Board games are once again gaining popularity, and it's easy to understand why. With the emergence of the pandemic, people need to stay at home, and everyone—even adults need leisure activities that would help them cope with the situation. And board games are just the perfect tool for this! They promote engaging interaction that brings people together, not to mention their brain-stimulating benefits and fun gameplay mechanics!
If you need a break from your stressful acads or work, a board game makes a great stress reliever! So sit back and relax as we give you the list of the best board games for adults you can score online. We also included a buying guide list so you can decide which one is the best find that you can play with your friends and family. Check below to know more; good luck and have fun!
Quick List - Top Board Games for Adults
Avalon Hill Games
A Horror-Themed Game Will Keep Everyone on Their Toes
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
Table of Contents
Here are some key points to consider:
For more detailed information, read through our buying guide below.
Sometimes, it's not just the players who will choose the game. Other times, the game itself requires a specific type of people for it to be enjoyed to the fullest. Think of the people you will play the game with, and consider their interests as you choose your game.
Strategy games require using your brain to make up strategies in order to win the game. These games include worker placement games, resource management games, and war games. Strategy games tend to be more complex, and each game varies in intensity and play style, so you and your group will surely find something to suit your interests.
With cooperative or co-op games, you play with each other against the game itself. Each player is assigned a different role to play, and each will have different abilities. We recommend this type of game to groups with pikon players. This way, if you lose or win the game, you do so together.
Keep the conversation going with party games! These games are highly interactive and are easy to learn that even those that are mildly inebriated will be able to get the mechanics. Party games are mostly family-friendly and include trivia games, word games, deduction games, dexterity games, and hidden traitor games.
If you want a game for up to 10 or more people, we're sure that you'll be able to find a party game to cater to your group number. Also, party games tend to be on the livelier sideーthey are best for people who don't have a lot of experience with board games or those who just want quick, lighthearted fun.
As games vary in gameplay mechanics and in difficulty, the amount of time it takes to finish an entire playthrough of the game also varies. If you want a quick game, party games take as fast as 15 minutes to over an hour to finish.
On the other hand, if you want to make a night of it, strategy and co-op games usually take about 45 minutes to more than 60 minutes to complete. Adding a board game to your inuman nights will surely make it more fun and exciting!
For groups that are getting more into playing board games, and all members are willing to spend more time on a game, have a go at legacy games. Legacy games are designed to be played over the course of several sessions, usually with the same players.
To put it simply, a regular board game resets after you finish playing one game. However, legacy games let you continue the story while introducing new mechanics and twists in every step of the game. Permanent, physical changes can occur to some components based on game outcomes or player choices.
Indeed, legacy games will take a lot of time to finish. Depending on the players' availability, it can take from 2 weeks to a few months to complete. However, considering the number of players and the amount of time you will spend playing the game, it surely is worth every peso.
No one wants to be left out, so consider your group and purchase a game that can accommodate everybody. At the same time, you also wouldn't want to be disappointed when you buy the game and find out you don't have enough players!
Board games usually require at least two people to play, but there are some games you can play solo. The maximum number of players varies from game to game, but it usually ranges from 5 to 12.
Sure, for this article, we talk about board games for adults that you can play with your peers and colleagues. However, for some games, you can also play them with your children, younger siblings, or cousins! To make sure it is appropriate for them to play, look at the side of the box to see the game's recommended age.
Sometimes youngsters enjoy the game just as much as adults and can immerse themselves in the game. It will also be a mental stimulation for them and an excellent way to keep them away from their devices.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Z-Man Games Pandemic Legacy|Season 1 | ![]() | A Highly-Rated, Mind-Stimulating Co-op Game | |
2 | Indie Boards and Cards The Resistance: Avalon | ![]() | An Exciting Party Game for Big Groups | |
3 | Avalon Hill Games Betrayal at House in the Hill | ![]() | A Horror-Themed Game Will Keep Everyone on Their Toes | |
4 | Days of Wonder Ticket to Ride | ![]() | Simple and Easy to Learn, Best for Family or Barkada Game Nights | |
5 | Hasbro Games Monopoly Speed |Multiplayer Board Game | ![]() | A Beloved Classic for All Ages | |
6 | Plaid Hat Games Dead of Winter | ![]() | Work Together to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse | |
7 | Plan B Games Azul | ![]() | A Great Ice Breaker for New Groups | |
8 | Arvis Games Inc. Board Game Royale: The Island + Mini Travel Backpack | ![]() | A Survival Game That May Just Test Friendships | |
9 | Asmodee Games Catan 5th Edition | ![]() | Encourages Players to Think Outside the Box to Secure Their Victory | |
10 | Leder Games Root | ![]() | Take Control of the Forest and Be the King of the Jungle |
The pandemic board game has made a name for itself as one of the best tabletop games in terms of its concept and game mechanics. If you and your group are interested in stepping up your game nights and want to dip your toes deeper into the Pandemic world, have a go at this legacy game.
Your group will play as disease-fighting experts whose job is to cure the world of the raging diseases plaguing the world before it gets out of hand—just like the original Pandemic games. However, in this game, you play it through multiple sessions. Each of the choices and encounters made in one session can alter the outcome of the story.
As the game progresses, the mechanics of the game also change, and the player damages and stays permanent. Hence, extreme precautionary measures and high foresight planning are necessary to progress from one session to another—that's already a clue if you wish to score this game!
This game is surely going to be a group favorite once you try it! In this game, as you fight for the future of your civilization, your group of warriors is tasked to fulfill missions. However, there are evil minions acting as spies, and their aim is to sabotage those missions.
These evil spies are hidden from all players except for oneーMerlin. The player to take on this role knows who the evil minions are, and he must carefully choose his words so as to not reveal his identity. In this crazy game of bluffing and convincing, your goal is to identify the members of the evil forces lurking in the shadows to successfully complete the missions.
For this game, the more players you include, the more out of control and insanely fun the game is going to be. Brush up on your detective skills and your poker faces as you outsmart each other's team.
Get ready for Halloween with this classic cooperative horror game. This game involves a unique modular game board that expands as you "explore" the different parts of the house. This results in a different-looking board each time you play the game!
Before the Haunt starts, players must gather weapons and other resources. As the players explore the house, they can encounter spirits and scary omens that foretell their fate, quickly building excitement and suspense.
When the Haunt part of the game starts, one player will turn into a traitor, and the rest of the group needs to defeat the traitor before it's too late. Truly a game filled with unpredictable twists and turns, not for the faint-hearted!
We acknowledge the fact that not all people are interested in playing themed strategy games that require a lot of thinking. Our answer to that is Ticket to Ride! This is, by far, one of the easiest games to learn and teach.
In this game, each player will get train pieces of their own color, as well as route cards. You have to connect those two places with your trains to get the points indicated in the cards. Simple enough, right?
It is simple, yet it still requires strategy, since you can block other players, or you can go the longer route since the player with the longest train route also gets bonus points. This game is complex enough to play with your friends and easy enough to play with the whole family—a great staple game for all ages!
If you are looking for a board game that won't consume too much time, Monopoly Speed is the best find for you! It can be played in under 10 minutes, making it ideal for a quick ice breaker for any social gathering.
In this game, players don't have to wait for their turns because they can roll and buy at the same time. The jail-free pass allows players to get out of jail free every time helps reduce the playing time.
Another factor that separates this version from the original is the timer that counts down each buying and trading stage, allowing for continuous play without breaks in-between stages. For a quick, fun game that you can enjoy with friends and family, Monopoly Speed is a must-have!
If your group is ready to play a heavily thematic game, then this one is a must-try! Dead of winter puts 2 to 5 players in a world full of flesh-eating zombies and a dwindling number of survivors. This game involves different scenarios that build up and develop the story as you go on with the game.
Surviving the harsh winter, with the limited resources available, is hard enough. You and the other players must work together to resolve crises, fight off outside threats, and keep the colony's morale up in order to survive. In some scenarios, there is a traitor hidden among you, so trust no one!
This game's mechanics is very simple—place tiles to make certain patterns, then score points. The rules are straightforward, the setup takes little time, the gameplay is fast-paced, and the wonderfully tactile and beautiful game pieces make this game one of the best strategy games out there!
This colorful board game makes for a light and chill game that can break the ice within new groups, allowing for interactive conversations and even playful banters. This is a good addition to any board game collection and is one that you will grab no matter the group's personality and age.
This turn-based and card-driven board game will unleash your competitive spirit in a bid for survival. Players will gather resources and craft items that they can use to eliminate opponents.
The ultimate goal is to survive, and to do that, you have to collaborate with other players, manage your resources, and betray your friends if necessary. If a player runs out of resources, they are automatically eliminated.
You can be the victor by being the last man standing on the island or being the first person to collect 10 escape points from the social dynamics of the board game. With the game's deceiving gameplay, beware, as it can be a friendship breaker!
Catan is one of the board games that has been around for quite some time. You and other players are settlers, seeking to explore Catan's harbors and regions. It includes a modular game board that changes every time you play the game. You can be sure that you will never get bored of this game!
Catan is a resource management type of strategy game, so you will have to combine resources like grain, wool, ore, brick, and lumber to build roads, settlements, and cities. Not only will you have to think of strategies to garner victory points, but you will also have to think of ways you can outsmart your opponents.
Even for beginners or experienced players, with a gameplay time of 60 to 120 minutes and the game mechanics that would require you to interact and negotiate with all the other players, this game will surely make any game night memorable!
For more experienced players who want to try a more complex strategy game, Root is the one for you! It is a war-type board game that has a playtime of 60 to 90 minutes. That may seem like a lot of time, but reviews mention that it is quite a fast-paced game, despite the longer playtime.
The components of the game include wooden meeples of cute forest animals. Do not let these cute and colorful pieces sway your decisions in this game! As this is a war game, you need to attack each other's factions in order to take control of the forest.
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
There are different ways to keep your board games in good condition; you can start with proper storing. Avoid storing boxes in direct sunlight to prevent them from fading. Since board games are usually made of paper, it is important to keep them away from moisture. While playing, make sure that everyone is having fun without damaging parts and pieces of the board game.
The standard edition is just the base version of a game. This type is usually more available in the market since it is mass-produced. Limited edition board games, on the other hand, come with extra content that creates a sense of rarity intended for possible collectors.
Being forced to stay home for more than we are used to can be quite boring. Take this time to start exploring new hobbies! How about painting, gardening, or completing a jigsaw puzzle? Check out our articles below!
Author: Rie Niijima
Re-Editor: E. Hubilla
No. 1: Z-Man Games|Pandemic Legacy|Season 1
No. 2: Indie Boards and Cards|The Resistance: Avalon
No. 3: Avalon Hill Games|Betrayal at House in the Hill
No. 4: Days of Wonder|Ticket to Ride
No. 5: Hasbro Games|Monopoly Speed |Multiplayer Board Game
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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