We LOVE games and share them with anyone who comes over. We even take some of these games on vacation with us. We host game nights as often as we can. We have shared this love with our family so much that we have a cycle of Family Game Nights where we trade off on who is hosting every month. Our collection of board games is large and constantly growing.
These are 10 of our favorite games in no particular order because we just can't organize them into a list no matter how hard we try. We recommend these to all of you and hope that you'll be able to share our love of games too.
Catan
"Your adventurous settlers seek to tame the remote but rich isle of Catan. Start by revealing Catan's many harbors and regions: pastures, fields, mountains, hills, forests, and desert. The random mix creates a different board virtually every game. No two games are the same!" (Description on the back of the Box)
We love the simplicity of the game. We also enjoy the variability of individual games. There is no way to know what's going to happen in each game or what resource is going to be most valuable due to its scarcity. It's always exciting. We even have multiple expansions to make the game that much better.
Skull King
"Behold yer cards each round, then predict how many tricks ye reckon ye'll win. Get yer bid right to earn points, bid wrong, and lose 'em. Each hand holds unique perils 'n thrills." (Description on the back of the Box)
This game is so much fun! We have played Skull King with so many people and it's always a blast. Everyone loves banging their fists on the table to throw out their bid for each hand. There is an element of luck that can mess with your strategy and it's always fun to see each person react to the hand they've been dealt. Adding in the expansions only makes the game more exciting and unpredictable.
The Forbidden Series
"Dare to discover Forbidden Island! Join a team of fearless adventurers on a do-or-die mission to capture four sacred treasures from the ruins of this perilous paradise. Your team will have to work together and make some pulse-pounding maneuvers, as the island will sink beneath every step! Race to collect the treasures and make a triumphant escape before you are swallowed into the watery abyss!" (Description on the back of the Box)
"Gear up for a thrilling adventure to recover a legendary flying machine buried deep in the ruins of an ancient desert city. You'll need to coordinate with your teammates and use every available resource if you hope to survive the scorching heat and relentless sandstorm. Find the flying machine and escape before you all become permanent artifacts of the forbidden desert!" (Description on the back of the Box)
"Soar to dizzying heights in this electrifying cooperative adventure! Work as a team to explore a mysterious platform that floats at the center of a savage storm. Connect a circuit of cables to launch a secret rocket - all before you are struck by lightning or blown off to the depths below. It's a high-wire act that will test your team's capacity for courage and cooperation. One false step and you all could be grounded . . . permanently!" (Description on the back of the Box)
The Forbidden series is a set of games that can be played individually, but it's so cool to follow the story progressively told through each game. In Forbidden Island, you have to get the relics and make it to a helicopter which then crash lands in the Forbidden Desert. After that, your flying ship from Forbidden Desert lands on a floating platform in the sky and you have to find and power a rocket. We particularly love powering the rocket in Forbidden Sky because you actually have to complete a circuit with the pieces. The rocket makes noises and lights up once you place the final piece of the circuit. It's very exciting.
These games also focus heavily on teamwork as the whole group loses if even one player dies. Success is all or nothing. Communication and shared support are vital in these games. We love that these games get players talking and really immersing everyone into the game.
7 Wonders
"Lead one of the seven great cities of the Ancient world. Exploit the natural resources of your lands, take part in the eternal march of progress, develop your commercial relationships and assert your military might. Leave your mark in the history of civilization by building an architectural marvel that will transcend the ages to come." (Description on the back of the Box)
This is one of our middle-ground games in terms of complexity - at least in our opinion. It's a fast-paced game once everyone knows how to play. There aren't turns to take as everyone plays simultaneously. It's fun and can get chaotic. Emerald has a love for ancient civilizations so this game really speaks to her. There are so many references to history. Everyone is surprised at how quickly points can build up when you follow tech trees in science, civilization, and commerce.
Betrayal at House on the Hill
"Face your terror as it builds - tile by tile. Take a deep breath before you enter. It might be your last. Your fear will grow with each tile you place as you investigate a house filled with dreadful monsters and deadly secrets. As you brave your way through each unique room, you and the other explorers must rely on each other to survive the horrors that await. But beware: the house will turn one of you against the rest. It will take all of your strengths and skills to defeat the traitor and escape the Betrayal at House on the Hill." (Description on the back of the Box)
This game is always unique. Players enter the house and must explore the house by revealing one room at a time and collecting items until one player causes the Haunt to start. We love that this game changes entirely partway through. The description implies that there is always a traitor, but that's not the case. In the 100 scenarios we have (50 from the base game and 50 from an expansion) a handful of them have the house turn on the explorers rather than a player turning traitor. We love all the scenarios we have played so far and love that each game has an unexpected twist as well as a unique house layout.
We even have Betrayal at Baldur's Gate which is a D&D version of the game. There is also a Scooby-Doo version of the game that we have played since one of our siblings has it.
Pandemic
"Can you save humanity? As skilled members of a disease-fighting team, you must keep four deadly diseases at bay while discovering their cures. You and your teammates will travel across the globe, treating infections while finding resources for cures. ... The clock is ticking as outbreaks and epidemics fuel the spreading plagues. Can you find all four cures in time? The fate of humanity is in your hands!" (Description on the back of the Box)
We have played Pandemic with a different view of the game in the last few years, but it's still just as fun as it's always been. It is much like the Forbidden series in that you have a team and have to work together to complete the game and everyone loses or wins together. We always have fun with this one and it can get super chaotic when single outbreaks trigger more outbreaks. This game gets everyone's hearts racing as infections spread all over the world.
Colt Express
"Play as bandits in the Wild West. Plan your attack by playing action cards. Beware of your opponents! Avoid the Marshal! Win the Gunslinger prize . . . and become the richest outlaw!" (Description on the back of the Box)
Colt Express is one of our most unique games. The "board" in this game is a 3D train as you can see in the picture. It is so much fun to move the little figures through the train cars or over the top of the train as you beat up your friends and family to steal their money and jewels. We always end up laughing the whole time.
Bang!
"Since the beginning, the Outlaws hunt the Sherriff, the Sherriff hunts the Outlaws. The Renegade plots in secret, ready to take one side or the other. But who are the merciless Outlaws, willing to gun him down? To find out you have to draw!" (p.1, Game Booklet)
This is another Wild West game where you hurt your friends and family to accomplish your goals. We have so much fun plotting and scheming to try and win. In one case (our favorite Bang! memory) Ryan was an Outlaw and didn't have a ranged gun in his hand, but he needed to kill the Sherriff. He shot through another player, killing her in the first round, before she even had a chance to play, and got the Sherriff down to a single hit left. That was a hilarious game that had all our jaws dropping as Ryan made his play.
We do have the bullet version which comes with two expansions, but you can get the base game in a simple bix. We just enjoy the novelty of having the bullet. There is also a dice version of the game, but we've never played it.
Spirit Island
"Powerful Spirits have existed on this isolated Island for time immemorial. They are both part of the natural world and - at the same time - something beyond nature. Native Islanders, known as the Dahan, have learned how to co-exist with the spirits, but with a healthy dose of caution and respect. However, now, the island has been "discovered" by invaders from a far-off land. These would-be colonists are taking over the land and upsetting the natural balance, destroying the presence of Spirits as they go. As Spirits you must grow in power and work together to drive the invaders from your island . . . before it's too late." (Description on the back of the Box)
This is one of our most complex games. It is super fun but quite challenging at the same time. We enjoy the chaos of fighting off invaders and protecting our Dahan people with crazily growing powers. It's such a fun co-op game. All of the Spirit options are unique and fun with backstories on their cards.
Gloomhaven
"Being a mercenary on the edge of civilization is anything but easy. For those stupid or brave enough to leave the relative safety of Gloomhaven's walls, adventure, wealth, and game away in wild and shadowy forests, snowy mountain caves, and long-forgotten crypts. Just don't expect anyone to pay for your services up-front, because no one expects you to come back alive." (Description on the back of the Box)
We saved the best for last and this is by far our most complex game. We love it so much and the story is fantastic. There are so many quests to do all the time and tons of scenarios to play. We love working toward unlocking more characters and items as we play through the main campaign. We use an app to track our games with just the two of us as well as games with our friends. This is not a one-day game. We like to think of it as our D&D game without one of us having to be the DM. We can't wait to finally finish the story.
This game has even been adapted into a video game. We are also excited to get the next game, Frosthaven, which should be released soon according to the latest update we saw (August 31st, 2022).
We hope you've enjoyed our list! We love receiving recommendations for board games to expand our collection! Please comment with your favorite games!