The best can mean different things for board game enthusiasts, so what is the best for you and your family might mean something else for another player. After a while of playing different games with the same players, you will eventually see who prefers what and you will be able to buy the appropriate board games.
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Finding the Best Family Board Games
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Last Updated: 21 March 2023
The best family board games can be a great source of entertainment and a great generator of quality time with your family and friends. Because the industry of board games has grown quite exponentially, nowadays you can find all kinds of different categories for every taste
Maybe sometimes you feel like playing something light, or sometimes you feel like going on a 5-6 hours adventure with the others. You can play them inside your cozy living room, outside in the garden, or at picnics and gatherings.
The other side of having such a wide collection of board games for family night, it is quite hard to decide what to try. That is exactly the reason why we asked our reviewers to test ten of the most popular games and give their unbiased opinions on several key factors.
TOP 10 Best Mechanic Tool Set: Comparison Chart
Catan
Ticket To Ride
Inspiration Play Double Ditto
Hasbro Trivial Pursuit
Sequence Game
$43.21
$43.99
$19.95
$16.99
$17.47
7,206 Reviews
7,247 Reviews
1,948 Reviews
1,264 Reviews
7,364 Reviews
Number of Players
4
2-5
4+
2+
2 - 12
Play Time
60 minutes
30-60 minutes
25 minutes
-
-
Age
10+
8+
10+
8+
7+
Extensions
Yes
No
No
No
No
Ticket To Ride
$43.99
7,247 Reviews
Number of Players
2-5
Play Time
30-60 minutes
Age
8+
Extensions
No
Inspiration Play Double Ditto
$19.95
1,948 Reviews
Number of Players
4+
Play Time
25 minutes
Age
10+
Extensions
No
Spontuneous Sing It or Shout It - Talent NOT Required
Clue Game
Hasbro Guess Who
Hasbro Sorry!
Gamewright Sushi Go Party!
$25.99
Price not available
$14.95
Price not available
$20.13
3,570 Reviews
3,481 Reviews
7,032 Reviews
4,413 Reviews
2,234 Reviews
Number of Players
4 - 10
3 - 6
2
2 - 4
2 - 8
Play Time
30 minutes
30-60 minutes
-
-
20 minutes
Age
8+
8+
6+
6+
8+
Extensions
-
-
-
No
No
Spontuneous Sing It or Shout It - Talent NOT Required
$25.99
3,570 Reviews
Number of Players
4 - 10
Play Time
30 minutes
Age
8+
Extensions
-
Clue Game
Price not available
3,481 Reviews
Number of Players
3 - 6
Play Time
30-60 minutes
Age
8+
Extensions
-
Hasbro Sorry!
Price not available
4,413 Reviews
Number of Players
2 - 4
Play Time
-
Age
6+
Extensions
No
Sale
1. Best Overall: Catan Review
Catan is a really popular family board game and you might have heard about it from your friends. And that happens for a reason, as it can grow on you really fast and it brings tons of competition between you and your friends. The creators made a good job of balancing it so you can often find yourself in close situations where everyone has a shot at winning. No wonder it is one of the top family board games this year.
This game is the perfect addition to your collection of board games for family night. Randomize the hexagons and get a different map every game.
Why We Like It
- Different scenarios
- Entertaining
- 60 minutes gameplay on average
Sale
2. Educational: Ticket to Ride Review
Moving on with our list of family board games to play with your folks, we get to this fast-paced board game that can even bring some knowledge about the world map. It’s a strong candidate for the category of good family board games as it can be useful and full of knowledge for the kids. You can play multiple areas from the world, as you can buy the whole collection, containing boards with the U.S, Africa, Europe and other countries/areas of the world.
After we read the reviews about it, we could see why it stands amongst the great family board games that are available in 2023.
Why We Like It
- Educational
- Fast-paced
- Award-winning game
Sale
3. Party Game: Inspiration Play Double Ditto Review
If you think of going more into the direction of classic family board games for those quiet, cozy, weekend nights and not only, then you might have hit the spot with Double Ditto. Our reviewers found this as a family challenge board game as you are required to find common stuff between you and your family members or friends. You may even find yourself learning new things about your close ones, things you didn’t even imagine finding out about them.
After all considerations, we think it’s safe to say that this will sit perfectly on your shelf with the other family board games for kids
Why We Like It
- Perfect party game
- Engaging
- Continuous play
4. Quick Pace: Hasbro Trivial Pursuit Review
If you’re looking for more cool family board games, then take a look at Trivial Pursuit, which is an entertaining game suitable for adults and children as well. It will offer you hours of entertainment and joy, and at the same time, you and your family members will get over 1,200 questions from several knowledge categories to test your limits and knowledge. It has 100 blue cards for adults and 100 yellow cards for kids, so it can be fair for everyone at the same time.
A great way to expand your knowledge, our reviewers were satisfied and they mentioned it can safely put in the category of awesome family board games.
Pros
- Quicker pace than others
- It can be played individually as well
- For ages 8+
Cons
- The only bad side about it is that a game can be finished pretty fast, sometimes.
Sale
5. Playing Cards: Sequence Game Review
Unique family board games can be entertaining and engaging in the same way, and so is the Sequence game here, as it combines playing cards into an interesting mix that will demand great amounts of concentration. It will create a competitive environment as it is a race to who gets first the race line.
Children love sharing competitions with the adults, as they feel the need to prove themselves over and over again, so why not do it safely and educationally with some family board and card games?!
It is a solid game that will bring value to the table and we can safely say it belongs with the other board games for family gatherings in your living room.
Pros
- It involves playing cards as well
- Exciting gameplay
- Easy for kids
Cons
- Some users complained about the quality of the plastic chips, but it’s nothing that will stop you and your kids to have fun while playing.
Sale
6. Singing Game: Spontuneous Sing It or Shout It - Talent NOT Required Review
Everybody knows how it is to have a song for everything around you, it happens to everyone and now you can go wild into crating and inventing songs using random words like “night”. The first player that can come up with a song about it gets to advance on the board by rolling the dices. Don’t settle for cheap family board games and invest in your entertainment sessions with good quality games like this one.
There is quite a variety of accessories and wrenches included in it that will prove to be useful in all kinds of situations.
Pros
- Singing game
- Diverse and entertaining
- Excellent gift for improv and karaoke lovers.
Cons
- Be careful not to throw your voice too hard if you’re having too much fun.
7. Mystery Game: Clue Game Review
Become the greatest crime investigator in the room, and find out who committed the murder.
You get to play a modern family board game while in the same time analyze and eliminate suspects as you carry on with your goal, which is to find who did it, what weapon did he use and in what room did he do it. A classic mystery game that must definitely go straight to the must-have family board games collection.
A solid game that will teach you to stay alert in all situations and analyze the movements of the other players, skills that proved to be useful even outside a board game.
Pros
- Investigate murders
- Mystery game
- It can be played in 6.
Cons
- You might run out of the paper cheat sheets provided with the game, but nothing a regular printer can’t solve.
8. Classic Family Game: Hasbro Guess Who Review
Next on our family board game list is a classical game of guessing from the early '90s, but still one of the favorites for the little ones. It's a stimulating experience for everyone involved, as you are supposed to ask clever questions and inquiries to find out who is your opponent's character.
Once you have a general idea of who it might be, it’s time to guess. The first one to guess the opponent’s character wins. Fun times will ensue all around the table
To summarize, the game would make an excellent addition to your collection of fun family board games for adults, and your kids will love it.
Pros
- Challenging
- Entertaining
- Stimulates critical thinking.
Cons
- Some users complained about the fact that the cards are a bit too thin, but nothing a little bit of extra carefulness won’t fix.
9. Competitive Game: Hasbro Sorry! Review
As we move on with our top 10 family board games list, we arrive at a classic game from Hasbro, and we are talking about Sorry!
It’s time to turn off the TV and gather everyone around the gaming table in your living room for a classic game of Sorry where you can enjoy the nostalgic tabletop classic mixed with a pinch of digital interactive content.
The game is perfect for all ages, and it includes 12 pawns and 44 cards plus instructions.
All in all, we are sure this will make a good entry in your best new family board games collection that you are working on to grow.
Pros
- Competitive game
- Nostalgic for adults
- Bi-material screwdriver
Cons
- You get 3 pawns instead of 4 as you would normally have in the classic version, but it will still be as entertaining as the old version.
10. Customizable: Gamewright Sushi Go Party! Review
Sushi Go Party! It is one of those fun board games to play with a family that every member of your family will request on those hilarious game nights. What seemed to impress our reviewers the most was the ability to customize the difficulty of the game so that everyone can enjoy it. If it's just you and your friends you can always take the maximum difficulty, but the kids probably won't enjoy it as much, as you will lose their interest if you make it too hard.
In conclusion, it's one of those family board games all ages can have fun with, as it is a perfect tool and a great entertainment source for games night.
Pros
- Customizable experience
- Reinforces strategic thinking
- Intuitive
Cons
- Some users complained about the playing rules not being the same as the original version, but we are sure this won't stop you enjoy it.
Buyer’s Guide: All You Need to Know About The Best Family Board Games
What Are Family Board Games?
To put it simply, they are games that involve a certain number of players to reach a destination or a goal first. One of the first board games and a classic one is Snakes and Ladders, just so you can get the full picture of what a board game consists of. They are specifically designed so that all ages can enjoy it, so the whole family can have a good time.
Why Kids Should Play Board Games?
You might ask yourself “why is play important for children?”. Well, kids will always be able to store and process new information, especially when it’s coated as a game, as we all know they love games and competitiveness. That is why the best family strategy board games will always be a viable option when organizing game nights, as everyone can enjoy it in their way.
What Makes a Good Board Game?
When it comes to choosing a new board game to add to your collection, we have compiled the most important aspects to have in mind when buying one. Let’s go through them as it follows:
How to Choose the Best Family Board Games
Age Range
Usually, when you see a certain age range written specifically on the box, you have to make sure your kids are within that range, as they are carefully tested and it’s not just a random number. If the game is too complex for them, you risk losing their attention and interest in the said board game.
Difficulty
A board game’s difficulty is a very important factor, as it can be a separating factor between players, and you don’t want them to get bored or lose their focus. Choose carefully the games you are about to purchase and have in mind who are the targeted people that you want to play with.
Number of Players
Another important thing to check when buying a new board game is the maximum number of players that can play it at the same time. Make sure you check what is stated on the game’s box as you don’t risk getting a game for 4-6 players and find out at home you are actually 7 players.
Playing Time
The average playing time of a board game is a good indicator of how much commitment is necessary for finishing the game. For example, kids are proven to have a shorter attention span so you don’t want to risk boring them with a high-complexity 4-hour dungeon game and you want to focus on quicker and simpler games.
Straightforward Instructions
When a game has vague or too few instructions, it’s almost impossible to avoid getting into heated discussions about how to interpret the rules. Make sure the game you are buying has explicit rules that are easy to apply. Of course, you also have the option of doing a quick search on the internet and download the instructions.
Ease of Setup
Setting up the game can be a hassle, sometimes, if it’s a complicated board with lots of accessories that need to be put in their designated place on the table.
So if you’re thinking of getting a serious strategy board game to play with your children, it might not have as much appeal for them as you would think.
If you have small children, consider buying an easy-to-setup board game to gain more of their interest.
Price
If you do enough research on the subject, you will start to notice a lot of similarities between games, but different prices on them. But after all, who can put a price on fun for the little ones and the entire family? We believe a good board game is a future investment in entertainment for you and your family.
Best Family Board Games Types
Cooperative
Cooperative board games are the ones where all the players have to win against the game, or they are split into different teams and have to work together to beat the other teams. This is a great exercise for developing team working skills and improve them as you play more. Usually, these kinds of games are the best gifts for a 10-year-old boy as they are the perfect developing tool for a kid.
Competitive
Competitive games are the ones where all the players are competing against each other and there is only one winner. They are a great source of knowledge and can develop a lot of healthy skills for the kids, and not only, as adults can develop theirs too.
Verdict and our Recommendation for 2023
Catan is our top choice for this list, according to our reviewers’ scoring and overall experience. They appreciated the diversity and that everyone can enjoy harvesting resources for building their empires. This is why we are confident in recommending it as one of the best family board games 2023 will offer. If you are looking for a more innovative source of entertainment and educational content for your children, visit parenthoodroutine.com and find what you need.
Contents
- 1 TOP 10 Best Mechanic Tool Set: Comparison Chart
- 2 Buyer’s Guide: All You Need to Know About The Best Family Board Games
- 3 Verdict and our Recommendation for 2023
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
They can be a great source of fun and entertainment for everyone around the family. Humans are competitive by nature, so when you take games and combine them with the competition it will always result in an engaging and entertaining atmosphere all around the table.
They are, most certainly, a good way to keep your brain working at all times. Board games tend to bring the best in players, as the desire for the win can push you to the limits and you will be able to focus and develop interesting ways to win while following the same rules as your opponents. They are a great source of satisfaction and fun at the same time.
PRODUCTS TESTED BY Parenthoodroutine.com
How We Tested
Our reviewers each took home one or more games from our list, and we asked them to relate to several key aspects of a board game when submitting their opinions. Among the key factors were the average playing time, the difficulty, if the instructions were good enough, etc. After analyzing their reviews, we compiled the above list.
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