7 Best DIY Board Games of 2024 Reviewed

Looking for diy board games? We've played and ranked the best ones to satisfy your creative cravings and game nights!
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Tinkertoy coverMouse Trap coverRory’s Story Cubes cover

We love board games, especially when they add a pinch of do-it-yourself fun. We’ve put together a list of our top 7 ‘diy board games’ that will keep you entertained and engaged. When picking these games, we focused on creativity, replay value, and how much they let you use your imagination. These games are not just entertaining, but also let you build, strategize, and even tell your own stories. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or new to the hobby, there’s something here for everyone. So, get ready to roll up your sleeves and jump into the world of ‘diy board games’!

On this list:

7 Tinkertoy

Tinkertoy cover

  • Age Range: 4+
  • Players: 1+
  • Play Time: Varies

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Tinkertoy, though not a traditional board game, lets you build amazing contraptions with a hands-on approach. We love it because it pushes creativity to the max. Every game session is like a new adventure. Whether you’re creating a simple windmill or an intricate robot, each build offers a unique challenge.

6 Mouse Trap

Mouse Trap cover

  • Age Range: 6+
  • Players: 2-4
  • Play Time: 30 minutes

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Mouse Trap is a classic that gets everyone involved in a fun DIY activity. You build a complicated mousetrap to catch your opponent’s mouse. It’s like an engineering project wrapped in a game. The pieces are colorful, and the mechanical parts are fascinating to assemble. Kids especially adore it.

5 Rory’s Story Cubes

Rory’s Story Cubes cover

  • Age Range: 8+
  • Players: 1+
  • Play Time: 20 minutes

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This game is pure storytelling fun with dice acting as the catalyst. Players roll the dice and create stories based on the pictures. The DIY aspect comes from crafting unique tales every time you play. We often find ourselves laughing at the wild and crazy stories we come up with.

4 Burgle Bros.

Burgle Bros. cover

  • Age Range: 12+
  • Players: 1-4
  • Play Time: 90 minutes

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Burgle Bros. feels like planning a heist with DIY elements. You collaborate to pull off a robbery, using components that look like they came straight out of a DIY toolkit. It’s cooperative, so you get that team-building vibe while you play.

3 Gloomhaven

Gloomhaven cover

  • Age Range: 14+
  • Players: 1-4
  • Play Time: 120-180 minutes

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Gloomhaven is epic. It’s a massive game and feels like DIY heaven because you’re always tinkering with characters, items, and scenarios. We love the depth and complexity. Each session feels like a new mini-adventure that we can shape with our choices.

2 Everdell

Everdell cover

  • Age Range: 13+
  • Players: 1-4
  • Play Time: 40-80 minutes

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Everdell gives you the joy of building a city in a forest. The DIY aspect comes from constructing your little woodland town with various cards and resources. The cute art and components make it super engaging, and every game feels like a fresh start.

1 Terraforming Mars

Terraforming Mars cover

  • Age Range: 12+
  • Players: 1-5
  • Play Time: 120 minutes

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Terraforming Mars tops our list because it truly feels like a DIY project of planetary proportions. You and your friends get to shape the Red Planet, making it habitable by placing tiles, building infrastructure, and managing resources. The endless strategies and card combos keep it fresh every time. It’s challenging and rewarding.

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.