Best 9 Speed Challenge Board Games of 2024 Reviewed

Discover top board games featuring thrilling speed challenges, perfect for quick, engaging play sessions with friends and family.
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Jungle Speed coverDobble (Spot It!) coverBlink cover

When dragging out a board game, there’s something undeniably exciting about those that hinge on speed challenges. Our team has tirelessly scoured our game nights’ memories, revisiting those sessions where laughter and playful shouting filled the room. Our focus? Discovering those gems that test reflexes, quick thinking, and dexterity. In the end, we’ve settled on a collection that spans everything from the snap decisions of card games to the frenzied rush of real-time cooperative puzzles. This list doesn’t just tap into the adrenaline-pumping action of speed challenges; it plunges headfirst into it, ensuring there’s a pick for anyone looking to add a spark of high-velocity fun to their gaming nights.

Games on this list:

9 Jungle Speed

Jungle Speed cover

  • Age Range: 7+
  • Players: 2-10
  • Play Time: 15 min

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We had a blast with Jungle Speed because its pure essence is catching a totem at lightning speed to get rid of your cards. The myriad of symbols that look strikingly similar add to the confusion and hilarity as we quickly grab or wrongly grab the totem. It’s a speed challenge that has us on the edge of our seats, laughing and shouting as we play.

8 Dobble (Spot It!)

Dobble (Spot It!) cover

  • Age Range: 6+
  • Players: 2-8
  • Play Time: 10 min

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Dobble, also known as Spot It!, has us scanning cards to find matching symbols at a frenetic pace. What seemed like a simple visual challenge quickly escalated into fierce, friendly competition in our group. With a variety of mini-games that all revolve around speed and observation, this game became a quick favorite for us to warm up our brains or fill in short breaks.

7 Blink

Blink cover

  • Age Range: 7+
  • Players: 2
  • Play Time: 2 min

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In our gaming group, Blink is the ultimate test of quick thinking and rapid response where matching the shape, count, or color on cards as quickly as possible is the goal. A duel of eyes and hands, it’s always intense and has us refining our strategies to be the fastest. This game has led to some incredibly memorable speed challenges.

6 Ghost Blitz

Ghost Blitz cover

  • Age Range: 8+
  • Players: 2-8
  • Play Time: 20 min

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What drew us to Ghost Blitz were the cute components and the split-second decision-making. Identifying which item to grab, based on various cards depicting different objects and colors, forces us to think and react incredibly swiftly. The hilarity of everyone lunging for the same piece creates unforgettable moments of fun and chaos.

5 Anomia

Anomia cover

  • Age Range: 10+
  • Players: 3-6
  • Play Time: 30 min

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Anomia stormed our game nights with its unique twist on speed challenges: as soon as matching symbols appear, it’s a rush to blurt out a word corresponding to the opponent’s card. The pressure to quickly recall specific answers leads to tongue-tied fun and bursts of laughter, making it a hit for stimulating our minds under pressure.

4 Speed Cups

Speed Cups cover

  • Age Range: 6+
  • Players: 2-4
  • Play Time: 15 min

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Speed Cups added a physical element to our speed challenges, with each player racing to stack or sequence their cups to match the pictures on the drawn cards. The tactile element of manipulating the cups adds an engaging twist, making it hugely popular among us for its energetic pace and the sheer visual delight of colorful cups flying everywhere.

3 Halli Galli

Halli Galli cover

  • Age Range: 6+
  • Players: 2-6
  • Play Time: 10 min

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The frantic bell ring of Halli Galli signaled victory and defeat in our matches, as we all kept an eagle eye on the fruit cards dealing out. Timing the bell perfectly to claim the fruity bounty, amidst false starts and furious counts, sharpened our reflexes and sense of timing, contributing to raucous sequences of laughter and strategizing.

2 Happy Salmon

Happy Salmon cover

  • Age Range: 6+
  • Players: 3-6
  • Play Time: 2 min

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There’s nothing quite like Happy Salmon’s quirky blend of physical and vocal speed challenges. By urging us to high-five, fist bump, switch places, and perform the namesake move, Happy Salmon forced us out of our comfort zones into a deranged dance of agility and coordination. Its simplicity and utter hilarity elevate any gathering into an active frenzy.

1 5-Minute Dungeon

5-Minute Dungeon cover

  • Age Range: 8+
  • Players: 2-5
  • Play Time: 5 min

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We’ve determined 5-Minute Dungeon to reign supreme in our ranking of speed challenges due to its brilliant combination of teamwork, time pressure, and quick decision-making. Battling through dungeons against the clock with a deck of cards requires sharp focus and nimble strategy, making it a thrilling race against time. Beloved for encouraging cooperation and its lightning-fast dynamic, this game steals the top spot.

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.