8 Best Highest Rated Board Games of 2024
Welcome, fellow board game enthusiasts! Picking the perfect game can be like finding a needle in a haystack. We’ve done the hard part for you. We looked at the highest rated board games, tested them with friends, and had a blast doing it. Our list includes games that are fun, challenging, and easy to learn. One makes you feel like a master strategist, another has you building sprawling cities, and yet another tests your teamwork. These eight highest rated board games tick all the boxes for an awesome game night. Get ready for some serious fun!
On this list:
8 Pandemic
Pandemic is perfect for those who love cooperation and strategy. It’s one of the highest rated board games because it keeps everyone on their toes. You work together to stop deadly diseases from wiping out humanity. The tension builds up as the game progresses and it really feels rewarding when your team cures all the diseases. It’s great for family nights as well as friendly gatherings.
7 Catan
Catan, formerly known as Settlers of Catan, is a classic gateway game. It’s easy to learn but has enough depth to keep you hooked. You trade resources, build roads, and compete to build the biggest settlements. It’s the perfect game for those new to board games but also fun for seasoned players. The social aspect of trading makes this one of the highest rated board games.
6 Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride brings out the inner traveler in all of us. The goal is to build railway routes across North America. It’s easy to pick up but offers enough strategy to keep it interesting. You score points by completing routes on your tickets or building the longest continuous path. It’s a great game for families and has been praised for its design.
5 7 Wonders
In 7 Wonders, you draft cards to build one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. You collect resources, advance your civilization, and build landmarks. It’s quick to play but has loads of depth. The card drafting adds a unique element to the game. 7 Wonders is often found in top lists of highest rated board games due to its brilliant design.
4 Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a tile-laying game where you build cities, roads, and fields in medieval France. It’s simple but offers deep strategy. You gain points by completing features like cities or roads. It’s also fun to block opponents’ moves. This game has stood the test of time and is a favorite for both beginners and expert gamers.
3 Codenames
Codenames is a game of word association and deduction. Teams compete to find all their agents (words) on a grid, using one-word clues given by their spymaster. It’s a fun and often hilarious game that encourages creativity. The mixture of strategy and guessing game mechanics make it one of the highest rated board games for parties.
2 Dominion
Dominion is the game that started the deck-building genre. You start with a small deck of cards and buy new ones to build the most efficient deck. The replay value is high due to the variety of card sets available. It’s strategic yet accessible, making it a favorite among strategy game lovers. The game has garnered high ratings for its innovative mechanics.
1 Gloomhaven
Gloomhaven is an epic adventure and strategy game. It’s a campaign game, where each play session is part of a larger story. You control a character with unique abilities and level them up. It’s like a board game version of a role-playing game. The game offers tons of content and endless replayability. Its complexity and richness in narrative have made it the highest rated board game on many lists.
