Best All Time Family Board Games 2025: Top 5 Picks
Looking for the best all time family board games? We tested classics and new hits to help you find the perfect game night choice!
Searching for the best all time family board games can feel like finding a lost sock in the dryer—tough, but oh so satisfying when you succeed. We kept things simple and picked games anyone can learn, but with enough layers to keep grandma from nodding off. We love it when everyone actually laughs (instead of groaning through the rules), so our picks keep things moving fast. We also made sure each game works with all sorts of group sizes, because nobody wants to be the odd one out. If you want the best all time family board games, these hit every mark.
On this list:
5 Ticket to Ride
We always put Ticket to Ride on our list of best all time family board games. This game is simple to teach, which is key when playing with Grandma and the kids together. You collect cards to claim train routes across the map, and nothing feels better than blocking your uncle’s dream connection from Seattle to New York. It never gets old. Plus, the game moves quick, so no one gets bored waiting for their turn. Our group laughs a ton, especially when someone’s long railway plan falls apart. Trust us, it’s a family classic that even your non-gamer cousin can enjoy.
4 Carcassonne
Carcassonne is an easy favorite for best all time family board games. We’ve played this tile-laying game with friends and family from age 6 to 80, and everyone finds something to enjoy. You build a medieval landscape together by placing tiles, which somehow always results in a city shaped like a potato. It’s light but competitive, and there’s instant joy when you finish a sneaky road longer than anyone else’s. Carcassonne hits that sweet spot where it feels clever but not stressful, and that’s huge for family game nights.
3 Codenames
Codenames pops up on every list of best all time family board games, and for good reason. Our family ends up in tears of laughter every time we play, mainly because our clues make sense to nobody but ourselves. You split into two teams, and each tries to guess the secret words using clever hints. It’s a great way to see how weird your family members’ brains work—turns out my little brother thinks ‘apple’ has everything to do with ‘submarine’. It’s fantastic for all ages and doesn’t drag on, so it never overstays its welcome.
2 Kingdomino
Kingdomino is a modern classic among the best all time family board games. This one combines dominos and kingdom building, so you get that satisfying puzzle feel without worrying about complicated rules. We love that games move fast—you can squeeze in a match before bedtime or play a few rounds after dinner. The art is cute, and the strategy is just deep enough to keep adults interested while still being super accessible for kids. Also, the little crowns make us feel like royalty, which is obviously important.
1 Catan
Catan stands at the very top of our list of best all time family board games because it has everything a group could want. We’ve had marathon sessions of trading sheep for wood (which sounds shady, but is totally normal in this game) and arguing about road placement. The rules are easy to pick up, but there’s always something new to try or a new strategy to test. Everyone gets involved, and the negotiation makes for endless replay value and some epic stories. Catan turned our awkward family gatherings into actual fun events and that alone makes it the best one here.
