Best Family Board Games of All Time 2023

Quacks of Quedlinburg casts players as somewhat inept witches attempting to brew potent potions. The game revolves around drawing tokens from a bag and adding them to your potion. The goal is to keep brewing as long as possible without causing an explosion. It's a game of risk and reward, where players are tempted to keep adding ingredients for more points, despite the risk of blowing up their potion. Quacks is celebrated for its blend of strategy and luck, appealing to players of all ages.

• Fun
• Simple
• Exciting for all

Horrified is a cooperative game where players work together to defeat classic monsters like vampires and werewolves. The gameplay involves collecting items to combat these creatures and saving survivors. It's straightforward to learn and brings a lot of excitement to the table, making it an ideal family co-op game. While it has slightly more complexity than similar games, it remains accessible and engaging, offering a thematic and immersive experience.

• Easy to learn
• exciting
• good for families

Seven Wonders Architects is a simplified version of the popular game Seven Wonders. Players draft cards to build their wonders, choosing from three options on their turn. The game focuses on collecting materials, scoring immediate victory points, or using military cards to conquer neighbors. It's designed for quick gameplay, typically lasting about 15 minutes, and can accommodate up to seven players. Its simplicity makes it an excellent introduction to strategy games for families.

• Fast
• simple
• plays up to seven players

Catch Sketch is a drawing game that thrives on quick and often humorous sketches. Players are shown a word, then rush to draw it and grab numbered markers. The person who didn't see the word then guesses what each drawing represents, starting with the first player's drawing. The game's charm lies in its simplicity and the hilarity that ensues from quick, often inaccurate drawings. It's a game that celebrates creativity and spontaneity, with no real drawing skills required.

• Fun for all drawing abilities
• quick and silly

Long Shot: The Dice Game is a roll-and-write game focused on horse racing and betting. Players roll dice to determine horse movement and choose actions like marking off ball caps for bonuses or buying jerseys to place more bets. The game involves strategic decisions, as betting on winning horses yields significant rewards. While there are many options, it remains easy to understand and play, appealing to a range of ages and skill levels.

• Engaging
• interactive
• suitable for all ages

Planet Unknown is a game about settling an uninhabited planet using polyomino pieces, similar to Tetris blocks. Players score points by completing lines and strategically placing special tiles. A standout feature is the lazy Susan in the game's center, allowing players to rotate and choose tiles, affecting what others can pick. The game's design makes it accessible, quick to play, and engaging, offering a unique twist on tile-placement games.

• Accessible
• quick
• fun design

Klask is a two-player game that resembles air hockey but incorporates magnetic elements. Players aim to score points by getting a ball into the opponent's goal, while also managing magnetic obstacles on the board. If a player attracts two of these magnets, they lose a point. Klask is fast-paced and straightforward, making it an excellent choice for quick entertainment at events and parties. It's particularly engaging for competitive play and can be enjoyed by a wide age range.

• Fast-paced
• easy to learn
• great for events

Dungeon Fighters is a cooperative dexterity game where players team up to battle monsters. The unique aspect of this game is its dice-throwing mechanic; players must bounce dice off the table, aiming to land them on a target to inflict damage on monsters. The game demands various throwing styles, sometimes with closed eyes or under specific conditions, adding to its challenge. It closely mimics the feel of a video game and is notably difficult to win, offering a challenging experience.

• Unique gameplay
• challenging
• video game feel

In King of Tokyo, players become giant monsters, akin to Godzilla or King Kong, battling each other in the city of Tokyo. The game is highly interactive, with players rolling dice to determine their actions, which include gaining energy, inflicting damage, or healing. The game features a "king of the hill" style of play where one monster is in the city center, attacking and being attacked by others. It's quick-paced and the random elements of dice-rolling add excitement suitable for kids and adults alike.

• Highly interactive
• fun for all ages

Living Forest is a deck-building game where players take on the roles of forest spirits. The game's objective is to protect the forest from a destructive monster. Players do this by strategically building their decks, drawing cards, and deciding whether to push their luck in drawing more cards. The actions in the game include buying trees, acquiring new cards, and moving around the circle to interact with other spirits. The game ends when a player achieves one of three goals: planting trees, gathering sacred flowers, or extinguishing fire.

• Strategic
• Satisfying deck-building
• family-plus level