Best Wilderness Survival Board Games of 2025: Top 5 Picks
Finding the perfect wilderness survival board game can be trickier than starting a campfire with wet matches. We’ve tested countless games with our trusty group of friends to bring you the top picks. We focus on games with gripping narratives, strategic challenges, and real wilderness survival vibes. Whether you’re escaping a cursed island, surviving a harsh winter, navigating a blackout, journeying through an expedition, or defending against invading spirits, these games promise to offer the thrill without the bug bites. Get ready to unleash your inner survivalist and challenge those strategic brain cells. Adventure awaits in the wild terrains of your game table!
On this list:
5 Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
We ventured into Robinson Crusoe needing only a taste of coconuts and somewhere to sleep other than that brambly bush. You’d think after watching so many survival shows, we’d have known what we were doing. But no, one of our friends almost got bitten by a snake—figuratively! This game throws you into the heart of wilderness survival with challenges popping up like mushrooms after the rain. It’s a cooperative game, so blame for getting eaten bears is shared. The tension builds and pulls friendships tighter, or tears them to shreds… just like that brambly bush.
4 Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game
Ah, winter. Cold, bitter, and full of zombies! In an epic wilderness survival twist, we found ourselves barricading windows with whatever we could find—duct tape, grandma’s old quilt, and our last Ramen noodles. Dead of Winter is a semi-cooperative game that pitches you against the freezing elements and brain-nibbling foes. The occasional betrayal is around every corner, just like how Dave eats the last cookie. It’s intense, more intense than that last family game of Monopoly, and it brings everyone to the edge of their seats, literally, especially when someone sneaks a cookie.
3 Blackout: Hong Kong
You would think surviving in a city blackout would be easy. Wrong! We quickly learned that we weren’t electricians when the lights went out. Blackout: Hong Kong offers a unique take on wilderness survival, set in the bustling streets plunged into darkness. It’s strategically layered, much like a well-baked lasagna, with players vying to restore order and maintain resources. We scrambled to keep everyone fed and happy in our imaginary city, and just like in real life, no one wanted to do the dishes. It’s a perfect blend of chaos and order—oh, and the occasional mushroom.
2 The Lost Expedition
If you haven’t gotten lost in the jungle before, then The Lost Expedition is your chance to find out what that’s like. We learned that even simple decisions can lead to disaster or happy outcomes, like finally finding chocolate in the fridge. This game is a race against time, with each card drawn adding new challenges. It’s a brain workout, but instead of getting fit, you’re figuring out how not to starve in the jungle. Like choosing between snacks, decisions are tough and sometimes you lose, but you learn… and eat chocolate.
1 Spirit Island
Spirit Island is our top pick for wilderness survival games because it makes you feel like nature’s superhero. We loved being the spirits protecting the island from invaders, and unlike our attempt at gardening, we actually succeeded! The game combines strategic depth and a cooperative twist, requiring teamwork, like passing a giant ball of yarn. It stands out because it flips the usual survival role, adding a refreshing taste of being on nature’s side. We kept those pesky colonizers at bay, making it the best experience, one where triumph is as sweet as grandma’s cookies.
