What are the best iOS board games?

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GamingTabletopiOSiOS Games

What are the best iOS board games?

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Oct 23, 2022

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19 Games Considered

Best iOS board games	Price	Publisher	Controller Support
-- Star Realms	Free	White Wizard Games	None
-- Galaxy Trucker	$4.99	-	-
-- 7 Wonders	$4.99	-	-
-- Tsuro	$3.99	-	-
-- Twilight Struggle	$6.99	-	-

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score 3 · Answer 1

Star Realms

Top Pro

Very fast play time allows for either multiple plays in a session or a quick round between longer games

As players continue to build their decks the amount of damage they can do with any given hand scales dramatically so that this game rarely takes more than a half an hour to play one round. This makes it an excellent game to fill small bits of time whether between games at a game night or waiting for food at a restaurant. See More

Top Con

Design is lacking

More thought, design and production value could have been added to the game to give it a better polished feel, sadly it is not the case as most aspects pass as just serviceable. See More

Specs

Controller Support:None

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Top Pro

Unpredictable

There is no way for the player to know what will be in their hand or what they will eventually be able to purchase, making for every game being unpredictable. See More

Top Pro

Bases

Bases are permanent cards on the playing field that each player needs to try and destroy but giving that there is a choice each turn to hit a base or the players ships, it becomes a juggling act of what takes priority to destroy. See More

Top Pro

Pass and play multiplayer on a single device

Players can play a multiplayer game locally using a single device by passing the device between the two players for each ones turn. This makes for an easy way to duel when only one device is around. See More

Top Pro

Single player mode

There is an included single player mode where the player faces off against the CPU. See More

Top Pro

Asynchronous online play

Asynchronous online play allows for the player to get matched up against a friend or random opponent. See More

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score 2 · Answer 2

Galaxy Trucker

Top Pro

Time based strategy

Users have to strategize how much time they can spend on balancing their ships to how much time spent looking at the upcoming rounds cards. This makes for fast paced decision making. See More

Top Con

Beginning of game is more exciting than the last two parts

The game is broken up into three phases with the first being the most exciting. This makes for unbalanced gameplay in that the other two sections feel a bit dull. See More

Top Pro

Even doing poorly at the game is fun

Galaxy Trucker has lighthearted humor that can make even loosing at the game fun due to the scenarios that can play out. See More

Top Pro

Fastest player sets the pace

Some games can be slowed down by a player that is lagging behind but in Galaxy Trucker the gameplay is set by the fastest player, which is refreshing. See More

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score 1 · Answer 3

7 Wonders

Top Pro

All players play until the end

Points aren't added up until the end of the game, so even if you are losing badly, you won't be ejected from the game or forced to sit out. Everyone can participate for the full duration. See More

Top Con

Mistakes compound over time

In 7 Wonders you can really hurt yourself in the early game. Mistakes tend to be overly punishing and may be difficult to fully recover from. A long term strategy is necessary from turn one onward if you want to succeed. See More

Specs

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Top Pro

Super quick gaming sessions

This is an excellent choice for a quick gaming session, as most games only take around 30 minutes. This remains true even if there are seven players. See More

Top Con

Most player interaction is limited

Most player interactions can only be conducted with the people directly sitting next to you. This can include passing cards, borrowing resources from your neighbors, etc. These kinds of actions can only be taken with the person to your immediate right or left. As a result, it sometimes feels like some of the players (especially those across the table) have no direct impact on each other, especially in larger games. See More

Top Pro

Highly replayable

There's always an opportunity to try something new every game Each player has their own game board which represents one of the Seven Wonders of the World. These boards clearly lay out the production resource and benefits of each Wonder. You can also choose to play the game using the board's A side or B side. Whichever side you choose drastically changes how that particular Wonder can play certain cards. Additionally, since this a card game with resources and other variables, no two play sessions will ever be alike. Cards will always be dealt and played in a random order, and how you play these cards will vary based on your Wonder and your personal resources/currency situation. See More

Top Con

Iconography can be tough to learn

There are many different symbols to learn and keep track of, and this is the source of most learning woes for newer players. See More

Top Pro

Requires planning and strategy

When choosing your card for play that round, you may pick a card that will benefit you directly (such as one that will give you a building upgrade or money), or you can simply pick a card that you know your opponent wants to prevent them from bringing it into play. Additionally, if you want to play a card that requires resources you don't have, you can "borrow" resources from your opponent. In exchange for using their resources to play your card, you give them valuable currency to use later. You'll have to weigh whether it's worth giving them currency to use their resources knowing it could come back to hurt you later. This constant trade off of helping and hindering creates some interesting situations among players where you have to determine what the best possible long term move will be while also considering the moves of those around you. See More

Top Pro

Stays exciting thanks to 3 different card decks

Each of the three ages has its own unique deck of cards. Each time you pass into a new age, a brand new set of cards come into play. These new cards build on the progress you made in the previous age. For example, resources earned in the first age can be used to build new buildings in the other ages. This helps gameplay feel exciting and fresh as the game progresses, with lots of new options becoming available for expanding your city. See More

Top Pro

Player scalable

7 Wonders easily adjusts to support anywhere from 2-7 players, making it great for both small and large groups. See More

Top Pro

Easy to learn

No matter the player's skill level, 7 Wonders makes for an easy to learn and play game. See More

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score 1 · Answer 4

Tsuro

Top Pro

Short play length allows for quick sessions

Tsuro is a great "appetizer" game that can be set up and played very quickly, making this a perfect option to kill some time. It plays in about 15 minutes or less and it'll easily hold the attention of everyone all the way through. The quickness of the game also pretty much guarantees replayability. See More

Top Con

Highly random

There are pretty much no aspects in the game that can be planned ahead apart from the fact that you can choose between three tiles. The rest is based on luck. There's no way to predict how your opponents will play and sometimes even you won't have much control over the outcome due to the cards that are drawn. See More

Specs

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Top Pro

Beautiful and unique artwork make the game stand out

The artwork on the main game board is very well done and it follows an Asian theme. Needless to say, a lot of work has been put into the presentation aspect of this board game. Aesthetically this is probably one of the prettiest playing spaces out there. The game gives a very peaceful and zen-like feel due to the simplicity of the game mixing with the detailed art style. There's an epic Eastern-styled phoenix colored in the royal colors of red and gold accompanied by some clouds on the background of the board. The player figures have engraved dragons, adding flavor to the simplicity of them. There are also Chinese characters scattered throughout, roughly translating to "passage" or "going the same way". Moreover, as the board fills up with path tiles, the tangled web of paths looks visually striking. They look as if they've been carved into marble. See More

Top Con

Relatively simple play might not appeal to experienced boardgamers

The simplicity that makes this a great game for new players might also turn off experienced players that are looking for more complex strategies. See More

Top Pro

Can be played competitively or nicely

The way Tsuro is designed allows you to either try to make your own path without interacting with other players or play completely cutthroat and try to ruin your opponents' paths by making them run off the board. See More

Top Pro

Very simple gameplay

The game is easy to explain and introduce to new players, even ones that aren't familiar with modern board games, due to the simple nature of it. The game is played on a 6x6 grid on which cards can be placed, forming a path for your player piece. The game is quite straightforward - each turn consists of playing 1 card and then following the path on that card until it's stopped by a tile-less space. Your path can collide with an opponent's path, in which case both you and the opponent move their pawns accordingly, following your paths. If you collide with an opponent on the same road or if you walk off the board, then you are out of the game. The game is won by the last player on the board. See More

Top Pro

The wide player count allows Tsuro to be played in a variety of settings

Tsuro can be played with 2 to 8 players, which means that it is easy to find enough players to play, while having room for larger play counts that are somewhat rare in other boardgames. See More

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score 1 · Answer 5

Twilight Struggle

Top Pro

Has clearly laid out rules and other learning aids

There rule book for Twilight Struggle is well written, and easy to understand and reference during the game. You also get player's aids, which are very helpful as you're becoming more familiar with the game mechanics and rules. See More

Top Con

Very long

A single game of Twilight Struggle can take 2-3 hours. It might take even longer while you're still learning the rules, since you'll need to keep referencing the rule book. See More

Specs

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Top Pro

Very tense gameplay

Twilight Struggle perfectly captures all of the tension of the Cold War through its clever influence system and the way that players must play all of their cards each turn, even ones that would possibly help their opponent. The result is a game where both sides feel stressed (in a good way) as they try to out maneuver the other player. See More

Top Con

Steep learning curve

There are a lot of different mechanics in this game, and a lot to keep track of. Expect to spend the first few games referencing the rule book often. It's definitely not a lightweight party game. See More

Top Pro

Incredibly thematic

The event cards used in the game are all based off actual events that occurred throughout the Cold War which helps the games theme be even more immersive. See More

Top Con

2 player only

If you are looking for a game to play with a group this isn't a good fit. See More

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score 1 · Answer 6

Agricola: All Creatures Big & Small

Top Pro

High player interaction for this type of game

The very limited number of actions available to take each round, combined with most resources only being available at 1 or 2 spots means that players are regularly interfering with eachother's plans and constantly being forced to reevaluate their strategy after an opponent blocks them. This leads to high amounts of player interaction and keep you very engaged in the game instead of focusing solely on your player board. See More

Top Con

Can be a very punishing game for new players

Even players who love Agricola regularly joke that its name should be Misery Farm. This is because everything that you fail to do will cost you points, yet it is very difficult to do some of everything. This means that new players have a very low chance of beating someone experienced since they won't fully now what to expect as the game goes on and how to plan for it. See More

Specs

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Top Pro

Easy to explain, but very difficult to master

The basic premise in Agricola is simple: players take one of their two starting people and, in turn order, use it to select an action. Once an action is selected, it can not be chosen by other players. After everyone has placed their first worker players place their second, again in turn order, followed by 3rd, 4th, and 5th, if applicable. However, the difficulty in Agricola comes from the relatively limited number of action slots available and the sheer number of things players are trying to accomplish over the 14 rounds of the game. See More

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score 1 · Answer 7

Race for the Galaxy

Top Pro

Great for quick gameplay sessions

A group of experienced players can play a game of Race for the Galaxy in 30-60 minutes easily. There are no complex boards or pieces to manage, and each game usually only lasts about 7-12 turns. See More

Top Con

Steep learning curve

This is a difficult game to learn. Not only does each card contain symbols which need to be memorized, it has very complex rules in general. Each turn is defined by a very rigid and detailed ruleset. See More

Specs

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Top Pro

You can play it with 2-4 people online

In addition to the single-player option, you can play the game online with 2-4 people. See More

Top Con

Not much player interactivity

The cards you play have an influence what your opponent can and cannot do each turn, but it all feels so random and impersonal. There's little to no communication required among the group. Everyone just scrambles to get their points without really worrying too much about what the player sitting next to them is doing. This issue is fixed in the expansions, but those who only own the base game are out of luck. See More

Top Pro

Many different ways to win

There are seven different actions that can be taken each turn such as Produce, Explore, Develop, etc. Each of these actions will then influence which cards you can play from your hand, and also the points you get from all active cards already in play. There are are an almost unlimited amount of possible scenarios and ways to accumulate the most points. No one strategy will ever overpower another thanks to so many random factors and paths to victory. See More

Top Con

Iconography can be difficult to learn

This game relies heavily on a variety of symbols to indicate what each card does. This can make it very difficult for new players that don't yet understand what each symbol means. These symbols range from different colored shapes like circles and diamonds to shapes with various icons inside them. It's not always intuitive what they mean, so expect to consult the rule book quite often while learning. See More

Top Pro

Deep and strategic

Race for the Galaxy is deep and offers plenty of room for customized strategies, so those who enjoy more advanced games should really enjoy it. For example, you may put together an intelligent play by trying to predict which phase your opponents are going to choose on any given turn. If your opponent controls an area that allows them to trade resources for cards, they might choose the Trade Phase that turn. Since all players can participate in any other player's chosen phase, you may want to counterplay with the Settle Phase so you can join the area and take advantage of the trade too. There are hundreds of scenarios like this. The amount of sheer strategy and paths to victory combined with the random nature of cards can create plenty of interesting and deep gameplay sessions. See More

Top Con

Strict, complex rules ruin some of the enjoyment

It can be really hard to enjoy the game when you're more focused on the rules than having fun. Having to consult the rule book several times per turn can get old after a while, and may turn new players off completely. See More

Top Pro

Quite advanced single-player bot AI

Top Con

Different rules when playing with only 2 players

It is highly recommended to play with 3 or more players, but there is a rule set available for when only 2 players are available. However, this requires learning an entirely modified set of advanced rules. This can be especially complex and frustrating for people who are still struggling with the standard rules. See More

Top Pro

Asynchronous multiplayer gameplay with 1 week/30mn turns

Top Pro

Each round is different and exciting

At the start of every round, players each choose one action card from among a pool of their seven cards and place it face down on the table. After everyone has chosen, all the cards are flipped over and the round begins. Any action chosen can be completed by all players. For example, if you choose to Explore, then everyone else may also explore on that turn. If your opponent chose to Produce, then you are also free to produce. Since you never know what actions the people around you are going to choose for that turn, it's possible that any or all actions will come into play that round. This keeps things fresh and exciting on a per round basis as you never know (except for your own choice) which actions will be 100% in play. See More

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score 1 · Answer 8

Stratego

Top Pro

Simple to learn but utilizes much strategy

Stratego's rules are pretty easy to learn but the beauty is there is so much strategy involved that each game can have wildly different outcomes. Being that there is so much choice in how to strategize every game there is truly a limitless amount of fun to be had. See More

Specs

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Top Pro

Creative thinking and playing the other player take a large role

Players can arrange their troops however they like which begins a game of strategy but also a game of playing your opponent. By trying to trick or manipulate the other player the game becomes more in depth as a match of will. See More

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score 1 · Answer 9

Puerto Rico

Top Pro

Everyone can participate

Time wise, the game never feels dominated by a single player. Everyone gets to choose a role for their turn and there's never any scenario or situation where a player is left out or forced to sit out a round. This makes it a great game for any group or get together. See More

Top Con

Requires a minimum of three players

You will need a minimum of three people to play, however even with this number, the game might feel slower than intended due to all the unused roles every round. The game is played best with 4-5 players so that more roles are filled and the game can speed along. See More

Specs

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Top Pro

Tense thanks to a hidden scoring system

Score chips are placed face down on the table and are worth 1 or 5 points. Only you will know your own score. Even if you know how many chips your opponent has, you won't be able to tell their point total since the chips are worth variable points. This keeps things tense from start to finish. See More

Top Con

It's hard to catch up if you fall behind

It's very easy for more experienced players to quickly take the lead with proven strategies. New or inexperienced players that are trailing behind may never be able to catch up. Since everyone can play all the roles, there's not really any random luck that will allow you to take the lead out of nowhere. See More

Top Pro

Easy to teach your friends to play

While there are intricacies and strategies that are learned over time, the basic premise and simple rules are very easy to teach. Getting your friends into the game is quick and easy, even if they've never played before. See More

Top Con

Not a lot of visual appeal

The board colors are washed out and very bland. Buildings and other resources are simply cards with text. It's definitely not an exciting game to look at, and that may make some people hesitant to want to play. See More

Top Pro

Smooth game flow thanks to balance

There are several aspects of balance that make the game play out incredibly smooth. First of all, each role can only be selected by one player per round. No two players can choose Captain on the same round, for example. This means no one player can ever dominate a role since it's likely they won't get to choose that role during the next round. The addition of the tempting bonus money to unused roles from the previous round pretty much means all roles will get used eventually. Secondly, when you go to ship your goods if you choose the trader role, each ship can only hold one type of good. So if you are focusing on sugar exportation, you won't have to worry about your opponent who is farming something else hogging all the ships. Lastly, while players go around the table and roles are executed in order, their benefits do not take place until after the round is over. This means even if someone acted before you that round, he or she will not necessarily have the advantage. See More

Top Pro

Each round you'll get to try something new

On each round, players go around the table and choose among seven Governor roles such as builder, captain, trader, and more. Each role has its own special ability and benefit - for example, builders can erect buildings with money and captains can ship goods. At the end of each round, there will always be three or more roles which were not chosen. These roles are given bonus money for the next round in order to encourage players to choose them on the next round. It's a simple mechanic, but being able to try a new role every round ensures you'll have plenty of ways to play out each round. Additionally, there is a Governor token that is passed to a new player every turn. This token allows you to choose all roles on the round you're in possession of the token. This has to the potential to be a very fun and lucrative turn. See More

Top Pro

Offers exciting possibilties during game play

Building new buildings, trading goods, and taking control of the shipping market can offer some intense gameplay. Deciding what role to take each turn for maximum benefit can be exciting - there is a limited supply of everything. Goods take time to produce and there is only limited ships for use in exporting them. If someone else takes the role you wanted that turn and ruins your shipping or trading plans, you'll have to adjust your strategy on the fly. This can result in some pretty exciting gameplay where you're always thinking of multiple paths to victory. See More

Top Pro

Simple to learn, but plenty of strategy

The basic game flow of choosing Governor roles each round is easy to grasp, but in its simplicity, it offers much depth. Sometimes choosing between a role which will benefit you at the moment versus a role with the bonus money can make you pause and plan ahead. Perhaps you might even consider taking a role that you know your opponent wants, just to prevent them from getting ahead. This constant analyzing allows for plenty of strategy to take hold even if the game play itself is rather simplistic. See More

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score 2 · Answer 10

Lords of Waterdeep

Top Pro

Easy to teach new players how to play

Within a few turns, even new players should be able to understand the basic mechanics. You move your agents around the board, complete quests with them, and get points based on the difficulty of the quest. Whoever is able to gain the most points by the end of the 8th round wins. Thanks to the simple rules and the game's easy-to-understand nature, this makes it very approachable for all skill levels. See More

Top Con

Not enough winning strategies

The main objective is to gain as many points as possible by having your agents/workers complete quests. There's not much in the way of strategy due to this one win condition. In almost all cases, the game will simply be won by the player who can tackle quests the most efficiently while dealing with anything their opponents throw at them. See More

Specs

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Top Pro

Dungeons and Dragons in reverse

Based on DnD lore, but you're the one setting quests instead of going on them. It's fun to feel like a powerful Lord ordering your agents around and making them complete quests for your own benefit. See More

Top Con

Can cause arguments

Having to plead with your friends not to interrupt your quest flow can result in many arguments. Having an opponent play an intrigue card on you, especially the mandatory quest card, can completely ruin your chance at winning. It's easy to get frustrated with other players, especially if you feel like you're being unfairly targeted or teamed up against repeatedly. See More

Top Pro

Quick gaming sessions

Each game is only eight rounds and can be played in an hour or two. See More

Top Con

Might not appeal to veteran gamers

The game systems are rather plain and basic, and it doesn't bring much new to the genre. It may not be appealing to veteran gamers as the gameplay is not very deep when compared to other similar games. See More

Top Pro

Gameplay grows more complex over time

Limited options are available at the beginning of the game. There's only a few pieces in play along with quest cards that give simple, concrete goals. However, gameplay grows more complex as buildings are added and new quests become available. For example, where to move your agents, which opponent to interrupt by playing intrigue cards, and which kind of quests you focus on are goals that will shift and evolve as the game progresses. See More

Top Pro

Fun to mess with your friends

While completing your own quests, you have the opportunity to sabotage your opponents' quests with disruption cards. This makes it harder for them to complete their quests and even steal their money/resources. There are also mandatory quests that can be forced onto your opponents, which means they must complete that quest before they can take on any new ones. These can lead to many humorous and interesting moments with your friends as you attempt to prevent each other from progressing in devious and devastating ways. See More

Top Pro

Intrigue cards add a huge element of player interaction

The player interaction aspects of Lords of Waterdeep stem from the aptly named Intrigue cards. By moving your agents to a special area of the game board, you are able to bring one of these cards into play. They let you do such things as steal money or resources from other players, force your opponents onto a mandatory quest, sabotage their current quest in progress, or even temporarily bend the rules of the game. Choosing which opponent you're going to sabotage and how you're going to do it can result in plenty of in-game interactions with your fellow players. See More

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Answer 11

Carcassonne

Top Pro

Accessible

Because of the simple rules Carcassonne is very easy to get back into even after big breaks and it’s great to teach to other people. This means that the people you play with can change without any problems and you can play the game with anyone – children, your parents, your friends, or your partner. See More

Top Con

May be a little light for hardcore boardgame players

The game itself is not very deep in design or play, which may be a turn off for the more hardcore of boardgame players though can be good for newcomers. See More

Specs

Controller Support:None

Genre:Board game

Co-Op:None

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Top Pro

Near-endless replayability

Carcassonne will pretty much never feel dull, there are so many possibilities and variables in the game not only because of the randomness, but also because of the simplicity and the variation count. Carcassonne is going to be a different game every time because of the tiles you and your opponents draw and where you choose to place them. There are over 70 tiles in the base set, which amounts to a lot of possible combinations. Carcassonne has been around for a while, and this has led to the release of many expansions throughout the years. Each of these provides more tiles, rules, and other variables to the game. Lastly, you can even introduce many variations that’ll change up the game without owning any expansions, for example, instead of drawing one tile and placing it every turn, have the players manage a hand of four tiles. See More

Top Con

Highly random

As is typical for a game with a drawing mechanic, almost every action in the game is influenced by whatever tile is drawn and where a player has chosen to place it, so it’ll benefit him the most. The randomness is enhanced by the fact that the players only draw one tile at a time, so you must take what you get. See More

Top Pro

Engaging

The gameplay is dynamic, and everyone’s constantly engaged, managing their meeples and calculating which part of the board is worth fighting over. See More

Top Pro

Quick to play

In a regular expansion-less game of Carcassonne it can take 30 – 45 minutes to blast through the approximately 70 tiles. See More

Top Pro

Simple, but allows for lots of thinking if you want

The game is very accessible to beginners, but it allows for quite a bit of strategic play when you get more familiar with the concept. You can either go for long-term strategies with farms, or for quick point-grabs; you can build your own cities in peace or try to mess with your opponent whenever possible. A lot of tactics come in the form of cutthroat play – trapping other players’ meeples, stealing cities, and getting to share points. Moreover, the last turns of the game can also influence the outcome a lot – players receive some points for unfinished creations as well. See More

Top Pro

Easy to learn for beginners

The rules are pretty basic for Carcassonne, with first time players being able to grasp its concepts quite quickly, making Carcassonne a great gateway game. Every turn the player draws one tile from the pile. They then must place the tile adjacent to a tile that has already been placed in a way that the edges match. There are four types of terrain on the tiles – roads, cities, monasteries, and grassland. After the tile is placed the player can choose to put a player figure, a.k.a. a meeple, on the tile to potentially score points. If a meeple is placed on a road, then the player will score one point for every road tile until the road ends in an intersection or a city. If the meeple is placed on a city, the player will receive two points for every city tile until the city is fully walled off. If the player chooses to place the meeple in a monastery, then they will receive one point per tile until the monastery is fully surrounded by tiles. Lastly, if the meeple is placed on grassland, then it’ll only score points at the very end of the game, giving three points for every city in the field. The player with the most points wins. See More

Top Pro

Proper recreation of the original board game

Top Pro

Solitare is a new fun mode which is not part of the original boardgame

Top Pro

Beautiful graphics, sound, and animation

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score 3 · Answer 12

Terra Mystica

Top Pro

Deep

A lot of aspects, great asymmetric setup with 14 different but reasonably balanced races. See More

Top Con

Far too abstract to have any value as a fantasy board game. Could be any worker placement game with any theme

Top Pro

Local and online multiplayer

You can pass-and-play with your friends and family on the same device or go for online multiplayer, where you can also play against strangers from all over the world. See More

Top Pro

Included tutorial

The game has an interactive tutorial to help new players learn the game. See More

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score 1 · Answer 13

Sushi Go!

Top Pro

Scales well

The game is great in the 2 to 5 player range. There’s even a handy section in the official rulebook for a two-player variation. If you want to go past the 5-player maximum, then it’s recommended to get a second deck. See More

Top Con

Lacks card denial mechanic

There is no convenient way to deny your opponent’s play other than playing the card yourself, which is not as profitable as just going for the points. The game sacrifices strategy for accessibility, which, unfortunately, makes the game a bit too light for experienced gamers. See More

Specs

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Top Pro

Simple and accessible

The game can be played by both young and old due to the simple nature of the rules, the quick play time, and the family-friendly theme. The basics of the game and point scoring can be explained to a new player very quickly – once you tell the person how to get points and when to forward the cards, they’ll get it. There are 8 types of cards and they are all simple to understand – each type of card has a different point value and a specific mechanic. For example, the Tempura card is worth nothing by itself, but two of them give you 5 points. Information about values is conveniently put on the bottom of the card as a small reminder. A full game consisting of 3 rounds can be played in approximately 15 minutes or even less. The gameplay is fast-paced, and all the players are playing at once, so there’s constant engagement. The game has a quirky and comedic sushi theme, which fits the style of the gameplay quite well. The design isn’t childish either, it has a fun aesthetic to it. See More

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score 3 · Answer 14

Catan

Top Pro

Allows for multiple strategies in a single game

There are distinct stages in the game (early, middle and end-game), which have different strategies. For example, when the game has just started out, you won't have much other options except rolling the dice to gather more resources. In contrast, the end-game is a lot more alert, because multiple players at a time can be just 1 or 2 points away from victory. The game changes between these stages fluidly, and you have to be present and engaged at all times to stay ahead. See More

Top Con

Constant haggling

One of the more prominent characteristics of Settlers of Catan is haggling, which can get tiresome if you're not into that sort of thing. You can expect to be bargaining for resources throughout the whole game, since your placement of villages does not guarantee getting a constant supply of a particular resource. See More

Specs

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Top Pro

Fun social experience

This is a game that promotes casual conversation during gameplay. You can haggle for resources with other players. You can create drama by intervening in your opponents plans, for example, by breaking their chain of roads, or building a town in their way to the port. You can also make alliances with other players and then betray them when a better offer comes along. See More

Top Con

Not a good game for a younger audience

Success is heavily dependent on thinking ahead and planning. Even though the recommended age is 10+, it is not a good game for children who may lack the skills needed to get the most out of the game. See More

Top Pro

Teaches you about basic economic principles

This game teaches how to bargain, the meaning of scarcity, and how free markets work by forcing players to experience these firsthand. You can play without bargaining, but it is more fun to embrace the economy aspect of this game as it's a great learning tool. See More

Top Con

No official two-player rules

There are no official two- player rules thought there are some two-player rules that users have created and can be found online. See More

Top Pro

Suitable for 2-6 players

Catan is relatively flexible in terms of the amount of players. It's recommended to be played with at least 3 players, but it is possible to work around that. There are no official rules for a 2 player game, but you can go around that by each playing two colors. The base game has 4 player slots, but people can team up, thereby increasing the number of possible players. There is also an expansion pack available, which allows for two more players to join the game without having to team up. See More

Top Pro

Players have control over the pace of the game

A game of Catan can take around 2 hours in a 4-player game. It's not a frantic game, there is no penalty for taking a while to figure out how you want to play your cards. You can keep it leisurely, or speed it up if you want to. See More

Top Pro

You can increase replayability with different expansions

Expansion packs usually add game length and tactical complexity, which in turn greatly improves replayability. The mobile version of Catan features the "Cities & Knights" and "Seafarers" expansions. Cities & Knights introduces city improvements that give various benefits to the player, and knights that protect them from invading barbarians. See More

Top Pro

An intellectually rewarding strategy game

This game allows you to try different, rewarding strategies. For example, you can create a monopoly over one resource, use the ports to trade with the bank for cheaper or try to buy the majority of victory points using the special abilities cards. There are a lot of options, and you can adapt and switch things up as the game goes on. You also have to think ahead and pay attention to what your opponents are up to. For example, if you've decided to go for the 2 victory points for having built the longest road, you have to watch if anyone else is doing the same thing, because there can only be one longest road. See More

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score 1 · Answer 15

Splendor

Top Pro

Pass and play abilities allow you to play with a friend

In addition to being able to play against the AI, the app has a pass and play mode that makes it possible to play in person with a friend. See More

Top Con

Luck of the draw

The building cards that are drawn from the decks are random, which means that the game can often boil down to top-decking a building that’s either very valuable or completely worthless to you or an opponent. The nobles are random as well, but they won’t impact the game as critically – they are there just to direct you to a goal. See More

Specs

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Top Pro

Challenges help keep the game fresh and encourage you to optimize your strategy

In addition to being able to play the regular game of Splendor, the app also includes a challenge mode that will present you with a variety of different win conditions and play situations that can be quite valuable for refining your skills at the game. See More

Top Con

No online mode currently

Unfortunately, the only two modes of playing the base game are pass-and-play and vs the AI, there is no option for online play against other real opponents. See More

Top Pro

Easy to learn

The basics of the game are very straightforward and easy. You can start playing in a matter of minutes, which is great for absolutely everyone – young and old, experienced and new. The game begins from the youngest player and continues clockwise. In their turn the players can perform one of three actions: take three different gems, take two gems of the same color, reserve a development card and take a gold gem, or purchase a development card. All development cards give permanent gem bonuses for later buys and some cards give prestige, which is required to win. Prestige is also gained from nobles, which can be attracted if specific conditions are met. The game enters the last round when a player reaches 15 points. The game is won by the player with the most points after this round. See More

Top Pro

Can be played aggressively or peacefully

The game is suited for both playstyles mostly due to the card reserving mechanic. This is great because you can adjust to the company you are playing with, whether they want to be fully competitive and try to deny each other’s plays or laid back and just watch the empires grow without interfering. You can reserve a card to use it later or, even better, so your opponents can’t use it. You also get a “wild” gold piece, which can substitute any color required in buildings. You can have a maximum of three cards reserved at once. See More

Top Pro

Good for beginners

The game’s rules are easy to grasp, but Splendor also features quite a bit of depth and strategy, which makes this a great gateway option for people just getting into board games, even children. See More

Top Pro

Scales well

The game plays very well in the designated 2-4 player range. It has some nuances that depend on the number of players, for example, the amount of coins and nobles in play. It’s possible to go past the 4-player maximum by getting another copy for more coins. Another solution would be to add something like poker chips or other types of coins to the game. See More

Top Pro

Fine-looking artwork

Splendor’s artwork is follows a Renaissance theme and is quite detailed and beautiful. The cards of the game feature depictions of ships, gem mines, and shops from the era. The coins are colorful and have stickers on them representing the type. There are also portraits of historical figures on the noble cards, for example, Henry VIII, Isabel of Castile, and Elisabeth of Austria. See More

Top Pro

Satisfying to see progression

It’s enjoyable to watch your trading empire grow. The game starts slowly with you gathering gems to create some basic buildings and futureproofing yourself, by the end of the game there’s quite a lot of cards on the playing surface. You can also get points for attracting nobles to your side by getting a specific combination of gem cards, which gives you a building direction and a goal to work towards. See More

Top Pro

The visual design matches very closely with the actual physical version of the game

The layout of the board in the app and how you interact with it very closely mirrors how the game is laid out in real life, making the app an excellent way to learn the game and/or refine your strategies. See More

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score 1 · Answer 16

The Voting Game

Top Pro

Good replay value and variability

The Voting Game is highly replayable because of the large amount of possible house rules and four official expansions. There are some rules mentioned in the official instructions that can help change up the game, for example, by allowing players to vote for themselves or transforming the game into a drinking game. You’re also free to add your own house rules, change the win condition or just play for fun. The Voting Game has four unique expansion packs – NSFW, Fill In The Blank, Political, and Create Your Own Expansion. Each of these brings new thematic questions to the table that adds to the replay value and fun. For example, the Create Your Own Expansion lets the players themselves create some unique questions before the game begins, whereas the Fill In The Blank expansion adds question cards with blank spaces that are filled in when it’s your turn. See More

Top Con

Highly player dependent

The game changes drastically depending on the people you play it with. Players need be in the right mindset and mood - if there is someone shy, easily offended or easily embarrassed in your group, then the game can turn into an unpleasant experience very quickly. See More

Top Pro

A lot of hilarious player interaction

Players are constantly socializing with each other, be it by laughing along at the questions and results or explaining their choices. This leads to many stories being told throughout the whole game, which can also lead to inside jokes and throwbacks in the next questions, making the game a memorable and fun experience for everyone involved. See More

Top Con

Not very replayable if played with the same group

If you play The Voting Game with the same people repeatedly, then the game can quickly lose its charm. It’s possible to exhaust too many questions in your initial playthrough, which can lead to you having to answer the same questions in your future plays, which, in turn, creates repetitive answers and situations. See More

Top Pro

Large player count

The Voting Game is great for a larger party with a lot of people because it’s made for a maximum of 10 players. This means that usually nobody will be left out of the fun. See More

Top Pro

Very simple

The game is very straightforward and easy, making it possible to teach it to anyone in a few sentences. Each player is assigned a number and given a deck of number cards with the same amount of cards as players in the game. Every turn a new question is revealed, for example, “Who would find a way to break out of prison and succeed?” The players then vote for the player who, in their opinion, fits the description. The player that received the most votes gets a point. If it’s a tie, then the reader decides the winner. The first player to get 10 points wins the game. See More

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score 1 · Answer 17

Pandemic: The Board Game

Top Pro

Lots of replayability thanks to each playthrough being unique

With multiple player roles (Pilot, Scientist, Doctor, etc) to choose from and the card draw that infects areas at random, each playthrough is an entirely different experience. Pandemic also has multiple expansions adding more player roles and even a traitor mechanic which can turn the game from fully co-op to 1 vs many, adding an additional challenge for the good guys to overcome. See More

Top Con

Difficult

Pandemic is a pretty difficult game, there will be a lot of losses compared to wins. Though when there is a win it does feel righteously earned. See More

Specs

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Top Pro

Easy to learn but still provides a challenge

Learning the rules doesn't take long at all, and within a few rounds, most players will be able to pick up what's going on. Even though the general game flow and rules are quick to understand, there is still plenty of nuances to gameplay, little tricks you'll be learning along the way, and plenty of different roles to choose from which allow room for in-depth strategies. See More

Top Con

Won't appeal to competitive PvP players

Everyone works together in Pandemic, so there is no dominating or crushing your opponents in this game. This may not appeal to some competitive gamers who would prefer to play games that allow them to best other players. See More

Top Pro

Creates a sense of urgency thanks to the Infection Deck

One of Pandemic's greatest mechanisms is the way the Infection Deck is managed. Each turn players reveal a number of city cards from this deck equal to the current infection level (2-4), this determines where new infections will appear. Players also draw 2 cards each turn from the Player Deck, which has a variable number of Epidemic Cards mixed in based on the difficulty level. The brilliance of the infection deck is how it interacts with Epidemic cards; when one is drawn from the player deck the Infection Deck's discard pile is shuffled, and then placed on top of the current Infection Deck, making it more likely that cities that have previously had outbreaks will have them again. This creates a very real sense of urgency as the first draw after an Epidemic Card can often result in outbreaks and a rapidly accelerating spread of diseases. See More

Top Con

Can suffer from Alpha-gamer / quarterbacking issues

Due to the nature of co-op games like Pandemic, a strong willed or loud player can end up dictating everyone else's turns for them, especially in situations where there are clearly better decisions to be made. This can lead some people to feel like they aren't actually 'playing' so much as being told what to do. See More

Top Pro

One of the first games to implement full co-op gameplay, Pandemic remains one of the defining examples of the genre

When it was first released, Pandemic's co-op gameplay was a pretty unique aspect to boardgames and made for a different and fun experience where either all players won or lost as a team. As the board gaming hobby has grown over the years, fully co-operative games have become an entire genre, and yet Pandemic remains one of the defining examples of the style. With a base game that is consistently difficult--even for veteran players--and an engaging and interesting theme to draw players in, this is a game where working together to achieve victory is almost an art form. See More

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score 1 · Answer 18

Risk: Global Domination

Top Pro

Strategy game

Let's you develop a strategy and forces you to think a few steps ahead playing off the moves of others. Also allows you to develop alliances and enemies which allows for fun banter. See More

Top Con

Easily snowballs

Leaders in the game generally keep winning and losers in the game generally keep losing. It's difficult to stop the snowballing. See More

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score 1 · Answer 19

Forbidden Island

Top Pro

Good replayability

There are many variables to Forbidden Island that keeps it replayable. The cards you draw and the map you create will always vary and the fact that you get a random class makes the game feel different every time. The six classes have highly different abilities, for example, the pilot can use an action point to fly to any tile on the island, the messenger can give treasure cards to another player anywhere on the map, and the engineer can shore up two tiles on the same turn for one action point. See More

Top Con

Possibly too light for experienced gamers

The game is very similar to Pandemic, but much easier in the sense that it sacrifices many concepts in favor of accessibility. Due to this Forbidden Island might feel repetitive, simplistic, and not very complex to a more experienced gamer because there are not as many strategic possibilities. See More

Specs

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Top Pro

Varying difficulty

Forbidden Island lets you adjust the difficulty, which is great because you can adjust to the group you’re playing, be it a group of experienced gamers or your family. This is done by moving the slider on the water level meter to one of the four sections. Basically, you start with a higher initial water level. See More

Top Con

Many luck elements

Pretty much everything that happens in this game revolves around the cards that are drawn. The map itself is set up by drawing tiles, so you can get very unlucky with the placement of the “Fool’s Landing” tile and the distance to the treasure locations you need to reach in order to win. You can also get unlucky with the treasure card deck that has some “Water Rising” cards shuffled in between – if you draw a few of these in quick succession, you might make important locations sink and lose straightaway. See More

Top Pro

Uncomplicated

The rules of Forbidden Island are straightforward. After setting up the map and choosing the difficulty, you are randomly assigned one of the six different classes. During your turn you can take up to three actions in total. All actions cost 1 point, you can move, shore up a drowning tile, give a treasure card to another player on the same tile, or collect a treasure. After that you draw two cards from the treasure card deck and take a number of flood cards equivalent to the water level. The game is won when you play a “Helicopter lift” card on the “Fool’s Landing” tile while you have all players on it and you’ve uncovered all the treasures. There are many lose conditions – you can lose if the water level reaches the highest mark, if both the tiles housing the same treasure drown before you manage to get it, if the “Fool’s Landing” tile drowns, or if a player drowns. See More

Top Con

Quarterbacking / alpha-gamer issue

Forbidden Island suffers from the same issue as many cooperative games – a dominant player might make decisions for everyone. Table talk is absolutely necessary in this game to win, and the fact that everyone’s cards are visible, and the discard pile can be looked through doesn’t help the problem. See More

Top Pro

Beautiful artwork

The game looks amazing, it’s full of colorful high-quality artwork that really enhances the theme of treasure hunting on a mysterious island. The game’s box already gives a great first impression, featuring a big copy of the “Lighthouse” location tile. These locations that form the island have a huge variety of detailed and great-looking art on them. On a design note, it is also very well done in the sense that it’s easy to distinguish which tiles are sinking, even in the blue-ish looking locations. See More

Top Pro

Very accessible

Forbidden Island can be taught within a few minutes to absolutely anyone. It starts off slow and progressively leads into more complicated situations, so there’s time to get into the feel of the game. You only need to know how to do four actions, and the result of them is instantly visible, there’s pretty much nothing to micromanage. See More

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19 Games Considered

My Recommendation for Star Realms

My Recommendation for Star Realms

Very fast play time allows for either multiple plays in a session or a quick round between longer games

Design is lacking

Unpredictable

Bases

Pass and play multiplayer on a single device

Single player mode

Asynchronous online play

My Recommendation for Galaxy Trucker

My Recommendation for Galaxy Trucker

Time based strategy

Beginning of game is more exciting than the last two parts

Even doing poorly at the game is fun

Fastest player sets the pace

My Recommendation for 7 Wonders

My Recommendation for 7 Wonders

All players play until the end

Mistakes compound over time

Super quick gaming sessions

Most player interaction is limited

Highly replayable

Iconography can be tough to learn

Requires planning and strategy

Stays exciting thanks to 3 different card decks

Player scalable

Easy to learn

My Recommendation for Tsuro

My Recommendation for Tsuro

Short play length allows for quick sessions

Highly random

Beautiful and unique artwork make the game stand out

Relatively simple play might not appeal to experienced boardgamers

Can be played competitively or nicely

Very simple gameplay

The wide player count allows Tsuro to be played in a variety of settings

My Recommendation for Twilight Struggle

My Recommendation for Twilight Struggle

Has clearly laid out rules and other learning aids

Very long

Very tense gameplay

Steep learning curve

Incredibly thematic

2 player only

My Recommendation for Agricola: All Creatures Big & Small

My Recommendation for Agricola: All Creatures Big & Small

High player interaction for this type of game

Can be a very punishing game for new players

Easy to explain, but very difficult to master

My Recommendation for Race for the Galaxy

My Recommendation for Race for the Galaxy

Great for quick gameplay sessions

Steep learning curve

You can play it with 2-4 people online

Not much player interactivity

Many different ways to win

Iconography can be difficult to learn

Deep and strategic

Strict, complex rules ruin some of the enjoyment

Quite advanced single-player bot AI

Different rules when playing with only 2 players

Asynchronous multiplayer gameplay with 1 week/30mn turns

Each round is different and exciting

My Recommendation for Stratego

My Recommendation for Stratego

Simple to learn but utilizes much strategy

Creative thinking and playing the other player take a large role

My Recommendation for Puerto Rico

My Recommendation for Puerto Rico

Everyone can participate

Requires a minimum of three players

Tense thanks to a hidden scoring system

It's hard to catch up if you fall behind

Easy to teach your friends to play

Not a lot of visual appeal

Smooth game flow thanks to balance

Each round you'll get to try something new

Offers exciting possibilties during game play

Simple to learn, but plenty of strategy