Want to play a game that will test your intellect? Maybe a board game that has multiple twists and turns as you play, as strategy plays a big role? Or maybe simply a game that’s more “grown up” than your standard kids’ board games? Well, we’ve got you covered with these 10 best strategy board games that will really test your skills and entertain you for hours.
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1. SETTLERS OF CATAN
- EXPLORE THE ISLAND OF CATAN: Settle the uninhabited island of Catan by gathering...
- STRATEGY AND COMPETITION: Compete with 2-3 opponents to expand your settlements...
- TRADE, BUILD, AND SETTLE: Use brick, wood, wheat, ore, and sheep to construct...
If you think of strategy games, likely, one of the first board games you think of is Settlers of Catan. This is the perfect game to play for 2 to 4 players, but it’s got the best playability at 3 to 4 players. You can also purchase an expansion if you have a larger party. If you’ve played Catan before, you already know this game will bring out everyone’s competitive side. In this game, players take turns expanding their territory by collecting resources and building roads. The objective of the game? Win 10 Victory Points.
2. TICKET TO RIDE
- FAST-PACED STRATEGY: Race to build your train routes across iconic American...
- COMPETITIVE FUN: Challenge friends and family in a 2-5 player game, where every...
- COLLECT TRAIN CARDS: Strategically gather train cards to claim routes and earn...
One of our favorite games for smaller groups (including just 2 or 3 players) is Ticket to Ride. In this classic board game, players use strategy to create train routes throughout the continent. However, just like Settlers of Catan, watch out for sabotage and competition as everyone tries to ruthlessly expand their train empire in order to score points to win the game. Beyond simply winning points by connecting cities, you’ll also be able to score bonus points throughout the game to help you win.
3. TERRAFORMING MARS
- Compete for different milestones and awards worth many VPS
- In Terraforming Mars, players control a corporation and compete to transform...
- Will lead the way into humanitys new era?
A monster of a board game, Terraforming Mars is one of the best strategy board games out there. This game is perfect for anywhere between 1 and 5 players. Yep – you read that right. Terraforming Mars makes for a great solo board game as well. This board game does have a bit of a learning curve, but it’s absolutely worth learning it. In this game, as you might be able to guess from the name, players work together to terraform Mars and make it suitable for human habitation. To do so, throughout the game, you’ll advance human infrastructure in order to gain points. This is one of those board games that you could easily play for hours.
4. CARCASSONNE
- INTRODUCTION TO STRATEGY: Experience the timeless allure of "Carcassonne," a...
- SIMPLE YET ENGAGING: With intuitive rules—place tiles, deploy meeples, score...
- BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATIONS: Immerse yourself in the game's enchanting world through...
One of the best family board games is Carcassonne. This is a beginner-friendly strategy board game that your kids can play too, and you’ll be able to pick it up very easily. But, don’t worry, it’s still just as fun for adults! In this game, players build roads and cities made up of various landscapes. The trick? Connect the tiles in a way that makes logical sense, and once you do, you can place a meeple on top of that tile, scoring you points. Whoever collects the most points wins the game!
5. PANDEMIC
- STRATEGY GAME: Players must work together playing to their characters' strengths...
- COOPERATIVE BOARD GAME: Only through teamwork will you keep the world safe from...
- WORK TOGETHER AND SAVE HUMANITY: Four diseases threaten the world, and your...
Want to play one of the best strategy board games but sick of competition? Then, you’ve got to get your hands on Pandemic. Pandemic is a cooperative strategy board game. In other words, players work together to stop viruses from destroying the world. In order to stop this rampant spreading of various deadly diseases, players must move to different cities, test the infections, and build research stations to combat the global threat! Find the cure before time runs out!
6. RISK
Another strategy board game that will surely bring out your competitive side is Risk. In the world map on the game board, everyone starts off with a small territory. Then, the game begins! Players attack and move troops around to fortify and expand territories. Expect a heck of a lot of backstabbing as players attack each other’s territories in order to expand and win the game. After all, in order to win the game, you have to take over the entire board! This is a board game that is likely to last for hours, so it’s the perfect game to bring out on a rainy day.
7. SCYTHE
- EXPLORE: It is a time of unrest in 1920s Europa. The ashes from the first great...
- ALTERNATE HISTORY: Scythe is an engine-building game set in an alternate-history...
- VARIABILITY: With five different factions and five different player boards,...
One of our favorite strategy board games of all time is Scythe. This is an engine-building game in which players must fight to conquer territory, gain resources and villagers, and activate mechs. What’s great about this strategy board game is that you can play Scythe with just one player or as many as 5 players, making it a pretty versatile game. Interestingly, there are no rounds or phases in this board game, so expect some very fast and chaotic gameplay.
8. AZUL
- AWARD-WINNING STRATEGY GAME: Azul is an award-winning board game that challenges...
- BEAUTIFUL TILE ARTWORK: Featuring beautifully crafted, colorful tiles, Azul...
- EASY TO LEARN, CHALLENGING TO MASTER: With simple rules and deep strategic...
If you’re looking for a visually stunning strategy game that’s also easy to learn, Azul is the perfect board game for you. Azul is all about creating the most beautiful and balanced tile patterns. But don’t let its pretty appearance fool you. This game can get surprisingly competitive! Players take turns drafting colored tiles and carefully placing them on their boards to complete patterns and score the most points!
9. 7 WONDERS
- STRATEGY GAME: You are a leader of one of the seven greatest cities of the...
- BUILD YOUR CIVILIZATION: Players draft cards over multiple rounds, carefully...
- HOW TO WIN THIS GAME: At the end of each age, each player compares their...
In 7 Wonders, players act as leaders of one of the 7 wondrous cities of the Ancient World. The objective? Gather resources, develop scientific advancements, grow your military, and, of course, construct your own wonder of the world. There are so many different routes to take and strategies to employ. Will you focus on military power, economic dominance, or cultural achievements? The rounds move quickly, so try to get as many points as possible to win the game.
There’s also a 2-player version of this game called 7 Wonders Duel.
10. WINGSPAN
- BIRD COLLECTING: You are bird enthusiasts - researchers, bird watchers,...
- BUILD YOUR ENGINE: Gain food tokens via custom dice in a birdfeeder dice tower,...
- AWARD WINNER: 2019 winner of the prestigious Kennerspiel des Jahres award, along...
Wingspan is one of the most creative strategy board games of all time. Unlike most other strategy games, you do not focus on building a territory. Instead, each player is a bird enthusiast who wants to attract the best combination of birds to their wildlife preserve. Each bird adds unique abilities to your growing ecosystem, creating endless strategy combinations. There’s competition, of course, but Wingspan is more about careful planning and maximizing your habitat’s potential. As a plus, the art on this strategy board game is absolutely stunning.
ENJOY THESE STRATEGY BOARD GAMES WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
And there you have it! These are the 10 best strategy board games that you’ve absolutely got to play to have fun while exercising your brain and creativity, so that you can win. All of these games have endless replayability, so you can keep them in your board game collection for years to come without getting sick of them.
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