Board games are making a big comeback. With Covid-19 restrictions keeping most of us inside in 2020, it wasn’t long before we all rediscovered the joy of sitting down to play a classic board game. Nowadays, there are thousands of board games to choose from, whether you’re looking for a heavyweight, strategic war game or a light-hearted, family-friendly party game.
I’ve been playing board games for as long as I can remember and I could spend hours listing all of my favourites. However, today I’ll be limiting myself to just five must-have board games for 2021. These are, in my opinion, the absolute essentials for any board game collection. This list includes board games for families, adults, couples, and just about anyone else you can think of!
5. Azul
Build a beautiful mosaic to please the King and score the most points.
Azul is a modern classic. It won Game of the Year at the prestigious Spiel de Jahres awards in 2018, and for good reason. It’s quick and easy to learn, but tricky to master, so you’ll have hours of fun refining your technique. Here’s a basic summary: (for a more detailed description including a full review, check out Zatu Games)
The King of Portugal has just visited a palace in Southern Spain, where he was entranced by the beautiful tiles decorating the walls. The King asks you to build him a beautiful mosaic using colourful tiles. You’ll take it in turns to draft these tiles from central supplies onto your individual board. You’ll score points for filling up a whole row on your 5×5 board or collecting five tiles of the same colour, for example. However, if you end up with extra tiles that you can’t place, you’ll lose points for wastage. The player with the most points is the winner.
Azul is one of the most beautiful board games around. The tiles themselves are gorgeous and the rest of the components look great too.
2-4 players, age 8+
Playing time: 30-45 minutes
4. Carcassonne
Fast-paced, family-friendly landscape-building fun.
Carcassonne is one of the most popular board games of the 21st century. Like Azul, it is a Spiel de Jahres winner, having won the top prize back in 2001. Since then, it’s become one of the most iconic board games around. As a result, there are now 10 full expansions and even more mini-expansions available. Here’s how it works:
Carcassonne is set in medieval France. Players compete to earn the most points by placing tiles on the game board. Tiles represent different features such as roads, cities, and fields. As the game progresses, these tiles will build a growing landscape. Players can then place special tokens, called Meeples, onto their tiles to score points. If you’re trying to get your family or friends more interested in board games, Carcassonne is a great gateway game. It’s also got huge replay value; the tiles will be arranged differently every game, giving you a unique experience each time you play.
What’s more, there’s very little downtime between turns, so you won’t spend ages waiting for your next go. Carcassonne is one of the best board games for families and older children. It’s not too complex, but it’s a great introduction to strategy board games.
2-5 players, age 7+
Playing time: 30-45 minutes
3. Monopoly
The love-it-or-hate-it classic board game.
Go on, roll your eyes. I know this will be controversial, but there’s no denying that Monopoly is one of the most popular board games ever. It has stood the test of time, spawning more than 1,000 different versions since it debuted in 1933. Yes, it often results in table-flipping family arguments, but it’s worth adding to your board game collection for a few reasons.
Firstly, the tactics and mechanics involved in Monopoly (set collection, resource management) will serve you well in more modern, exciting board games. Secondly, it can teach you some valuable real-life skills. Negotiation and strategic thinking will definitely come in handy (not to mention forgiveness, if one of your competitors ends up storming off in a rage!)
You probably know how Monopoly works. You roll the dice to move around the board. Spaces on the board represent properties. When you land on a space, you can buy that property or let it go to auction. If another player lands on a property that you own, they’ll need to pay you some rent. If you build houses or hotels on your properties, you’ll be able to charge even more. Just make sure you don’t run out of money, or it will be game over! The winner is the last player standing once everyone else is bankrupt.
2 or more players, age 8+
Playing time: 60-180 minutes
2. Catan
Build and barter your way to victory!
For many board gamers, The Settlers of Catan was the first board game they fell in love with. Since its original 1995 release, it’s had a modern makeover and is now known simply as Catan. Once again, we have a Spiel de Jahres winner on our hands. Catan is often credited as the father of modern-day Euro-style board games.
The aim of the game is simple. Build the biggest and best settlement on the island of Catan. The island is empty and uninhabited when the game begins. You and your fellow players will build settlements, cities, and roads on the hexagonal tiles which make up the island. For everything you build, you’ll need to spend resources like ore, wool, and lumber. This is a great opportunity for tactical thinking and skilful negotiation. You’ll need to trade resources with your fellow players, so don’t go stepping on too many toes!
In Catan, you’ll earn Victory Points for each settlement and city you build. The first player to reach 10 Victory Points is the winner! Catan is one of my must-have board games because it’s a great introduction to the hobby. There are plenty of expansions too, so the game never gets repetitive. The base game is for 3-4 players, but the 5-6 player extension is easy to get hold of.
3-4 players, age 10+
Playing time: 60-120 minutes
1. Ticket to Ride
All aboard for some railway-riding fun in one of the best gateway board games ever!
Ticket to Ride is a fantastic board game for newcomers and veteran board gamers alike. It won Game of the Year at the 2004 Spiel de Jahres, along with a whole host of other awards. The original game is set in North America; the game board is a map of the USA and Canada.
Each player must build railway routes between their chosen destinations (which are kept secret from the other players). With each route you complete, you’ll earn points. The longer the route, the more points you’ll score. Ticket to Ride has one of the best risk vs. reward systems in modern board games. You can choose to keep adding more cards to your hand, giving you the chance to earn more points by building routes between more cities, but this could allow another player to nab the route you desperately need!
Several expansions are available, including New York, Germany, London, and Rails & Sails. Do note that some expansions require you to have a copy of the base game (either the original or the European version).
For me, Ticket to Ride takes the top spot for a few reasons. One: the gameplay is very simple, making it easy to learn and teach to others. Two: the range of expansions means there’s always something new to discover. I’ve been playing Ticket to Ride for nearly ten years now, and I’m still not bored. And three: there is potential for strategy and sneaky tactics, even in this simple board game. You can block other players from building the routes they need, nabbing them for yourself instead! As the game goes on, the board gets more crowded, so brutal betrayals are more and more likely.
2-5 players, age 8+
Playing time: 30-60 minutes
