13 Best Selling Board Games of All Time 2025

Chess tops the list of best selling board games of all time, captivating minds with strategic battles for centuries.

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Monopoly coverScrabble coverRisk cover

Roll the dice, shuffle the tiles, and get your game face on as we explore the best selling board games of all time! We’ve spent countless evenings huddled around tables, testing strategies, and laughing over accidental mishaps. When picking these board games, we focused on fun, engagement, and memorable experiences. These games have stood the test of time, bringing families together and sparking friendly rivalries. Whether you’re a wordsmith, strategist, or just love a good suspenseful mystery, our list covers them all. Ready to discover which classics made the cut? Keep reading for our top 13 picks!

On this list:

13 Monopoly

Monopoly cover

  • Age Range: 8+
  • Players: 2 to 8
  • Play Time: 60 to 180 minutes

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This board game is a classic that most of us have grown up playing. We’ve all tried to buy Park Place and become a tycoon. Though it can cause some family feuds, it’s been around forever for a reason. It’s a great game for teaching kids about money and it’s one of the best selling board games of all time.

12 Scrabble

Scrabble cover

  • Age Range: 10+
  • Players: 2 to 4
  • Play Time: 90 minutes

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If you love words and proving to your friends that ‘qi’ is a valid word, then Scrabble is for you. It’s a mind-teaser that has entered homes worldwide. It’s perfect for anyone who loves a good challenge and wants to expand their vocabulary. Also, one of the best selling board games of all time.

11 Risk

Risk cover

  • Age Range: 10+
  • Players: 2 to 6
  • Play Time: 120 to 240 minutes

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Risk is for those who want to conquer the world, literally. It’s a game of strategy and alliance-building. You may lose a good friend over a game of Risk, but isn’t empowering to feel like a general? The game has stood the test of time and is still one of the best selling board games of all time.

10 Clue

Clue cover

  • Age Range: 8+
  • Players: 2 to 6
  • Play Time: 45 minutes

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Ever wanted to solve a mystery? Clue lets you channel your inner detective. It’s a whodunit game that challenges your deductive skills. With its unique characters and intriguing plot, it’s no wonder this board game remains one of the best selling board games of all time.

9 Settlers of Catan

Settlers of Catan cover

  • Age Range: 10+
  • Players: 3 to 4
  • Play Time: 60 to 120 minutes

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This one is for the strategists and negotiators among us. Settlers of Catan is all about building and trading. You’ll need to bargain and plan carefully to win. It has become a staple on gaming nights. As one of the best selling board games of all time, it’s brought people together from all over.

8 Chess

Chess cover

  • Age Range: 6+
  • Players: 2
  • Play Time: Varies

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Chess is the ultimate game of skill. If you haven’t heard of it, you must be living under a rock. Played by millions all over the globe, this ancient game tests your strategic skills. It’s timeless, it’s classic, and undoubtedly one of the best selling board games of all time.

7 Life

Life cover

  • Age Range: 8+
  • Players: 2 to 6
  • Play Time: 60 to 90 minutes

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The Game of Life is literally about, well, life. Spin the wheel and make choices about education, career, and family. It’s a fun game to see how you navigate through life’s ups and downs. Aiming to mirror the unpredictability of real life means it’s never dull. Definitely a contender in the best selling board games of all time.

6 Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride cover

  • Age Range: 8+
  • Players: 2 to 5
  • Play Time: 30 to 60 minutes

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Ticket to Ride is for those bitten by the travel bug. This game is all about creating the longest railway routes. The tension in completing your route before others is what keeps you on your toes. Easy to learn but hard to master, it’s among the best selling board games of all time.

5 Pandemic

Pandemic cover

  • Age Range: 8+
  • Players: 2 to 4
  • Play Time: 45 minutes

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Work together to save the world from outbreaks. Pandemic is a cooperative game where you pool your resources to tackle global crises. If teamwork is your thing, this one’s for you. Its recent popularity is no surprise, making it one of the best selling board games of all time.

4 Carcassonne

Carcassonne cover

  • Age Range: 7+
  • Players: 2 to 5
  • Play Time: 30 to 45 minutes

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Carcassonne is a game where you build a landscape. It’s simple yet strategic. With its easy mechanics, it’s suitable for kids and adults. Melding tiles to create cities, roads, and fields is oddly satisfying. This tile placement game is comfortably on the list of best selling board games of all time.

3 Battleship

Battleship cover

  • Age Range: 7+
  • Players: 2
  • Play Time: 20 minutes

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Relive those childhood memories of sinking your opponent’s ships. This game is straightforward and filled with anticipation. It’s a naval guessing game that never loses its appeal. Perfect for a quick one-on-one game, it’s among the best selling board games of all time.

2 Jenga

Jenga cover

  • Age Range: 6+
  • Players: 1+
  • Play Time: 20 minutes

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Jenga is where steady hands are the key. You remove a block and balance it on top until it all crashes down. The thrill of watching it wobble is unmatched. Though simple, its challenge is undeniable. As a household favorite, it stands proudly among the best selling board games of all time.

1 Chess

Chess cover

  • Age Range: 6+
  • Players: 2
  • Play Time: Varies

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Chess takes the crown as the best on our list. Its depth, strategy, and timeless appeal are unmatched. It’s a game that challenges every fiber of your brain. Played by kings and queens throughout history, it has a universal language. Its ability to transcend cultures and age makes it the ultimate best selling board game of all time.

Jamie in his proper element: With all of his board games
Jamie Hopkins

With years of dice-rolling, card-flipping, and strategic planning under my belt, I've transformed my passion into expertise. I thrive on dissecting the mechanics and social dynamics of board games, sharing insights from countless game nights with friends. I dive deep into gameplay mechanics, while emphasizing the social joys of gaming. While I appreciate themes and visuals, it's the strategy and camaraderie that truly capture my heart.