14 Best Escape Room Board Games to Play in 2026
Looking for the best escape room board game? We tested each one with friends so you can pick your perfect escape room adventure!
14 Best Escape Room Board Games That Will Trap You in Fun! If you love the thrill of an escape room but don’t want to leave your living room (or put on real pants), you’re in luck. We rounded up the best escape room board games for every type of puzzler. We looked for clever puzzles, exciting stories, replay value, and games that don’t need a PhD to play. Whether you’re new to escape room games or you just love yelling at your friends, this list will help you find the right escape room adventure for your next game night.
On this list:
- EXIT: The Game – The Abandoned Cabin
- Unlock! Escape Adventures
- Deckscape: Test Time
- Escape Room: The Game
- Exit: The Game – The Secret Lab
- Unlock! Heroic Adventures
- Deckscape: The Fate of London
- Escape Tales: The Awakening
- Escape Room in a Box: The Werewolf Experiment
- Escape Room: The Game – Casino
- Escape the Room: Mystery at the Stargazer’s Manor
- Decktective: Bloody-Red Roses
- UNLOCK! Exotic Adventures
- EXIT: The Game – Dead Man on the Orient Express
14 EXIT: The Game – The Abandoned Cabin
We picked this one because it makes you feel like you’re stuck in your childhood nightmares, but with fewer boogeymen and more puzzles. EXIT games are famous in the escape room board game world. The clever use of cards, booklets, and even tearing up components had us yelling, ‘Wait, can I do that?’ It’s also budget-friendly, so you don’t have to sell your couch on eBay to play. The puzzles are tricky, and the hint system saves friendships, trust us. Just get ready to demolish the game when you’re done—EXIT games are one-and-done, so no do-overs!
13 Unlock! Escape Adventures
Unlock! pulled us in with its smart use of a companion app and a deck of cards. We used our phones without doom scrolling, so that’s a win. With Unlock! you get three stories in one box. We got stumped, laughed, and even argued over solutions, which is honestly half the fun in escape room games. The best part, you can reset and lend it to someone else—a rarity in this genre! The app might scare some, but it helps keep the pace and throws in music and clues.
12 Deckscape: Test Time
Deckscape is a small box but packs a punch. We played it on a camping trip and it fit right in with our granola bars. The puzzles have a logical flow, and you don’t destroy anything, making it perfect to share or replay with forgetful friends. You get a story and interesting twists without much setup or rules. For people new to escape room board games, Deckscape’s approachable and doesn’t fry your brain on the first puzzle.
11 Escape Room: The Game
The name doesn’t mess around—this is the closest thing to a real escape room at home. There’s an electronic Chrono Decoder we all argued with. Each box comes with four adventures, with a wild mix of themes from murder mysteries to nuclear countdowns. You need nerves (and a big dining table) for this one, so clear out your Monopoly junk. This is great for groups who love tactile clues and real props.
10 Exit: The Game – The Secret Lab
If you ever wanted to escape a lab without accidentally inventing a new chemical, this EXIT entry is for you. We loved the science-based puzzles and felt like real brainiacs, at least until we needed a hint… or three. The game is challenging, and it brings the escape room craze to your kitchen table with nothing but cards and a decoder wheel. It’s another one-and-done, but you’ll talk about the puzzles for days.
9 Unlock! Heroic Adventures
This one stands out with a Sherlock Holmes case and a video game level that made us all nostalgic for the 90s. Three stories in one box means more bang for your buck. The puzzles are clever without being mean, and the app adds sound effects that had us jumping at times. Perfect for families or groups wanting a mix of stories and puzzle styles. Also, no cutting or tearing so you can pass it on!
8 Deckscape: The Fate of London
We loved pretending to be British secret agents running around London (without leaving our living room). The puzzles are thematic and the stakes feel high. Deckscape does a good job with minimal components, and we like how you don’t need to prep much or rip anything up. This one is easy to carry, great for trips, and you’ll feel both smart and silly at the same time.
7 Escape Tales: The Awakening
We picked The Awakening for the story—basically a choose-your-own-adventure mixed with escape room puzzles. It’s longer and moodier than others; we played it over two nights. The decisions you make really matter, and we got more than one ending (some better than others… ouch!). The game is replayable and makes you feel like you’re in a mystery novel. Warning: some puzzles are head-scratchers for sure.
6 Escape Room in a Box: The Werewolf Experiment
This one tries to bring the whole mad scientist vibe home. With a box full of locks and odd lab gadgets, we felt like we were breaking into a science fair. The puzzles are tactile and creative, and it’s a hit at parties. You don’t need to destroy anything, so you can swap boxes with friends later. Great for beginner escape room fans who want the feel of real-life props.
5 Escape Room: The Game – Casino
We picked this one because it captures the tense, puzzle-packed escape room experience we love. It also adds a cool casino theme with clever locks, cards, and a twisty story. When we played, our team almost got stuck at the roulette puzzle, but teamwork (and a bit of wild guessing) saved us! If you like Unlock! games, you’ll feel right at home with its mix of clues, codes, and those classic ‘ah-ha!’ moments.
4 Escape the Room: Mystery at the Stargazer’s Manor
We picked this for its family-friendly plays and easy setup. The envelopes and storybook create a little world right at the table. It’s less stressful than some and is perfect for folks new to escape room board games. The puzzles aren’t too mean, and you don’t have to be Einstein to solve them. We laughed our way through and didn’t flip any tables. Big win!
3 Decktective: Bloody-Red Roses
Decktective games mix detective stories with escape room twists. In Bloody-Red Roses, you actually build a 3D crime scene. We had lots of ‘aha!’ moments and one friend kept accusing the furniture. It’s short, pocket-sized, and great for whodunit fans who want a quick but clever mystery night. Perfect for a smaller group who likes to argue over clues.
2 UNLOCK! Exotic Adventures
We threw this in for its wild ride of themes—Egyptian tombs, underwater labs, and haunted houses. It’s a good pick for players wanting variety and replayability. The app tracks your time and throws in clues when you really need them (which we did, a lot). The stories are fun to narrate, and the system is easy to pick up, even if you spill snacks on the cards.
1 EXIT: The Game – Dead Man on the Orient Express
This is the crown jewel of escape room board games in our eyes. EXIT: Dead Man on the Orient Express puts you smack in a train murder mystery. The puzzles are top-notch, the story is gripping, and the challenge is perfectly balanced—not too easy, not impossible. We actually paused halfway so we could argue over who the murderer was, like real detectives. The atmosphere is unbeatable and it’s the one we keep recommending to both newbies and escape room veterans. If you want the best escape room board game experience, this one’s your golden ticket.
