It’s that time of year once again. Time to gather up everyone’s shopping lists and figure out what to get your loved ones for the holidays. Board games are a great gift choice as they can be enjoyed by the whole family and provide hours of fun for countless occasions.
Board games have only gotten more popular with everyone spending so much more time indoors, and there’s plenty of different genres to experience from strategy games to party games, and everything in between. Many games can be enjoyed solo, while others are intended for group play. There’s nothing like bonding over a great board game.
We’ve assembled a list of some of the most popular board games below from a variety of different genres so you can easily find the perfect gift for your loved ones this holiday season.
Top 3 Must-Have Board Game Gifts
These are some of the most popular board games available that are sure to please any fan of tabletop games.
Cephalofair Games
Gloomhaven
Great for solo play or with up to four players, this epic dungon-crawling campaign is perfect for those who want a long-lasting adventure. As you play, the world of Gloomhaven changes permanently – for better or worse.
Days of Wonder
Ticket to Ride
This strategic game of expansion is perfect for those looking for a lighthearted challenge. Players compete against one another with the goal of connecting more US cities by train than the rest.
Stonemaier
Wingspan
Take on the role of a bird enthusiast as you and up to four other players try to attract the rarest and most interesting birds to your habitats through strategic card-based gameplay.
Best Starter Game Gifts
If you’re looking to introduce someone to tabletop games, these are some great options to start with.
Z-Man Games
Pandemic
This cooperative board game pits your group against a deadly pandemic that you must eradicate by strategically plotting your route around the world.
Best Party Game Gifts
A handful of great games that are better with a group of people.
Player Ten
Pick Your Poison Card Game
This card-based party game asks the age-old question “What would you rather do?” before pitting everyone against each other to vote for which outcome is worse.
Best D&D Gifts
The got-to gifts for fans of the classic tabletop role-playing game.
Dungeons & Dragons
Core Rulebooks Gift Set
The D&D Core Rulebook Gift Set has special foil cover editions of the three core rulebooks—the Players Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual—plus a Dungeon Master’s screen, all collected in a stylish slipcase.
Dungeons & Dragons
D&D Essentials Starter Set
This box is the perfect introduction for anyone curious about trying D&D for the first time.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeon Master’s Screen: Dungeon Kit
A helpful kit for any DM, but especially those running classic dungeon delves or underground adventures.
WizKids
Icons of the Realms Pre-painted D&D Minis
These pre-painted miniatures are great for DMs and players who may not have the interest or bandwidth to paint their own collection of figures.
Best Tabletop RPG Gifts (That Aren’t D&D)
D&D might be the first TRPG, but it’s far from the only! Here are some other great tabletop roleplaying games beyond the library of Dungeons & Dragons.
R. Talsorian Games
The Witcher Tabletop Roleplaying Game
Whether you’re a fan of CD Projekt Red’s video game, the Netflix series, the original books, or if you’re just looking for a new adventure, The Witcher is a gritty dive into this dark fantasy world of magic and monsters.
Paizo
Starfinder Beginner Box
If you’d like some science in your fantasy, the Starfinder Beginner Box is the best way to get into this spacefaring spin-off of the classic Pathfinder RPG.
Fantasy Flight
Star Wars: Edge of the Empire
Edge of the Empire is a smart game system and a great explores the untold stories of life around those hives of scum and villainy scattered across the galaxy.
Modiphius
Dishonored: The Tabletop Roleplaying Game
This tabletop adaptation of Arkane’s exceptional stealth-action games is a smart system and a great expansion to the world and lore of the Dishonored unvierse.
Best Horror Game Gifts
For fans of spooky games, these horror board games are sure to tickle their fancy.
Avalon Hill
Betrayal at House on the Hill
In this cooperative horror game, players must work together to navigate and escape an ever-changing haunted house while completing over 50 unique scenarios.
Best Legacy Game Gifts
Legacy games feature campaigns that stretch across multiple playthroughs and are great for groups.
Z-MAN GAMES
Pandemic Legacy Season 1: Blue Edition
Based on the original Pandemic board game, this cooperative strategy game for two to four players features a story arc that takes place over the course of a year, adding new scenarios that the group must overcome together.
Best Strategy Game Gifts
These board games are great for those who like to solve puzzles or outsmart their opponents.
Catan Studio
Catan 25th Anniversary Edition
Build and expand your settlements in this competitive strategy game. This edition features the base game plus the expansion that allows for up to six players.
More Great Game Gifts
These additional popular board games span multiple genres and are an overall great choice for anyone.
Cephalofair Games
Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
This standalone fantasy campaign game set in the Gloomhaven universe can be played standalone or as an expansion to the base Gloomhaven game and includes all-new scenarios that serve as a prequel to the main campaign.
Matthew Adler is a Commerce, Features, Guides, News, Previews, and Reviews writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.
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