than your opponents. The goals you can complete include:

  • Pairing of tempura
  • Eating the most maki rolls
  • Using chopsticks to grab more food
  • Adding wasabi to nigiri for extra flavor

After three rounds, the player with the most points wins! A game only takes 15-30 minutes and is great for all ages. If you need a bigger sushi meal, you can get Sushi Go Party, which includes more decks (along with the original) for a different variety to the game. 

Sushi Roll

Like sushi but prefer dice to cards? Then you need Sushi Roll. This is the dice version of Sushi Go, and just like the card game, you’ll choose from a selection of dice to complete your sushi meal. It makes a great addition to a sushi lover’s board game collection.

Maki Stack

If you love sushi, then you know it’s not that hard to stack up your rolls for a tasty bite. But do you know how hard it is blindfolded? You’ll find out in the dexterity sushi board game Maki Stack! 

Different sushi pieces will need to be balanced just right according to flipped-up cards in order to deliver them to happy customers. But be quick! You don’t want to keep the customer waiting, either. Be the fastest chef to win this 2, 4, or 6-player family food-themed board game. 

Pizza Board Games

Pizza is a staple on board game night, so it makes perfect sense to bring a pizza-themed board game to your table, too.

New York Slice

Ever dreamt of running a pizza shop in New York City? Now’s your chance! 2-6 players will choose from cut slices and then decide whether to eat or sell their slice. 

One player cuts while the others choose and the cutter changes each time. Different kinds of pizza come with different point values and powers, so choose wisely. The pizza fan with the most points at the end wins. 

Pizza Party

This pizza-themed two-player only dice game is great for kids and adults alike. The dice represent different pizza toppings, and you’ll roll them five times or until you match the toppings you need on your pizza card. The first player to complete six slices of pizza wins the game (and a delicious pizza)!

P for Pizza

If you can’t choose between a word game and a food-themed board game, now you won’t have to. P for Pizza is like a faster, cheesier version of Scattegories.

You’ll build your own pizza slice by matching letters to provided categories before anyone else does. Once you do that, you’ll go ahead and put your triangle piece into your slice. You’ll need to match more difficult categories to letters to win, though! You can’t complete a slice with only easy answers. The first person to complete their pizza slice wins. 

red peppers on flour in front of an uncooked pizza
Pixabay

Vegetable Board Games

It might not always be fun to eat your vegetables, but it sure can be fun to play with them! Check out these vegetable-themed board games.

Scoville

The name of this game refers to the pepper, yes, but it’s also the name of a town. The town of Scoville loves to eat peppers so, so much, they don’t have any time to grow them. That’s why they hired you!

In this vegetable-themed board game, you’ll plant peppers, cross-breed them for the hottest new pepper, harvest them, and sell them. Become the best pepper-seller in Scoville to win the game. 

Point Salad

While this point-scoring card game may be simple to learn and play, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to win! One side of the cards features six different kinds of vegetables including carrots, peppers, and lettuce. The other side will tell you how to score points. By choosing the best vegetables for your unique point needs, you’ll earn the most points and win the game.

Morels

Foragers know that you can’t just eat any old mushroom that appears in the woods. They also know that morels aren’t any old mushroom. 

This two-player only card game uses two decks, one for daytime and one for nighttime. You will collect mushrooms, cook them up, and sell them for points. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Bohnanza

“To bean or not to bean!” That’s the question this 2-7 player vegetable-themed card game asks. You plant and harvest bean cards to earn coins, but you have to be clever about the order you plant in order to get a bountiful harvest. Different kinds of beans and harvest are worth different coins, and whoever earns the most coins wins. 

Dessert Games

For those who have a serious sweet tooth (including myself), these games make the perfect “dessert” to your gaming night. Finish off your games with a dessert-themed board game. 

Go Nuts for Donuts

Get your donuts, fresh out of the oven! But be careful – if someone goes for the same donut as you, then no one gets it. That’s how Go Nuts for Donuts works. 

You’ll want to collect the most delicious and unique donuts to score as many points as possible. No one gets a donut that more than one person bets on, though. This 2-6 player food-themed board game is a must for anyone with a serious sweet tooth. 

Truffle Shuffle

There’s something so delightful about opening a box of truffles with all your favorite flavors, and that’s what Truffle Shuffle is all about. This quick dessert-themed card game is all about selecting high-scoring sets of truffles to put in your box and sell. The player with the best collection of truffles wins. 

Sundae Split

We all know what a traditional ice cream sundae looks like: three different flavors of ice cream, bananas, and a cherry on top. But unique ice cream sundaes are often more satisfying. That’s what Sundae Split is all about.

Players will get to choose from ingredients to build their ice cream sundae. But if it’s your turn to share the ingredients, you’ll choose last and just have to make the most of what you have! If you can create an ice cream sundae that customers love, you’ll win the game. 

Pie Town

A town all about pies? No need to pinch yourself – you aren’t dreaming! Pie town is a food-themed board game all about running a successful pie-making business. 

Using dice that represent your workers, you’ll need to select the best ingredients, bake amazing pies, and sell them to happy customers. Become the best pie shop in a pie-centered town, and you’ll win the game. 

Restaurants and General Food

Can’t choose just one type of food? Don’t worry – there are great food-themed board games for you, too! Try out these board games about restaurants or all types of food.

Kitchen Rush

If you enjoy the video game Overcooked, then you’ll love Kitchen Rush. This real-time cooperative game is designed to replicate the excitement and stress of a real kitchen. You’ll need to get ingredients, clean dishes, cook food, and serve customers to make money and win the game.

For 1-4 players, Kitchen Rush is played over four rounds, each lasting four minutes. That means you can run a successful restaurant in just 30 minutes with others or as a solo board game.

Foodie Fight

This is a great game for trivia buffs and casual game nights. Foodie Fight is just like Trivial Pursuit for foodies. Categories include Food Stars, which is questions about celebrity chefs, and Dining Out, which is all about restaurants. The first player or team to answer three questions correctly from all six categories wins the game. 

Hasty Baker

In this 2-6 player card game, players race to win a baking competition by collecting the right ingredients for their recipes. You’ll have to watch out, though, because other players can sabotage you! The first player to 5 points wins this family-friendly card game.

Time to Eat!

These are the best food-themed board games that you can buy today. Food-themed board games are a great way to spend a cozy day indoors as you eat your favorite food. 

As you can tell, this list includes games for anywhere from 1-8 players, for families or couples, and even for solo players. Some games are quick while others take some time. All these food-theme board games are definitely fun.

What’s your favorite food to eat while playing food-themed board games?

The post The Best Food-Themed Board Games to Fill Your Heart (and Stomach!) appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> 50+ Gifts for Board Game Lovers They’ll Really Like (Besides More Games) https://catsanddice.com/gifts-for-board-game-lovers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gifts-for-board-game-lovers Mon, 16 Nov 2020 00:00:25 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=1155 So you need gifts for board game lovers? You’re in the right place! As a board game lover myself, I know exactly the kind of thematic gifts I would love. And it may surprise you, but the answer actually isn’t more board games! Well, not always, anyway. It’s just that since I have a lot of board games, it’s hard for those who aren’t in the hobby to get me a board game I want and don’t have unless I have a list. We don’t want to count on your board game lover to have a list laid out for you. Besides, getting gifts for board game lovers that aren’t board games feels more personable and clever. That’s what I’m here to help you out with today. First, let’s start out with a big ol’ list of gifts for board game lovers. Then, if you just can’t decide, we’ll get into some ways you can narrow down what your loved one might enjoy without spoiling the surprise. Gifts for Board Game Lovers (Besides More Games) You’ll have loads of options when it comes to finding gifts for board game lovers (besides more games). There are so many options, you can break them down by category!  First, check out accessories that will pair well with anyone’s favorite board game. Then, find great board game-related apparel and home decor. Finally, peruse some great books and gift cards board game lovers will enjoy. Game Accessories Rather than buying a board game lover yet another board game, try some game accessories. Wear and tear means that most board gamers are always on the hunt for more durable or more beautiful game pieces like the ones below.  Dice Towers If you’re unfamiliar, dice towers allow you to roll any kind of dice with ease. They’re popular with D&D players but also with board game lovers. Some board games even include dice towers, but they’re usually not high-quality ones. That’s why dice towers make a great gift. Here are some great options: Some players may enjoy making their own dice tower with this DIY dice tower kit. Nature lovers will enjoy this gorgeous tree dice tower. This is a dice tower and storage for a 2-in-1 gift.  A foldable dice tower is great for games on the go. For Wingspan fans, try this delightful Wingspan dice tower.  This is just a small list of potential dice towers to give, too. You may simply want to browse dice towers until you find one that seems right for your friend or family member.  Game Boards and Pieces While you may not want to gift a board game lover another board game, you may want to gift them a beautiful board or pieces for their favorite game.  Hand-crafted Catan boards and pieces, for example, are popular among fans of Settlers of Catan. Wingspan, too, has lots of beautiful high-quality components available.  Check out Strata Strike for a wide variety of beautiful wooden game components for anyone’s favorite game. Use the tags on the left-hand side of their shop to find a particular game. Their options include Azul, Pandemic, Terraforming Mars, and more. For a less specific gift that’s helpful to any board gamer, give them a laminator and some dry erase markers. That way, gamers can laminate the score sheets to their favorite games and use the markers to score again and again. Metal coins make a great durable option for any game, too. Organizers Inside or outside of the box, you can organize your board games in many ways. Board game token trays, for example, hold your pieces easily during gameplay so players don’t have to fish out the piece they need from a plastic baggie.  A good box organizer, on the other hand, keep your pieces in place when board gamers store their games. That makes set up a lot easier when it’s time to play. Some board gamers don’t even bother with token trays or similar components because a good insert holds the pieces so well.  Tower Rex sells great board game organizers for a wide variety of games. Some games include Carcassonne, Spirit Island, and Sagrada. Again, this gift works best if you know your board gamer’s favorite games.  Related Post: Brilliant Board Game Storage Tips for Every Single Game You Own Apparel Board gamers and video gamers alike love to wear apparel that shows off their fandom. Fortunately, there’s a lot of clothing out there for them to do this! Apparel for board gamers can mean clothing, jewelry, and other accessories for adults and children alike. Clothing If you’ve searched for gifts for board game lovers before and came upon a bunch of D&D clothing, you’re not alone. While some board gamers might also play D&D, this isn’t a D&D gift list! Here are a few awesome shops to find clothing gifts for board game lovers: Meeplizer sells loads of great board game t-shirts. I like this cozy game shirt a lot. Meeple Merch has a great catalog of board game apparel for specific board games with beautiful minimalist designs. They even sell some unique meeple leggings. Getting Dicey Designs has a selection of general board game shirts. MeeplesCrossing also has a limited yet great selection. Do you know a shop that sells great clothing for board game lovers? Let us know in the comments or send an email to hello@catsanddice.com and we may add them to the list! Jewelry All kinds of jewelry make great gifts for board game lovers. From earrings to necklaces to cufflinks, you can give jewelry as a stocking stuffer or as a main piece for a special someone. Meeples go great on earrings. Give the gift of these meeple stud earrings. Or, if your loved one prefers hanging earrings, go with these hanging meeple earrings. Multiple colors are available for each so you can choose your player’s favorite meeple color.  Board game lovers might prefer meeple necklaces instead, especially if their ears aren’t pierced. This pendant meeple necklace is nice and understated. For something a little more unique and crafted, check out the glass options from Jenefer Ham Glass. For anyone who wears a suit, some meeple cufflinks are a must. Home Decor Some avid board gamers dream of having a room in their home dedicated solely to gaming decked out with cozy pillows, plush furniture and pillows, and decked out with a beverage station for all kinds of gaming drinks. Help them make this a reality with these home decor gifts for board game lovers. Furniture The crowned jewel of any well-designed board game room, besides the game, is easily the furniture. Good storage is a must, and board gamers take great pride in a good “shelfie.” Furniture items are almost a guaranteed great gift for board gamers. Tables are often designed just for gamers. A great gaming table will have a colored felt surface so pieces are easy to see and don’t slide around with a cover for the top. It’ll have slightly raised edges so dice stay on the table. Sometimes tables will have built-in coasters and spots for cards and pieces. Almost every great gaming table has a beautiful wood finish and comfortable chairs you can sit in for hours.  What board game tables meet these specifications? Here are a few great ones: Enjoy a board game table with a removable topper. Alternatively, get a board game table topper to add to existing tables.  A premium dining room board game table will go beautifully in any room.  You could buy a custom order table with game pieces embedded. For a crafty board gamer, try a board game table plan.  Affordable and portable tables make great gifts, too. Whether a gamer loves to play on the go or wants a flexible option for their small space, sometimes a multipurpose folding table is the perfect thing. A board game table is a very generous gift for any board gamer and is sure to guarantee a standing invitation to their home to play some games.  Decorative Items To decorate your gamer’s current or future board game room, add in some of these decorative items to go with their furniture. A game challenge board makes for unique decor while also being functional for gamers. Plus, it’s a great gift when you can personalize both the meeple colors and the wording. Beam Geeks sell lots of great board game-themed signs and artwork, along with other board game items, so make sure to check them out, too! Food and Drink Gamers love to eat and drink while enjoying their games, but they’re also very cautious about a mess. That’s why thematic yet cleanly dishware will make great gifts for board game lovers.  For some nice game-related mugs, check out MeepleMerch. Don’t forget to get some themed coasters, too.  Snacking, on the other hand, is best done with dip clip bowls. While different dip foods make great gaming snacks, you don’t want dip spilling all over the pieces! These clips will make sure that doesn’t happen. Plus, it makes snacks more portable for games that require moving around.  And if your gamer also happens to bake, then some meeple cookie cutters are a must. They might look just like a gingerbread cutout to the untrained eye, but any good gamer would know better.  Books Board game lovers tend to also be avid readers. (I know I am!) It’s probably because they spend so much time reading rule books. That’s why books about board games make great gifts for board game lovers, too.  CATAN: The Official Cookbook Catan players can take their game night to the next level with this cookbook. Filled with recipes unique to Catan like Over-Knight Oats, Robber’s Discard Delight, and Rocky Road Cookies, this book is sure to lead to great game night treats. The Player of Games Part of a fictional series by Iain M. Banks, this book is about Jernau Morat Gurgeh, one of the best game players of all time in a futuristic society known as The Culture. He’s so good, he gets bored, until he’s finally presented with the greatest gaming challenge of all time. But it poses a great risk, too. The Everything Tabletop Games Book This book, written by Bebo of Be Bold Games, makes a great coffee table book for any modern board game enthusiast. With guides on choosing games to winning them, this book will make a great gift for boar game lovers. The Oxford History of Board Games Many board gamers are also history buffs, especially war gamers. This book on the history of board games is sure to pique the interest of any avid board gamer with interesting tidbits about obscure board games from the past. GameTek If the board gamer you know ever asks questions like, “How many times do you have to shuffle a deck of cards in order for it to be truly random?” then GameTek is the book for them. Asking and answering all kinds of strange questions related to gaming and life, this book will entertain and educate for hours. Playing at the World Another good book for the history buffs, Playing at the World dives deep into the history of wargaming specifically. It covers well-known games like chess along with lesser-known games in the past and in modern times.  Your Move: What Board Games Teach Us About Life What can board games teach us about life? That’s what Your Move aims to answer. A good gift for the philosophical gamer, it’s a nice quick read, too, as the book is really a series of essays paired with beautiful pictures of games.  Books on Game Design If you have an avid gamer in your life, odds are good that they’ve at least considered designing a board game themselves. Help them out with a great book (or kit) on game design. Some favorites include: Game Design Workshop The White Box The Board Game Designer’s Guide Kobold Guide to Board Game Design Building Blocks of Tabletop...

The post 50+ Gifts for Board Game Lovers They’ll Really Like (Besides More Games) appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> So you need gifts for board game lovers? You’re in the right place! As a board game lover myself, I know exactly the kind of thematic gifts I would love. And it may surprise you, but the answer actually isn’t more board games!

Well, not always, anyway. It’s just that since I have a lot of board games, it’s hard for those who aren’t in the hobby to get me a board game I want and don’t have unless I have a list.

We don’t want to count on your board game lover to have a list laid out for you. Besides, getting gifts for board game lovers that aren’t board games feels more personable and clever. That’s what I’m here to help you out with today.

First, let’s start out with a big ol’ list of gifts for board game lovers. Then, if you just can’t decide, we’ll get into some ways you can narrow down what your loved one might enjoy without spoiling the surprise.

Gifts for Board Game Lovers (Besides More Games)

You’ll have loads of options when it comes to finding gifts for board game lovers (besides more games). There are so many options, you can break them down by category! 

First, check out accessories that will pair well with anyone’s favorite board game. Then, find great board game-related apparel and home decor. Finally, peruse some great books and gift cards board game lovers will enjoy.

Game Accessories

Rather than buying a board game lover yet another board game, try some game accessories. Wear and tear means that most board gamers are always on the hunt for more durable or more beautiful game pieces like the ones below. 

Dice Towers

If you’re unfamiliar, dice towers allow you to roll any kind of dice with ease. They’re popular with D&D players but also with board game lovers. Some board games even include dice towers, but they’re usually not high-quality ones. That’s why dice towers make a great gift. Here are some great options:

This is just a small list of potential dice towers to give, too. You may simply want to browse dice towers until you find one that seems right for your friend or family member. 

a cat sitting next to cards and a dice tower

Game Boards and Pieces

While you may not want to gift a board game lover another board game, you may want to gift them a beautiful board or pieces for their favorite game. 

Hand-crafted Catan boards and pieces, for example, are popular among fans of Settlers of Catan. Wingspan, too, has lots of beautiful high-quality components available. 

Check out Strata Strike for a wide variety of beautiful wooden game components for anyone’s favorite game. Use the tags on the left-hand side of their shop to find a particular game. Their options include Azul, Pandemic, Terraforming Mars, and more.

For a less specific gift that’s helpful to any board gamer, give them a laminator and some dry erase markers. That way, gamers can laminate the score sheets to their favorite games and use the markers to score again and again. Metal coins make a great durable option for any game, too.

Organizers

Inside or outside of the box, you can organize your board games in many ways. Board game token trays, for example, hold your pieces easily during gameplay so players don’t have to fish out the piece they need from a plastic baggie. 

A good box organizer, on the other hand, keep your pieces in place when board gamers store their games. That makes set up a lot easier when it’s time to play. Some board gamers don’t even bother with token trays or similar components because a good insert holds the pieces so well. 

Tower Rex sells great board game organizers for a wide variety of games. Some games include Carcassonne, Spirit Island, and Sagrada. Again, this gift works best if you know your board gamer’s favorite games. 

Related Post: Brilliant Board Game Storage Tips for Every Single Game You Own

Apparel

Board gamers and video gamers alike love to wear apparel that shows off their fandom. Fortunately, there’s a lot of clothing out there for them to do this! Apparel for board gamers can mean clothing, jewelry, and other accessories for adults and children alike.

Clothing

If you’ve searched for gifts for board game lovers before and came upon a bunch of D&D clothing, you’re not alone. While some board gamers might also play D&D, this isn’t a D&D gift list! Here are a few awesome shops to find clothing gifts for board game lovers:

Do you know a shop that sells great clothing for board game lovers? Let us know in the comments or send an email to hello@catsanddice.com and we may add them to the list!

Jewelry

All kinds of jewelry make great gifts for board game lovers. From earrings to necklaces to cufflinks, you can give jewelry as a stocking stuffer or as a main piece for a special someone.

Meeples go great on earrings. Give the gift of these meeple stud earrings. Or, if your loved one prefers hanging earrings, go with these hanging meeple earrings. Multiple colors are available for each so you can choose your player’s favorite meeple color. 

Board game lovers might prefer meeple necklaces instead, especially if their ears aren’t pierced. This pendant meeple necklace is nice and understated. For something a little more unique and crafted, check out the glass options from Jenefer Ham Glass. For anyone who wears a suit, some meeple cufflinks are a must.

azul pieces, gifts for board game lovers

Home Decor

Some avid board gamers dream of having a room in their home dedicated solely to gaming decked out with cozy pillows, plush furniture and pillows, and decked out with a beverage station for all kinds of gaming drinks. Help them make this a reality with these home decor gifts for board game lovers.

Furniture

The crowned jewel of any well-designed board game room, besides the game, is easily the furniture. Good storage is a must, and board gamers take great pride in a good “shelfie.” Furniture items are almost a guaranteed great gift for board gamers.

Tables are often designed just for gamers. A great gaming table will have a colored felt surface so pieces are easy to see and don’t slide around with a cover for the top. It’ll have slightly raised edges so dice stay on the table. Sometimes tables will have built-in coasters and spots for cards and pieces. Almost every great gaming table has a beautiful wood finish and comfortable chairs you can sit in for hours. 

What board game tables meet these specifications? Here are a few great ones:

Affordable and portable tables make great gifts, too. Whether a gamer loves to play on the go or wants a flexible option for their small space, sometimes a multipurpose folding table is the perfect thing.

A board game table is a very generous gift for any board gamer and is sure to guarantee a standing invitation to their home to play some games. 

Decorative Items

To decorate your gamer’s current or future board game room, add in some of these decorative items to go with their furniture.

A game challenge board makes for unique decor while also being functional for gamers. Plus, it’s a great gift when you can personalize both the meeple colors and the wording.

Beam Geeks sell lots of great board game-themed signs and artwork, along with other board game items, so make sure to check them out, too!

Food and Drink

Gamers love to eat and drink while enjoying their games, but they’re also very cautious about a mess. That’s why thematic yet cleanly dishware will make great gifts for board game lovers. 

For some nice game-related mugs, check out MeepleMerch. Don’t forget to get some themed coasters, too. 

Snacking, on the other hand, is best done with dip clip bowls. While different dip foods make great gaming snacks, you don’t want dip spilling all over the pieces! These clips will make sure that doesn’t happen. Plus, it makes snacks more portable for games that require moving around. 

And if your gamer also happens to bake, then some meeple cookie cutters are a must. They might look just like a gingerbread cutout to the untrained eye, but any good gamer would know better. 

Books

Board game lovers tend to also be avid readers. (I know I am!) It’s probably because they spend so much time reading rule books. That’s why books about board games make great gifts for board game lovers, too. 

CATAN: The Official Cookbook

Catan players can take their game night to the next level with this cookbook. Filled with recipes unique to Catan like Over-Knight Oats, Robber’s Discard Delight, and Rocky Road Cookies, this book is sure to lead to great game night treats.

The Player of Games

Part of a fictional series by Iain M. Banks, this book is about Jernau Morat Gurgeh, one of the best game players of all time in a futuristic society known as The Culture. He’s so good, he gets bored, until he’s finally presented with the greatest gaming challenge of all time. But it poses a great risk, too.

The Everything Tabletop Games Book

This book, written by Bebo of Be Bold Games, makes a great coffee table book for any modern board game enthusiast. With guides on choosing games to winning them, this book will make a great gift for boar game lovers.

The Oxford History of Board Games

Many board gamers are also history buffs, especially war gamers. This book on the history of board games is sure to pique the interest of any avid board gamer with interesting tidbits about obscure board games from the past.

GameTek

If the board gamer you know ever asks questions like, “How many times do you have to shuffle a deck of cards in order for it to be truly random?” then GameTek is the book for them. Asking and answering all kinds of strange questions related to gaming and life, this book will entertain and educate for hours.

Playing at the World

Another good book for the history buffs, Playing at the World dives deep into the history of wargaming specifically. It covers well-known games like chess along with lesser-known games in the past and in modern times. 

Your Move: What Board Games Teach Us About Life

What can board games teach us about life? That’s what Your Move aims to answer. A good gift for the philosophical gamer, it’s a nice quick read, too, as the book is really a series of essays paired with beautiful pictures of games. 

Books on Game Design

If you have an avid gamer in your life, odds are good that they’ve at least considered designing a board game themselves. Help them out with a great book (or kit) on game design. Some favorites include:

Don’t forget to offer to playtest their game, too! The real gift to give any budding board game designer is your support. 

Related Post: 30+ Books for D&D Players

board games and books on a shelf, gifts for board game lovers

How to Narrow Down Board Game Gift Ideas

Wow! That’s a lot of gifts for board game lovers. If you’re overwhelmed with the options, never fear. You can ask yourself three simple questions to narrow it down and find the perfect gifts for board game lovers. 

  1. Do you know your loved one’s favorite game?

If you know your loved one’s favorite game, then that gives you some options to focus on. If they love Catan, for example, then you can focus on Catan-themed gifts. 

And if you don’t know their favorite game, that still narrows it down! That just means you’ll focus on gifts that are not game-specific, such as books or storage. 

  1. What kind of board game gifts do they already have?

This question might take a little investigating to answer but will be worth it. Find out what kind of board game gifts your loved one already has. Then, avoid those so you don’t give them repeat gifts! 

You might know, for example, that your friend or family member has a favorite board game themed shirt. Then, instead of giving them a shirt, maybe give them a mug to go with it. 

  1. Do they seem to enjoy obvious board game gifts or do they prefer something more understated?

Related to the second question, note if your friend or family member has a lot of board game related gifts readily out or not. They might love board games, but not love decorating their home with board game items, for example. 

If you’re really stuck, you could also always play it safe and go with a gift card. That way, board game lovers can get themselves a nice gift! Good places to get a gift card include:

That narrows it down for you, then! In this case, stick to game accessories, books, or other understated gifts for board game lovers. 

And if you really want to get another board game for your board game lover, you can absolutely do that, too. Again, just make sure to put in some legwork first. See if you can get a list of desired games from your friend or family member. 

If not, see if you can sneak a picture of their board game shelf. Then, ask for recommendations in the comments below or in a board game related group on social media.

The post 50+ Gifts for Board Game Lovers They’ll Really Like (Besides More Games) appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> 12 Wingspan Strategy Tips for Your Best Game Every Time https://catsanddice.com/wingspan-strategy-tips-guide/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wingspan-strategy-tips-guide Sat, 10 Oct 2020 00:00:55 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=1026 Who knew that an in-depth board game about birds could be so fun? Elizabeth Hargrave did. An avid bird watcher and board gamer, she turned her two passions into the educational and compelling board game, Wingspan. And this is not an easy game! Unlike simple childhood favorites like Monopoly and Uno, Wingspan has expansions, and Wingspan strategy tips can seriously help your gameplay. As someone who has over 200 hours played on the digital edition of Wingspan as of 2025, including the European expansion and the Oceania expansion, I hope to give you guidance not only on the best Wingspan strategy tips but also on how to have as much fun with it as I have. How to Play Wingspan This article does not cover how to play. Instead, this is a Wingspan strategy guide filled with Wingspan strategies to help you out after your first few playthroughs. For a guide on how to play, check out the video below. Make sure to get your copy of Wingspan before you watch! The latest edition of Wingspan also includes the “Swift Starter Pack,” complete with unique cards and recommended turns. It is another excellent way to learn how to play Wingspan. The rulebook is also quite comprehensive and well-organized. Paired with the appendix, you’ll be able to learn how to play Wingspan quite quickly.  Similarly, you can get the digital edition of Wingspan and learn how to play without needing to find a game group! Related Post: The Best Solo Board Games You’ll Ever Play Wingspan Strategy Tips Now that you know how to play, use these Wingspan strategy tips to learn how to win. It will take a couple more playthroughs to get the hang of each of these. Wingspan also involves a bit of luck, so remember that not every tip will work every time in this Wingspan strategy guide. Still, each tip will go a long way towards helping you win Wingspan.  Tip #1: Focus on One or Two Habitats to Build an Engine Wingspan is what is known as an “engine builder” in the board game world. When you build an “engine” in board games, you are essentially making moves that will give you greater resources and/or points. You will start out with very little, and what you choose will get you greater rewards.  To build a successful engine in Wingspan, you need to start early. You will also want to pair your engine with other tips in this Wingspan strategy guide, so consider the following: You also only want to focus on one or two habitats. The Forest is more helpful row early in the game for food, while the Grasslands are most helpful near the end for eggs. One of the most powerful engine-building strategies, if you can pull it off, is to play birds with one kind of power in a different row. For example, if you can play a lot of birds that get you new cards in the “food” engine, then you almost never will need to take the “Draw Bird Cards” action. You’ll be able to skip a lot of steps and gain “free” turns.  Another strategy I like to use is to have a Once Between Turns card that helps me in a limited resource. For example, if I don’t have a lot of birds to play in the Grasslands, a bird like a Cuckoo will allow me to play eggs when a different player takes the Lay Eggs action. This strategy can be fickle depending on the exact power as noted in Tip #10, but powers that are triggered by common plays like laying eggs pays off. Tip #2: Pay Attention to the Bonus Cards While you do not have to complete the Bonus Card you receive at the beginning of the game (or any Bonus Card you get), it can help you structure your strategy. A Bonus Card you start out with might fit very well into your starting hand. The points you gain might also be the tipping point in the game.  Consider the percent of cards that can achieve that goal when choosing your starting Bonus Card. Then, counter it against the cards you are dealt and the End of Round Bonuses in play. If one Bonus Card stands out as something you can easily achieve, keep that one. Otherwise, choose the one with the greater percentage of cards that meet that bonus to increase your odds. If a Bonus Card doesn’t list a percentage of cards, then it’s likely that it scores points per card played. This is a great way to sneak in a few extra points. If you have an opportunity to get extra bonus cards, go for it if it fits into your overall strategy. You don’t lose anything by not completing one, but a lot can be gained. Tip #3: Don’t Pay Too Much Attention to Bonus Cards With that said, don’t focus so much on completing your bonus that you ignore strategies that can earn more points, like in the tips that follow. Bonus Cards usually can earn you no more than 7 points in a game where you’ll want to aim for at least 80 points to win. Eggs alone can get you 1 point each, and some bird cards are worth more than 7 points alone. Your attention might be better focused elsewhere.  This applies to End of Round Bonuses, too, especially early on. If working towards a certain goal would break the rest of your strategy, don’t bother. The point difference between players is not that great, so first versus third place most likely won’t change the end results.  Remember, these are bonuses. They are intended to extra points, not the main source of points. They’re best used as a way to eliminate decision fatigue in your strategy planning, not as the main focus in your strategy.  Tip #4: Mix High-Point and Low-Point Birds You may have noticed in your first few playthroughs that the lower-point birds have stronger powers. These often build well into an engine. Start with these powerful lower-point cards. Then, add a few high-point birds along the way.  For example, playing birds that get you a lot of food won’t amount to a lot of points in the end. Instead, play that bird early on. Then, use the extra food gained to play an extra bird at the end that has higher points and/or can lay a lot of eggs.  Sometimes it’s just luck of the draw, so if you don’t get a lot of good engine-building birds early on, you might want to try to get some with the Draw Cards action. Or, you might base your strategy on playing high-point birds that earn bonuses instead. It’s not ideal to plan to play a lot of high-point birds, though, without a strong engine. They tend to cost a lot of food, and if you can’t get a lot of food, you might end up stuck.  Tip #5: Play Birds That Allow You to Get New Cards As you might have figured out from the previous Wingspan strategy tip, the more bird cards you can get early on, the more options you will have strategy-wise. But you don’t want to spend too many turns on the Draw Cards action either unless you’ve got a nice engine going there.  By building an engine that allows you to get new cards, you will have a lot of choices in the long run. In addition to having lots of choices for what to pay that will help with most of the tips on this list, you will have the ability to get rid of cards in helpful ways like tucking.  Tip #6: Ravens and Crows are Overpowered, So Play Them! Ravens and crows go a long way towards enacting the previous tips on this list of Wingspan strategy tips. Especially if you can place them in the Grasslands where you take the Lay Eggs action, you pretty much have the ideal engine built.  That’s because ravens and crows allow you to trade eggs for food or cards. So if you’re gaining eggs in a turn and then using them to gain things you need, you pretty much never need to take any other action other than playing birds.  Tip #7: Don’t Forget to Trade Food This one has knocked me down a peg more than once. Don’t forget that you can use any two food in place of one. This helps a lot if a bird power allows you to stockpile one type of food. It’s also a great way to sneak in some extra points by playing any random bird cards you have near the end of the game. Depending on the kind of engine you’ve built, this may be more powerful than taking the Lay Eggs action for your last few turns.  Remember, unused food and unplayed bird cards do not help you at the end of the game (unless you have a bonus that says otherwise.) The next few Wingspan strategies dig into this a little more. That’s why, though, you’ll want to use as much food as you can during the game.  And while you’re at it, the resources boxes provided in the game aren’t the best. Give yourself an upgrade with this beautiful resource organizer.  Tip #8: Lay Eggs, Tuck Cards Laying eggs and tucking cards, especially in Round 4, can rack up the points very quickly. Each egg and tucked card is worth 1 point each. So if you can get even three eggs in a turn, those extra points can make or break the game. You can also cache food for 1 point each, but in my personal experience, this power has not consistently yielded as many points as eggs or tucking. It seemingly lacks the consistency of the other two powers. Some cards, however, will allow you to discard one type of food to tuck two cards, for example. If you have a surplus of that food for any reason, this strategy can pay off very quickly. In other words, be very mindful of what your previously played birds can already do when it comes to gaining resources and how that might interact with any future birds you play. Tip #9: Pay Attention to Other Players Your plays can sometimes help other players depending on your bird powers. Keep an eye on the other players to see if the move you want to make will be canceled out by helping someone else more than it helps you. For example, some bird powers will give every player a berry or an extra card. If another player has desperately been waiting to roll a berry but you do not need one, then don’t activate the bird power.  Tip #10: Beware Cards that Rely on Luck Similarly, be careful of playing cards that rely on other players. They’re not necessarily bad, but other players may be wary of taking plays that help you. Pink power cards that indicate the In-Between Turns power activation are unreliable at best for this reason. They are best played as a small part of your larger overall strategy and very early in the game. If a pink card allows you to complete one of your bonuses or gives you eggs or food, it could be worth it.  Skull cards pose a similar problem. If you can’t get a roll or card you need to gain the power, these cards can be a loss. In other words, treat them like Bonus Cards as discussed in Tip #3. They can add some much-needed points, but basing your strategy off of them will not help you win.  Tip #11: Wild Nest Birds Work Toward Any Bonus or Goal Birds with a star in place of a nest can be incredibly powerful. Wild nests can count toward any bonus that involves a nest. These include bonuses that call for “Most eggs in X nest” or “Most birds with eggs in...

The post 12 Wingspan Strategy Tips for Your Best Game Every Time appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Who knew that an in-depth board game about birds could be so fun? Elizabeth Hargrave did. An avid bird watcher and board gamer, she turned her two passions into the educational and compelling board game, Wingspan. And this is not an easy game! Unlike simple childhood favorites like Monopoly and Uno, Wingspan has expansions, and Wingspan strategy tips can seriously help your gameplay.

As someone who has over 200 hours played on the digital edition of Wingspan as of 2025, including the European expansion and the Oceania expansion, I hope to give you guidance not only on the best Wingspan strategy tips but also on how to have as much fun with it as I have.

How to Play Wingspan

This article does not cover how to play. Instead, this is a Wingspan strategy guide filled with Wingspan strategies to help you out after your first few playthroughs. For a guide on how to play, check out the video below. Make sure to get your copy of Wingspan before you watch!

The latest edition of Wingspan also includes the “Swift Starter Pack,” complete with unique cards and recommended turns. It is another excellent way to learn how to play Wingspan.

The rulebook is also quite comprehensive and well-organized. Paired with the appendix, you’ll be able to learn how to play Wingspan quite quickly. 

Similarly, you can get the digital edition of Wingspan and learn how to play without needing to find a game group!

Related Post: The Best Solo Board Games You’ll Ever Play

Wingspan strategy tips, Wingspan strategy guide

Wingspan Strategy Tips

Now that you know how to play, use these Wingspan strategy tips to learn how to win. It will take a couple more playthroughs to get the hang of each of these. Wingspan also involves a bit of luck, so remember that not every tip will work every time in this Wingspan strategy guide. Still, each tip will go a long way towards helping you win Wingspan. 

Tip #1: Focus on One or Two Habitats to Build an Engine

Wingspan is what is known as an “engine builder” in the board game world. When you build an “engine” in board games, you are essentially making moves that will give you greater resources and/or points. You will start out with very little, and what you choose will get you greater rewards. 

To build a successful engine in Wingspan, you need to start early. You will also want to pair your engine with other tips in this Wingspan strategy guide, so consider the following:

  • What bird cards you already have and their activation powers.
  • Your bonus cards and what habitat engines will pair well. 
  • The end of round bonuses in play.

You also only want to focus on one or two habitats. The Forest is more helpful row early in the game for food, while the Grasslands are most helpful near the end for eggs.

One of the most powerful engine-building strategies, if you can pull it off, is to play birds with one kind of power in a different row. For example, if you can play a lot of birds that get you new cards in the “food” engine, then you almost never will need to take the “Draw Bird Cards” action. You’ll be able to skip a lot of steps and gain “free” turns. 

Another strategy I like to use is to have a Once Between Turns card that helps me in a limited resource. For example, if I don’t have a lot of birds to play in the Grasslands, a bird like a Cuckoo will allow me to play eggs when a different player takes the Lay Eggs action. This strategy can be fickle depending on the exact power as noted in Tip #10, but powers that are triggered by common plays like laying eggs pays off.

Tip #2: Pay Attention to the Bonus Cards

While you do not have to complete the Bonus Card you receive at the beginning of the game (or any Bonus Card you get), it can help you structure your strategy. A Bonus Card you start out with might fit very well into your starting hand. The points you gain might also be the tipping point in the game. 

Consider the percent of cards that can achieve that goal when choosing your starting Bonus Card. Then, counter it against the cards you are dealt and the End of Round Bonuses in play. If one Bonus Card stands out as something you can easily achieve, keep that one. Otherwise, choose the one with the greater percentage of cards that meet that bonus to increase your odds. If a Bonus Card doesn’t list a percentage of cards, then it’s likely that it scores points per card played. This is a great way to sneak in a few extra points.

If you have an opportunity to get extra bonus cards, go for it if it fits into your overall strategy. You don’t lose anything by not completing one, but a lot can be gained.

Tip #3: Don’t Pay Too Much Attention to Bonus Cards

With that said, don’t focus so much on completing your bonus that you ignore strategies that can earn more points, like in the tips that follow. Bonus Cards usually can earn you no more than 7 points in a game where you’ll want to aim for at least 80 points to win. Eggs alone can get you 1 point each, and some bird cards are worth more than 7 points alone. Your attention might be better focused elsewhere. 

This applies to End of Round Bonuses, too, especially early on. If working towards a certain goal would break the rest of your strategy, don’t bother. The point difference between players is not that great, so first versus third place most likely won’t change the end results. 

Remember, these are bonuses. They are intended to extra points, not the main source of points. They’re best used as a way to eliminate decision fatigue in your strategy planning, not as the main focus in your strategy. 

Wingspan educational board game

Tip #4: Mix High-Point and Low-Point Birds

You may have noticed in your first few playthroughs that the lower-point birds have stronger powers. These often build well into an engine. Start with these powerful lower-point cards. Then, add a few high-point birds along the way. 

For example, playing birds that get you a lot of food won’t amount to a lot of points in the end. Instead, play that bird early on. Then, use the extra food gained to play an extra bird at the end that has higher points and/or can lay a lot of eggs. 

Sometimes it’s just luck of the draw, so if you don’t get a lot of good engine-building birds early on, you might want to try to get some with the Draw Cards action. Or, you might base your strategy on playing high-point birds that earn bonuses instead. It’s not ideal to plan to play a lot of high-point birds, though, without a strong engine. They tend to cost a lot of food, and if you can’t get a lot of food, you might end up stuck. 

Tip #5: Play Birds That Allow You to Get New Cards

As you might have figured out from the previous Wingspan strategy tip, the more bird cards you can get early on, the more options you will have strategy-wise. But you don’t want to spend too many turns on the Draw Cards action either unless you’ve got a nice engine going there. 

By building an engine that allows you to get new cards, you will have a lot of choices in the long run. In addition to having lots of choices for what to pay that will help with most of the tips on this list, you will have the ability to get rid of cards in helpful ways like tucking. 

Tip #6: Ravens and Crows are Overpowered, So Play Them!

Ravens and crows go a long way towards enacting the previous tips on this list of Wingspan strategy tips. Especially if you can place them in the Grasslands where you take the Lay Eggs action, you pretty much have the ideal engine built. 

That’s because ravens and crows allow you to trade eggs for food or cards. So if you’re gaining eggs in a turn and then using them to gain things you need, you pretty much never need to take any other action other than playing birds. 

Tip #7: Don’t Forget to Trade Food

This one has knocked me down a peg more than once. Don’t forget that you can use any two food in place of one. This helps a lot if a bird power allows you to stockpile one type of food. It’s also a great way to sneak in some extra points by playing any random bird cards you have near the end of the game. Depending on the kind of engine you’ve built, this may be more powerful than taking the Lay Eggs action for your last few turns. 

Remember, unused food and unplayed bird cards do not help you at the end of the game (unless you have a bonus that says otherwise.) The next few Wingspan strategies dig into this a little more. That’s why, though, you’ll want to use as much food as you can during the game. 

And while you’re at it, the resources boxes provided in the game aren’t the best. Give yourself an upgrade with this beautiful resource organizer. 

Tip #8: Lay Eggs, Tuck Cards

Laying eggs and tucking cards, especially in Round 4, can rack up the points very quickly. Each egg and tucked card is worth 1 point each. So if you can get even three eggs in a turn, those extra points can make or break the game.

You can also cache food for 1 point each, but in my personal experience, this power has not consistently yielded as many points as eggs or tucking. It seemingly lacks the consistency of the other two powers. Some cards, however, will allow you to discard one type of food to tuck two cards, for example. If you have a surplus of that food for any reason, this strategy can pay off very quickly.

In other words, be very mindful of what your previously played birds can already do when it comes to gaining resources and how that might interact with any future birds you play.

Tip #9: Pay Attention to Other Players

Your plays can sometimes help other players depending on your bird powers. Keep an eye on the other players to see if the move you want to make will be canceled out by helping someone else more than it helps you.

For example, some bird powers will give every player a berry or an extra card. If another player has desperately been waiting to roll a berry but you do not need one, then don’t activate the bird power. 

Wingspan strategy tips

Tip #10: Beware Cards that Rely on Luck

Similarly, be careful of playing cards that rely on other players. They’re not necessarily bad, but other players may be wary of taking plays that help you. Pink power cards that indicate the In-Between Turns power activation are unreliable at best for this reason. They are best played as a small part of your larger overall strategy and very early in the game. If a pink card allows you to complete one of your bonuses or gives you eggs or food, it could be worth it. 

Skull cards pose a similar problem. If you can’t get a roll or card you need to gain the power, these cards can be a loss. In other words, treat them like Bonus Cards as discussed in Tip #3. They can add some much-needed points, but basing your strategy off of them will not help you win. 

Tip #11: Wild Nest Birds Work Toward Any Bonus or Goal

Birds with a star in place of a nest can be incredibly powerful. Wild nests can count toward any bonus that involves a nest. These include bonuses that call for “Most eggs in X nest” or “Most birds with eggs in X nest.” They also work towards end of round goals. 

In the base game, a wild nest always acts as another kind of nest for bonus cards. The exception is in the Oceania expansion. Some bonus cards there only allow you to count wild nests once. Therefore, you’ll need to count what you have.

Tip #12: Practice Against the Automaton

The solo mode for Wingspan, also known as the Automaton, isn’t just great for individual fun. It can be a great way to practice these Wingspan strategy tips, too. 

The Automaton is balanced well for different difficulty settings, so your score compared to its score will give you a good sense of how well you’re understanding the game. Think of it like competing against a computer player in virtual gameplay. 

And speaking of virtual gameplay, did you know you can play Wingspan online? It’s another great way to practice these Wingspan strategies. 

Time to Win Wingspan!

Make sure to bookmark this Wingspan strategy guide to help you win Wingspan again and again. Make sure to come back, too, once this Wingspan guide is updated for the Asia expansion. It will take some time to get the hang of all these Wingspan strategy tips. Fortunately, the learning curve is incredibly fun to overcome. 

While you’re at it, make sure to get a nice Wingspan organizer to help you store your game. The guide on the side of the box helps, but since you’re certain to play Wingspan more and more with these tips, you’ll want something that’s consistently easy to put away and organize. 

The post 12 Wingspan Strategy Tips for Your Best Game Every Time appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Why are Board Games so Expensive? (And How You Can Save Money on Them) https://catsanddice.com/why-are-board-games-so-expensive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=why-are-board-games-so-expensive Wed, 15 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=926 If you go online right now and look up a classic board game like Monopoly, you’d see that a standard version does not cost that much. But then, if you look up some newer, more modern board games, you’ll see that it is not uncommon for these board games to cost two to three times as much as a classic board game.. Why are board games so expensive? The value of a board game, just like anything else, depends on a lot of things. Understanding why a board game costs what it costs can help you appreciate a game more and choose better games. Keep reading to find out why board games are so expensive. Then, learn how you can save money on board games for you and your family. Setting the Price of a Board Game Many modern board games come with a lot of unique, individual parts and involve a lot of people to make them. That’s the short answer to the question, “Why are board games so expensive?” There’s more to it than that, though. The price of a board game often depends on how the unique pieces are made, how many components there are, how board games are designed and produced, and who publishes the game. Parts of a Board Game The first major cost of board games comes from the pieces in the game. Not all games are just a board and dice with some cards. Many of the most expensive board games on the market use miniatures as a core part of the game.  Miniatures are small, customized pieces for board games and tabletop games. If a board game uses miniatures as part of the game, it’s likely that they’ll need more than just one or two. Each miniature goes through a custom design process, too. This takes a lot of materials and skilled workers.  So why do board game publishers go through the effort? Because the demand for miniatures is high. Board gamers enjoy miniatures. Gamers feel they enhance the game, especially war games and RPGs with a high narrative element. Plus, people enjoy painting miniatures.  Miniatures aren’t the only pieces that can cost a lot, though. Many modern board games contain unique, customized pieces of all kinds. These can include coins, maps, tiles, or even eggs! It’s also worth noting that even if the cost of the components is not high itself, some board games need a good way to store lots of pieces. Replayability is very important in board games (which we’ll talk about more later), so if you lose too many pieces, this leads to one of two solutions. One, you won’t play the game much anymore, which means the publisher will likely lose you as a future customer. Or two, you’ll ask the publisher for new components, which will cost them more in the end.  How Board Games are Made The next major cost of a board game depends on how they are made. Most modern board games are developed by small publishers and indie design teams. The list below simplifies the process of publishing board games. Create a board game. Develop a nice prototype with professional art. Contact a factory. Launch your game on Kickstarter. Manufacture your game. Send games from the factory to the fulfillment center. Fulfill your games. While many hobbyists want a high-quality game, though, most published games only plan for a small publishing run. That means that publishers need to make the price on a game higher in order to not only pay every part of the production team but to turn a profit, too. A game that sells 2,000 copies versus 20,000 copies will have a very different profit margin if it only costs $15.  Small vs. Big Board Game Publishers This is a key part of why mass-market board games from companies like Hasbro cost less. They’re intended for a wider audience, require less teamwork to produce, and are sold by companies that have a greater manufacturing power. Small publishers, on the other hand, have to hire out the work for most steps of the creation process. Then, the more you publish, the better “deal” you can get from manufacturers for publishing in “bulk.” But if you can’t sell a large production run, then it’s not ultimately cost effective. That means the price goes up for the consumer.  The age of the publisher matters, too. More established board game publishers may have an easier time keeping costs down because they’ve established a profit stream from their earlier games. Ticket to Ride is a good example of this. Days of Wonder has been able to capitalize on their hit game by creating lots of expansions that cost slightly less due to less components. They also have created digital versions of their games that might turn a better profit because their material costs are different.  Newer publishers, however, don’t have that benefit. That’s part of why so many board games available on Kickstarter are by newer publishers or designers. Kickstarter connects new publishers with their audience and get their project off the ground. This works by audience members essentially “pre-ordering” a game to help the publisher get it made and cover the startup costs. It’s not a fool-proof system. A project needs to be backed completely for it to work, and then they can have unanticipated problems along the way. But when it does work, a great new board game enters the world.  Getting Your Board Games Another reason why board games are so expensive is the shipping cost. Board games are heavy, and many shipments are by weight. Even if you buy a board game in a store, they still ship to the store. This is why you might think you find a good board game deal online just to realize that shipping brings the price back up to market price. Many board gamers also view their games as a collection and want them kept in good condition. Hobbyists go to great lengths to keep games stored well. That means that most board game publishers try to take extra care with their shipping, even if it means increasing the cost.  Vintage Board Games If you’re wondering why board games are so expensive, you probably aren’t asking about vintage board games, but they’re worth noting. If a board game is out of print, it will cost a lot more than one still in production. This cost will go up even more if it’s considered a collector’s item in some way. The original print run of Dune, for example, would certainly cost more than the Dune remake. Why? It was a popular game. A new version has come out, making people nostalgic. The original came out more than 40 years ago. Not all vintage board games will cost more. Unpopular games and games in bad condition will generally cost less, even next to nothing.  Are Board Games Worth the Price? Now that you have a better sense of why board games cost what they cost, you might be wondering if they’re worth the price. Whether a board game is valuable enough to you is up to you, but there are certainly outside influences to consider.  First, the cost of a board game doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Board game publishers put the time, effort, and money into making board games because there is a demande for them. People want to play these games because they are fun, interesting, beautiful, and a great way to spend time with others.  Second, reviews from trusted gamers can go a long way. Some board games come with expensive components and the designers and publishers alike took a great amount of time and care into making the game. But if the players decide that the game isn’t that fun, then it’s not worth it. If a game gives a lot of fun and joy, though, then cost doesn’t mean that much.  Entertainment Costs Think about it this way: how much money per hour are you willing to spend on entertainment? Many people will go see a movie at a movie theater that will cost $15 per person for a two-hour movie. That’s $7.50 per hour of entertainment. If you play a board game that costs $50 that plays for an hour 10 times, though, then that’s $5 per hour of entertainment. (And more often than not, the more expensive the game, the more playtime goes into a single playthrough.) Here are some other entertainment cost comparisons to think about. ACTIVITY COST COST PER HOUR Night at the movies $15 per person for tickets only $7.50 Bowling $12 per person including shoes $12 Escape room $25 per person $25 Live concert $95 per person $32 NFL game $150 $50 Board games $50 per game $5 or less Board games aren’t so expensive when you think of it like that. And that’s a conservative estimate. Really, there are lots of ways to get more for your dollar when it comes to board games. What are Some of the Most Expensive Board Games? I can’t say I recommend buying a board game just because it’s amazingly expensive. I also don’t think you should avoid a game just because of its cost, especially if it’s something you think you’d really like. But I’ll admit, I became a bit curious as to which board games were particularly expensive. So, I thought you might be wondering, too.  So first, I’m not generally talking about novelty, intentionally expensive versions of classics. It is easier to see why board games like these are so expensive.  Instead, what are some of the most expensive modern board games that players regularly buy? Here are a few and their average cost on Amazon.  On Mars averages $128 Gloomhaven averages $115 Twilight Imperium averages $115 Root averages $100 Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition) averages $85 A Feast for Odin averages $82 Star Wars: Imperial Assault averages $73 Arcadia Quest averages $69 Scythe averages $67 This list does not include expansions to any of these games (although most of them do have at least one expansion). It also does not include games like Magic: the Gathering or Dungeons and Dragons, which have cards, books, dice, and other components. While the cost for a single item may be less (or more), buying all the items you’d want to really get into these games can get quite expensive.  How Can I Save Money on Board Games? Now that you see board games aren’t as expensive as you once thought, it’s still worth noting that there are great ways to save on board games like: Sharing games with friends Using deal trackers Shopping at thrift stores Play at a board game café Also remember that games have a long shelf life. I have board games from 20+ years ago that I still play today because I kept them in good condition. So board games, in a way, are like an investment into your entertainment.  Finally, not all board games are so expensive! Many great modern board games do not cost a lot. Some great games cost $10 or less. Saving money on games is largely about mindset and deciding whether or not a board game is expensive to you.  What are the most expensive board games you know? How do you find great deals on expensive board games? Share in the comments! Kristen Hi there! I’m Kristen. I’m a game writer, a Dungeon Master, and like you, I love tabletop games. Visit our About page to learn more about me. I wrote this Cats and Dice article to help you enjoy gaming even more. Did it help? If so, our kitties (and our site) would be grateful for a little gift through Ko-Fi.

The post Why are Board Games so Expensive? (And How You Can Save Money on Them) appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> If you go online right now and look up a classic board game like Monopoly, you’d see that a standard version does not cost that much. But then, if you look up some newer, more modern board games, you’ll see that it is not uncommon for these board games to cost two to three times as much as a classic board game.. Why are board games so expensive?

The value of a board game, just like anything else, depends on a lot of things. Understanding why a board game costs what it costs can help you appreciate a game more and choose better games. Keep reading to find out why board games are so expensive. Then, learn how you can save money on board games for you and your family.

Setting the Price of a Board Game

Many modern board games come with a lot of unique, individual parts and involve a lot of people to make them. That’s the short answer to the question, “Why are board games so expensive?” There’s more to it than that, though. The price of a board game often depends on how the unique pieces are made, how many components there are, how board games are designed and produced, and who publishes the game.

Parts of a Board Game

The first major cost of board games comes from the pieces in the game. Not all games are just a board and dice with some cards. Many of the most expensive board games on the market use miniatures as a core part of the game. 

D&D multiclassing guide 5e, dnd

Miniatures are small, customized pieces for board games and tabletop games. If a board game uses miniatures as part of the game, it’s likely that they’ll need more than just one or two. Each miniature goes through a custom design process, too. This takes a lot of materials and skilled workers. 

So why do board game publishers go through the effort? Because the demand for miniatures is high. Board gamers enjoy miniatures. Gamers feel they enhance the game, especially war games and RPGs with a high narrative element. Plus, people enjoy painting miniatures. 

Miniatures aren’t the only pieces that can cost a lot, though. Many modern board games contain unique, customized pieces of all kinds. These can include coins, maps, tiles, or even eggs!

It’s also worth noting that even if the cost of the components is not high itself, some board games need a good way to store lots of pieces. Replayability is very important in board games (which we’ll talk about more later), so if you lose too many pieces, this leads to one of two solutions. One, you won’t play the game much anymore, which means the publisher will likely lose you as a future customer. Or two, you’ll ask the publisher for new components, which will cost them more in the end. 

How Board Games are Made

The next major cost of a board game depends on how they are made. Most modern board games are developed by small publishers and indie design teams. The list below simplifies the process of publishing board games.

  1. Create a board game.
  2. Develop a nice prototype with professional art.
  3. Contact a factory.
  4. Launch your game on Kickstarter.
  5. Manufacture your game.
  6. Send games from the factory to the fulfillment center.
  7. Fulfill your games.

While many hobbyists want a high-quality game, though, most published games only plan for a small publishing run. That means that publishers need to make the price on a game higher in order to not only pay every part of the production team but to turn a profit, too. A game that sells 2,000 copies versus 20,000 copies will have a very different profit margin if it only costs $15. 

Small vs. Big Board Game Publishers

This is a key part of why mass-market board games from companies like Hasbro cost less. They’re intended for a wider audience, require less teamwork to produce, and are sold by companies that have a greater manufacturing power.

Small publishers, on the other hand, have to hire out the work for most steps of the creation process. Then, the more you publish, the better “deal” you can get from manufacturers for publishing in “bulk.” But if you can’t sell a large production run, then it’s not ultimately cost effective. That means the price goes up for the consumer. 

The age of the publisher matters, too. More established board game publishers may have an easier time keeping costs down because they’ve established a profit stream from their earlier games. Ticket to Ride is a good example of this. Days of Wonder has been able to capitalize on their hit game by creating lots of expansions that cost slightly less due to less components. They also have created digital versions of their games that might turn a better profit because their material costs are different. 

Why are Board Games So Expensive?, Ticket to Ride

Newer publishers, however, don’t have that benefit. That’s part of why so many board games available on Kickstarter are by newer publishers or designers. Kickstarter connects new publishers with their audience and get their project off the ground. This works by audience members essentially “pre-ordering” a game to help the publisher get it made and cover the startup costs. It’s not a fool-proof system. A project needs to be backed completely for it to work, and then they can have unanticipated problems along the way. But when it does work, a great new board game enters the world. 

Getting Your Board Games

Another reason why board games are so expensive is the shipping cost. Board games are heavy, and many shipments are by weight. Even if you buy a board game in a store, they still ship to the store. This is why you might think you find a good board game deal online just to realize that shipping brings the price back up to market price.

Many board gamers also view their games as a collection and want them kept in good condition. Hobbyists go to great lengths to keep games stored well. That means that most board game publishers try to take extra care with their shipping, even if it means increasing the cost. 

Vintage Board Games

If you’re wondering why board games are so expensive, you probably aren’t asking about vintage board games, but they’re worth noting. If a board game is out of print, it will cost a lot more than one still in production. This cost will go up even more if it’s considered a collector’s item in some way. The original print run of Dune, for example, would certainly cost more than the Dune remake. Why?

  • It was a popular game.
  • A new version has come out, making people nostalgic.
  • The original came out more than 40 years ago.

Not all vintage board games will cost more. Unpopular games and games in bad condition will generally cost less, even next to nothing. 

Are Board Games Worth the Price?

Now that you have a better sense of why board games cost what they cost, you might be wondering if they’re worth the price. Whether a board game is valuable enough to you is up to you, but there are certainly outside influences to consider. 

First, the cost of a board game doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Board game publishers put the time, effort, and money into making board games because there is a demande for them. People want to play these games because they are fun, interesting, beautiful, and a great way to spend time with others. 

Second, reviews from trusted gamers can go a long way. Some board games come with expensive components and the designers and publishers alike took a great amount of time and care into making the game. But if the players decide that the game isn’t that fun, then it’s not worth it. If a game gives a lot of fun and joy, though, then cost doesn’t mean that much. 

Entertainment Costs

Think about it this way: how much money per hour are you willing to spend on entertainment? Many people will go see a movie at a movie theater that will cost $15 per person for a two-hour movie. That’s $7.50 per hour of entertainment. If you play a board game that costs $50 that plays for an hour 10 times, though, then that’s $5 per hour of entertainment. (And more often than not, the more expensive the game, the more playtime goes into a single playthrough.) Here are some other entertainment cost comparisons to think about.

ACTIVITYCOSTCOST PER HOUR
Night at the movies$15 per person for tickets only$7.50
Bowling$12 per person including shoes$12
Escape room$25 per person$25
Live concert$95 per person$32
NFL game$150$50
Board games$50 per game$5 or less

Board games aren’t so expensive when you think of it like that. And that’s a conservative estimate. Really, there are lots of ways to get more for your dollar when it comes to board games.

What are Some of the Most Expensive Board Games?

I can’t say I recommend buying a board game just because it’s amazingly expensive. I also don’t think you should avoid a game just because of its cost, especially if it’s something you think you’d really like. But I’ll admit, I became a bit curious as to which board games were particularly expensive. So, I thought you might be wondering, too. 

So first, I’m not generally talking about novelty, intentionally expensive versions of classics. It is easier to see why board games like these are so expensive. 

Instead, what are some of the most expensive modern board games that players regularly buy? Here are a few and their average cost on Amazon. 

This list does not include expansions to any of these games (although most of them do have at least one expansion). It also does not include games like Magic: the Gathering or Dungeons and Dragons, which have cards, books, dice, and other components. While the cost for a single item may be less (or more), buying all the items you’d want to really get into these games can get quite expensive. 

How Can I Save Money on Board Games?

Now that you see board games aren’t as expensive as you once thought, it’s still worth noting that there are great ways to save on board games like:

  • Sharing games with friends
  • Using deal trackers
  • Shopping at thrift stores
  • Play at a board game café

Also remember that games have a long shelf life. I have board games from 20+ years ago that I still play today because I kept them in good condition. So board games, in a way, are like an investment into your entertainment. 

Finally, not all board games are so expensive! Many great modern board games do not cost a lot. Some great games cost $10 or less. Saving money on games is largely about mindset and deciding whether or not a board game is expensive to you. 

What are the most expensive board games you know? How do you find great deals on expensive board games? Share in the comments!

The post Why are Board Games so Expensive? (And How You Can Save Money on Them) appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> These are the Best Board Games to Play Outside https://catsanddice.com/best-board-games-to-play-outside/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-board-games-to-play-outside Thu, 04 Jun 2020 19:10:59 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=904 Once the sun starts to shine, it’s time to move your board game hobby outdoors! Some people might think that there are no board games to play outside in 2025, but it’s not true. For a simple example, think about how often we see people playing chess in the park. Many board games can be enjoyed outside, and not just giant lawn game versions of classics. Before we get to the list, let’s take a moment to consider what makes a good outdoor board game and problems you might run into with outdoor board games. This will help you choose board games to play outside from your existing collection. Our updated list for 2025 will also help you choose new games to add to your collection. What Kind of Board Games Play Well Outside? First off, if you want to play outside, chances are you’re not worried about things like rain, snow, or other forms of precipitation. We don’t really need to consider that as an issue then. There are other things to look for when choosing the best board games to play outside.  What Should I Look For?  Let’s start with the good first. Some game pieces play well outside. Other games need simple tool swaps or the right tools added to make a board game outdoor ready.  Dice, for example, work really well outside, along with tiles and other components that come with a bit of weight. They are also easier to keep clean. Games with white boards are also preferable to games with paper and pencil. Keep in mind, though, that you can simply use white boards and markers in place of paper and pencils. Or, to go the extra mile, you can get a home laminator to laminate scoring sheets for your favorite games. Then you can use them again and again! Then, think about your game experience beyond the specific board game. To play board games outside, you will want a steady, level playing surface. Depending on your outdoor space, a simple folding card table can do the trick. A picnic table set works even better as it’s more stable. Whatever you choose, you’ll want your outdoor table for board games to meet the following requirements: Any outdoor furniture that meets these requirements will serve you well when playing board games outside. Problems (and Solutions) With Playing Board Games Outside Now, a word of caution: even on the most beautiful day, you will still want to keep your board games safe outside. Here are three common outdoor gaming problems you can fix with the right pieces. Wind Wind easily poses the #1 problem with playing board games outside. Any game that involves cards will likely blow away in the breeze, or at least get ruffled up. Some games only use a few cards as part of a larger game, so don’t necessarily rule out a board game from outdoor play just because it has cards.  There are also easy and affordable ways to hold cards down. A playing card holder can help keep cards in your hand, and a playing card tray can help with discards, especially with standard card games. For the most part, though, if you’re looking for board games to play outside, you might want to skip card games until you have these tools. Particles Dirt, pollen, humidity, campfire smoke – there are many kinds of elements outside that don’t exist inside, which can be difficult for gameplay. You can protect your games with card sleeves and other guards, and you can clean your games, too. But if you have a game that’s valuable, either in a personal or a monetary way, it might be best kept inside to avoid damage.  Sun It’s not likely that the sun would do a lot of damage to your board game with occasional outside play, but damage isn’t the only thing to think about. How difficult is it to see game pieces or read a card outside in the bright sun? Any game that involves an electronic screen, such as a phone, computer, or other digital components, will certainly be more difficult. Consider your eyesight and your ability to block the sun with a stand-alone umbrella or other protective gear before choosing board games to play outside. The Best Board Games to Play Outside in 2025 All the board games below play really well outside. They won’t blow away in a light breeze, they withstand the elements, and a little sun won’t do any harm. Here’s a list of the best board games to play outside in the summer of 2025, with descriptions of some favorites to follow. Can’t Stop This board game has everything you could want from a board game to play outside. It’s sturdy, easy to read, easy to carry outside, and super fun. Most components would not easily blow away, especially once the cones are in the board. Did I mention how fun it is? Can’t Stop is an easy to learn press-your-luck dice game for 2-4 players. You can play online at Board Game Arena, too.  Carcassonne Carcassonne is a simple yet addicting tile-laying game for 2-5 players. (You can add more players with the expansions.) Players will draw a tile on their turn, place the tile on the map, and then place a meeple on that tile if they wish. Meeples will help players earn points, and whoever earns the most points wins. It sounds simple, but once you start to play, you’ll realize there are endless possibilities. Telestrations Telestrations is easily one of my favorite party games, and you will have no problems playing it outside. Just make sure to discard the word cards in the holder after choosing a word, and you’re good to go.  Pictionary meets Telephone in this hilarious 4-8 player drawing game. Players will choose a word from a card based on a die roll. Then, players will rotate their booklets each round, alternating between drawing the word they’re given and guessing the word or phrase from the drawing. You can only look back at the page before, though! The whole family will enjoy lots of laughs when everything goes wrong in Telestrations. Just One Similar to Telestrations, this hilarious 3-7 player family-friendly party game moves outside easily. With little white board stands and a small deck of cards, you can keep your attention on gameplay as you all work together to earn a high score. A player will choose a word they cannot see. The other players will write a single related word to help the player guess the word. But no repeats! Any repeated clues will not be shown, making it harder to guess. The more correct guesses, the more points you rack up. Fans of Scattergories will love Just One, too. Zombie Dice Portable and fun? Yes and yes! Zombie Dice involves only dice (and a scorepad of some kind), making it an easy board game to play outside. Players will roll the dice on their turn, and roll either brains, footprints, or explosions. The more brains you roll, the closer you are to winning. Watch out for the explosions, though! They can make you lose all your brains that round. The first player to “eat” enough brains wins the game. Azul For a more in-depth strategic board game to play outside, Azul is the way to go. The weighty tiles, boards, and tile bag are the only pieces needed. Players collect tiles and use them to build their “walls” to earn as many points as possible. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins! If you enjoy Azul already, you might try Summer Pavillion next. Quarto Do you ever wish Connect Four was more challenging? Then you’re looking for Quarto. In this two-player game, pieces are not just separated by two colors. They also have different shapes, sizes, and heights. You win the game by getting four in a row in any one of these categories. And for yet another twist, you don’t get to choose which piece you play each turn. Instead, your opponent chooses for you. This thoughtful board game makes a great board game to play outside. KLASK KLASK is the portable, affordable version of air hockey. Two players will compete to get a metal ball into the other player’s hole for points. Be careful, though! You use magnetic sticks to get them in, and if a small magnet piece grabs on to your stick, or your stick falls into your own hole, the other player will get a point. The first player to six points wins. Place this game on a flat surface outside, and you’re good to go. Word on the Street Word on the Street is a delightful team “tug of war” word game the whole family will love. When a team draws a card, they have the length of the timer to find a word that matches the category and spell it on the board. The more teams use a certain letter, the closer they’ll “tug” it to their side. Once they get a letter off the board, they earn that letter. The first team to earn eight letters wins. And while this game has cards, they can go directly into the box after drawing, keeping this game outdoor ready! Wits and Wagers Much like Word on the Street, Wits and Wagers is a wonderful outdoor family board game. I like to call it a trivia game for people who aren’t good at trivia! Instead, close counts in this “Price Is Right” style game. The answer to each question read aloud is always a number. Players or teams will write their best guess on their whiteboards. Then, players will vote on which number they think is closest to the correct answer without actually going over the correct answer. Earn the most points to win. Blokus In this 2 or 4 player game, players will work to play as many of their Tetris-style tiles as possible. You can only play pieces at the corners of your currently-existing ones but along the edge of anyone else’s. Whoever has the fewest squares from their leftover tiles at the end wins. This simple puzzle game will occupy you for hours. You can also get a two-player only version. Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small The two-player version of the popular strategy game Agricola, this board game is a great outdoor choice for gamers who prefer more in-depth options. With the help of workers, players will gather animals and resources to make the best farm they can. They’ll earn points over nine rounds, and whoever has the most points at the end wins. Time to Play Board Games Outside in 2025! Remember, there are lots of board games to play outside in 2025 besides the one listed, especially with the right tools. Start off with just a few and see which ones fit your outside gameplay desires best. Soon enough, you’ll be spending lots of time outdoors while still enjoying board games every day. After you’ve found your favorites, come back here and tell us about them!  If you’re looking for that classic game vibe for the outdoors, you have plenty of gameplay options, too. Try a giant Connect Four, or see if you can get a Yahtzee with the wooden lawn dice. If you’re feeling crafty, you can even try to make your own tiles for any of the tile games mentioned. All you’ll need is some paint, maybe some permanent markers, and you’ll be on your way to making a completely unique outdoor board game. And before you go, don’t forget to share this infographic on playing board games outside. Your friends will see all the ways to play, and before you know it, you’ll have your own outdoor game group. What a great way to get outside every single day!  What are your favorite board games to play outside? Kristen Hi there! I’m Kristen. I’m a game writer, a Dungeon...

The post These are the Best Board Games to Play Outside appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Once the sun starts to shine, it’s time to move your board game hobby outdoors! Some people might think that there are no board games to play outside in 2025, but it’s not true. For a simple example, think about how often we see people playing chess in the park.

Many board games can be enjoyed outside, and not just giant lawn game versions of classics. Before we get to the list, let’s take a moment to consider what makes a good outdoor board game and problems you might run into with outdoor board games. This will help you choose board games to play outside from your existing collection. Our updated list for 2025 will also help you choose new games to add to your collection.

What Kind of Board Games Play Well Outside?

First off, if you want to play outside, chances are you’re not worried about things like rain, snow, or other forms of precipitation. We don’t really need to consider that as an issue then. There are other things to look for when choosing the best board games to play outside. 

What Should I Look For? 

Let’s start with the good first. Some game pieces play well outside. Other games need simple tool swaps or the right tools added to make a board game outdoor ready. 

Dice, for example, work really well outside, along with tiles and other components that come with a bit of weight. They are also easier to keep clean.

Games with white boards are also preferable to games with paper and pencil. Keep in mind, though, that you can simply use white boards and markers in place of paper and pencils. Or, to go the extra mile, you can get a home laminator to laminate scoring sheets for your favorite games. Then you can use them again and again!

Then, think about your game experience beyond the specific board game. To play board games outside, you will want a steady, level playing surface. Depending on your outdoor space, a simple folding card table can do the trick. A picnic table set works even better as it’s more stable. Whatever you choose, you’ll want your outdoor table for board games to meet the following requirements:

  • Can sit level so pieces don’t shift.
  • Zero gaps or add a cover so pieces don’t fall through.
  • Has enough space for all game pieces.

Any outdoor furniture that meets these requirements will serve you well when playing board games outside.

The Best Board Games to Play Outside, Outdoor Board Games
Credit to Jason Chen Photography

Problems (and Solutions) With Playing Board Games Outside

Now, a word of caution: even on the most beautiful day, you will still want to keep your board games safe outside. Here are three common outdoor gaming problems you can fix with the right pieces.

Wind

Wind easily poses the #1 problem with playing board games outside. Any game that involves cards will likely blow away in the breeze, or at least get ruffled up. Some games only use a few cards as part of a larger game, so don’t necessarily rule out a board game from outdoor play just because it has cards. 

There are also easy and affordable ways to hold cards down. A playing card holder can help keep cards in your hand, and a playing card tray can help with discards, especially with standard card games. For the most part, though, if you’re looking for board games to play outside, you might want to skip card games until you have these tools.

Cards in a Card Holder, Card Stand, Cards Outside

Particles

Dirt, pollen, humidity, campfire smoke – there are many kinds of elements outside that don’t exist inside, which can be difficult for gameplay. You can protect your games with card sleeves and other guards, and you can clean your games, too. But if you have a game that’s valuable, either in a personal or a monetary way, it might be best kept inside to avoid damage. 

Sun

It’s not likely that the sun would do a lot of damage to your board game with occasional outside play, but damage isn’t the only thing to think about. How difficult is it to see game pieces or read a card outside in the bright sun? Any game that involves an electronic screen, such as a phone, computer, or other digital components, will certainly be more difficult. Consider your eyesight and your ability to block the sun with a stand-alone umbrella or other protective gear before choosing board games to play outside.

The Best Board Games to Play Outside in 2025

All the board games below play really well outside. They won’t blow away in a light breeze, they withstand the elements, and a little sun won’t do any harm. Here’s a list of the best board games to play outside in the summer of 2025, with descriptions of some favorites to follow.

Can’t Stop

This board game has everything you could want from a board game to play outside. It’s sturdy, easy to read, easy to carry outside, and super fun. Most components would not easily blow away, especially once the cones are in the board. Did I mention how fun it is? Can’t Stop is an easy to learn press-your-luck dice game for 2-4 players. You can play online at Board Game Arena, too. 

Carcassonne

Carcassonne is a simple yet addicting tile-laying game for 2-5 players. (You can add more players with the expansions.) Players will draw a tile on their turn, place the tile on the map, and then place a meeple on that tile if they wish. Meeples will help players earn points, and whoever earns the most points wins. It sounds simple, but once you start to play, you’ll realize there are endless possibilities.

Telestrations

Telestrations is easily one of my favorite party games, and you will have no problems playing it outside. Just make sure to discard the word cards in the holder after choosing a word, and you’re good to go. 

Pictionary meets Telephone in this hilarious 4-8 player drawing game. Players will choose a word from a card based on a die roll. Then, players will rotate their booklets each round, alternating between drawing the word they’re given and guessing the word or phrase from the drawing. You can only look back at the page before, though! The whole family will enjoy lots of laughs when everything goes wrong in Telestrations.

Telestrations outside, the best board game to play outside
Credit to Jason Chen Photography

Just One

Similar to Telestrations, this hilarious 3-7 player family-friendly party game moves outside easily. With little white board stands and a small deck of cards, you can keep your attention on gameplay as you all work together to earn a high score. A player will choose a word they cannot see. The other players will write a single related word to help the player guess the word. But no repeats! Any repeated clues will not be shown, making it harder to guess. The more correct guesses, the more points you rack up. Fans of Scattergories will love Just One, too.

Zombie Dice

Portable and fun? Yes and yes! Zombie Dice involves only dice (and a scorepad of some kind), making it an easy board game to play outside. Players will roll the dice on their turn, and roll either brains, footprints, or explosions. The more brains you roll, the closer you are to winning. Watch out for the explosions, though! They can make you lose all your brains that round. The first player to “eat” enough brains wins the game.

Azul

For a more in-depth strategic board game to play outside, Azul is the way to go. The weighty tiles, boards, and tile bag are the only pieces needed. Players collect tiles and use them to build their “walls” to earn as many points as possible. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins! If you enjoy Azul already, you might try Summer Pavillion next.

Azul outside
Credit to Jason Chen Photography

Quarto

Do you ever wish Connect Four was more challenging? Then you’re looking for Quarto. In this two-player game, pieces are not just separated by two colors. They also have different shapes, sizes, and heights. You win the game by getting four in a row in any one of these categories. And for yet another twist, you don’t get to choose which piece you play each turn. Instead, your opponent chooses for you. This thoughtful board game makes a great board game to play outside.

KLASK

KLASK is the portable, affordable version of air hockey. Two players will compete to get a metal ball into the other player’s hole for points. Be careful, though! You use magnetic sticks to get them in, and if a small magnet piece grabs on to your stick, or your stick falls into your own hole, the other player will get a point. The first player to six points wins. Place this game on a flat surface outside, and you’re good to go.

Word on the Street

Word on the Street is a delightful team “tug of war” word game the whole family will love. When a team draws a card, they have the length of the timer to find a word that matches the category and spell it on the board. The more teams use a certain letter, the closer they’ll “tug” it to their side. Once they get a letter off the board, they earn that letter. The first team to earn eight letters wins. And while this game has cards, they can go directly into the box after drawing, keeping this game outdoor ready!

Word on the Street outside
Credit to Jason Chen Photography

Wits and Wagers

Much like Word on the Street, Wits and Wagers is a wonderful outdoor family board game. I like to call it a trivia game for people who aren’t good at trivia! Instead, close counts in this “Price Is Right” style game. The answer to each question read aloud is always a number. Players or teams will write their best guess on their whiteboards. Then, players will vote on which number they think is closest to the correct answer without actually going over the correct answer. Earn the most points to win.

Blokus

In this 2 or 4 player game, players will work to play as many of their Tetris-style tiles as possible. You can only play pieces at the corners of your currently-existing ones but along the edge of anyone else’s. Whoever has the fewest squares from their leftover tiles at the end wins. This simple puzzle game will occupy you for hours. You can also get a two-player only version.

Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small

The two-player version of the popular strategy game Agricola, this board game is a great outdoor choice for gamers who prefer more in-depth options. With the help of workers, players will gather animals and resources to make the best farm they can. They’ll earn points over nine rounds, and whoever has the most points at the end wins.

Time to Play Board Games Outside in 2025!

Remember, there are lots of board games to play outside in 2025 besides the one listed, especially with the right tools. Start off with just a few and see which ones fit your outside gameplay desires best. Soon enough, you’ll be spending lots of time outdoors while still enjoying board games every day. After you’ve found your favorites, come back here and tell us about them! 

If you’re looking for that classic game vibe for the outdoors, you have plenty of gameplay options, too. Try a giant Connect Four, or see if you can get a Yahtzee with the wooden lawn dice. If you’re feeling crafty, you can even try to make your own tiles for any of the tile games mentioned. All you’ll need is some paint, maybe some permanent markers, and you’ll be on your way to making a completely unique outdoor board game.

And before you go, don’t forget to share this infographic on playing board games outside. Your friends will see all the ways to play, and before you know it, you’ll have your own outdoor game group. What a great way to get outside every single day! 

Best Board Games to Play Outside Infographic

What are your favorite board games to play outside?

The post These are the Best Board Games to Play Outside appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Where to Play Modern Board Games Online (Sometimes for Free!) https://catsanddice.com/where-to-play-modern-board-games-online/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=where-to-play-modern-board-games-online Fri, 13 Mar 2020 00:00:57 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=464 Nothing beats an in-person board game. Board games are so beautiful nowadays, and playing games is a great way to spend time with friends. Plus, they offer a nice break from video games. Sometimes, though, physical board games aren’t the best way to go. Maybe you want a more affordable option, or every time your friends get together they want to play the same game over and over again. Whatever your reasons may be, you can enjoy plenty of board games online for a low price or for free and not just classic board games. You will see there are lots of modern board games online you can play. Play Premium Online Board Games Anything free is awesome. Sometimes, though, you want to pay to play. Maybe you want a certain game for a few dollars. Or, you might want a higher quality design. Maybe you simply want to get rid of ads. Whatever the reason, there are premium options for playing board games online, too. Steam Many, many, many modern board games are available on Steam at a fraction of the cost of their physical counterparts. It’s a great way to play your favorite games on the go or with friends far away. If you’re unfamiliar with Steam already, it’s a free application you can download to your computer where you can download games. Alternately, Steam also has a handheld console called a Steam Deck. You can either purchase directly in the app or from a third party seller like Humble Bundle where you’ll receive a digital code to download the game in Steam. Here is a list of some of our favorites. If you have a Mac instead of a PC, make sure to note if the online board game you’re looking at is available. This is just a taste of the many games you can find on Steam. If you’re looking for a certain game, make sure to visit the Humble Bundle store and search the specific game. Tabletop Simulator Tabletop Simulator is as close as you’ll get to feeling like you’re playing games at a real table. More of a gathering space, Tabletop Simulator comes with a set of classic board games, but it gives you the opportunity to find or upload hundreds of games. This includes tabletop RPGs or even games you designed yourself! If things aren’t going your way, you can even flip the table. The best way to understand this platform is to see a bit of it for yourself. Watch the trailer video below. Tabletop Playground For a more affordable online tabletop space with a sleek user interface, Tabletop Playground is a good option as well. When asking if you should buy Tabletop Simulator or Tabletop Playground, many users do seem to prefer the classic Tabletop Simulator. Both are available on multiple systems, are VR supported, and allow you to play modern board games online as well as tabletop RPGs. However, the cost and the graphics seem to offer some points in favor of Tabletop Playground. Free Modern Board Games Online When playing modern board games online, you can choose from several platforms. Some sites will let you play in-browser. Some online board games come as apps. Others use a gaming platform like Steam. All of the options in this section are free to you. Some of these sites also offer a premium upgrade, which will unlock more board games. Free Board Game Apps Lots of popular board games are available on smartphones or tablets or even in the Steam store for a price. We’re going for free, though, and there are free ones as well. Asmodee and B&CO are two game publishers that offer some of their board games online for free as apps. Some of these games include: Don’t see a game you’re looking for? Make sure to search the app store too. Many modern board games online as apps are paid apps, but a lot of classic board games are free. Board Game Arena Some of the more popular games on Board Game Arena like 7 Wonders require a modest subscription to start a game. However, other games like Terra Mystica are free to you. And most games can be played even without a membership as long as a member starts the game. There are also forums and a community section available so you can regularly find players for your favorite free board games. You are not limited to playing in your browser, either. Board Game Arena is available on phones, tablets, and popular gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox. If you can’t gather your friends to play board games online, you can play with people on the site. Board Game Arena also offers a ranking system. This will show you two things. First, it will show you how well a player has done with a particular game. Second, and more importantly, it will show you how reliable the other player is during gameplay. If they leave games a lot or are unresponsive, their rating will go down. That way, you can avoid a frustrating game. Visit their game list for a full list of available games. Tabletopia Like Board Game Arena, Tabletopia also has a premium version that allows you to play popular games. However, their free version allows for many modern board games including Secret Hitler, Santorini, and Love Letter. Some of them will only allow you to play with one other player, while others will allow you the full experience for free. The games in Tabletopia are laid out similary to an actual board game rather than being modified to an online version. There’s also no tutorial for the games (although a rulebook is provided), so it plays as much like a physical board game as possible. For a full list of their games, check out the All Games category. Board Space This is a great free site for online board games if you enjoy abstract games. In addition to more well-known games like Chess, Checkers, Go, and Hive, other popular games include Fanorona and Zertz. If You’re Looking for More Games For more ways to play board games online, either premium ones or for free, check out this list of links from Board Game Geek. They are listed in alphabetical order. There are a couple of terms you’ll find there and at other sites we’ve recommended you might want to know. Real-time games are those you will play live. This is like playing with people in person where everyone takes their turns in a timely manner. Sometimes online board game sites set a time limit to ensure that players respond quickly. Turn-based games allow players to make their move whenever they want. They might still have a limit, but the time limit will be in days rather than minutes. That way, people can play without worrying about how much time they have to play a game. Some sites only offer real-time games. Others only offer turn-based ones. Many sites offer both options. When you start or join a game, make sure you know which play style you are joining. Keep in mind, too, that not all of these games give you a platform to find other players or play against a computer. Some of them are giving you a free online version to play in real life in lieu of a physical copy. What are you waiting for? Start playing more board games now with these awesome sites! Each one gives players like you a unique way to play modern board games online. And if you enjoy tabletop RPGs, you can visit our guide on how to play tabletop RPGs online, too! Kristen Hi there! I’m Kristen. I’m a game writer, a Dungeon Master, and like you, I love tabletop games. Visit our About page to learn more about me. I wrote this Cats and Dice article to help you enjoy gaming even more. Did it help? If so, our kitties (and our site) would be grateful for a little gift through Ko-Fi.

The post Where to Play Modern Board Games Online (Sometimes for Free!) appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Nothing beats an in-person board game. Board games are so beautiful nowadays, and playing games is a great way to spend time with friends. Plus, they offer a nice break from video games.

Sometimes, though, physical board games aren’t the best way to go. Maybe you want a more affordable option, or every time your friends get together they want to play the same game over and over again.

Whatever your reasons may be, you can enjoy plenty of board games online for a low price or for free and not just classic board games. You will see there are lots of modern board games online you can play.

Play Premium Online Board Games

Anything free is awesome. Sometimes, though, you want to pay to play. Maybe you want a certain game for a few dollars. Or, you might want a higher quality design. Maybe you simply want to get rid of ads. Whatever the reason, there are premium options for playing board games online, too.

Steam

Many, many, many modern board games are available on Steam at a fraction of the cost of their physical counterparts. It’s a great way to play your favorite games on the go or with friends far away. If you’re unfamiliar with Steam already, it’s a free application you can download to your computer where you can download games. Alternately, Steam also has a handheld console called a Steam Deck. You can either purchase directly in the app or from a third party seller like Humble Bundle where you’ll receive a digital code to download the game in Steam.

Here is a list of some of our favorites. If you have a Mac instead of a PC, make sure to note if the online board game you’re looking at is available.

This is just a taste of the many games you can find on Steam. If you’re looking for a certain game, make sure to visit the Humble Bundle store and search the specific game.

Tabletop Simulator

Tabletop Simulator is as close as you’ll get to feeling like you’re playing games at a real table. More of a gathering space, Tabletop Simulator comes with a set of classic board games, but it gives you the opportunity to find or upload hundreds of games. This includes tabletop RPGs or even games you designed yourself! If things aren’t going your way, you can even flip the table.

The best way to understand this platform is to see a bit of it for yourself. Watch the trailer video below.

Tabletop Playground

For a more affordable online tabletop space with a sleek user interface, Tabletop Playground is a good option as well. When asking if you should buy Tabletop Simulator or Tabletop Playground, many users do seem to prefer the classic Tabletop Simulator. Both are available on multiple systems, are VR supported, and allow you to play modern board games online as well as tabletop RPGs. However, the cost and the graphics seem to offer some points in favor of Tabletop Playground.

Free Modern Board Games Online

When playing modern board games online, you can choose from several platforms. Some sites will let you play in-browser. Some online board games come as apps. Others use a gaming platform like Steam. All of the options in this section are free to you. Some of these sites also offer a premium upgrade, which will unlock more board games.

Free Board Game Apps

Lots of popular board games are available on smartphones or tablets or even in the Steam store for a price. We’re going for free, though, and there are free ones as well. Asmodee and B&CO are two game publishers that offer some of their board games online for free as apps. Some of these games include:

Don’t see a game you’re looking for? Make sure to search the app store too. Many modern board games online as apps are paid apps, but a lot of classic board games are free.

Board Game Arena

Some of the more popular games on Board Game Arena like 7 Wonders require a modest subscription to start a game. However, other games like Terra Mystica are free to you. And most games can be played even without a membership as long as a member starts the game. There are also forums and a community section available so you can regularly find players for your favorite free board games.

You are not limited to playing in your browser, either. Board Game Arena is available on phones, tablets, and popular gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox.

If you can’t gather your friends to play board games online, you can play with people on the site. Board Game Arena also offers a ranking system. This will show you two things. First, it will show you how well a player has done with a particular game. Second, and more importantly, it will show you how reliable the other player is during gameplay. If they leave games a lot or are unresponsive, their rating will go down. That way, you can avoid a frustrating game.

Visit their game list for a full list of available games.

Tabletopia

Like Board Game Arena, Tabletopia also has a premium version that allows you to play popular games. However, their free version allows for many modern board games including Secret Hitler, Santorini, and Love Letter. Some of them will only allow you to play with one other player, while others will allow you the full experience for free.

The games in Tabletopia are laid out similary to an actual board game rather than being modified to an online version. There’s also no tutorial for the games (although a rulebook is provided), so it plays as much like a physical board game as possible. For a full list of their games, check out the All Games category.

Board Space

This is a great free site for online board games if you enjoy abstract games. In addition to more well-known games like Chess, Checkers, Go, and Hive, other popular games include Fanorona and Zertz.

If You’re Looking for More Games

For more ways to play board games online, either premium ones or for free, check out this list of links from Board Game Geek. They are listed in alphabetical order. There are a couple of terms you’ll find there and at other sites we’ve recommended you might want to know.

Real-time games are those you will play live. This is like playing with people in person where everyone takes their turns in a timely manner. Sometimes online board game sites set a time limit to ensure that players respond quickly.

Turn-based games allow players to make their move whenever they want. They might still have a limit, but the time limit will be in days rather than minutes. That way, people can play without worrying about how much time they have to play a game.

Some sites only offer real-time games. Others only offer turn-based ones. Many sites offer both options. When you start or join a game, make sure you know which play style you are joining.

Keep in mind, too, that not all of these games give you a platform to find other players or play against a computer. Some of them are giving you a free online version to play in real life in lieu of a physical copy.

What are you waiting for? Start playing more board games now with these awesome sites! Each one gives players like you a unique way to play modern board games online. And if you enjoy tabletop RPGs, you can visit our guide on how to play tabletop RPGs online, too!

The post Where to Play Modern Board Games Online (Sometimes for Free!) appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> The Best Solo Board Games You’ll Ever Play https://catsanddice.com/the-best-solo-board-games/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-best-solo-board-games https://catsanddice.com/the-best-solo-board-games/#comments Fri, 31 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=791 Believe it or not, board games don’t require a group anymore.  Sure, it’s great fun to play a party game with a crowd.  And there’s nothing like the intimacy of a two-player game.  But sometimes your best challenger is… you!  There are loads of board games you can play by yourself, and a few that are designed specifically as solitaire games. This list includes some of the best solo board games of 2025 you’ll ever play. The Best Solo Board Games of 2025 By Type Since board games for one player are just as varied as board games at any other player count, you’ll find them organized here by “type” of game. Solo board games do tend to have similar themes. Mystery games and role-playing games, for example, are common types of board games for one. Other games on this list, however, are organized by their type of play. You’ll win some solo games by getting a high score, for example. Other solo games can be played in 20 minutes or less if you’re looking for some quick fun.  Role-Playing Games Role-playing games make great solo board games because game play focuses more on storytelling than any sort of “win” or “lose” situation.  In a role-playing game, the player will take on the role of a character and go on some sort of adventure. In these board games, the character often comes from a list of options or is provided. As you will see, the story line can derive from many different genres such as fantasy, horror, or historical fiction.  Although you can absolutely play role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons by yourself, these games offer you a perfect blend of both board games and traditional role-playing games. Gloomhaven If you ask any board game enthusiast what solo board game you should play, most of them will say Gloomhaven. Since its release in 2017, it has stayed at the top of the Board Game Geek charts as the best game ever for quite some time.  The player or players will take on a role in this fantasy game to clear dungeons and gain control over areas of the map. It plays much like a tabletop campaign in that it is best enjoyed over multiple sessions as the world constantly changes. Gloomhaven is so widely considered the best solo board game, it has multiple spinoffs, too, such as the standalone game Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion. Arkham Horror: The Card Game Something horrible has come to the city of Arkham, and as the detective on the case, you need to find out what it is. You’ll use your talents and work against your flaws to uncover the mystery of the Arkham horror. Will you descend into madness, or will you make it out the share the terrible news? Each adventure takes you farther into the story where you’ll fight others and fight to keep your own sanity. Once you play the core game, you’ll need to get the different expansions, too. Robinson Crusoe Based on the classic novel of the same name, the player or players will choose a character and work to survive in this cooperative game turned solo. You will build shelter, tools, and other needed goods to survive. But you will also discover mysteries, fight wild beasts, and more. It might sound simple, but it’s harder to thrive than you might think. One Deck Dungeon While you can explore this dungeon with two, One Deck Dungeon makes a wonderful lighter solo board game. You’ll choose a character, then dive into the dungeon. The more you overcome, such as monsters you defeat or obstacles you get past, the more dice you’ll receive, which will make you stronger.  If you’re strong enough, you will reach the dungeon boss. Defeat them to win this rogue-like solitaire board game. Once you get the hang of it, consider adding on the Forest of Shadows expansion. Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth Although it’s only been out since 2019, this Lord of the Rings board game has earned its place in Board Game Geek’s Top 100 for good reasons. After all, who doesn’t love roleplaying solo board games derived from one of the best fantasy series of all time? Plus, Board Game Geek users say it plays well with fewer players instead of more. And don’t forget the detailed miniatures and maps! Mystery Games This category is exactly what it sounds like: you, as the player, will face a mystery you have to solve. Maybe you need to find someone’s killer, solve a kidnapping, or escape a room. Who knows what you’ll find? It’s a mystery. Sherlock Holmes If you’ve ever wanted the chance to be in a Sherlock Holmes story, this game gives you the chance. The player will use a number of sourcebooks, maps, and other materials provided to solve famous mysteries, like the case of Jack the Ripper. After reading a section of information, you will decide if you want to investigate any crime scenes or speak to any witnesses by finding their related code in the booklet. Once you think you have enough information, you’ll go to the back of the booklet and see if you gathered as much information as Sherlock Holmes himself did.  Chronicles of Crime Like Sherlock Holmes for the modern age, you’ll also play as a super sleuth in Chronicles of Crime. Instead of having booklets to read through, though, you’ll use a free app to investigate. Scan QR codes on people, locations, and objects to interrogate and investigate. The mysteries range from murders to kidnappings to stolen priceless objects.  Once you feel confident you’ve gathered enough information to solve the crime, your police chief will ask you a series of questions. The better your answers, the higher the rating you’ll earn. You can also earn a higher rating by solving the mystery in less time. And once you’ve solved a couple of mysteries, you can check out the Noir expansion. Unlock! Unlock is not just one game but rather a series of games that play like escape rooms. You’ll start the timer, flip over the first card, and escape from the scenario provided to you.  These games use a free app just like Chronicles of Crime, but not nearly as extensively. The app works as a timer, a place to input codes for locks, and as a way to get a hint when needed. Many escape room games make great solo board games, so don’t stop at this one. Burgle Bros. Have you ever wanted to pull off a heist? Burgle Bros gives you the perfect chance. While not exactly a mystery game, you do need to uncover parts of the map to find the goods and escape without being caught.  You’ll have three stealth tokens and three safes to unlock. Once you open all three safes and escape through the stairs with a token to spare (or without getting caught without one), you win the game. Quick Games  There’s no guarantee how long a board game will take to play, but some games simply take longer than others. These games usually take no more than 30 minutes to play, which make them great options for solo board games to play at lunch or during other breaks. Onirim For a solitaire card game with a unique deck of cards, Onirim is a great choice. Unlike most of the games on this list, Onirim was designed for only one player. The player will work to unlock all of the doors with sets of three colors or with keys before they run out of cards in the deck. This game is also available as an app in the app store. Download Onirim on Google Play, on iTunes, or on Steam. Hostage Negotiator Like Onirim, Hostage Negotiator is only for one player. You’ll play the role of a law enforcement official working to negotiate the release of several hostages, just like the title suggests. Cards and dice will determine both the path and the outcome in this solitaire board game. And with an average playtime of 20 minutes, this will make a great addition to your solo board game collection. Friday While this game might take a little bit of extra time to learn, this purely solo board game will take up to 25 minutes to play. With a Robinson Crusoe-type themed (not be confused with the Robinson Crusoe game later on this list), the player will work to defeat hazards by building your deck of cards to meet the challenges. Eventually, you will build and use a flight deck in an attempt to seize a ship and escape. This game is also available as an app in the App Store for mobile playing. The Game The Game plays a lot like The Mind without the chaos of real-time play. In The Game, a solo player or up to 5 players will have a hand of cards numbered between 1-100. One deck will start at number one, and the other will start at 100. You will play cards from your hand to either go up from 1 or go down from 100.  The trick is you can’t play cards out of order (unless you can play exactly 10 above or below). If you manage to get rid of all your cards, though, you win! On average, this game takes no more than 20 minutes. Player Against an Automa A mechanism growing in popularity, several solo board games allow you to play alone by competing against a manufactured character. These characters are often created through a deck of cards or another means that give them a score to compete against yours. Solo board games that allow you to compete against an Automa give you a similar satisfaction when you win to beating an actual person.  Wingspan No one was sure if a board game about bird-watching would find its audience, but Wingspan certainly did. Designed by an actual bird watcher, Wingspan entertaining, educational, and stunning. Players in Wingspan collect birds by feeding them their desired food. The birds, in turn, will lay eggs, which will help them collect more birds.  You win this engine builder by earning the highest score, either against other players or the Automa generated by a deck of cards. To add more variety, add the European Expansion for more birds. If you already own Wingspan and want to finally win the solo mode, make sure to check out our Wingspan strategy guide. The Isle of Cats What would this list be without one game about cats? While new, The Isle of Cats is gaining popularity quickly in the board game community. You must rescue as many cats as possible from The Isle of Cats before the evil Lord Vesh comes. Cats belong in families, and you must keep the families together while getting as many cats as you can on a boat.  In the solo mode, the Automa is your sister who wants to steal the credit from you for saving all the cats! The solo mode also includes multiple difficulties for a greater challenge and to develop your skill. Scythe In this 1920s alternate-timeline board game, each player represents one of the five factions of Eastern Europe. You have almost complete control over your fate as you work to complete your hidden goal using the resources and location you’re given at the start of the game. This engine-builder will allow the player to grow more powerful as the game goes on. The Automa in Scythe works as an engaging opponent who will also expand their territory and even attack you. There is also an Autometta to play against for new players, and many players find the solo version of Scythe as rewarding – if not more so – than the multiplayer version. Spirit Island Spirit Island makes an excellent choice for players who are a fan of other classic cooperative games like Pandemic and the Forbidden games. It does not have a specifically-designated...

The post The Best Solo Board Games You’ll Ever Play appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Believe it or not, board games don’t require a group anymore. 

Sure, it’s great fun to play a party game with a crowd. 

And there’s nothing like the intimacy of a two-player game. 

But sometimes your best challenger is… you! 

There are loads of board games you can play by yourself, and a few that are designed specifically as solitaire games. This list includes some of the best solo board games of 2025 you’ll ever play.

The Best Solo Board Games of 2025 By Type

Since board games for one player are just as varied as board games at any other player count, you’ll find them organized here by “type” of game. Solo board games do tend to have similar themes. Mystery games and role-playing games, for example, are common types of board games for one.

Other games on this list, however, are organized by their type of play. You’ll win some solo games by getting a high score, for example. Other solo games can be played in 20 minutes or less if you’re looking for some quick fun. 

Role-Playing Games

Role-playing games make great solo board games because game play focuses more on storytelling than any sort of “win” or “lose” situation. 

In a role-playing game, the player will take on the role of a character and go on some sort of adventure. In these board games, the character often comes from a list of options or is provided. As you will see, the story line can derive from many different genres such as fantasy, horror, or historical fiction. 

Although you can absolutely play role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons by yourself, these games offer you a perfect blend of both board games and traditional role-playing games.

Gloomhaven

If you ask any board game enthusiast what solo board game you should play, most of them will say Gloomhaven. Since its release in 2017, it has stayed at the top of the Board Game Geek charts as the best game ever for quite some time. 

The player or players will take on a role in this fantasy game to clear dungeons and gain control over areas of the map. It plays much like a tabletop campaign in that it is best enjoyed over multiple sessions as the world constantly changes.

Gloomhaven is so widely considered the best solo board game, it has multiple spinoffs, too, such as the standalone game Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion.

Arkham Horror: The Card Game

Something horrible has come to the city of Arkham, and as the detective on the case, you need to find out what it is. You’ll use your talents and work against your flaws to uncover the mystery of the Arkham horror. Will you descend into madness, or will you make it out the share the terrible news?

Each adventure takes you farther into the story where you’ll fight others and fight to keep your own sanity. Once you play the core game, you’ll need to get the different expansions, too.

Arkham Horror the card game, best solitaire board game

Robinson Crusoe

Based on the classic novel of the same name, the player or players will choose a character and work to survive in this cooperative game turned solo. You will build shelter, tools, and other needed goods to survive. But you will also discover mysteries, fight wild beasts, and more. It might sound simple, but it’s harder to thrive than you might think.

One Deck Dungeon

While you can explore this dungeon with two, One Deck Dungeon makes a wonderful lighter solo board game. You’ll choose a character, then dive into the dungeon. The more you overcome, such as monsters you defeat or obstacles you get past, the more dice you’ll receive, which will make you stronger. 

If you’re strong enough, you will reach the dungeon boss. Defeat them to win this rogue-like solitaire board game. Once you get the hang of it, consider adding on the Forest of Shadows expansion.

Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth

Although it’s only been out since 2019, this Lord of the Rings board game has earned its place in Board Game Geek’s Top 100 for good reasons. After all, who doesn’t love roleplaying solo board games derived from one of the best fantasy series of all time? Plus, Board Game Geek users say it plays well with fewer players instead of more. And don’t forget the detailed miniatures and maps!

Mystery Games

This category is exactly what it sounds like: you, as the player, will face a mystery you have to solve. Maybe you need to find someone’s killer, solve a kidnapping, or escape a room. Who knows what you’ll find? It’s a mystery.

Sherlock Holmes

If you’ve ever wanted the chance to be in a Sherlock Holmes story, this game gives you the chance. The player will use a number of sourcebooks, maps, and other materials provided to solve famous mysteries, like the case of Jack the Ripper. After reading a section of information, you will decide if you want to investigate any crime scenes or speak to any witnesses by finding their related code in the booklet. Once you think you have enough information, you’ll go to the back of the booklet and see if you gathered as much information as Sherlock Holmes himself did. 

Chronicles of Crime

Like Sherlock Holmes for the modern age, you’ll also play as a super sleuth in Chronicles of Crime. Instead of having booklets to read through, though, you’ll use a free app to investigate. Scan QR codes on people, locations, and objects to interrogate and investigate. The mysteries range from murders to kidnappings to stolen priceless objects. 

Once you feel confident you’ve gathered enough information to solve the crime, your police chief will ask you a series of questions. The better your answers, the higher the rating you’ll earn. You can also earn a higher rating by solving the mystery in less time. And once you’ve solved a couple of mysteries, you can check out the Noir expansion.

Chronicles of Crime phone scan app, solo board games, best solo board games

Unlock!

Unlock is not just one game but rather a series of games that play like escape rooms. You’ll start the timer, flip over the first card, and escape from the scenario provided to you. 

These games use a free app just like Chronicles of Crime, but not nearly as extensively. The app works as a timer, a place to input codes for locks, and as a way to get a hint when needed.

Many escape room games make great solo board games, so don’t stop at this one.

Burgle Bros.

Have you ever wanted to pull off a heist? Burgle Bros gives you the perfect chance. While not exactly a mystery game, you do need to uncover parts of the map to find the goods and escape without being caught. 

You’ll have three stealth tokens and three safes to unlock. Once you open all three safes and escape through the stairs with a token to spare (or without getting caught without one), you win the game.

Quick Games 

There’s no guarantee how long a board game will take to play, but some games simply take longer than others. These games usually take no more than 30 minutes to play, which make them great options for solo board games to play at lunch or during other breaks.

Onirim

For a solitaire card game with a unique deck of cards, Onirim is a great choice. Unlike most of the games on this list, Onirim was designed for only one player. The player will work to unlock all of the doors with sets of three colors or with keys before they run out of cards in the deck.

This game is also available as an app in the app store. Download Onirim on Google Play, on iTunes, or on Steam.

Hostage Negotiator

Like Onirim, Hostage Negotiator is only for one player. You’ll play the role of a law enforcement official working to negotiate the release of several hostages, just like the title suggests. Cards and dice will determine both the path and the outcome in this solitaire board game. And with an average playtime of 20 minutes, this will make a great addition to your solo board game collection.

Friday

While this game might take a little bit of extra time to learn, this purely solo board game will take up to 25 minutes to play. With a Robinson Crusoe-type themed (not be confused with the Robinson Crusoe game later on this list), the player will work to defeat hazards by building your deck of cards to meet the challenges. Eventually, you will build and use a flight deck in an attempt to seize a ship and escape. This game is also available as an app in the App Store for mobile playing.

The Game

The Game plays a lot like The Mind without the chaos of real-time play. In The Game, a solo player or up to 5 players will have a hand of cards numbered between 1-100. One deck will start at number one, and the other will start at 100. You will play cards from your hand to either go up from 1 or go down from 100. 

The trick is you can’t play cards out of order (unless you can play exactly 10 above or below). If you manage to get rid of all your cards, though, you win! On average, this game takes no more than 20 minutes.

Player Against an Automa

A mechanism growing in popularity, several solo board games allow you to play alone by competing against a manufactured character. These characters are often created through a deck of cards or another means that give them a score to compete against yours. Solo board games that allow you to compete against an Automa give you a similar satisfaction when you win to beating an actual person. 

Wingspan

No one was sure if a board game about bird-watching would find its audience, but Wingspan certainly did. Designed by an actual bird watcher, Wingspan entertaining, educational, and stunning. Players in Wingspan collect birds by feeding them their desired food. The birds, in turn, will lay eggs, which will help them collect more birds. 

You win this engine builder by earning the highest score, either against other players or the Automa generated by a deck of cards. To add more variety, add the European Expansion for more birds.

If you already own Wingspan and want to finally win the solo mode, make sure to check out our Wingspan strategy guide.

Wingspan board with cards and pieces, best solitaire board game, Wingspan solo board game

The Isle of Cats

What would this list be without one game about cats? While new, The Isle of Cats is gaining popularity quickly in the board game community. You must rescue as many cats as possible from The Isle of Cats before the evil Lord Vesh comes. Cats belong in families, and you must keep the families together while getting as many cats as you can on a boat. 

In the solo mode, the Automa is your sister who wants to steal the credit from you for saving all the cats! The solo mode also includes multiple difficulties for a greater challenge and to develop your skill.

Scythe

In this 1920s alternate-timeline board game, each player represents one of the five factions of Eastern Europe. You have almost complete control over your fate as you work to complete your hidden goal using the resources and location you’re given at the start of the game. This engine-builder will allow the player to grow more powerful as the game goes on.

The Automa in Scythe works as an engaging opponent who will also expand their territory and even attack you. There is also an Autometta to play against for new players, and many players find the solo version of Scythe as rewarding – if not more so – than the multiplayer version.

Spirit Island

Spirit Island makes an excellent choice for players who are a fan of other classic cooperative games like Pandemic and the Forbidden games. It does not have a specifically-designated “Automa,” but you will still compete against the game to win. 

In Spirit Island, you will work to defend your home island from invaders who wish to colonize it. You will spend energy to play power cards, some of which work faster than others, requiring different strategic thought. The game will speed up as play continues. You will win if you destroy every last settlement or city, but you will lose if they conquer you.

High Score Games

While the games in this section are not exclusively solitaire games, they do have a solo board game option. Players will win by going for a high score, much like in many mobile games. 

To “win” these games, you will most likely want to compete against yourself and do a bit better each time. Some of them also provide a scoring chart to tell you if you met the average score or went beyond it.

Tiny Towns

This 1-6 player game plays well with one player, with six, or anywhere in between. Players work to build the best “tiny town” they can by taking the resources provided to them and positioning them on their board to build different buildings. 

In the solitaire version of this board game, the player will use a resource deck. Three resources will be face up at a time, and the player will choose one to use in that “turn.” Each time, you will want to see if you can get a higher score than the last.


Tiny Towns board, solo board game, solitaire board game

Herbaceous

Herbaceous is a beautiful 1-4 player card game where players grow their own herb garden. Each player has four pots they need to plant, which have different planting requirements. One pot can take only the same plant, while another pot can only take different plants. The more you plant the higher the score you earn. As a solo board game, you’ll simply shoot for a high score, which can be more difficult than it sounds.

Sagrada

Players will create a beautiful stained-glass window with colored dice in this 1-4 player drafting game. Normally, enough dice are pulled from the bag at the beginning of each round for each player to have two, plus one extra. (For example, in a 3-player game, 7 dice are pulled each round). Then, players choose from these dice to complete their window based on color and number requirements, along with goals.

In the solo version of Sagrada, the player will select two dice out of four. They also will have a different variety of goal cards to complete than in the multiplayer version. The end goal is the same, though: earn as many points as you can. This solo board game has a target score to beat, so if you beat it, you win!

Parks

Parks gives nature enthusiasts a great way to experience the great outdoors during cold winter months. The player will take on the role of two hikers in this 1-4 player game. The two hikers will collect memories as they travel on different trails over the course of four seasons. A player will be able to trade in memories to visit specific national parks and enhance their experience.

In the solo mode, you will aim for a high score as you hike alongside park rangers. A low score means you most likely missed some great opportunities to make memories, whereas a high score means you had an unforgettable experience, gaining memories that will last a lifetime.

Cartographers

In Cartographers, players will help a queen reclaim lands by mapping them out for her. In this roll-and-write style game, players will choose where to “discover” different types of terrain based on flipped up cards and goals. Just like in the full version, the player is going for a high score. Score higher than 30 and you’re a legendary cartographer.

Where to Find More Board Games for One

There’s a large community of people looking for the best solo board games out there. It might seem counterintuitive to connect with others who are playing games by themselves, but it can be a great way to find new titles and maybe not play solo every once in a while. 

On Reddit, the subreddit /r/soloboardgaming has great resources. This community has over 4,000 members and has been an active community since 2014. Topics include a weekly, “What did you play” thread, pictures of the best solo board games, and even questions about modifying group board games for solo play.

On Board Game Geek, you can join the 1 Player guild. Everyone here is interested in finding and playing the best solitaire board games. It started as a place for fans of the 1 Player podcast and grew from there.  

If you’d rather discover more of the best solo board games on your own in true solo fashion, you can also check out the list of solitaire games from Board Game Geek. Organize it by rank to see what others currently enjoy, or use a different sorting method to find something new.

Finally, if you want to play group board games but have difficulty finding a group, check out this list of online board games. Here you can find players for all kinds of modern board games all the time. Plus, playing online gives you the feeling of playing solitaire board games without actually playing alone. 

What are your favorite solo board games of 2025? Let us know in the comments!

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]]> https://catsanddice.com/the-best-solo-board-games/feed/ 2 The Best Educational Board Games for Kids (and Adults!) https://catsanddice.com/the-best-educational-board-games/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-best-educational-board-games Fri, 22 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=622 Growing up, I played some of the best educational board games and card games all the time. You probably did, too! I started at a young age with games like Candyland and Monopoly. I even have a clear memory of playing a heated game of High-Ho Cherry-O against my dad in our recently renovated basement. It’s a strange memory to have, but it’s there. For those of you unfamiliar, High-Ho Cherry-O is a counting game. It’s not too different from those story math problems you get in school. You know the ones. “If Susie has three apples and Johnny gives her five, how many apples does Susie have now?” Here’s the thing, though: As random and specific as that memory is for me, I don’t remember learning at all. (Well, I did learn I was a sore loser around then.) Looking back on it, though, I see how much the best educational board games and card games taught me about math, science, language arts, and other topics. In fact, they’re still doing that today. I’ve learned all kinds of things through modern board games since so many of them are educational. This post can’t possibly list every single one, but it will list some of the best educational board games for kids and adults, too. Some of my favorites even made this list. You will find the best educational board games for the following subjects: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Social Studies (History, Geography, etc.) Language Arts (Spelling, Reading, Creative Writing) You can buy these games right now and start learning with your kids. The Best Educational STEM Board Games These games focus on developing math and science skills. Almost all board games require some amount of math for scoring, but these games really dig into the subject. Many of these games combine several STEM subjects without players even fully realizing it. Math Fluxx and Chemistry Fluxx These are two different versions of the same amazing game. The rules are simple: draw a card, play a card. Well, they start out simple. Players will play new rules cards along the way. Then, the rules will change. In Math Fluxx, players will have to add, subtract, multiply, or divide digits to come up with the winning answers. Similarly, in Chemistry Fluxx, players will need to pair the right elements together to make naturally-occurring substances. Did you know that the sun is largely comprised of hydrogen and helium? I didn’t… until Chemistry Fluxx. Photosynthesis In addition to being one of the most beautiful games I own, Photosynthesis is one of the most educational. Players will grow trees through the help of sun points, which they can only earn when the sun hits their tree just right. They will spend those sun points to plant seeds, make small trees grow into large trees, and eventually “retire” large trees. Retiring trees will get players extra points, which will help them win the game. This educational board game is full of biology, but players will need to use a fair amount of math to keep track of their sun points and their overall score, too. Buy it here. Blokus At first glance, Blokus may seem just like Tetris in board game form, but that’s not quite it. In Blokus, two or four players will attempt to play as many pieces as they have so they have the fewest amount of squares left at the end. This is a great introduction to STEM for its math components and its spatial reasoning. Players can only play pieces at the corners of their existing ones, so it will take some maneuvering to play as many as you can. Buyer beware! This game is super addicting along with being one of the best educational board games around. Wingspan Wingspan will turn each player into bird watchers. Designed by Elizabeth Hargrave, an avid ornithologist, this game is overflowing with information about birds. Players will entice birds to their preferred habitat by giving them food. Once a bird comes to rest, it may lay eggs which can be used to play more birds. Each bird card is filled with information about where a bird lives (both in habitat and geographically), what it eats, how many eggs it can lay, and what kind of nest it makes. This information can earn players bonus points if they pay attention and make birds happy. If you have an Android device, make sure to download this fan-made companion app, too. You can scan each bird card and listen to its bird call! This adds an extra level of education to this board game for you and your kids. Periodic: A Game of the Elements Players will collect sets of elements in Periodic to advance their research. Everyone will need to use energy to achieve their goals. You do not have unlimited energy, though, so you will need to use it wisely. With a scientifically-accurate board and goals, this is one of the best educational board games to learn about the periodic table and how elements interact with each other. Cytosis: A Cell Biology Game Cytosis is to cell biology as Periodic is to elements. Players will build enzymes, hormones, and receptors by working with proteins, lipids, and DNA just like real cells do. You will need to manage your “workers” wisely in order to score the most Health Points and win the game. Recommended for players 10 and older, this game has enough complexity to teach kids and adults alike about cell biology. Planet In Planet, each player plays with their own magnetic dodecahedron, which they use to build their own planet. They will place terrain tiles that have water, grasslands, deserts, and other kinds of real-life terrain. Animals will begin to inhabit their planet (under the right conditions, of course) and these animals will earn players points. The player with the most points once everyone’s planet is complete wins. Social Studies Educational Board Games A lot of board games cover themes and strategies about war. That’s because of the history of wargaming in Germany, where modern board games originated from. With that said, there are plenty of educational board games for topics like history and geography that aren’t about war, either. These are some of the best. Timeline Timeline merges trivia and history flawlessly. This game is simple (and portable). To play, place a single topic card in the center of the table so both the date and the event are flipped up. Each player will start with four cards in front of them flipped to the event-only side. On their turn, players will try to place one of their cards into the correct spot in the “timeline.” If they place it correctly – that is, if the date is in the right order with everything else placed – then they are down to three cards. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins. In addition to the base game, there are themed versions, too. These include Americana and Events. Trekking the National Parks Visiting National Parks is a fun and educational way to spend a summer vacation. But with Trekking the National Parks, there’s no need to wait until a vacation! You’ll learn about the geography of the National Parks, what each park offers, and more. You can even buy it in the visitor’s center for many of the National Parks listed in the game. Or, you know, you could buy it here and now. Ticket to Ride Similar to Trekking, Ticket to Ride takes players on a journey through the continental United States. The goal? Build great train routes that will get passengers to where they need to go. The greater the distance between two locations, the more points you can earn. The base game will test your understanding of United States geography. There’s no need to stop there, though, as there are other versions. The Europe version heads across the Atlantic and First Journey works well for younger players. Freedom: The Underground Railroad Freedom: The Underground Railroad takes a difficult moment in American history and encourages players to truly understand it. It’s a cooperative game, meaning players must work together to raise funds, free slaves, and ultimately end slavery in the United States. The game includes real historical figures and events to enhance each player’s understanding of this pivotal moment in time. Great Language Arts Board Games Classic board games like Scrabble and Boggle develop a player’s spelling skills in obvious ways. There are newer games out there, though, that give the same benefits with a fresh viewpoint. Codenames Many board game fans call Codenames a popular party game, but it’s really a powerful word association game. Players form teams where one team member acts as a clue giver, while the other teammates are guessers. Everyone can see a spread of words, but only the clue giver knows which words they need their teammates to guess. In Password-like gameplay, the clue-giver can only give one word to get their teammates to associate with as many other words in the spread as they can without hitting any of the opposing team’s words. To win, your team needs to find all their words before the other team hits theirs. It might sound a little confusing at first, but it’s a blast once you see it played. So check it out in this gameplay video below. Rory’s Story Cubes Aside from roleplaying games, Rory’s Story Cubes are one of the best ways to encourage creative writing through games. The base gameplay is simple: roll the dice, and make a story based on the pictures you rolled. Different versions have different ways to play. You can also play with others by building a story based on what you roll. In other words, players customize the game as much as they customize the story. Bananagrams Bananagrams takes Scrabble and turns it into a speed game. Each player has their own set of letters which they must arrange into a Scrabble-like board as quickly as possible. When they use all their letters, they shout “Peel!” and everyone must draw a new letter. Play continues on like this until the draw pile runs out of tiles. The first player to complete their board at that time shouts, “Bananagrams!” and wins (provided they finished with valid words!). Paperback Paperback takes the joy of spelling high-scoring words (like in Scrabble) and turns it into a card game. Each player has their own deck of cards which they will “build” by buying new letters to make better words. A deck begins with ten cards, but interestingly, five of them are wild cards. That means players need to get creative and fill in the blanks for their first few words. Once the buy more cards, their hands may have fewer wilds, but they still need to find the best words to spell. After playing Paperback, follow it up with Hardback, which has competitive, cooperative, and single-player gameplay options. Start Learning! This scratches the surface of educational board games. Many games can teach kids of all different ages, but some are better for younger kids and some are better for older kids. Kids learn at different speeds, and you most likely know what level the kids in your life are at. When in doubt, check the product description on each page for recommended ages (or ask in the comments!). Make sure to keep a close eye on what makes a board game “educational,” too. While most board games are educational in some way, some games focus on education more than others. Board Game Geek’s Educational category is a great way to find more since other players like you have voted on the game’s quality and educational standards. What have you learned from an educational board game? Let us know in the comments! Kristen Hi there! I’m Kristen. I’m a game writer, a Dungeon Master, and like you, I love tabletop games. Visit our About page to learn more about...

The post The Best Educational Board Games for Kids (and Adults!) appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Growing up, I played some of the best educational board games and card games all the time. You probably did, too!

I started at a young age with games like Candyland and Monopoly. I even have a clear memory of playing a heated game of High-Ho Cherry-O against my dad in our recently renovated basement.

It’s a strange memory to have, but it’s there.

For those of you unfamiliar, High-Ho Cherry-O is a counting game. It’s not too different from those story math problems you get in school. You know the ones. “If Susie has three apples and Johnny gives her five, how many apples does Susie have now?”

Here’s the thing, though:

As random and specific as that memory is for me, I don’t remember learning at all.

(Well, I did learn I was a sore loser around then.)

Looking back on it, though, I see how much the best educational board games and card games taught me about math, science, language arts, and other topics. In fact, they’re still doing that today. I’ve learned all kinds of things through modern board games since so many of them are educational.

This post can’t possibly list every single one, but it will list some of the best educational board games for kids and adults, too. Some of my favorites even made this list.

You will find the best educational board games for the following subjects:

  • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)
  • Social Studies (History, Geography, etc.)
  • Language Arts (Spelling, Reading, Creative Writing)

You can buy these games right now and start learning with your kids.

The Best Educational STEM Board Games

These games focus on developing math and science skills. Almost all board games require some amount of math for scoring, but these games really dig into the subject. Many of these games combine several STEM subjects without players even fully realizing it.

Math Fluxx and Chemistry Fluxx

These are two different versions of the same amazing game. The rules are simple: draw a card, play a card. Well, they start out simple. Players will play new rules cards along the way. Then, the rules will change.

In Math Fluxx, players will have to add, subtract, multiply, or divide digits to come up with the winning answers.

Similarly, in Chemistry Fluxx, players will need to pair the right elements together to make naturally-occurring substances. Did you know that the sun is largely comprised of hydrogen and helium? I didn’t… until Chemistry Fluxx.

Photosynthesis

In addition to being one of the most beautiful games I own, Photosynthesis is one of the most educational. Players will grow trees through the help of sun points, which they can only earn when the sun hits their tree just right. They will spend those sun points to plant seeds, make small trees grow into large trees, and eventually “retire” large trees. Retiring trees will get players extra points, which will help them win the game.

This educational board game is full of biology, but players will need to use a fair amount of math to keep track of their sun points and their overall score, too. Buy it here.

Photosynthesis board game

Blokus

At first glance, Blokus may seem just like Tetris in board game form, but that’s not quite it. In Blokus, two or four players will attempt to play as many pieces as they have so they have the fewest amount of squares left at the end.

This is a great introduction to STEM for its math components and its spatial reasoning. Players can only play pieces at the corners of their existing ones, so it will take some maneuvering to play as many as you can. Buyer beware! This game is super addicting along with being one of the best educational board games around.

Wingspan

Wingspan will turn each player into bird watchers. Designed by Elizabeth Hargrave, an avid ornithologist, this game is overflowing with information about birds.

Players will entice birds to their preferred habitat by giving them food. Once a bird comes to rest, it may lay eggs which can be used to play more birds.

Each bird card is filled with information about where a bird lives (both in habitat and geographically), what it eats, how many eggs it can lay, and what kind of nest it makes. This information can earn players bonus points if they pay attention and make birds happy.

If you have an Android device, make sure to download this fan-made companion app, too. You can scan each bird card and listen to its bird call! This adds an extra level of education to this board game for you and your kids.

Wingspan educational board game

Periodic: A Game of the Elements

Players will collect sets of elements in Periodic to advance their research. Everyone will need to use energy to achieve their goals. You do not have unlimited energy, though, so you will need to use it wisely.

With a scientifically-accurate board and goals, this is one of the best educational board games to learn about the periodic table and how elements interact with each other.

Cytosis: A Cell Biology Game

Cytosis is to cell biology as Periodic is to elements. Players will build enzymes, hormones, and receptors by working with proteins, lipids, and DNA just like real cells do. You will need to manage your “workers” wisely in order to score the most Health Points and win the game. Recommended for players 10 and older, this game has enough complexity to teach kids and adults alike about cell biology.

Planet

In Planet, each player plays with their own magnetic dodecahedron, which they use to build their own planet. They will place terrain tiles that have water, grasslands, deserts, and other kinds of real-life terrain. Animals will begin to inhabit their planet (under the right conditions, of course) and these animals will earn players points. The player with the most points once everyone’s planet is complete wins.

I learned so much from these board games, even as an adult! #familyboardgames
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Social Studies Educational Board Games

A lot of board games cover themes and strategies about war. That’s because of the history of wargaming in Germany, where modern board games originated from.

With that said, there are plenty of educational board games for topics like history and geography that aren’t about war, either. These are some of the best.

Timeline

Timeline merges trivia and history flawlessly. This game is simple (and portable). To play, place a single topic card in the center of the table so both the date and the event are flipped up. Each player will start with four cards in front of them flipped to the event-only side.

On their turn, players will try to place one of their cards into the correct spot in the “timeline.” If they place it correctly – that is, if the date is in the right order with everything else placed – then they are down to three cards. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins.

In addition to the base game, there are themed versions, too. These include Americana and Events.

Trekking the National Parks

Visiting National Parks is a fun and educational way to spend a summer vacation. But with Trekking the National Parks, there’s no need to wait until a vacation! You’ll learn about the geography of the National Parks, what each park offers, and more. You can even buy it in the visitor’s center for many of the National Parks listed in the game. Or, you know, you could buy it here and now.

Ticket to Ride

Similar to Trekking, Ticket to Ride takes players on a journey through the continental United States. The goal? Build great train routes that will get passengers to where they need to go. The greater the distance between two locations, the more points you can earn.

The base game will test your understanding of United States geography. There’s no need to stop there, though, as there are other versions. The Europe version heads across the Atlantic and First Journey works well for younger players.

Ticket to Ride board game

Freedom: The Underground Railroad

Freedom: The Underground Railroad takes a difficult moment in American history and encourages players to truly understand it. It’s a cooperative game, meaning players must work together to raise funds, free slaves, and ultimately end slavery in the United States.

The game includes real historical figures and events to enhance each player’s understanding of this pivotal moment in time.

Great Language Arts Board Games

Classic board games like Scrabble and Boggle develop a player’s spelling skills in obvious ways. There are newer games out there, though, that give the same benefits with a fresh viewpoint.

Codenames

Many board game fans call Codenames a popular party game, but it’s really a powerful word association game. Players form teams where one team member acts as a clue giver, while the other teammates are guessers. Everyone can see a spread of words, but only the clue giver knows which words they need their teammates to guess.

In Password-like gameplay, the clue-giver can only give one word to get their teammates to associate with as many other words in the spread as they can without hitting any of the opposing team’s words. To win, your team needs to find all their words before the other team hits theirs.

It might sound a little confusing at first, but it’s a blast once you see it played. So check it out in this gameplay video below.

Rory’s Story Cubes

Aside from roleplaying games, Rory’s Story Cubes are one of the best ways to encourage creative writing through games. The base gameplay is simple: roll the dice, and make a story based on the pictures you rolled.

Different versions have different ways to play. You can also play with others by building a story based on what you roll. In other words, players customize the game as much as they customize the story.

Bananagrams

Bananagrams takes Scrabble and turns it into a speed game. Each player has their own set of letters which they must arrange into a Scrabble-like board as quickly as possible. When they use all their letters, they shout “Peel!” and everyone must draw a new letter. Play continues on like this until the draw pile runs out of tiles. The first player to complete their board at that time shouts, “Bananagrams!” and wins (provided they finished with valid words!).

Bananagrams word game

Paperback

Paperback takes the joy of spelling high-scoring words (like in Scrabble) and turns it into a card game. Each player has their own deck of cards which they will “build” by buying new letters to make better words.

A deck begins with ten cards, but interestingly, five of them are wild cards. That means players need to get creative and fill in the blanks for their first few words. Once the buy more cards, their hands may have fewer wilds, but they still need to find the best words to spell.

After playing Paperback, follow it up with Hardback, which has competitive, cooperative, and single-player gameplay options.

Start Learning!

This scratches the surface of educational board games. Many games can teach kids of all different ages, but some are better for younger kids and some are better for older kids. Kids learn at different speeds, and you most likely know what level the kids in your life are at. When in doubt, check the product description on each page for recommended ages (or ask in the comments!).

Make sure to keep a close eye on what makes a board game “educational,” too. While most board games are educational in some way, some games focus on education more than others. Board Game Geek’s Educational category is a great way to find more since other players like you have voted on the game’s quality and educational standards.

What have you learned from an educational board game? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Best Educational Board Games for Kids (and Adults!) appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> What Board Game You Should Play Based on Your Favorite Classic Board Game https://catsanddice.com/modern-board-games-your-favorite-classic-board-game/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=modern-board-games-your-favorite-classic-board-game Sat, 26 Oct 2019 00:00:07 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=715 Monopoly, Candyland, Mousetrap, Clue… these classic board games are all popular for a reason. We grew up playing them. We love them. And many of us (myself included) stick to what we know. These games, while well-loved, only scratch the surface of what’s out there. But how can you know which ones you’ll like? You might look at a blog or a list like this one and become overwhelmed. There are just so many new board games out there. How can you narrow it down? That’s what this list is for.  In this list, you will be able to find modern board games you’ll love based on your favorite classics. Scroll down to find your favorite and your new favorite board game. Find Your Favorite Classic Board Game Below Find your favorite classic board game in this list to get a great modern board game recommendation personalized just for you! Monopoly What you probably love: This is the epitome of a classic board game. It’s got a board. It has dice. The rules are simple. You have your favorite pieces you place on the board. You can claim things that other players can’t claim. Others will lose, and you will win. You will probably also love: Ticket to Ride. Ticket to Ride is the ultimate modern board game. Years from now, it will also become a classic for its simple yet satisfying gameplay, its little train pieces, and how you can have a satisfying victory against the other players.  In Ticket to Ride, each player aims to score the most points by collecting train cards, which will allow them to play routes and complete their ticket cards. This will connect their trains throughout the United States and give them the opportunity to have the longest connected route, which will earn them bonus points. The game ends when a player runs low on trains. Whoever has the most points from playing lots of awesome routes wins. Buy it here. Clue What you probably love: Murder. Mystery. Exploration. Finding clues. Becoming your own Sherlock Holmes. There are endless things to love about Clue. That’s what made it one of my favorite classic board games growing up. You will probably also love: Chronicles of Crime. Chronicles of Crime has everything that Clue has including murders, mysteries, exploration, and finding clues! Players will work together as detectives to investigate crimes scenes, talk to witnesses and solve mysteries. Not all mysteries are murders, but they all are as scandalous. Eventually, you’ll report back on what you found and earn a score based on how much of the mystery you solved. This innovative board game won many awards upon its 2018 release for its use of a free app and QR codes. Players will scan the QR codes on cards to visit locations and speak to characters within the game. It’s a truly unique and awesome experience. Buy it here. If you need some competition: Some players want the Clue mystery experience, but they also want to win. For those people, you will enjoy Cryptid. In Cryptid, players need to discover the location of the secret cryptid on the board in order to win. Only one hexagon can be the cryptid, and each player has a clue as to what that might be. All the clues combined will lead to that location.  So, players must gather as much information as they can about other players’ clues without revealing too much about their own. The first player to find the cryptid wins. Buy it here. Guess Who? What you probably love: The process of elimination. It’s satisfying to narrow down all the possible clues until you narrow it down to one person. Asking the right questions gets you there faster, and it’s so satisfying. You will probably also love: Dinosaur Tea Party. Dinosaur Tea Party is almost exactly the same game as Guess Who? with two distinct differences. First, this game goes up to 3-5 players rather than the usual two. Second, you are a dinosaur. Players will ask each other yes or no questions about other players dinosaurs. Do you have stripes? Are you drinking tea? Do you have a pet? If a player answers “yes,” then you can keep guessing. When you guess someone’s dinosaur, you get a sugar cube. The first player to three sugar cubes wins. Buy it here.  Jenga What you probably love: Moving, placing, and stacking pieces just right so they don’t fall. That risk of them falling is quite satisfying, too, though. It’s even more satisfying when someone else makes it fall, though! You will probably also love: Men at Work. In Men at Work, you will build one of the most dangerous construction sites you have ever seen. On your turn, you will either place a girder or a worker, depending on what the card tells you to do. But you can’t simply place it! There will be rules about placement based on color and location. Plus, you might have to place a few extra pieces along the way. Just like in Jenga, you can’t let anything fall. If anything does fall, you lose one of your safety certificates. You win either by being the only player with any safety certificates left or by Rita (an inspector in the game) awarding you Employee of the Month enough times. Buy it here. Risk What you probably love: Taking over the world, of course! The more your pieces spread, the more satisfying it becomes. It’s great to see your victory on the board like that and to defeat other players in battle. You will probably also love: Small World. It’s a small world after all in Small World, and there’s not enough land for everyone to conquer. You must claim as much of it as you can to earn points and win the game.  But your army isn’t any old army. Your army will have special fantasy powers! Play with Spirit Zombies or Flying Trolls, whatever the selection allows. Use these powers to help expand your reach and destroy other players. Whoever has the most points from becoming the most widespread after the allotted number of rounds wins. Buy it here.  Battleship What you probably love: Finding and sinking the other player. It’s a game of cat and mouse, and you plan to come out the cat. Sure, it’s frustrating when you can’t find the other player, but it’s so great when you eventually do. You will probably also love: Sonar. Sonar is a 2-4 player game that acts as a real-time Battleship. In full play, there are no turns, and you are not stuck in one place. The captain will tell their radio operator where they are moving, while the radio operator will attempt to find the other team. When you think you’ve found the other team, you can launch a torpedo at them or place a mine for them to land on.  Be careful, though! Your systems can overheat, or you might back yourself into a corner. You’ll need to surface to reset, which can cause the other team to find you more easily. But if you manage to damage the enemy ship twice first, then your team wins. Sonar also has a version that goes up to 8 players called Captain Sonar.  Taboo What you probably love: The challenge of what you can’t say and the thrill that comes with your teammate guessing the right word. Good clues are clever, and understanding good clues feels clever, too. You will probably also love: Banned Words. Banned Words is more or less Taboo with two major differences. First, the players on the other team decide which words you can’t say instead of the card telling you. Second, you don’t know what those words are!  So, you can say whatever you want to get your teammates to guess the words. However, you say anything that the opposing team wrote down as a banned word, then they’re going to get points. The team with the most points at the end of three rounds wins. Buy it here.  Scrabble What you probably love: Coming up with bigger and better words based on the limited letters you have. You’re a walking dictionary. You won the spelling bee as a kid. Scrabble allows you to show off those skills. You will probably also love: Paperback. Paperback takes Scrabble and turns it into a card game. Players each have their own deck of cards in this deck builder that they will use to spell bigger and better words. The words they spell will allow them to buy more letters or even wild cards. These letters will not only let you spell better words, but they will also help you buy the precious fame you need to win the game.  The game ends when someone has spelled an 11-letter word. Whoever has the most “fame” in their deck by the end of the game wins. Buy it here.  Connect Four What you probably love: Beating the other player to a good combination. You also probably enjoy the visual appeal of getting your colors all in a row like that. Also, you enjoy a good two-player only game. You will probably also love: Quarto. Quarto may not be the newest game on this list with publication in 1991, but this little-known game will offer Connect Four fans the same flavor with a lot more strategy. In Quarto, players aim to complete a set of four, but it’s not limited to color. A set of four can be achieved through: Color Height Shape Hole Pieces have two different colors, heights, shapes, and they may or may not have a hole in the center of a piece. Players can line up pieces into a set of four of any one of these categories to win the game. But you don’t get to choose your own piece when it’s your turn to play. Instead, the other player will choose for you, making the game slightly more difficult. Buy it here.  Uno What you probably love: Card games, but with a unique deck. Plus, Uno can get mean, and while you might not say this out loud, it’s fun being able to screw another player over. Simple gameplay also means you can play this with friends or family no matter how many players you have. You will probably also love: Exploding Kittens. Exploding Kittens took Uno and paired it with Musical Chairs. The goal in this game is simple: Don’t explode! If you explode, you are dead and out of the game. The cards in Exploding Kittens have similar powers to Uno cards. You can skip, attack the other player, draw cards from other player’s hands, or even see into the future. All of this will help you not explode. If you do explode, you can only stop it by defusing the kitten through things kittens love like belly rubs or laser pointers. But if you cannot defuse a kitten, then you lose. The last surviving player wins. Buy Exploding Kittens here.  Chess What you probably love: The strategy. Chess is truly a classic, and getting good at Chess is no small feat. You can calculate the moves ahead, and when you finally capture the other player’s king, it’s truly an outstanding victory. You will probably also love: Onitama. Like many of the other games on this list, Onitama takes the core rules of your favorite classic and changes up a few things. You will still have pieces you move in this game – four student pawns and one master pawn to be exact – but with two ways to win. You can either win by capturing the other player’s master pawn, or by getting your master pawn into their temple space. The movement rules are different, too. Every time, in fact. Five cards dealt out at the beginning of the game will determine how each of you are allowed to move your pieces on any given turn. After you use a...

The post What Board Game You Should Play Based on Your Favorite Classic Board Game appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Monopoly, Candyland, Mousetrap, Clue… these classic board games are all popular for a reason. We grew up playing them. We love them. And many of us (myself included) stick to what we know.

These games, while well-loved, only scratch the surface of what’s out there.

But how can you know which ones you’ll like?

You might look at a blog or a list like this one and become overwhelmed. There are just so many new board games out there. How can you narrow it down?

That’s what this list is for. 

In this list, you will be able to find modern board games you’ll love based on your favorite classics. Scroll down to find your favorite and your new favorite board game.

Find Your Favorite Classic Board Game Below

Find your favorite classic board game in this list to get a great modern board game recommendation personalized just for you!

Monopoly

What you probably love: This is the epitome of a classic board game. It’s got a board. It has dice. The rules are simple. You have your favorite pieces you place on the board. You can claim things that other players can’t claim. Others will lose, and you will win.

You will probably also love: Ticket to Ride.

Ticket to Ride is the ultimate modern board game. Years from now, it will also become a classic for its simple yet satisfying gameplay, its little train pieces, and how you can have a satisfying victory against the other players. 

In Ticket to Ride, each player aims to score the most points by collecting train cards, which will allow them to play routes and complete their ticket cards. This will connect their trains throughout the United States and give them the opportunity to have the longest connected route, which will earn them bonus points.

The game ends when a player runs low on trains. Whoever has the most points from playing lots of awesome routes wins. Buy it here.

favorite classic board game

Clue

What you probably love: Murder. Mystery. Exploration. Finding clues. Becoming your own Sherlock Holmes. There are endless things to love about Clue. That’s what made it one of my favorite classic board games growing up.

You will probably also love: Chronicles of Crime.

Chronicles of Crime has everything that Clue has including murders, mysteries, exploration, and finding clues! Players will work together as detectives to investigate crimes scenes, talk to witnesses and solve mysteries. Not all mysteries are murders, but they all are as scandalous. Eventually, you’ll report back on what you found and earn a score based on how much of the mystery you solved.

This innovative board game won many awards upon its 2018 release for its use of a free app and QR codes. Players will scan the QR codes on cards to visit locations and speak to characters within the game. It’s a truly unique and awesome experience. Buy it here.

If you need some competition: Some players want the Clue mystery experience, but they also want to win. For those people, you will enjoy Cryptid.

In Cryptid, players need to discover the location of the secret cryptid on the board in order to win. Only one hexagon can be the cryptid, and each player has a clue as to what that might be. All the clues combined will lead to that location. 

So, players must gather as much information as they can about other players’ clues without revealing too much about their own. The first player to find the cryptid wins. Buy it here.

Guess Who?

What you probably love: The process of elimination. It’s satisfying to narrow down all the possible clues until you narrow it down to one person. Asking the right questions gets you there faster, and it’s so satisfying.

You will probably also love: Dinosaur Tea Party.

Dinosaur Tea Party is almost exactly the same game as Guess Who? with two distinct differences. First, this game goes up to 3-5 players rather than the usual two. Second, you are a dinosaur.

Players will ask each other yes or no questions about other players dinosaurs. Do you have stripes? Are you drinking tea? Do you have a pet? If a player answers “yes,” then you can keep guessing. When you guess someone’s dinosaur, you get a sugar cube. The first player to three sugar cubes wins. Buy it here. 

Jenga

What you probably love: Moving, placing, and stacking pieces just right so they don’t fall. That risk of them falling is quite satisfying, too, though. It’s even more satisfying when someone else makes it fall, though!

You will probably also love: Men at Work.

In Men at Work, you will build one of the most dangerous construction sites you have ever seen. On your turn, you will either place a girder or a worker, depending on what the card tells you to do. But you can’t simply place it! There will be rules about placement based on color and location. Plus, you might have to place a few extra pieces along the way.

Just like in Jenga, you can’t let anything fall. If anything does fall, you lose one of your safety certificates. You win either by being the only player with any safety certificates left or by Rita (an inspector in the game) awarding you Employee of the Month enough times. Buy it here.

I had no idea there were so many great modern board games that play just like my favorite classics! #familytime
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Risk

What you probably love: Taking over the world, of course! The more your pieces spread, the more satisfying it becomes. It’s great to see your victory on the board like that and to defeat other players in battle.

You will probably also love: Small World.

It’s a small world after all in Small World, and there’s not enough land for everyone to conquer. You must claim as much of it as you can to earn points and win the game. 

But your army isn’t any old army. Your army will have special fantasy powers! Play with Spirit Zombies or Flying Trolls, whatever the selection allows. Use these powers to help expand your reach and destroy other players. Whoever has the most points from becoming the most widespread after the allotted number of rounds wins. Buy it here. 

Battleship

What you probably love: Finding and sinking the other player. It’s a game of cat and mouse, and you plan to come out the cat. Sure, it’s frustrating when you can’t find the other player, but it’s so great when you eventually do.

You will probably also love: Sonar.

Sonar is a 2-4 player game that acts as a real-time Battleship. In full play, there are no turns, and you are not stuck in one place. The captain will tell their radio operator where they are moving, while the radio operator will attempt to find the other team. When you think you’ve found the other team, you can launch a torpedo at them or place a mine for them to land on. 

Be careful, though! Your systems can overheat, or you might back yourself into a corner. You’ll need to surface to reset, which can cause the other team to find you more easily. But if you manage to damage the enemy ship twice first, then your team wins.

Sonar also has a version that goes up to 8 players called Captain Sonar. 

Taboo

What you probably love: The challenge of what you can’t say and the thrill that comes with your teammate guessing the right word. Good clues are clever, and understanding good clues feels clever, too.

You will probably also love: Banned Words.

Banned Words is more or less Taboo with two major differences. First, the players on the other team decide which words you can’t say instead of the card telling you. Second, you don’t know what those words are! 

So, you can say whatever you want to get your teammates to guess the words. However, you say anything that the opposing team wrote down as a banned word, then they’re going to get points. The team with the most points at the end of three rounds wins. Buy it here. 

Scrabble

What you probably love: Coming up with bigger and better words based on the limited letters you have. You’re a walking dictionary. You won the spelling bee as a kid. Scrabble allows you to show off those skills.

You will probably also love: Paperback.

Paperback takes Scrabble and turns it into a card game. Players each have their own deck of cards in this deck builder that they will use to spell bigger and better words. The words they spell will allow them to buy more letters or even wild cards. These letters will not only let you spell better words, but they will also help you buy the precious fame you need to win the game. 

The game ends when someone has spelled an 11-letter word. Whoever has the most “fame” in their deck by the end of the game wins. Buy it here. 

Connect Four

What you probably love: Beating the other player to a good combination. You also probably enjoy the visual appeal of getting your colors all in a row like that. Also, you enjoy a good two-player only game.

You will probably also love: Quarto.

Quarto may not be the newest game on this list with publication in 1991, but this little-known game will offer Connect Four fans the same flavor with a lot more strategy.

In Quarto, players aim to complete a set of four, but it’s not limited to color. A set of four can be achieved through:

  • Color
  • Height
  • Shape
  • Hole

Pieces have two different colors, heights, shapes, and they may or may not have a hole in the center of a piece. Players can line up pieces into a set of four of any one of these categories to win the game. But you don’t get to choose your own piece when it’s your turn to play. Instead, the other player will choose for you, making the game slightly more difficult. Buy it here. 

Uno

What you probably love: Card games, but with a unique deck. Plus, Uno can get mean, and while you might not say this out loud, it’s fun being able to screw another player over. Simple gameplay also means you can play this with friends or family no matter how many players you have.

You will probably also love: Exploding Kittens.

Exploding Kittens took Uno and paired it with Musical Chairs. The goal in this game is simple: Don’t explode! If you explode, you are dead and out of the game.

The cards in Exploding Kittens have similar powers to Uno cards. You can skip, attack the other player, draw cards from other player’s hands, or even see into the future. All of this will help you not explode.

If you do explode, you can only stop it by defusing the kitten through things kittens love like belly rubs or laser pointers. But if you cannot defuse a kitten, then you lose. The last surviving player wins. Buy Exploding Kittens here. 

Chess

What you probably love: The strategy. Chess is truly a classic, and getting good at Chess is no small feat. You can calculate the moves ahead, and when you finally capture the other player’s king, it’s truly an outstanding victory.

You will probably also love: Onitama.

Like many of the other games on this list, Onitama takes the core rules of your favorite classic and changes up a few things. You will still have pieces you move in this game – four student pawns and one master pawn to be exact – but with two ways to win. You can either win by capturing the other player’s master pawn, or by getting your master pawn into their temple space.

The movement rules are different, too. Every time, in fact. Five cards dealt out at the beginning of the game will determine how each of you are allowed to move your pieces on any given turn. After you use a card, though, you must swap it out for another. You will only have two cards in front of you to choose from at any given time, but they will never be the same two on each turn. Buy Onitama here. 

With hundreds of new board games coming out every single year, there are certainly more games you will enjoy other than these. Everyone needs to start somewhere, though! 

If you love one of these classics and have a modern favorite not listed here, let us know about it in the comments. Or, if your favorite classic wasn’t mentioned and you’re looking for a recommendation, comment as well. Through your engagement, all of us will find more games to enjoy and love.

The post What Board Game You Should Play Based on Your Favorite Classic Board Game appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Halloween Board Games: Everything You Need for an Awesome Halloween Party https://catsanddice.com/halloween-board-games-halloween-party/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=halloween-board-games-halloween-party Fri, 13 Sep 2019 00:00:54 +0000 https://catsanddice.com/?p=729 Halloween is fast approaching. Are you scared? No need to be. After all, Halloween means its time for some spooky board game nights!  There are tons of Halloween board games or board games that fit the Halloween vibe. In fact, there are so many, that you could center your Halloween party around board games. Choose the board games first as they’ll set the tone for your party. Then, keep reading for ideas on spooky, thrifty, and clever decorations.  Halloween Board Games You can find the right spooky board games for any kind of Halloween board game night. Strategy games are a great way to brew up some competition and come out as the last surviving player. Cooperative games play much like haunted houses where you all need to work together to survive or escape. And if your board game night includes kids, there are great Halloween board games for them, too. Strategy Betrayal at House on the Hill At first, this game seems like a cooperative game. Players will choose characters that come with different stats, much like an RPG, and explore a haunted house to uncover its mysteries. But soon enough, one player will start the “haunt” and betray everyone else! That’s when the goal of the game becomes clear. This one versus all game has endless possibilities as the objective depends on what room is haunted and what object triggers the haunt. This will lead to one person having a separate goal from the group. Will the group win, or will victory go to the betrayer? Buy it now to find out. The Bloody Inn On the surface, this game seems more economic in nature than scary. Each player will play as a member of a greedy family. The family owns an inn so that they may steal from visitors and become rich.  To avoid detection, though, things get dark as players need to kill off guests and others to keep the scheme going. Players will need to bribe guests, kill them, bury them, and launder money to win this game. Whoever has the most money at the end wins. Start killing today.  Gloom This game may sound miserable, but it’s not directed at you. In Gloom, 2-4 players will control one family, which consists of five cards. Your goal is to make your family as miserable as possible and then kill them off!  You do so by playing bad fortune cards on your family, good fortune cards on the families of others so they’re less miserable. Then, you will eventually kill off your family members with untimely deaths. The player with the lowest score from the most miserable family wins. Get it for your miserable family here. Zombie Dice Each person plays as a zombie in this game, and you want brains! In this press-your-luck game, you will roll dice on your turn to see how many brains you can eat. Watch out for the shotguns, though! If you roll three of them on your turn, then you lose all the brains you ate for that turn. Stay patient, though, and save up your brains, and you’ll win the game when you eat enough of them. Zombie Dice is a nice, compact game to bring to Halloween board game parties, too.  Letters from Whitechapel For players looking for a more in-depth Halloween board game night, Letters from Whitechapel is the game for you. Much like Betrayal, this game is also a one versus all game. One player will play as Jack the Ripper in London, 1888 while the other players play as detectives trying to catch Jack the Ripper.  The person playing as Jack the Ripper wins by killing five victims before being caught. The detective wins by catching the infamous Jack the Ripper. Visit Whitechapel in this thrilling game now. Nyctophobia Many horror board games turn out to be one versus all. It makes sense; what could be creepier than having one of your own players turn on you? Not being able to see them as they do it. In Nyctophobia, which means “fear of the dark,” players wear black sunglasses to feel their way across the board in this tactile game. They play as the Hunted. Their goal is to find the car space and hide out there until the police can rescue them. The single-player must hunt down these players and kill one of them before they reach safety. Will you hunt or be hunted? Get Nyctophobia here.  One Night Ultimate Werewolf This mafia-style game will be a big hit any night of the year. Each player will receive a secret role in this game that will either put them on the side of the townspeople or the werewolves. But things will happen in the night that will help you either find out who someone is or make you a suspect. Your role could even change without you knowing!  You’ll win this game of secret roles by catching the wolf as a townsperson or successfully hiding from the townspeople as a wolf. This game is great for larger, groups, too. Get it now. Cooperative As popular as competitive strategy board games are for Halloween, cooperative ones are just as popular. In many of these games, the monsters live within the game and you must kill them, escape from them, or solve the mystery surrounding them.  Eldritch Horror Based on H.P. Lovecraft’s famous telling of Cthulu and the madness it brings, both Eldritch Horror and Arkham Horror are in-depth cooperative games where players must work together to protect the world from the Ancient One. Players must find clues, solve mysteries, and remain in good health to save the world. Otherwise, they will fall to Cthulu’s madness. There’s a 1-2 player card game, too, for parties of one.  Horrified This brand-new cooperative game is out just in time for Halloween! Players work together to defeat different monsters within the game, which will change every time. How they defeat the monster depends on what it is. The Wolf Man, for example, will perish in a very different way than Dracula. Different monsters have different difficulty levels, too. Can you beat them all? Find out today.  Mysterium For a lighter, more mystery-focused cooperative Halloween board game, Mysterium is the choice for you. One of the players has been murdered and is now a ghost. The rest of the players will play as psychics who can communicate with the ghost in the beyond. The ghost, though, can only give the psychics clues about their killer through abstract images which the psychics must decipher. If they manage to do so before reaching the seventh hour, then they will avenge the ghost’s death. Buy it here.  Zombicide It’s finally happened. The zombies took over and the world has come to an end. In this apocalyptic game, players will kill off hoards of undead. Since zombies are not too bright, it’s not hard. But the better you get, the more they appear, and you’ll run low on supplies as they keep coming. If you’ve ever wondered if you’d survive the zombie apocalypse, now’s your chance to find out.  Dead of Winter In Dead of Winter, the group of players has a goal they are all working toward together. But each player as a secret personal goal, too, and these two goals could be at odds with each other. Players will play as a group of survivors in a world that has perished due to disease, and the choices they need to make will be anything but simple. Winter is coming. Survive it.  Kids and Classics A lot of the games mentioned already can be quite intense for a family of gamers, either through theme or gameplay. Fortunately, there are great options for family Halloween board games that will give everyone a chance to play. Shadows in the Forest This isn’t your average board game. In Shadows in the Forest, you play in the dark! One player will use the LED light to search for Shadowlings in the forest. The other players will work together to keep their Shadowlings out of the light. (They dislike the light, after all.) Can you find the Shadowlings? Can you stay out of the light? Find out now.  Ghost Blitz This quick, light-hearted game will make a great addition to any Halloween game night. The cards have different images on them. Some images will show one of the five objects that are in the room, such as a red book. Other images will have the colors and objects all mixed up, leaving one object out. The first player to figure out the object and grab it will earn the card. The player with the most cards at the end wins. Grab it now.  Ghost Fightin’ Treasure Hunters This game makes a great introduction to cooperative board games for kids. Players will work together to get jewels out of a house before it becomes too haunted. They do so by getting to the right rooms, fighting off ghosts, and getting out. Be careful, though! If you let a room become too infested with ghosts, then it will become haunted, making it even more difficult to complete your goal. Fight some ghosts today.  13 Dead End Drive For a classic Halloween board game experience, 13 Dead End Drive is a must. Old Aunt Agatha has died, and she will leave her massive fortune to one of you. You don’t want to take any chances, though. To make sure you get all that money, you need to kill everyone off or get out of the house when things are in your favor! Kill off players with 3D pieces such as a ladder, a bookshelf, and a chandelier in this classic board game.  Clue Clue has been a favorite of families all over the world for years on Halloween and any other night. Players will play as one of six guests to a mysterious mansion where a murder has occurred. If they manage to solve the mystery of who committed the murder, in what room, and with what object, they’ll win the game. And with different themed editions, there’s a version of Clue for everyone. Ouija Board It’s not quite a board game, but there is a board and it’s great fun, so it’s made its way onto the list. Communicate with the beyond through the power of the Ouija Board. Ask a question to the supernatural realm, and receive an answer as the spirits guide your hands to the answer. Buy a beautiful Ouija Board here.  Halloween Board Game Night As both seasoned and new board game enthusiasts know, the games are only half the fun at a Halloween board game party. The food, decorations, costumes, and music count for just as much. Food To make your Halloween board game party stand out from any other Halloween party, give guests snacks that play off the games available.  For example, serve some “Bloody Inn Marys” as you kill off people in The Bloody Inn. Grab some ghost peeps as you grab the ghost in Ghost Blitz. Or, play with homemade ghost cookies. Lay your Gloom family to rest with some graveyard brownies.  Eat some brain cupcakes as you play Zombie Dice. Even better, make some Cthulu cupcakes as you kill off the Ancient One in Eldritch Horror, and line the cupcakes with these Cthulu liners.  Finally, munch on some vampire donuts as you defeat Dracula in Horrified. Do so by popping fake vampire teeth into the holes.  Decorations Halloween board game party decorations can be pretty much anything you want. With that said, there are some wonderfully thematic ways you can decorate your party to make it stand out from any old Halloween party.  First, use the games as part of the decoration! Board games look amazing these days. Plus, setting up the board games beforehand to enhance the look will also encourage people to play. You won’t need to worry about setup or cleanup time.  Then, upgrade the pieces to...

The post Halloween Board Games: Everything You Need for an Awesome Halloween Party appeared first on Cats and Dice.

]]> Halloween is fast approaching.

Are you scared?

No need to be.

After all, Halloween means its time for some spooky board game nights! 

There are tons of Halloween board games or board games that fit the Halloween vibe. In fact, there are so many, that you could center your Halloween party around board games. Choose the board games first as they’ll set the tone for your party. Then, keep reading for ideas on spooky, thrifty, and clever decorations. 

Halloween Board Games

You can find the right spooky board games for any kind of Halloween board game night. Strategy games are a great way to brew up some competition and come out as the last surviving player. Cooperative games play much like haunted houses where you all need to work together to survive or escape. And if your board game night includes kids, there are great Halloween board games for them, too.

Strategy

Betrayal at House on the Hill

At first, this game seems like a cooperative game. Players will choose characters that come with different stats, much like an RPG, and explore a haunted house to uncover its mysteries. But soon enough, one player will start the “haunt” and betray everyone else! That’s when the goal of the game becomes clear.

This one versus all game has endless possibilities as the objective depends on what room is haunted and what object triggers the haunt. This will lead to one person having a separate goal from the group. Will the group win, or will victory go to the betrayer? Buy it now to find out.

The Bloody Inn

On the surface, this game seems more economic in nature than scary. Each player will play as a member of a greedy family. The family owns an inn so that they may steal from visitors and become rich. 

To avoid detection, though, things get dark as players need to kill off guests and others to keep the scheme going. Players will need to bribe guests, kill them, bury them, and launder money to win this game. Whoever has the most money at the end wins. Start killing today. 

Gloom

This game may sound miserable, but it’s not directed at you. In Gloom, 2-4 players will control one family, which consists of five cards. Your goal is to make your family as miserable as possible and then kill them off! 

You do so by playing bad fortune cards on your family, good fortune cards on the families of others so they’re less miserable. Then, you will eventually kill off your family members with untimely deaths. The player with the lowest score from the most miserable family wins. Get it for your miserable family here.

Zombie Dice

Each person plays as a zombie in this game, and you want brains! In this press-your-luck game, you will roll dice on your turn to see how many brains you can eat. Watch out for the shotguns, though! If you roll three of them on your turn, then you lose all the brains you ate for that turn. Stay patient, though, and save up your brains, and you’ll win the game when you eat enough of them. Zombie Dice is a nice, compact game to bring to Halloween board game parties, too. 

Letters from Whitechapel

For players looking for a more in-depth Halloween board game night, Letters from Whitechapel is the game for you. Much like Betrayal, this game is also a one versus all game. One player will play as Jack the Ripper in London, 1888 while the other players play as detectives trying to catch Jack the Ripper. 

The person playing as Jack the Ripper wins by killing five victims before being caught. The detective wins by catching the infamous Jack the Ripper. Visit Whitechapel in this thrilling game now.

Nyctophobia

Many horror board games turn out to be one versus all. It makes sense; what could be creepier than having one of your own players turn on you? Not being able to see them as they do it.

In Nyctophobia, which means “fear of the dark,” players wear black sunglasses to feel their way across the board in this tactile game. They play as the Hunted. Their goal is to find the car space and hide out there until the police can rescue them. The single-player must hunt down these players and kill one of them before they reach safety. Will you hunt or be hunted? Get Nyctophobia here. 

One Night Ultimate Werewolf

Halloween Board Games

This mafia-style game will be a big hit any night of the year. Each player will receive a secret role in this game that will either put them on the side of the townspeople or the werewolves. But things will happen in the night that will help you either find out who someone is or make you a suspect. Your role could even change without you knowing! 

You’ll win this game of secret roles by catching the wolf as a townsperson or successfully hiding from the townspeople as a wolf. This game is great for larger, groups, too. Get it now.

Cooperative

As popular as competitive strategy board games are for Halloween, cooperative ones are just as popular. In many of these games, the monsters live within the game and you must kill them, escape from them, or solve the mystery surrounding them. 

Eldritch Horror

Based on H.P. Lovecraft’s famous telling of Cthulu and the madness it brings, both Eldritch Horror and Arkham Horror are in-depth cooperative games where players must work together to protect the world from the Ancient One. Players must find clues, solve mysteries, and remain in good health to save the world. Otherwise, they will fall to Cthulu’s madness. There’s a 1-2 player card game, too, for parties of one. 

Horrified

This brand-new cooperative game is out just in time for Halloween! Players work together to defeat different monsters within the game, which will change every time. How they defeat the monster depends on what it is. The Wolf Man, for example, will perish in a very different way than Dracula. Different monsters have different difficulty levels, too. Can you beat them all? Find out today. 

Mysterium

For a lighter, more mystery-focused cooperative Halloween board game, Mysterium is the choice for you. One of the players has been murdered and is now a ghost. The rest of the players will play as psychics who can communicate with the ghost in the beyond. The ghost, though, can only give the psychics clues about their killer through abstract images which the psychics must decipher. If they manage to do so before reaching the seventh hour, then they will avenge the ghost’s death. Buy it here. 

Zombicide

It’s finally happened. The zombies took over and the world has come to an end. In this apocalyptic game, players will kill off hoards of undead. Since zombies are not too bright, it’s not hard. But the better you get, the more they appear, and you’ll run low on supplies as they keep coming. If you’ve ever wondered if you’d survive the zombie apocalypse, now’s your chance to find out. 

Dead of Winter

In Dead of Winter, the group of players has a goal they are all working toward together. But each player as a secret personal goal, too, and these two goals could be at odds with each other. Players will play as a group of survivors in a world that has perished due to disease, and the choices they need to make will be anything but simple. Winter is coming. Survive it. 

Kids and Classics

A lot of the games mentioned already can be quite intense for a family of gamers, either through theme or gameplay. Fortunately, there are great options for family Halloween board games that will give everyone a chance to play.

Shadows in the Forest

This isn’t your average board game. In Shadows in the Forest, you play in the dark! One player will use the LED light to search for Shadowlings in the forest. The other players will work together to keep their Shadowlings out of the light. (They dislike the light, after all.) Can you find the Shadowlings? Can you stay out of the light? Find out now. 

Ghost Blitz

This quick, light-hearted game will make a great addition to any Halloween game night. The cards have different images on them. Some images will show one of the five objects that are in the room, such as a red book. Other images will have the colors and objects all mixed up, leaving one object out. The first player to figure out the object and grab it will earn the card. The player with the most cards at the end wins. Grab it now. 

Ghost Fightin’ Treasure Hunters

This game makes a great introduction to cooperative board games for kids. Players will work together to get jewels out of a house before it becomes too haunted. They do so by getting to the right rooms, fighting off ghosts, and getting out. Be careful, though! If you let a room become too infested with ghosts, then it will become haunted, making it even more difficult to complete your goal. Fight some ghosts today. 

13 Dead End Drive

For a classic Halloween board game experience, 13 Dead End Drive is a must. Old Aunt Agatha has died, and she will leave her massive fortune to one of you. You don’t want to take any chances, though. To make sure you get all that money, you need to kill everyone off or get out of the house when things are in your favor! Kill off players with 3D pieces such as a ladder, a bookshelf, and a chandelier in this classic board game. 

Clue

Clue has been a favorite of families all over the world for years on Halloween and any other night. Players will play as one of six guests to a mysterious mansion where a murder has occurred. If they manage to solve the mystery of who committed the murder, in what room, and with what object, they’ll win the game. And with different themed editions, there’s a version of Clue for everyone.

Ouija Board

It’s not quite a board game, but there is a board and it’s great fun, so it’s made its way onto the list. Communicate with the beyond through the power of the Ouija Board. Ask a question to the supernatural realm, and receive an answer as the spirits guide your hands to the answer. Buy a beautiful Ouija Board here. 

Halloween Board Game Night

As both seasoned and new board game enthusiasts know, the games are only half the fun at a Halloween board game party. The food, decorations, costumes, and music count for just as much.

Food

To make your Halloween board game party stand out from any other Halloween party, give guests snacks that play off the games available. 

For example, serve some “Bloody Inn Marys” as you kill off people in The Bloody Inn. Grab some ghost peeps as you grab the ghost in Ghost Blitz. Or, play with homemade ghost cookies. Lay your Gloom family to rest with some graveyard brownies. 

Eat some brain cupcakes as you play Zombie Dice. Even better, make some Cthulu cupcakes as you kill off the Ancient One in Eldritch Horror, and line the cupcakes with these Cthulu liners. 

Finally, munch on some vampire donuts as you defeat Dracula in Horrified. Do so by popping fake vampire teeth into the holes. 

Decorations

Halloween board game party decorations can be pretty much anything you want. With that said, there are some wonderfully thematic ways you can decorate your party to make it stand out from any old Halloween party. 

First, use the games as part of the decoration! Board games look amazing these days. Plus, setting up the board games beforehand to enhance the look will also encourage people to play. You won’t need to worry about setup or cleanup time. 

Then, upgrade the pieces to make old classics seem new. Add these skull dice to any of your games that call for standard six-sided dice. These organizers and game pieces will help take your copy of Betrayal to the next level, too. 

Finally, hold a costume contest to encourage guests to get into the mood of the night. Give extra points for thematic costumes that are based on board games. You can even add costumes to some of the games. Buy a ghost costume for the ghost in Mysterium to wear, for example. 

Whether you’re the one throwing the Halloween board game party or a friend of yours is, make sure to share these ideas so that everyone can have a great time for Halloween. Enjoy your night – or any night – with some awesome spooky board games. You’ll be glad you did.

What are your favorite board games to play at Halloween?

The post Halloween Board Games: Everything You Need for an Awesome Halloween Party appeared first on Cats and Dice.

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