In the recent past, the popularity of board games has been rising at an exponential rate. Testimony to that fact is the proliferation of board game cafes, as detailed by an article in The Times of India. Another interesting article on Businesswire says that from 2021-2026, the revenue from board games is expected to grow by 13% annually.
Now that we have established the popularity of board games, let’s talk about why you are here – to know which board game to choose for playing with family and friends. Whether it’s a rainy day keeping you indoors or a lazy weekend at home, it’s always a good time to take out a good board game for some fun times with the family.
But which games should you choose? Below is a list of curated board games that should be well worth your time.
1. Wordle
You must be familiar with the Wordle – the online sensation where you must guess a five-letter word without any clues. In its offline avatar, Wordle is just as fun, or possibly even more, as now you can play with family and friends.
The host picks a five-letter word, and the other players must guess it right. The host uses colored tiles to let the other players know if they are making the correct guesses. Once the word is guessed, the host’s mantle is passed on to another player.
2. Monopoly
Monopoly has a special place in the list of classic board games. It was invented way back in 1903 as a way to highlight the pitfalls of a monopolistic economy. Since then, it has gone on to sell over 250 million sets. The game’s objective is to drive your opponents into bankruptcy.
The offline version of Monopoly has been faithfully re-created for your phone, including the familiar playing pieces, the properties, and even the ability to auction them. There are three difficulty levels to choose from, and the game rules are customizable to match those of the game’s physical version.
3. Ludo
Modern-day Ludo is a variant of the 6th Century Indian game called Pachisi. The modern version made its way to the shelves in 1896, and American readers would know it by the brand name Parcheesi.
Up to four players can play at a time, and the aim of the game is to get all four pieces into the central space before the opponents do. With the widespread adoption of smartphones, it is now possible to play ludo online.
4. The Game of Life 2
Surprisingly, the history of The Game of Life is even older than that of Monopoly. The game was originally designed in 1860, with the modern game being launched in 1960 to commemorate the game’s 100th anniversary. Today, it makes for one of the best board game apps for your phone.
The game mimics real life by taking the player on a journey from college to retirement along with the milestones of adulthood, such as kids, jobs, and marriage, all having their place in the game. The player with the most money at the end of the game is the victor.
Official versions of the game are available on Android and iOS. The features include pairing up with friends, animated tokens, and 3D landscapes.
5. Connect 4
Connect 4 has seven columns and six rows, and a requirement to get four of your discs in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row. It isn’t as simple as it sounds – there are 4 trillion ways to fill a board and 2 trillion ways that will net you that elusive four-in-a-row.
No official versions of the game are available for Android or iOS. Instead, there are many games similar to Connect 4 available for download.
6. Scrabble
Scrabble is a popular word game that uses tiles to form words. The more complicated your word, the higher the score. Scrabble quickly became famous as a thinking person’s game upon its release in 1930.
Scrabble involves two to four players competing to form words with lettered tiles, and the board has 225 squares. Words spelled out interlock just like they would in a crossword puzzle. Players pick seven tiles from a pool at the start and replenish them after each turn.
The mobile version is an Electronic Arts release available on Android and iOS. It has an in-game dictionary to help you along and even a teacher mode which will retrospectively show you what your best available word was for each turn.
You can also challenge your friends via Facebook. There’s a speed mode for quicker games.
7. Ticket To Ride
In this game, players score points by plotting train roots. Sounds easy on paper, but winning isn’t so straightforward. Because specific routes have more value than others, there is a sense of urgency to claim them before other players can.
This adds to the need to strategize and play. Should you risk constructing a longer line for more value? Or should you finish a shorter set of routes first? It’s a fun challenge, especially as any incomplete routes by the end of the game would mean losing those points from your total.
So did we miss anything? As there are plenty of classic board games out there, it’s only possible to cover some of the ones you can play on your phone. Have you found a great mobile version of any other favorites? If so, we would love to hear what you’ve found.
