Rating of strategic board games. The best board games for all ages
It doesn't matter whether you were born in Russia or the USSR. Passport age is not a barrier to games for young people! If you are young at heart and open to all kinds of adventures, one of the games on this list is waiting for you. Would you like to get to know each other better?
Age: from 14 years old
Number of players: from 6 to 20
All you need to play the famous Mafia is to know your role, close and open your eyes in time, and also pretend cunningly if you are a mafioso. This is a game with elements of psychology, where your task is to deceive others or not to become the one who was deceived.
Honey mushrooms
Age: from 18 years old
Number of players: from 3 to 7
A cool, slightly crazy game suitable for young people who are open to experimentation. One player becomes the patient, another the doctor, and two more depict glitches that are visible only to the patient. The composition changes depending on the number of players, and every round everyone changes roles so that no one gets bored. Glitches show the patient a certain topic or concept that he or his doctor must guess, but in the process they try to confuse everyone around him.
Bear
Age: from 6 years
Number of players: from 3 to 8
In this game it is very important to mix the cards well. They are dealt to each player, and you need to discard as many cards from your hand as possible. Also, when the Preved card appears on the field, you need to grab the log as quickly as possible. Yes, the set includes a birch log, seriously. And a pine cone for the winner who manages to discard all the cards first.
Imaginarium
Age: from 16 years old
Number of players: from 4 to 7
An unusual modern game for young people, best played at a table, because your group will have to arrange and mix the pictures. Each player gets a set of colorful pictures; he needs to lay one picture down and make an association with it. The rest must find a card in their deck that matches the hidden words and also put it face down. Then all the cards are mixed, and you need to guess the card of the first player.
Answer in 5 seconds
Age: from 8 years
Number of players: from 3 to 6
A game for a group of young people who love quizzes. The basic rule can be guessed from the name: you have only 5 seconds to answer the question on the card. Can you name three Moscow stations during this time? If not, the turn will pass to another player, who will have an even harder time - after all, you cannot repeat previous answers.
Equivocas
Age: from 18 years old
Number of players: from 2 to 16
A game about explaining words with incredibly varied tasks. Your penguins move across the playing field, and to help your penguin, you need to explain the word on the card so that it is guessed as quickly as possible. Be careful, there are activities that involve singing or modeling clay!
Valera time
Age: from 16 years old
Number of players: from 3 to 8
A board (or even table) game for young people who like to have fun in an unconventional way. It could have been another guessing game (“show the dentist”, “show the ballet Swan Lake”), but the creators stepped far forward and added an inflatable rubber doll to the set. No, dressed. And anyway, it's a boy. Meet the doll is Valera, and you will have to show tricky phrases along with him.
Age: from 5 years
Number of players: from 2 to 6
Immortal classic! You can play as the same millionaires about whom Theodore Dreiser wrote novels - they manage large finances, buy, sell and rent real estate and pay taxes (or go to prison for non-payment). And, of course, they are fighting with competitors. For keen fans, there is a version of Monopoly in the world of Game of Thrones - are you ready to compete for the Iron Throne?
Friday
Age: from 10 years
Number of players: from 2 to 6
A cool game in which everyone except you knows what is written on your forehead. Most likely, there is some kind of character, or object, or phenomenon - and you have to guess it by asking questions to other players. The most interesting thing will happen if they try to confuse you even a little! This game can be played not only on Fridays, as long as it is in good company.
Crocodile Big Party
Age: from 12 years
Number of players: from 4 to 16
A widely known modern game based on Crocodile, a game for young people from the USSR. Here you need to show words with lengthy explanations, pantomime, and also drawings. A variety of cards will provide you with a constant change of activity, and special cards in the set will allow you to put a decent pig on the opposing team. Make them draw with their eyes closed and get to the finish line first!
In general, we have a ton of such games, look at them in the category. Operators are ready to hear your wishes and choose a game to suit them - call.
Game is an integral attribute of every person's life. Some people prefer team games like football and volleyball, others immerse themselves in the virtual world, and still others prefer to spend their leisure time playing board games. The advantage of such entertainment is the fact that the board gameplay is equally exciting for both children and experienced people.
Most board games, despite their apparent simplicity, force players to seriously think about their next move. Distractions, bluffs, attempts to help or, conversely, harm opponents accompany every game played. Despite hundreds of “board games” released annually, hiding behind bright covers and unexpected plot twists, some games have been and remain “classics of the genre.” That is why we decided to make a rating of the best board games in the world, considered classics.
Today, the top ten most popular board creations on the planet, suitable for players of any age, include:
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10. Alias
In Russified versions, this game, which has united millions of fans, is widely known as “ Say otherwise" or " Elias» (« Alias»).
The plot of the game is extremely simple and resembles the game " Crocodile" One of the participants in the game draws out a card with a certain set of words, pictures or puzzles and tries to show their meaning to opponents with emotions and gestures. The winner is the one who can explain as many words as possible from the card in 60 seconds.
This game is often used by psychologists and event organizers to integrate groups of people who do not know each other well.
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9. Imaginarium
On the ninth line of the ranking of world-famous board games is a game called “ Imaginarium».
In concept and gameplay, this masterpiece is similar to another bestseller " Dixit" The walking player looks at the card with the image, comes up with and describes the image with which this picture is associated. Next, the playing card is placed face down on the table, and the remaining participants in the process try to choose from their set the card that, in their opinion, most suits the leader’s description voiced above. Difficulties often arise due to the fact that the drawings on the cards are very non-standard and you need to strain your imagination in order to get as close as possible to the correct answer.
The board game rating is a collection of the most interesting, exciting and popular board games. This type of leisure, despite competition from the computer variety, is still the best way to bring a family or group of friends together.
The board game Codenames is one of the best team games of our time. It tops the list of board games for parties according to the authoritative website BoardGameGeek (BGG), has received numerous awards, has a huge army of fans, an incredible number of copies sold, and continues to expand!
The game mechanics are simple, intuitive and captivating for everyone - both experienced board players and enthusiastic beginners. Its essence is in the verbal confrontation between two teams and the captains leading them. The captains' task is to guess groups of words for the opposing teams, and the teams' task is to guess as many of these groups as possible in a limited period of time. Captains guide the work of their teams, giving them hints and tips. The main difficulty is to choose the right ones from the proposed group of thematically related words. This is not always easy, especially when your opponents are on your heels!
Codenames is designed in the form of a classic spy setting; the cards contain agents, civilians, and a killer. To win confidently, you need to be able to guess the train of thought of your opponents, have a broad outlook and be self-possessed. Codenames perfectly develop all these qualities. The small packaging makes it possible to take the game with you on the road.
This list of board games includes those varieties that are successfully used all over the world in companies of all ages and social status. And the ability to captivate almost everyone is an undeniable advantage of any game. So, the rating of the most interesting board games.
Perhaps the most famous economic game in the whole world. The simplicity of the mechanics and at the same time the variability of the development of events makes it one of the most interesting. This is the most popular board game for all ages.
The economic strategy sets a very prosaic goal for the player - to leave his opponents bankrupt. The participant must rationally use the start-up capital, making balanced investments and assessing risks.
During the game, you can bargain with your opponents, take out a loan from the bank and receive random help when you land on the appropriate cells. The main type of income is rent from rivals when they enter the player’s property.
An exciting game for those who like to calculate their actions and want to learn how to make decisions. A game of Monopoly can take several hours and is best played with three or four players.
Muse
The board game Muse is a new product among the currently popular party games. This is a development of the idea of relatively simple “company” filler games for fun and casual communication, such as Imaginarium, Dixit, and others. It organically combines the signature features of the listed games.
The game is built on associations, which brings it closer to /. The colorful box contains two stacks. The first is large maps of masterpieces with images. Their teams will make wishes for each other. The second are small inspiration cards that indicate the way the muse will guide her team to the desired image. In total, the pictures in the Muse can be explained in 32 different ways. For example, melody, gestures or associations with works of art, body parts and all kinds of household objects.
Excellent design, simple rules, exciting gameplay, a lot of new impressions - Muse is suitable for those who are already fed up, for example, with Imaginarium, and want something new. The best option is to play in teams of four or more people, but, unlike many other similar sets, the option for two or three players is quite playable here. Other undoubted advantages of the game: the low price for its genre, as well as the compactness of the cards and the absence of a playing field, which makes Muse a suitable option for a road game.
(Scrabble, Scrabble)
Next in the top board games is the beloved game Scrabble, which shares second place with its Western counterpart, Scrabble. They were created as a developmental exercise for children, but have gained worldwide fame.
Despite the popularity of Scrabble, developed for preschoolers (where you answer questions from cards and get points), the real game with that name has nothing to do with this plot.
Real Scrabble or Scrabble is played on a special field, lined with squares. Players must use letter tiles to create words on the board, similar to a crossword puzzle. Each letter gives its own number of points, and the squares on the field can multiply this amount. The winner is determined by the number of points.
The game develops imaginative thinking, helps you learn to use your vocabulary and increase it. Children and adults can practice quickly putting parts together and improve their reaction time.
The Detective board game is an unusual cooperative board game with innovative game mechanics, close in spirit to quests in reality. Using her example, you can plunge into the harsh everyday life of police officers investigating the most complex and complicated cases. Interestingly, investigations can be carried out not only as part of a team, but also as a lone detective, which makes it possible to play with a small number of participants.
One of the first dexterity games that develops fine motor skills, concentration and the ability to calculate the consequences of your actions. The difference between Jenga and many board games is that there is usually only one winner. And in this game there is only one loser, despite the number of players.
At the beginning of the game, a tower is assembled from wooden blocks of the same size. It usually has 18 floors. The task of each player is to pull out one of the blocks in the middle of the tower and put it on top. If the tower collapses, then that participant loses.
The game can be improved if a task is written on the bars that the player who draws must complete. Jenga gives a lot of scope for imagination, because you can complicate it at your own discretion.
One of the most popular games is Alias. This is an active game that invites participants to use their artistry, logic and imagination. It is played by teams against time. During the allotted period of time, the player must explain to his team as many words as possible using synonyms or associations. The more words are guessed, the more points the team gets.
The game seems simple and unpretentious, but this is precisely its main charm. Participants will have to prove themselves to the fullest if they want to win. This is a good way to introduce new guests in a large company or get to know old friends better.
(One)
The game has 108 cards, including color cards with numbers and action cards (take two, skip a turn, order a color, take four). At the beginning of the game, 7 cards are dealt and one is placed in the middle. Players must cover it with cards that match either color or number. The action card obliges you to take the specified action.
The round is won by the player who is the first to discard all cards. But there is one caveat - when the penultimate card is given, the player must warn his opponents with the word “ ” that there is only one card left. If he forgets about it, he will have to take four more from the deck.
The best board game created by the Germans. It has complex rules and a lot of activities that the player must cope with. It is more similar to an economic strategy, but combines various genres.
At the beginning of the game, each player receives two settlements and two roads, as well as a card of a certain resource (depending on the location of the settlements on the map). It is necessary to collect resources and build new settlements and roads.
The first participant to score 10 Prize Points wins. They are issued for various achievements - a road of a certain length, a built city or village, a created army. The faster the state develops, the greater the chances of winning.
The situation is complicated by attacks by robbers and resistance from rivals. You can exchange with each other, but you need to think carefully about how to invest resources more profitably. The board game “Colonizers” develops strategic thinking and teaches how to take care of existing things.
. Random Mutations
An interesting game, presented in 2010 by its creator, Russian biologist Dmitry Knorre. It quickly became popular all over the world and was rightfully named board game of the year. No other game has ever seen such rapid spread.
The goal of the game is to create the most survivable and large population of living beings. Participants in the game add more and more new skills to their creations, which should take them to the pinnacle of evolution.
Initially, a simpler version of the game “Evolution” was presented, but its creator was dissatisfied with the unscientific plot. Therefore, together with the company “Correct Games”, he created a variation - “Evolution. Random mutations." Now the cards are divided by type and you need to take into account the dropped properties.
Participants take turns and decide how to use the drawn card - declare a new type of animal or add a new property to an existing one. The game ends when there are no cards left in the deck. The winner is determined by counting points - for each surviving animal, for properties and bonuses.
A card game that develops leadership skills and reaction speed. It is more suitable for family time, but groups of friends also enjoy playing it. The goal of the game is to become the leader of the tribe, but to do this you need to capture the totem.
The opportunity to capture the wooden totem standing in the middle of the playing field occurs when two players have the same cards laid out. In this case, you need to rely on your reaction and be the first to grab the figurine in your hand. The loser takes the winner's face-up cards.
The number of players in a game is unlimited; there are cases when 15 people sat at the table. The game ends when players have discarded all cards. To win in the “Wild Jungle” you need attentiveness, dexterity and a steady hand.
This is the largest board game on this list. And she received this title not because of the size of her details, but because of the complexity and fascination of the plot. The game mechanics provide for thousands of different plot developments, but the situation is further complicated by the possibility of conflicts between players.
Completes the TOP 10 board games for the Mafia company. Simple rules, an engaging plot, a variety of roles, and player involvement in the process make it the best choice for large companies. The Mafia creates many humorous situations and provides an opportunity to have fun.
The detective story of the game is enhanced by the team participation of the players. According to the plot. Organized crime fights the unorganized majority (citizens) and hides from the police. Residents of the city want to put all the mafiosi in prison, and the bandits respond by deciding to shoot all the townspeople.
Who will win depends only on the skill and intuition of the players. There are two phases of the game - “day” and “night”. Absolutely everyone does not sleep during the day and through open discussion they decide who should be judged. The convicted person leaves the game, and after that his status is shown to everyone - he was convicted (or executed) of a mafioso or an honest citizen.
At night, the mafia wakes up and silently discusses who they should kill next. The townsman is killed and the mafia falls asleep. Then the commissar (policeman) wakes up and silently clarifies the status of one of the townspeople with the presenter.
Then the day comes and the game goes on in a circle until all the members of one of the teams - the mafia or the townspeople - are killed.
The famous “Civilization”, from which everyone’s favorite computer games originated, has been updated once again - the sixth generation has already been released, even more interesting. In the ranking of the popularity of board games, “Civilization” firmly ranks first, as its fans live in all corners of the world.
The player must become at the origins of one of the great six powers and, through his management, lead it to prosperity. Children will ask to play or play with them, and parents will not be able to refuse - after all, this is the most famous board game.
Participants will gradually develop technology and culture, expand territories, enter into political alliances and defeat enemies. Peace negotiations, dirty political games or the creation of a world cultural capital are allowed. Victory will be difficult, because there are many ways to it - the game is not so clear-cut.
The winner is the player who scores the most bonus points. They can be recruited in various ways - to lay paths, send passengers and complete tasks.
The list of board games from this series contains many different versions, including America, Europe and the Nordic Countries. The child will not get bored. Because he will be able to discover more and more new facets in his favorite game. The game is complemented by colorful design and even plastic station figures.
Parents often look for some. This is a fundamentally wrong approach. You should think about what interesting and interesting board games there are. Children learn through play and develop their skills, so it is in the parent's best interest to engage them in the game and make it enjoyable for the child.
Best Family Board Games
It is quite difficult to choose board games for family time, especially if there are children in the family. It is necessary to combine the interests and preferences of several people with different ages, social status, and life experiences.
There are popular board games for adults that are also suitable for children, for example, a whole list of games Alias (Elias) - words. But there are other options for family leisure, presented in the review of the best board games.
Bear Park (Barenpark)
This is a great family game, recently localized in Russia. Bear Park, despite its recent appearance on the shelves of domestic board games, has already received universal recognition. Its “highlight” is the game mechanics of the popular game Patchwork (those who are familiar with this game will understand), implemented in multiplayer (up to four people) mode. We are not afraid to say that this is a real breakthrough among similar tabletops, very conducive to joint family gatherings and relaxed communication between representatives of different generations. It was not in vain that this set received the Spiel der Spiele 2017 award in the Game of the Year category and is included in the top 50 best family games according to BoardGameGeek.
The main task of the players is to build the best park for relaxation and communication between visitors and bears. At the same time, you will have to compete with other builders, using tactical thinking, spatial imagination (for the most advantageous placement of puzzle pieces) and not forgetting about strategic planning!
Pleasant design, friendly atmosphere, excitement, moderate and at the same time varied load for the mind - all this sets Bear Park apart from many other family board games, even such well-deserved ones as Carcassonne, Patchwork or Monopoly.
Several versions of this game have been released, the most popular of which is “Activity. Anniversary edition." Like the main version, it is equipped with a playing field, chips and cards with word combinations. Participants are divided into teams, each of which has its own chip.
One of the team must explain to his colleagues the phrases from the card using gestures, associations or other means. If they guess it within a minute, the team can move further along the playing field.
There are cards with different levels of difficulty, and the way they are explained depends on the game rules. The Activity game requires team strategy and good associative thinking.
This is a whole series of funny board games about the adventures of treasure hunters. Each version has its own additions, and you can mix them if you wish. Before the start of the game, the playing field is folded out of squares with the back side up, so that each square will be a surprise for the discoverer.
The Jackal Pirate, the most evil of those who lived on this earth, hid his treasures on a small island and, of course, littered the path to them with the most terrible obstacles. Obeying the rules of the game, you must go through all the traps and get to the desired treasures. Each player chooses his own path and no one knows whether it will be successful.
The dull feasts, where the only entertainment was eating hearty dishes, have sunk into oblivion. Indeed, why be bored if you can have a good time. We have already written about active actions are not to everyone’s taste, then there is a great alternative - take your favorite board game from the shelf, lay out a cardboard board and hand out colorful cards.After some time, absolutely all team members will be involved in the process. It looks very funny when adults find out from each other who has earned more crystals or how many points are due for this or that maneuver. We present to your attention a selection of the 10 best board games for a fun company.
Description. “Munchkin” was created as a parody of the famous board game “Dungeons and Dragons” in geek circles. Unlike its prototype, the game has relatively simple rules and is completely devoid of serious notes. Reincarnate into one of three mythological races (elf, dwarf, halfling) or take the side of humanity. As you open the “doors,” you will encounter absurd monsters, and by defeating them, you will become the owner of unique loot. You have the right to be an exemplary opponent or not to disdain vile tricks. Conflicts and arguments are encouraged in Munchkin.Number of players: from 2 (preferably 3) to 6 people when playing with a standard set without add-ons
Time per batch: the manufacturer claims that on average 45 minutes, but in personal experience we very rarely got less than 2 hours (and this is with 3 players)
Number of players: from 2 (preferably 3) to 5 people
Time per batch: one hour, as the manufacturer promises, but again in reality it will be much longer (on average, the editorial team got 2-2.5 hours)
Number of players: from 2 to 6 people.
Time per batch: from 1 hour (if someone is really lucky) to infinity. 
Number of players: from 4 to 6 people.
Time per batch: the minimum is 45 minutes. 
5. Alias
Description. A game to develop logic and speed of thinking. The Alias package includes a board, a cube, an hourglass and a set of cards. Of particular interest is the “Party” modification, in which, in addition to selecting synonyms and associations, you will be required to show pantomimes, express various emotions, and come up with interesting stories on the fly with unrelated words. Those who are interested in celebrity life will definitely like cards with celebrity names.Number of players: from 4 people to infinity, because you can divide into teams.
Time per batch: 45 minutes.
Number of players: from 3 to 10 people.
Time per batch: 30 minutes.
7. Dixit
Description. Associations to images best show what thoughts are hidden in a person’s head. Dixit is an amazing game for developing imagination. Participants take turns becoming storytellers and creating magical stories using beautifully illustrated cards. The presenter chooses the picture that appeals to him the most and comes up with a verbal, sound or facial characteristic for it. The remaining players offer their option according to the tip received. The cards are handed over to the storyteller secretly from the opponents, mixed and they try to guess which image marked the beginning of the associative series.Number of players: from 3 to 6 people.
Time per batch: 30 minutes. 
Number of players: from 6 to 30 people.
Time per batch: 40 minutes. 
Number of players: from 4 to 9 people.
Time per batch: at least half an hour. 
Number of players: from 2 to 10 people.
Time per batch: from 15 minutes. 
Have fun!
