100 Boardgames You Should Play Before You Die
Remember growing up as a kid and playing all those really cool boardgames like Monopoly and Risk? They were the ideal games for sleepovers and late weekend nights. They seemed to take forever to finish but were a lot of fun. Boardgames have been a favorite form of home entertainment for many years, long before the arrival of video gaming. Not only are they a lot of fun, but they are economical and great for socializing. If you are looking for a really cool boardgame to check out, here is a list of 100 boardgames you need to play before you die.
Mystery/Murder Games
Games of this genre involve figuring out who committed the murder or solving a crime. Usually includes lots of deception.
- Clue – Published by Hasbro. Although it has recently received a make-over, this is the classic who-done-it game with great suspects like Col. Mustard and Mrs. White. You try to figure out what room the murder took place in, with what weapon, and who did it.
- Mystery Rummy: Jack The Ripper – Published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc. Based on the original Mystery Rummy game, players try to build a case against various suspects for the famous Jack the Ripper serial murders. Whichever suit has the most cards played in it when a player goes out is the guilty party. However, if all the Victim cards are played before the end of the game, then Jack the Ripper escapes.
- Alibi – Published by Mayfair Games. This is a cool mystery card game where you have to use logic and reasoning to solve a murder. You score points by solving the mystery but you also get points for helping other players solve it.
- Android – Published by Fantasy Flight Games. Android is a game of murder and conspiracy set in the future. Players take on the role of detectives that travel between the city of New Angeles and moon colony Heinlein. The detectives also have to deal with their personal lives and problems. The game gives the characters two weeks to solve the murder and come to terms with their inner demon.
- Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine Board Game – Published by Mayfair Games. You may have to hunt for this one. This is an older game but still a classic. The game box contains five murder mysteries for you and your friends to solve. Other supplements contain more mysteries.
- Mystery of the Abbey – Published by Days of Wonder. This fun game is set in a medieval abbey. The players have to solve the murder of Brother Adelmo by moving through the abbey and questioning the other brethren.
- Murder Mystery Mansion Game – Published by University Games. You and the other players work in teams to solve the murder. You have suspect cards, motive cards, method cards, and guess tokens. The board for this game transforms into a 3-D mansion.
- Spy Alley – Published by Spy Alley Partners. Players take on the role of a spy for a country and try to uncover the identity of the other spies.
- Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow – Published by Asmodee Games. This game that takes place in a small village which is haunted by werewolves. Each player is secretly assigned a role such as Werewolf, Villager, The Captain, The Hunter, the Witch, the Little Girl, etc. The game alternates between day and night and every night the werewolves eat a villager. During the day everyone must try to discover the werewolves.
- Who Did It…? – Published by Outset Media. In this murder mystery game, players race through the Oriental Express seeking clues and swapping information to try to solve the murder. It even comes with a 4-foot train.
Science Fiction Games
These boardgames involve space exploration, starship battles, and empire-building.
- Starcraft: Board Game – Published by Fantasy Flight Games and based on the popular computer game. Players can choose to play one of three powerful alien races as they battle for control of the galaxy.
- Starfarers of Catan – Published by Mayfair Games. The game about space travel. In order to reach the role of Ambassador to the Galactic Council, players must leave Terra to explore and colonize the galaxy.
- Race for the Galaxy – Published by Abacus games. Players get to build galactic civilizations on worlds. Each has a selection of cards that can be used to add technical and social developments to their world.
- Battlestar Galactica – Published by Fantasy Flight Games. Based on the popular television series (the current one. Not the old one). You have to help humanity survive while trying to figure out which players are secretly Cylons.
- Galaxy Trucker – Published by Rio Grande Games. This is a fun game that combines space ships and sewer pipes. You build a space ship and hope it is durable enough to survive a trip through space.
- Cosmic Encounter – Published by Avalon Hill. The goal in this space battle game is to invade the other alien worlds. A very innovative game that involves lots of strategy.
- Space Alert – Published by Rio Grande Games. Players control crewmembers on a small ship and must survive ten minute real-time missions. This game uses a CD soundtrack to represent computer announcements.
- Twilight Imperium 3rd edition – Published by Fantasy Flight Games. The latest edition in FFG’s classic original game. It is all about building an interstellar empire through just about any means necessary.
- Robo Rally – Published by Avalon Hill Games. This fun little game is similar to a car rally except you are controlling robots. Each robot has to race through this crazy factory to win.
- Neuroshima Hex – Published by Portal Publishing in Europe and distributed in the U.S. through Z-Man Games. This post-apocalyptic game is strategy-based using tiles for soldiers, support, and actions. The goal is to knock out the other player’s HQ.
Fantasy Games
Games with a fantasy theme, you can play anything from elves, humans, or dwarves. These games usually are about adventuring and gathering treasure.
- Small World – Published by Days of Wonder. This is a fantasy strategy game where players are trying to gain control of the board. There are several races to choose from and each controlling section has special powers.
- Descent: Journeys in the Dark – Published by Fantasy Flight Games. Players take the role of heroes that go dungeon delving to discover treasure and fight monsters. This game is one of many of its type but the gameplay is a lot better.
- Talisman 4th Edition – Published by Fantasy Flight Games. The original game was a classic. This revised and updated version is much better. You take on the role of a hero and go adventuring for gold, magic items, and experience.
- Runebound – Published by Fantasy Flight Games. Set in the world of Terrinoth, players search for the evil Margath. You have to build up your character before you are ready to battle him.
- Spiderwicke Chronicles – Published by University Games and based on the bestselling books (and movie adaptation). In the game, you take on the role of the children from the books who have to get the Field Guide to Faeries to their uncle before the goblins catch them.
- Dungeon Twister – Published by Asmodee Games. This game about dungeon crawling puts two players head to head as they control a party of eight adventurers.
- The Lord of the Rings Board Game – Published by Fantasy Flight Games. This great game is based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Players work to destroy the One Ring while resisting the evil influence of the ring.
- Warcraft: The Board Game – Published by Fantasy Flight Games. This is based on the awesome tactical computer game. Each player take son the role of a specific race and does battle across the board.
- Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation – Published by Fantasy Flight Games. In this game, players control 9 characters whose identities are secret. Gameplay is similar to Stratego.
- Battle Lore – Published by Fantasy Flight Games. This game pits armies of humans against goblins. You have several Loremasters at your disposal and control your forces using command cards.
Horror Games
These games all follow a horror-theme. You play monsters, hunters, or just helpless victims. Beware of zombies.
- Doom: The Boardgame – Published by Fantasy Flight Games, this is based on the Doom video game franchise. This board game does a great job of tanslating that creepy feeling to the tabletop.
- Arkham Horror – Published by Fantasy Flight Games. Lovecraftian adventures of horror and the supernatural. Players go up against 8 servants of the Old Ones. One of the best horror games to date.
- Zombiegeddon – Published by Twilight Creations Well. The end is coming and you have to find enough supplies before your opponents do and then outlast a swarm of zombies.
- Fury of Dracula – Published by Fantasy Flight Games. A strategy game where one player controls Dracula and the other players control the vampire hunters. They have to find Dracula before he can raise an undead army.
- Last Night on Earth: The Zombie Game – Published by Flying Frog Productions. Game takes place in a small town as the players try to survive the plague of zombies. You can play on the side of the heroes or the Zombies.
- A Touch of Evil, The Supernatural Game – Published by Flying Frog Productions. Each player takes the role of a monster hunter and can work together or against each other to stop the monster.
- Betrayal at House on the Hill – Published by Wizards of the Coast. Players work together to investigate a haunted house. The best part is you build the house as you go so the game is different every time.
- Shadow Hunters – Published by Game Republic Inc. but distributed by Z-Man Games. This game is a survival game where each player controls either a Shadow, a Hunter, Or a Neutral.
- Goth: The Game of Horror Trivia – Published by McNutty Games. Think trivial pursuit meets the horror genre. It has categories like Movies & Music Mayhem, Historical Horrors, Bloody Tales and Poetry, and Morgue Examiner.
- Zombietown – Published by Twilight Creations. Another great zombie survival game. Players try to survive and score victory points by killing zombies or finding survivors.
Warfare/Tactics Games
These boardgames are all about warfare, tactics, and strategy.
- Axis & Allies – Published by Avalon Hill. This is the ultimate strategy board game. You control one of the countries during World War II, fighting for control over Europe.
- World At War: Eisenbach Gap – Published by Lock ‘n Load Publishingand part of the World At War series. In 1985, Soviet tanks invade West Germany. Players control platoons of vehicles and troops during strategic engagement.
- Age of Muskets Vol. I : Tomb for an Empire – Published by Bellica Third Generation. This import game is a tactical game that takes place during the Iberian Peninsula War that took place between 1808 to 1814.
- Risk – Published by Hasbro. Everyone should have grown up with this game. It is a basic strategy game that involves conquering the world. (http://game-board.blogspot.com/2008/04/instructions-for-risk-board-game.html)
- Stratego – Published by Milton Bradley. A classic “capture the flag” game. You secretly place your troops, bombs, and your flag on the board and your opponent, who has done the same with is troops, has to guess which is which.
- Battleship – Published by Hasbro. Each player controls a fleet of battleships. You have to sink your opponent’s ships by guessing at their location.
- Battleground: Fantasy Warfare – Published by Your Move Games. It is a miniature game without the miniatures. You control an army of humans or elevs or orcs. Each turn you perform command actions to try to win the battle.
- The Devil’s Cauldron: The Battles for Arnhem and Nijmegen – Published by Multi-Man Publishing. A historical tactical game set during WWII. Highly detailed and researched to make it authentic.
- Battlecry – Published by Avalon Hill. Set during the American Civil War, this game is fast-paced and easy to learn. Uses miniatures to recreate battles between the Union and the Confederacy.
- A Game of Thrones – Published by Fantasy Flight Games and is based on the bestselling books by George R.R. Martin. Each player controls one of the Houses of Westeros and attempts to take over the throne.
Kids Games
Not all boardgames are for adults. These are games that you can play with your kids. Good for any young age.
- Monopoly – Originally published by Parker Brothers but now distributed by Hasbro. If you never played this game as a kid, your childhood was seriously lacking. Classic game about buying up property and trying not to go broke.
- Chutes and Ladders – Published by Milton Bradley. This is a great game for young children as they try to get their character to the top of the board. Ladders help you climb faster but chutes will send you backwards.
- Candy Land – Published by Hasbro. Another good game for young children. Players draw cards with colors on them. They then move their playing piece to the next square with the matching color. Teaches color recognition and basic game play.
- Life – Published by Milton Bradley. This game is all about life. You move your playing piece around the board and go through everything from getting married, having kids, and paying your bills.
- Beware of the Dog – Manufactured by University Games. In this game for kids, players use a cat’s paw to try and steal the bones without waking the angry dog.
- Hungry Hungry Hippos Board Game – Published by Milton Bradley. Another classic kids game. You control a hippo and try to get as many marbles as possible.
- Endango – Published by Elastic Earth LLC. This game is for the environmentally conscious kid. It teaches you how to be more environmentally friendly by navigating three endangered animals through the board.
- Zooloretto – Published by Rio Grande Games. Each player uses wild and exotic animals to try and attract visitors to their zoo. But the zoo must be carefully planned or you may run out of room for them.
- Aggravation – Published by Hasbro. A good game for developing hand-eye coordination. The idea is to get your 4 marbles across the board by using shortcuts.
- Disney Pictionary DVD Game – Produced by Mattel, Hey, it’s Disney so you know kids will like it. Players work in teams and use the DVD to give you clues to draw pictures.
Party Games
These are all games that are best played at parties. Great for breaking the ice or just having a lot of fun.
- Time’s Up – Published by R&R Games. A great party game where two teams go head to head. Each team must use a list of famous names. In each round you try to get your team to guess as many names as on the list.
- Scrabble – Published by Parker Brothers. This is the timeless game of scoring points by creating words. The bigger the word, the more points you get.
- Trivial Pursuit – Published by Hasbro. The original game that sparked a whole series. Full of the world’s trivia. No game will make you feel dumber.
- Boggle – Published by Hasbro. This is an all-ages game where you have three minutes to find as many words as you can. A good family game.
- Cranium – Published by Cranium Games through Hasbro. This is a wild game that combines elements from other party games. You can act out, perform songs, draw pictures, unscramble words, and a lot of other stuff.
- Wits & Wagers – Published by Days of Wonder. This is like Trivia pursuit but with gambling. Everyone secretly answers a question then all questions are placed on the board so you can bet on which one you think is correct.
- Hollywoood Shuffle: The Movie Plot Board Game – Published by All Things Equal. Definitely for anyone who is a movie buff. The game has movie plots such as characters, dilemmas, and settings. It is up to the players to put them together and vote on their favorite answers.
- I’ve Never…The Game Of Truth – Published by INI, LLC. This game is advertised as a family game but is more suited for adults. You move forward on the board every time you answer true. If you get a question and answer not rue, you have to sit on someone’s lap for a minute.
- Say Anything – Published by North Star Games. You draw cards which ask question about just about anything. Everyone secretly writes down an answer and you reveal one of them.
- Stare – Published by Game Development Group. You need a good memory for this game. You get a few seconds to stare at a picture. Then the other players ask you questions about the picture.
Miniature Games
Miniature games are closely related to board games. Some early versions were actually played on boards but these days you can use tiles, terrain, and other table features.
- Dreamblade – Produced by Wizards of the Coast. You control a small warband to either fight for or against the dreamscape world. You can summon monsters to control squares on the board.
- Warhammer – Produced by Games Workshop. The granddaddy of fantasy warfare. You choose from a number of races and build an army to do battle with.
- Warhammer 40K – Produced by Games Workshop. Probably one of the most popular miniature games to date. Set in a dark science fiction universe, you control different types of armies battling across a tabletop.
- Warmachine – Produced by Privateer Press. A game where each player controls squads that include hulking steam-powered constructs.
- Marvel HeroClix – Produced by Wizkids. Probably one fo the best games in the HeroClix line. You get to play all of Marvel’s classic heroes and villains.
- Confrontation Produced by Rackham. Originally a European game that has found popularity in the U.S. Players control small warbands of different races. Gameplay combines cards with miniatures.
- Mage Knight – Produced by Wizkids. This is their original groundbreaking game. Uses prepainted miniatures on a base where you can keep track of individual stats.
- Mutant Chronicles – Produced by Fantasy Flight Games. Set in a dark sci-fi world of megacorporations, evil has been unleashed and it is up to you to stop it. There are several factions you can choose from, even the evil side.
- Monsterpocalypse – Produced by Privateer Press. If you like giant monsters battling and destroying a city, this is the game for you. Very different from regular miniature games.
- Battletech – Produced by Catalyst Games Labs. This is the original miniature game of battling giant mechs. It has been around for a long time and is oen fo the more well established of mech games.
Adventure Games
These are games of exploration, adventure, building, and danger.
- Lost Cities: Board Game – Published by Each player leads a group of four adventurers and a researcher in search for lost cities. To reach each city, the players draw a card and moves one of his adventurers or his researcher.
- Monsters Menace America – Published by Hasbro. Each player controls a giant monster that goes across the board to find cities to destroy. Everyone also control part of the military intent on stopping the monsters.
- Pandemic – Published by Z-Man Games. Each player works for the Center for Disease Control where you watch several epidemics break out all over the world. The team mission is to prevent a world-wide outbreak before it can destroy the world.
- Pirateology: Board Game – Published by Sababa Toys, Inc. In this game you navigate your way around the globe searching for treasure while battling things like the elements, sea monsters, avoiding hurricanes, and battling enemies. Great game for fans of pirates.
- Kung Fu Fighting – Published by Slugfest Games. You play a Kung Fu Master and battle against your opponents. You can use cards that give you attack enhancements, weapons, and blocks.
- Colosseum – Published by Days of Wonder. Players take the role of a Roman impresario that puts on events at their colosseum in the hopes of attracting visitors. The more visitors you have, the more money and power you attain.
- Cleopatra and the Society of the Architects – Published by Days of Wonder. This is a fun game where you race against the other players to build a three-dimensional palace.
- Candamir the First Settlers – Published by Mayfair Games. The object is to gather livestock, put a roof over your head, and manufacture goods for the rest of the town. First player to score 10 Victory points wins.
- Wyatt Earp – Published by Rio Grande Games. Players take the role of bounty hunters who work either with or against each other to try to capture the most notorious outlaws of the old west. The player that collects the most reward money wins.
- Pirates Cove – Published by Days of Wonder. Another great pirate game. You gain fame and fortune by battling other pirates and burying your treasure.
Card Games
Although these do not necessarily have a board to play on, card games are still closely associated with traditional board games.
- Dominion – Published by Rio Grande Games. In this card game, you are the ruler of a small kingdom. By playing the cards in your hands, you can try to increase your kingdom’s size.
- Magic: The Gathering – Published by Wizards of the Coast. The game that started the CCG craze. You play a wizard who uses land as a power source to summon monsters and cast spells.
- Battle of the Sexes Card Game – Published by University Games. This is a fast-paced card game that gives gender-based questions to find out which sex is superior.
- Munchkin Card Game – Published by Steve Jackson Games. A very humorous take on dungeon crawling where you draw cards to try to gain more stuff, magic, and loot.
- Fact Or Crap – Published by Imagination Entertainment, LLC. This is a card game where you have to decide if a card’s statement is a fact or is just crap.
- Family Business Card Game – Published by Mayfair Games. You control a mafia family and try to wipe out the other families by using Action Cards. The winner is the last man standing.
- Loot Card Game – Published by Gamewright. This is a pirate-themed game where you try to protect your trading vessel from pirate attacks. You also have your own pirates that you use to attack your opponent’s trading vessel.
- Citadels Card Game – Published by Fantasy Flight Games. Each player tries to build a collection of districts that are worth various points. You can draw on different characters that give you certain powers each turn.
- For Sale – Published by Gryphon Games. This is a fast game about real estate. The object is to develop the real estate and then sell it for the highest profit.
- Wizard Card Game – Published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc. Touted as being more fun than Hearts and more challenging than Rummy. The object is to correctly guess how many tricks you can take ine ach round. You score points for guessing correctly.
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Luke Warren here from North Star Games. For the record, North Star Games design and publish Wits & Wagers. We licensed it to Days of Wonder for European markets, but they renamed it Gambit 7.
If anyone is interested, they can pick up a copy of Wits & Wagers, the most award winning party game in history, at Target and Borders and almost any local game store.
That being said, we truly appreciate having 2 of our 3 games on this list! Thanks so much. People loving our games is why we do what we do.
I really love, not just like, some of the games. Swear!