There’s a rich history behind board games that stretches back thousands of years. For so long, our species has been obsessed with creating and playing them, and as different cultures and civilizations interacted, board games proliferated around the world. It’s one of the coolest ways we communicate and understand each other despite our differences.
Board games are perfect in so many situations where you need entertainment. They bring people together around structured fun and competition and are great for knocking out boredom, breaking the ice with new friends, and getting your family to engage in the same activity.
We’re in a golden era of board game versatility. While you may have played the classics, you’d be surprised how many board game options you can choose from today. There are portable options that don’t cost much and can provide hours of fun for you, and especially for kids.
They’re a great way to get kids (and adults) off of their screens and using their brains in creative ways. On our list, we’ve picked a versatile crop of board games. There’s something for everyone.
We ranked these games on their cost, the number of Amazon reviews and the average review score, and the age range the game covers. We’ve also gone over what reviewers said in our pros and cons for each item. Each ranking category is evaluated out of a possible 300.
Let’s check out the games that made the list!
1) Melissa & Doug Suspend Family Game
The Melissa & Doug Suspend Family Game prizes hand-eye coordination, balance, and construction. It features a wooden base, four frame rods, a colored die, a wooden connector, and 24 game rods. 1-4 players can play it, and it’s suggested for 8-year-olds and up.
This game helps kids learn to build sustainable structures. Melissa & Doug’s games have been praised by The New York Times, NBC, ABC News, and Fox. Build up wired stands until it collapses! Endless fun.
What reviewers said:
- Out of 3,645 customer reviews, 82% of reviewers gave this 5 stars.
- Owners praised how fun it is for the entire family.
- Reviewers recommended buying two sets.
- This game was repeatedly praised for bringing people together.
- Users said there wasn’t much chance of injuring yourself with the wires.
- Users commented that kids of different ages loved this game.
- Reviewers said this game was very mobile.
- Owners said it was artsy fun.
- Customers praised the customer service for this item.
Score
Price: (2nd) 294/300
Review Score: (5th) 4.6/5 285/300
Age Range: 8+ (6th) 282/30
Overall Score: 289.5/300
Nurture your child’s sense of balance and coordination
2) Blokus Game
Blokus is a race game where players compete to fill a board with their different colored pieces. 2-4 people can play it. It’s recommended for ages 5 and up. It teaches kids strategy and spatial awareness.
Pieces must touch at least one piece of the same color. Players race to cut off and confine opponent pieces. When the board is filled whoever has the least squares of their color left wins.
What reviewers said:
- Out of 1,257 ratings, 81% of reviewers gave this game 5 stars.
- Reviewers repeatedly praised how much fun this game is.
- Owners said this was great for the entire family.
- Users said they were thrilled by their kids wanting to play this with others, and by themselves.
- Owners said this game was fun for kids in the 11-13 range as well as young kids.
- Users said this was fun for adults.
- Owners were happy with what the game taught their kids.
Score
Price: (6th) 282/300
Review Score: (5th) 4.6/5 285/300
Age Range: 5+ (1st) 297/300
Overall Score: 288.75/300
3) Kerplunk
KerPlunk is an old school game that’s been proven timeless by excited young players. It’s for children 5 and up. The game revolves around removing straws that hold marbles suspended in a tube. When the sticks are removed, the marbles can fall. You want as few marbles to fall as possible.
The player with the fewest marbles at the end of the game wins. Two to four players can play at once. If you remember KerPlunk, this is a great way to share your memories with kids.
What reviewers said:
- Out of 795 ratings, 59% of reviewers gave KerPlunk 5 stars.
- Owners were excited to share a game from their childhood with kids.
- Users said the game was fun for kids.
- Reviewers were happy to reminisce and play this game themselves.
- Multiple reviewers praised this product as very engaging.
Score
Price: (2nd) 294/300
Review Score: (5th) 4.0/5 285/300
Age Range: 5+ (1st) 297/300
Overall Score: 286.5/300
Buy the timeless game of KerPlunk at Amazon!
4) Not Parent Approved: A Card Game for Kids, Families and Mischief Makers
The Not Parent Approved game is great for tweens, teens, and even adults. 4-10 players can participate, and it’s intended for users 8 and older. There are separately sold expansion packs if you come to love it.
This game is inspired by Cards Against Humanity, except it’s not too dirty. It’s a great way to get kids to read and read aloud. The game is extremely portable, and aims to make you laugh!
What reviewers said:
- Out of 919 customer ratings 79% gave this game 5 stars.
- One reviewer noted how funny the cards were.
- A user said it was easy to eliminate cards that were inappropriate, and they found the cards funny.
- One reviewer said this is a great game to play with interesting people.
- A user said this was a great way to bring families together.
- One owner said this was a great game for sleepovers.
Score
Price: (5th) 285/300
Review Score: 10th 4.6/5 270/300
Age Range: 8+ (6th) 282/300
Overall Score: 285/300
From ages pre-teen to adults, this game is fun for everyone! Through Amazon Prime, you can be playing it in your home in as little as two days!
5) CATAN: Junior
Catan: Junior game takes the classic civilization game Settlers of Catan and makes it fun for kids. The whole family can enjoy this game together, and it has a lot of replay value. Players five and up can play, and two to four players can play at once.
Players use resources to build ships, hideouts, and more. They avoid ghosts, parrots, and fight to control seven pirate hideouts to win. The game involves luck and strategy and is an adaptation of a game beloved by all ages.
What reviewers said:
- Out of 547 customer ratings, 85% gave this game 5 stars.
- One owner said this was great for getting your kids into Catan.
- Another owner said this was great for a nearly 5-year-old.
- A customer said this was their 6-year-old’s favorite game.
- Users said the pirate theme was great for kids.
- Customers said this was a great way to get kids into the adult Catan.
- A user said this is a great way to get kids away from video games.
Score
Price: (8th) 276/300
Review Score: (2nd) 4.8/5 294/300
Age Range: 6+ (3rd) 291/300
Overall Score: 285/300
Are you ready for an adventure? If so, the Catan game is for you!
6) Ticket to Ride – First Journey
This game invites two to four players to take a ride across America via train, and learn basic geography. Players will race to complete their journey first, and the game can be completed in 30 minutes or less.
Ticket to Ride is based on the classic board game but intended for players six and up. Players attempt to collect train cards and build routes on a map by connecting cities they have obtained tickets to ride between. Whoever completes six tickets wins.
What reviewers said:
- Out of 129 customer ratings, this game got 5 stars from 85% of raters.
- Reviewers said it was fun for the entire family.
- Owners said it was a great way to introduce young kids to the series.
- One user said their 8-year-old was able to play competently immediately, beating their parents and having a great time doing it.
- A customer said their 6-year-old couldn’t play the adult version of the game, but enjoyed this one.
- Users said its 20-30 minute gameplay was perfect for young kids.
Score
Price: (9th) 273/300
Review Score: (2nd) 4.8/5 294/300
Age Range: 6+ (3rd) 291/300
Overall Score: 283.5/300
Get your Ticket to Ride…through Amazon Prime. Take advantage of free shipping!
7) Winning Moves Games No Stress Chess
This game is built to teach people how to play chess. It comes with cards that tell players where to move. Players take turns picking cards and then doing what they’re instructed to.
No Stress Chess takes you from not knowing anything about chess to being able to play it without instruction. The chess pieces are plastic, and the set comes with 56 action cards and a two-sided chessboard. When players progress past the first side of the board, they flip it over to play standard chess.
What reviewers said:
- Out of 1,354 customer ratings, 86% of raters gave this set 5 stars.
- Users said it was an effective introduction to the rules of chess.
- Customers said it helped children understand basic chess strategy.
- Reviewers said this game got 5-7-year-olds into chess.
- Users said this game helped kids who wanted to play chess but were too young to fully understand it into the game.
- Users said it was very fun.
- It was positively compared to other board games.
- Reviewers said this game could handicap advanced players and level the playing field with inexperienced ones.
Score
Price: (4th) 288/300
Review Score: (4th) 4.7/5 288/300
Age Range: 7+ (5th) 285/300
Overall Score: 282.75/300
Today we’re all stressed… but no need to stress out over learning the challenging game of Chess.
8) Spontuneous – The Song Game
Spontuneous is easy to play and great for all ages 8 and up. A player picks a “trigger word.” Other players have 15 seconds to sing at least five words of a song with that word in the lyrics. Whoever sings out the words first then rolls dice and moves their piece across the board based on their roll.
Players can also land on spots that have cards that have challenges. If you stump the other players, they can challenge you, and you need to have a song that includes your trigger word. The game takes about 30 minutes to play.
What reviewers said:
Pros
- Out of 1,824 customer ratings, this game received 5 stars 77% of the time.
- Users said it was surprisingly fun.
- Reviewers were thrilled with the variety of people who enjoyed playing.
- People said they laughed throughout playing.
- The game was called “brilliant.”
- People said the game was great for those who like to sing and even those who don’t.
- Customers said this game brought their families together.
- Users said the game was intuitive and easy to play.
Score
Price: (7th) 279/300
Review Score: (8th) 4.5/5 276/300
Age Range: 8+ (6th) 282/300
Overall Score: 282.75/300
At Amazon, you can find the game Spontuneous! Enjoy the art of music and song!
9) Apples to Apples Party Box
Apples to Apples is a great game of comparison, cleverness, and helps kids understand allusive thinking. Players choose from their cards to best match description cards. A rotating member of the players chooses which of the comparisons best matches drawn description cards.
This set comes with 504 cards. It’s simple to play and comes in frustration-free packaging. Apples to Apples is widely beloved, award-winning, and makes learning fun for youngsters.
What reviewers said:
- Out of 577 customer ratings, this game got 5 stars 77% of the time.
- Users said it was perfect for everyone.
- One user said it was family-friendly but allowed for dark humor.
- A reviewer called it enjoyable and quirky.
- People who enjoyed other Apples to Apples, you’ll likely enjoy this set.
- Users said this was like playing Cards Against Humanity except kids can enjoy it too.
- A reviewer said 3-9 people could have fun playing this game.
Score
Price: (1st) 297/300
Review Score: (8th) 4.5/5 276/300
Age Range: 12+ (9th) 273/300
Overall Score: 282/300
10) Cranium 3 in 1
Cranium is a great, versatile game that kids love. It involves sketching, acting, humming, sculpting, and solving puzzles. Players compete to complete the board first by winning challenges.
The board on this edition can be modified to dictate how long the game will last, ranging from 30 minutes to an hour. It’s recommended for players 16+, although younger kids can enjoy aspects of the game, especially playing with the putty.
What reviewers said:
- Of 51 customer ratings, Cranium received 5 stars 91% of the time.
- Reviewers repeatedly said their families loved this game.
- Users said it was great for the holidays.
- Owners said the game led to hilarious conversations and situations.
- Customers said it was great for the family, and for drinking and hanging out with adults.
- Users said this game keeps the brain active.
Score
Price: (10th) 270/300
Review Score: (1st) 4.9/5 297/300
Age Range: 16+ (10th) 273/300
Overall Score: 277.5/300
