15 Best and Most Exciting Board Games of 2024

Looking for the most exciting board games? Here's our top picks to ignite your game nights with fun and thrill!
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Catan coverTicket to Ride coverPandemic cover

Get ready to embark on thrilling adventures with our list of the 15 best ‘most exciting board games’. We focus on games that pack in fun, strategy, and a dose of unpredictability. Our picks range from building empires to solving mysterious pandemics. Each game brings its own flavor of excitement, ensuring players stay on the edge of their seats. Perfect for bringing friends and family together, these board games promise unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a first-timer, our list has something for everyone. Buckle up and let’s explore the most exciting board games out there!

On this list:

15 Catan

Catan cover

  • Age Range: 10 and up
  • Players: 3-4
  • Play Time: 60-120 minutes

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We love how ‘Catan’ gets people strategizing while trading resources, building settlements, and competing for the longest road. Every game feels different, so it keeps excitement levels high.

14 Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride cover

  • Age Range: 8 and up
  • Players: 2-5
  • Play Time: 30-60 minutes

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Building train routes across North America is not only fun, but it also brings out the competitive spirit in everyone. It’s easy to teach and hard to stop playing.

13 Pandemic

Pandemic cover

  • Age Range: 8 and up
  • Players: 2-4
  • Play Time: 45 minutes

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Imagine saving the world from deadly diseases with your friends. ‘Pandemic’ is cooperative, which means it’s all about working together. The tension is real as the clock ticks down.

12 Carcassonne

Carcassonne cover

  • Age Range: 7 and up
  • Players: 2-5
  • Play Time: 35 minutes

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Laying tiles to build cities, roads, and fields might sound simple, but ‘Carcassonne’ has layers of strategy. Each playthrough feels fresh and exciting, with many ways to score points.

11 Dixit

Dixit cover

  • Age Range: 8 and up
  • Players: 3-6
  • Play Time: 30 minutes

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With its beautiful artwork and simple storytelling mechanics, ‘Dixit’ pushes players to think creatively. This game brings lots of laughs and surprises.

10 7 Wonders

7 Wonders cover

  • Age Range: 10 and up
  • Players: 3-7
  • Play Time: 30 minutes

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Drafting cards to build civilizations while balancing military, science, and culture is a thrill in ‘7 Wonders’. Each game is fast-paced and deeply strategic.

9 Splendor

Splendor cover

  • Age Range: 10 and up
  • Players: 2-4
  • Play Time: 30 minutes

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Collecting gems and purchasing development cards in ‘Splendor’ is simple yet addictive. The elegant mechanics make every turn feel meaningful and the competition fierce.

8 Codenames

Codenames cover

  • Age Range: 10 and up
  • Players: 2-8
  • Play Time: 15 minutes

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‘Codenames’ is a word game that aligns with spies and secret agents. You need to give clever clues to your team while avoiding the assassin. It’s always a hit at parties.

7 Azul

Azul cover

  • Age Range: 8 and up
  • Players: 2-4
  • Play Time: 30-45 minutes

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Making a beautiful mosaic out of colorful tiles is surprisingly tense in ‘Azul’. Strategy and planning your moves matter because every decision impacts your scoring.

6 Dominion

Dominion cover

  • Age Range: 13 and up
  • Players: 2-4
  • Play Time: 30 minutes

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‘Dominion’ invented the deck-building genre. Building your deck as you play offers tons of replayability. Each game setup is unique and always exciting.

5 Terraforming Mars

Terraforming Mars cover

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

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Transforming the Red Planet into a habitable world is thrilling in ‘Terraforming Mars’. The game’s depth and complexity keep us engaged every single time.

4 Gloomhaven

Gloomhaven cover

  • Age Range: 14 and up
  • Players: 1-4
  • Play Time: 60-120 minutes per scenario

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Imagine going on a dark fantasy adventure with friends. ‘Gloomhaven’ offers a rich story, tactical combat, and legacy mechanics that change with each session.

3 Scythe

Scythe cover

  • Age Range: 14 and up
  • Players: 1-7
  • Play Time: 90-115 minutes

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‘Scythe’ has us building empires in an alternate history. The blend of resource management, area control, and combat keeps us at the edge of our seats.

2 Wingspan

Wingspan cover

  • Age Range: 10 and up
  • Players: 1-5
  • Play Time: 40-70 minutes

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Bird enthusiasts will find ‘Wingspan’ delightful. Managing a wildlife reserve and attracting birds through various habitats is both relaxing and competitive.

1 Betrayal at House on the Hill

Betrayal at House on the Hill cover

  • Age Range: 12 and up
  • Players: 3-6
  • Play Time: 60 minutes

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Exploring a haunted house with friends, only to have one of them turn traitor, is always a blast. The suspenseful storylines and twist make ‘Betrayal at House on the Hill’ our top pick.

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.