The 33 Best Board Games: From ‘Catan’ to ‘Codenames’

We love to play. We are fortunate to live in an era where we can indulge in our love for playing games with friends. There has never been a better time for games, with an incredible array of options available.

That’s why at Xataka we have carefully selected the best 33 board games for you. With these games, you can enjoy the fun, excitement, strategy, and challenge of outsmarting your opponents to achieve your goals.

7 Wonders

‘7 Wonders’ and its expansions are games that we never get tired of. The game involves resource management, and we have three eras to become the best civilization by achieving victory points and improving our “wonder”.

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game

Despite the common perception that games based on franchises are usually worthless, ‘Game of Thrones’ is worth trying. The goal is to dominate the main cities of Westeros and, as a result, to have the Seven Kingdoms under our control.

Agricola

‘Agricola’ has a great new edition with several improvements. It’s a highly complex game that puts you in the shoes of a farmer who, after a terrible famine, starts from scratch and tries to prosper on his land.

Ark Nova

‘Ark Nova’ is a familiar but intense game where the goal is to build a modern zoo using cards that allow us to use all the technology in our favour to overcome the obstacles that stand between us and a new home for all those animals.

Betrayal at House on the Hill

‘Betrayal at House on the Hill’ is a game with a touch of gothic horror movies. It takes us on an adventure in a house that holds a curse unleashed by one of our companions, a traitor. It is a fun and exciting game.

Brass: Birmingham

This economic strategy game is the sequel to ‘Brass Martin Wallace’. It’s set in the industrialized city of Birmingham, England and players take on the role of entrepreneurs striving to become the most prosperous. This game is outstanding.

Carcassone

This is a classic introductory game where players build a landscape of a French village using roads, castles, and monasteries to earn victory points through their villagers. It’s fast-paced, addictive, and requires a strategy.

Catan

This resource management game requires players to take control of an island, and is credited with being one of the games responsible for the current gaming revolution. It’s a great entry point for new players.

Codenames

This game involves two groups of secret agents who don’t know who is on their team. Using a dynamic of keys and passwords, players must uncover who is on their team.

Dead of Winter

This post-apocalyptic game is set in winter. Players must work together to make decisions that will aid in their survival. The game is challenging as it not only tests players’ survival instincts but also their psychological endurance.

Dixit

‘Dixit’ is a classic game where players become storytellers by building sentences around cards. Each turn, one player invents a story around a card, and the other players choose a card from their hand that they think fits the story. Later, they must evaluate which card was the storyteller’s.

Dominion: Intrigue

‘Dominion’ is a card game in which players build their decks slowly, with the goal of defeating their opponents by creating the best kingdom. It's a fast-paced and addictive game that is clearly superior to the original.

Dune Imperium: Uprising

‘Dune’ is a game that has a fruitful relationship with strategy, as it incorporates deck-building mechanics and factions vying for control of the spice. It’s inspired by the ‘Dune’ franchise, which has always been known for its historic video games of the genre.

Eldritch Horror

‘Eldritch Horror’ is a game inspired by the stories of H.P. Lovecraft. It takes players on a journey across the world, fulfilling missions that help them avoid the arrival of the Primordial One. If you enjoy ‘Arkham Horror’, you’ll definitely love ‘Eldritch’.

El Grande

Let’s move to medieval Spain (although not necessarily with historical accuracy) in a game where the goal is to collect the largest number of knights in the eight regions of the Iberian Peninsula.

Exploding Kittens

A hilarious, unpredictable card game, 'Exploding Kittens' is perfect for a night in with your friends. It's like a Russian roulette, where you must avoid drawing an Exploding Kitten card. If you do, you're out of the game.

Gaia Project

The successor of ‘Terra Mystica’, in this game, players take on the roles of fourteen factions that seek to peacefully conquer the galaxy. It’s an ideal game for those who want something demanding, complex, and outstanding that involves resource management and investment in technologies.

Hanabi

‘Hanabi’ is one of those simple but addictive games. We have to prepare for a great fireworks show, but all the materials are mixed up. This is a cooperative game where the goal is to achieve a successful show.

King of Tokyo

For those of us who enjoy being the bad guys and destroying things, there’s ‘King of Tokyo’ waiting for us. In this game, we are a big monster with the sole purpose of destroying the city.

Lords of Waterdeep

‘Lords of Waterdeep’ is a board game in the Forgotten Realms franchise of Dungeons & Dragons. In this game, players are powerful lords of a splendid city who seek total control. The game consists of eight rounds, and the player with the most points at the end wins.

Mansions of Madness

‘Mansions of Madness’ is a game that takes us into the world of Lovecraft and his horror genre. The game is about investigating and stopping the machinations of the sinister Guardian, a player who controls the monsters.

Nemesis

‘Nemesis’ is a board game that is perfect for fans of the Alien franchise. It offers a semi-cooperative survival experience with a spectacular design and presentation. The game is full of twists, turns, and tension, making it long and replayable.

Pandemic: Legacy

‘Pandemic: Legacy’ is a board game that has surpassed its original version. The game follows the guidelines of the original ‘Pandemic’ game, in which players travel the world trying to stop a lethal disease outbreak. It is immersive and unique, and each game affects the previous one.

Patchwork

‘Patchwork’ is a two-player board game where players compete to create the best quilt, piece by piece, and fit them together.

Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island

‘Robinson Crusoe’ is a cooperative game in which players can easily vary the difficulty level before starting each game. In this game, players must survive on a deserted island by setting up camp and completing a mission.

Root

Do not be fooled by its childish appearance. ‘Root’ is a complex game that tests your strategic skills as you compete to be the legitimate ruler of the area.

Star Wars: Imperial Assault

‘Star Wars’ is another franchise that has produced great games. ‘Imperial Assault’ allows you to experience the epic battles between the Rebels and the Empire, set at a time when the Empire is weakened after the destruction of the Death Star.

Ticket to Ride

‘Ticket to Ride’ is an exciting game in which adventurers on a train build the longest railroad tracks. There is some debate as to whether the original game or the one set in Europe is better.

Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization

If you enjoy games like ‘Age of Empires’ or ‘Civilization’, you’ll love ‘Through the Ages’. Starting in the Bronze Age, you’ll need to develop your civilization’s culture, technology, society, and science to become the best civilization.

Twilight Imperium

‘Twilight Imperium’ is a magnificent game that has been running for four editions, each one better than the last. In this game, you’ll try to control the galaxy after the fall of the empire that previously ruled it.

Twilight Struggle

If you’re looking for a game about the recent history of mankind, ‘Twilight Struggle’ is a great option. Set during the Cold War, you’ll play as either the USA or USSR to become the best superpower from the end of World War II to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

War of the Ring

There are several ‘Lord of the Rings’ games available, but most people agree that the best one is ‘War of the Ring’, where the Free Peoples and the Shadow side compete to dominate Middle-earth as the Fellowship of the Ring moves towards Mordor.

Wingspan

‘Wingspan’ is a beautiful board game that allows you to become a passionate ornithologist, eager to have the best birds in your aviary. One of its advantages is that it has a predetermined duration that isn’t very long, making it a great option for those who don’t want to spend all afternoon playing.

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