8 Best Award Winning Board Games to Play in 2026
Explore the world of award winning board games, perfect for new players seeking fun, strategy, and memorable moments with friends and family.
8 Best Award Winning Board Games for Every Game Night
So, you want to wow your friends and maybe brag a little? We’ve tested piles of cardboard and plastic in search of the best award winning board games you can get. For this list, we focused on games that are easy to learn, quick to set up, and keep everyone at the table from yawning. We tossed out the snooze-fests and went for pure fun, replay value, and yes—winning shiny awards didn’t hurt. Get ready for a wild ride into the top picks to liven up your next game night!
On this list:
8 Ticket to Ride
We picked Ticket to Ride because it’s the classic gateway to award winning board games. This one won the Spiel des Jahres, so yes, it’s a big deal. We’ve played this at many family gatherings, and everyone from Grandma Edna to cousin Steve got way too competitive over colored train routes. It’s easy to teach, fun to play, and it actually finishes before someone falls asleep. The map-building keeps everyone guessing, and there’s enough luck to give new players a shot to win, which is great for those who usually lose at Monopoly.
7 Codenames
Codenames makes our list because it took the party world by storm and nabbed the 2016 Spiel des Jahres. We’ve pulled this out at dinner parties and ended up with side-splitting laughs, mostly because someone always gives the worst clue ever. This award winning board game shines if you want something for bigger groups that’s not trivia or charades. Plus, it’s way easier to explain than charades (no one gets embarrassed trying to pretend to be a toaster).
6 Wingspan
Wingspan deserves its spot thanks to lovely birds, eggs, and food tokens flying everywhere. It gobbled up awards like the Kennerspiel des Jahres and some art nods. Whenever we introduce Wingspan to friends, everyone ends up fighting over who gets the pretty pink eggs. The engine-building makes you feel clever, but it’s also forgiving if you mess up, which we’ve done plenty of times. It’s relaxing, like birdwatching but with more competition.
5 Azul
Azul brings beautiful tiles and tense choices together—like every puzzle-loving person’s dream. Winning the Spiel des Jahres set it among the award winning board games royalty. The tactile clicking of the tiles is very satisfying, and we’ve watched normally polite friends turn downright sneaky when drafting. Scoring makes you feel like a genius, but also curses you when you ruin your own mosaic. Perfect for puzzle fans or anyone who likes pretty things.
4 Carcassonne
Carcassonne set the bar for tile-laying award winning board games. It might sound simple (just build a map!), but it’s sneaky how fast it gets cutthroat when cities and roads start getting stolen. We remember one game where nobody talked for ten minutes because everyone was plotting a farmer coup. The rules are easy, but the strategy makes it stick, and it’s fun for all skill levels. Plus, it has more expansions than we can count.
3 7 Wonders
7 Wonders is one of those award winning board games that makes you feel smart even when you lose. It won plenty of awards including Kennerspiel des Jahres and packs the excitement of civilization-building into just half an hour. Drafting cards always leads to loud groans and cheers, and we always get someone who builds an army just to mess with their neighbor. Great for players who like quick turns and lots of choices.
2 Pandemic
Pandemic stands out because it’s one of the most famous cooperative award winning board games. Instead of everyone plotting to destroy each other, you work as a team… which means you can only blame your best friend for losing. We’ve seen groups cheer or groan together as the world collapses, which is oddly bonding. It’s hard but fair, and you always feel like you almost had it, making it easy to talk everyone into one more game.
1 Terraforming Mars
Terraforming Mars takes top spot on our award winning board games list for a reason. It’s deep, but not hard to learn, and we’ve hosted epic game nights that ran late because nobody wanted to stop terraforming. The sprawling card deck, the engine building, the board—everything clicks together. Every time we play, someone tries a new strategy. Even after dozens of games, it feels different every time. If you want the best of the best and don’t mind a little longer play time, Terraforming Mars is the pick. Just make sure you clear the table, it gets sprawling.
