10 Best Highest Rated Family Board Games 2025
Here are the highest rated family board games that everyone will love. Each pick brings laughter, fun, and fierce competition to your table!
Finding the highest rated family board games can feel like looking for a lost sock in a laundry pile—fun, but a bit overwhelming. We’ve played our fair share of duds and delights, so for this list, we focused on games that keep everyone laughing, are easy to learn, and don’t spark any table-flipping drama (well, almost never). The games we chose have strong replay value, work for kids and adults, and don’t need a math degree to follow the rules. Grab your snacks and prepare to discover the highest rated family board games perfect for your next game night!
On this list:
10 Ticket to Ride
We picked Ticket to Ride because it’s a train adventure that makes everyone fight over plastic trains like seagulls with a french fry. The rules are simple. You collect cards and claim railway routes across the map. Our sessions always end with someone yelling ‘That was my route!’ in mock outrage. It’s quick to teach, quick to play, and pretty much a guaranteed hit for both kids and adults. You can play nicely or block your family for fun—either way, it brings a lot of laughs. This one makes a regular appearance at our family gatherings, because no one leaves the table mad. Well, mostly.
9 Catan
Catan is a game where you trade sheep, wood, and bricks like you’re running a weird farm market. We lose friends during the trading phase and gain them again after the game. Every family we know has this game and someone who gets too into trading rocks. The board changes every time, so you never get bored. Sometimes the dice are your friend, sometimes they laugh at you. But it’s never dull, and we always want to play again. It earns a place among the highest rated family board games for a reason.
8 Carcassonne
Carcassonne is tile-laying at its best. It’s very chill until Uncle Bob decides to take over your city. You draw a tile, place it, and maybe plop down a follower to score points. We love how easy it is to learn, but also how sneaky you can get as you block others. The game grows into a wobbly map that looks nothing like a real place. For families who like friendly competition and building stuff, this is a top choice. Plus, younger players do just as well as adults.
7 Kingdomino
Kingdomino is like playing dominoes with a crown on your head. You draft tiles to build the best kingdom, matching up landscapes for points. Games are quick, but you think a lot. Our group can never stop at one round—we always want revenge after someone snags the perfect castle spot. The friendly rules, fast turns, and huge replay value make it easy for new gamers to jump in. Families love it because you can actually finish a game before anyone gets bored.
6 Splendor
Splendor has us convinced we could be jewel merchants—if only it worked as well in real life. You collect gems and buy cards. That’s it. It sounds simple, but there are always groans when someone takes the exact gem you needed. Our family appreciates how everyone is always in the game, and no turns take too long. It’s perfect for groups where people like quiet thinking, but also a little drama. It’s elegant and quick, earning its place in the highest rated family board games.
5 Azul
If you like pretty colors and tricking your family, Azul is for you. You draft tiles and place them on your board, trying to make nice patterns. The puzzle element means everyone is quietly plotting, but there’s always a cheer when someone ruins someone else’s plan (on accident, of course). We’ve played with kids and grandparents, and everyone gets it after a round. It’s beautiful on the table and never gets old. Plus, we like saying ‘Azul’ in dramatic voices.
4 Sushi Go!
This is the only time we eat sushi without using chopsticks. Sushi Go! is a card drafting game with super cute artwork. Pass around cards, grab sets, and try to score the tastiest combinations. Everyone laughs at the ‘Pudding War’ at the end. The fast pace means nobody waits long for their turn. It’s easy to explain, so even the newest or youngest gamers can join. The game always finds its way into our bag for picnics, vacations, and sushi dinners.
3 Qwirkle
Qwirkle is a color and shape matching game that somehow makes grandpa start talking strategy. You lay down tiles, matching either color or shape for points. No reading needed, so it’s great for little ones, but keeping track of your points can get competitive. The rules are fast to learn, but the challenge grows as the tiles fill the table. We love how every game feels different, and how easy it is to play again and again. It’s a true family favorite in our group.
2 Forbidden Island
Forbidden Island is a co-op game, which means you win or lose as a family—so nobody gets blamed for stealing all the sheep. The island sinks as you grab treasures and escape. We get a little dramatic pretending to be adventurers running from the water. The game is easy to learn and the teamwork makes even younger players feel important. Losing is almost as fun as winning, and it’s great to break up the competitive games. A solid pick among the highest rated family board games.
1 7 Wonders
This is our top pick and for good reason. 7 Wonders lets you build cities, win wars, and trade with your neighbors—all in under an hour. The card drafting is clever and keeps everyone busy at the same time, so there’s no waiting for slow turns. We love how it works for both beginners and strategy lovers, and how every game feels like a new story. The game scales well for large families, and the art makes us feel like architects (without the math). In our experience, 7 Wonders is the king of the highest rated family board games, giving excitement and variety every single time.
