The Best Board Games Based on Video Games That Are Actually Worth Playing - News

When you need a break from screens, board games offer a fantastic way to continue the escapism and excitement of your favorite video games. Fortunately, there are countless board game adaptations of popular video games, and we've compiled some of the best here. Whether you crave an epic campaign or a quick party game, these options will let you stay immersed in these worlds without the technology.

TL;DR – The Best Video Game Board Games

Fallout
Slay the Spire
Bloodborne
Resident Evil 2
Pac-Man
Tetris
Dark Souls: The Board Game: Tomb of Giants
Cuphead: Fast Rolling Dice Game
The Oregon Trail

Fallout: The Board Game

Players: 1-4 Age Range: 14+ Play Time: 2-3 hours
Following the success of Amazon's Fallout series, explore the Wasteland from your kitchen table. Choose from various scenarios impacting map setup. Like Bethesda's RPGs, you'll uncover the map, develop skills, battle enemies, interact with factions, complete quests, and vie for Wasteland control. Immersive and detailed, perfect for longer sessions.

Slay the Spire: The Board Game

Players: 1-4 Age Range: 12+ Play Time: 45 minutes
A highly faithful adaptation, Slay the Spire lets you play as one of several heroes, climbing a Roguelike deck-building Spire. Choose from various rooms: encounters (fights), elites (tougher fights), events, campfires, treasures, merchants, and the final boss. Roguelike elements ensure hours of replayability with different characters, builds, and items each time.

Read our Slay the Spire: The Board Game review for more details.

Bloodborne: The Board Game

Players: 2-4 Age Range: 14+ Play Time: 60-90 minutes
Become a Hunter battling Yharnam's evil. Bloodborne's modular map provides endless replayability. Hundreds of cards, tokens, and miniatures create an immersive macabre adventure testing your skill and decision-making as you uncover secrets and fight the plague. Highly detailed miniatures enhance the experience.

Resident Evil 2: The Board Game

Players: 1-4 Age Range: 12+ Play Time: 90-120 minutes
A successful adaptation, Resident Evil 2 has players cooperatively control Leon or Claire, battling zombies to escape. Collect weapons, items, and keys, evade the undead, and solve puzzles. Uses iconic ink ribbons and typewriters, staying true to the source material.

Pac-Man: The Board Game

Players: 2-5 Age Range: 10+ Play Time: 30 minutes
Pac-Man returns to the tabletop in cooperative or competitive modes. Pac-Man navigates the maze, eating pellets and fruit, while ghost players try to catch him. Played on four metal tiles, requiring initial setup, but subsequent games are quick. The Pac-Man figure even makes the iconic sound!

Tetris Board Game

Players: 2-4 Age Range: 8+ Play Time: 20-30 minutes
A competitive Tetris game where players maneuver and drop Tetriminos for the highest score. The next piece is displayed, allowing strategic planning. Earn points by completing lines, matching pieces, and achieving specific goals. Quick setup and playtime make it great for parties and younger players.

Dark Souls: The Board Game - Tomb of Giants

Players: 1-3 Age Range: 14+ Play Time: 90-120 minutes
A standalone adventure great for newcomers, set in the Tomb of Giants. Choose a class and gear, navigate the catacombs, battle enemies, and rest at bonfires. Limited actions require careful choices. Faithful to the source material with punishing combat and RPG elements. Features new characters and cards compatible with other Dark Souls board games.

Cuphead: Fast Rolling Dice Game

Players: 1-4 Age Range: 8+ Play Time: 30-45 minutes
A fast-paced cooperative game where players defeat bosses using dice. Simple setup with a fixed boss deck. Choose from four characters and play through timed rounds, carefully selecting dice rolls. High replayability with score-beating and ability upgrades. See our Cuphead: Fast Rolling Dice Game review for more details.

The Oregon Trail Card Game

Players: 2-6 Age Range: 12+ Play Time: 30-45 minutes
A fun and quick card game where players cooperate to reach Oregon without dying. Quick sessions with the possibility of swift deaths from Calamity cards. Challenging and luck-based, you win by playing fifty Trail cards. A great recreation of the source material, sure to provide laughs.