Best Strategy Games 2024: Top 13 Board Games Reviewed
Looking for the best strategy games to challenge your mind and entertain your friends? We’ve got you covered! We focus on replayability, depth, and the sheer fun factor when picking games. Each choice on our list offers unique experiences that will have you plotting, scheming, and strategizing for hours on end. Whether you’re building empires, managing resources, or planning an epic conquest, these games deliver. Grab your favorite snack, gather your friends, and prepare for some serious brainy fun with our picks for the 13 best strategy games.
On this list:
13 Catan
Catan is a classic that combines player interaction with strategic resource management. Whether trading sheep for wood or building the longest road, it’s always fun. Plus, the board’s modular design means no two games are alike.
12 Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a tile-placement game where players build a landscape with cities, roads, and fields. The strategy comes from deciding where to place your tiles and meeples to score the most points.
11 7 Wonders
7 Wonders is a quick yet complex game about building an ancient civilization. Players draft cards representing various stages of development, making strategic choices about resources, science, and military.
10 Pandemic
Pandemic is a co-op game where players work together to stop global outbreaks. Each role has unique abilities, making team strategy crucial. It’s intense and keeps everyone engaged.
9 Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride is all about claiming train routes across North America. It’s simple to pick up but offers deep strategy as you balance route completion with blocking opponents.
8 Dominion
Dominion is the granddaddy of deck-building games. Players use a set pool of cards to build the best deck possible, with strategies evolving as the game progresses.
7 Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar
Tzolk’in features rotating gears that add a unique layer of strategy. Players manage resources and plan their moves to align with the calendar, making each decision critical.
6 Agricola
Agricola is a worker placement game where you manage a farm. Balancing family growth with resource management is key. It’s a bit complex but deeply rewarding.
5 Terra Mystica
Terra Mystica has players competing to develop the most prosperous civilization. Each faction has unique abilities, making every game a different strategic puzzle.
4 Scythe
Scythe mixes resource management, area control, and engine-building in an alternate history setting. The game offers endless strategic possibilities and gorgeous art.
3 Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is a classic where players take on different roles to grow crops and ship goods. The challenge is in adapting your strategy to the choices of others.
2 Gloomhaven
Gloomhaven is a campaign-style game that’s rich in strategy and story. Players cooperate to complete scenarios, with each decision impacting future gameplay.
1 Twilight Struggle
Twilight Struggle tops our list of best strategy games due to its deep and immersive gameplay. This two-player game about the Cold War offers endless strategic depth. Each card play could shift the balance of global power. It perfectly balances historical accuracy with gripping gameplay, making it not only the best strategy game but also a historical lesson.
