Best Board Games for Adults: A Ranked Guide

The right board game can turn a good night into a great one. But with thousands of games on the market, finding one that suits every player at the table is easier said than done. 

But we've done the hard work for you. Whether you're a seasoned tabletop gamer,  hosting your very first game night, or want to bring a bit of healthy competition to your next party, below you'll find our ranked guide to the best board games for adults, covering different play styles, group sizes, and skill levels.

For starters, forget playing against the villains. In Villainous, you play as them. Available in Marvel, Star Wars and Disney editions, you could find yourself stepping into the shoes of Thanos, Ultron, or Taskmaster, channeling Darth Vader, General Grievous, or Kylo Ren or acting out the evil plans of Maleficent, Ursula, or Captain Hook.

But what really earns it the top spot is how it plays. Every villain has their own unique objective pulled straight from their storyline. Thanos has to collect all six Infinity Stones, Darth Vader is determined to turn Luke to the Dark Side and Maleficent seeks spread her curses across the kingdom. No two players are ever chasing the same goal. And just when your plan is coming together, another villain can storm your realm, drop heroes in your path, and unravel everything you’ve been working on. 

With dozens of villains available across Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars editions, each with their own board, deck, and objective, no two games ever play out the same way. There are also multiple expansion packs for each universe, letting you add new villains to the mix to expand your empire of evil.

It's a great introduction to asymmetric strategy, easy to to learn but hard to master,, and if you're a fan of any of the three franchises, it's a must-have addition to your game collection.

Best for: Groups that love film and want a complex game that doesn't take hours to master. And with room for up to 6 players, it's also one of the best board games for large groups. 

Unlike Villainous, Horrified is fully cooperative. Your mission? Work as a team to defeat a set of terrifying monsters before they overrun the town. The catch is that every monster is defeated differently, with its own unique puzzle-like challenge. You might need to smash Dracula's coffins, find a cure for the Wolf Man, or teach Frankenstein's Monster and his Bride to be human. After every player's turn, a card is drawn that spawns new items, moves the monsters, and triggers attacks. To win, your team must complete the specific, multi-step tasks required to defeat every monster in play.

Horrified is available in several editions, including Universal Monsters, American Monsters, and Greek Monsters, so there's a version to suit almost any group. And if you’re a D&D fan, you’ve got to try the Dungeons and Dragons edition of Horrified. Set in the dungeons beneath the city of Waterdeep, players face off against classic D&D monsters like the Beholder, Mimic, the Displacer Beast, and the Red Dragon. It even comes with a d20, used to activate character abilities and handle monster challenges. D&D fans at the table are sure to love seeing their favorite monsters reimagined this way. 

Best for: Groups who love horror, want an immersive theme, and enjoy working together to win.

Gameplay unfolds across the pages of a beautifully illustrated storybook. Each turn of the page reveals a new board, a new map, and a new set of objectives. The eight chapters take you from the Shire to the Mines of Moria, to the Battle of Helm's Deep, and finally to the destruction of the Ring in Mount Doom. The illustrated maps, story cards, and character pieces all work together to transport you  into Middle Earth. 

On each turn, players draw from a story deck to move characters and work toward the chapter's objectives. After every player's turn, a card is drawn from the Eye of Sauron Deck, which advances enemies like the Nazgûl , strips away useful items, or pushes the Ring closer to corruption. Players must coordinate their hands of cards, trading and matching symbols to clear each chapter's challenges.

Playtime is almost as epic as the movie runtime, clocking in at around two and a half hours. But you can also play the chapters individually, with each one only taking twenty minutes to complete.

Whether you play it in one epic sitting or chapter by chapter over several evenings, this is a wonderfully immersive co-operative game and if you’re a fan of the trilogy, it's an essential addition to your game collection. 

Best for: Fans of the trilogy, groups who enjoy a narrative-driven game, and anyone looking for something to return to across multiple evenings.