Board Game Gift Guide 2024!
Our 14th year of Board Game Gift Guides is here!
For each of the past 13 years, we’ve recommended around 40 games to get your friends and family as gifts.
We know that’s a lot to look through, so we’ve dialed it back a bit this year to 25 great games!
Below, you’ll find a few games in each of the following categories to get your juices flowing about what game gifts you can give this year.
Scroll through the whole list or jump to the category you’re interested in:
- Children’s Games
- Family Games
- Cooperative Games
- 2-Player Games
- Party Games
- Dice Games
- Deduction Games
- Gamer Games
Children’s Games
Here are a few new fun board games for the little tikes in your family.
Ticket to Ride: Ghost Train
Ages: 6+, Players: 2-4, Time: 15-30 min
Ticket to Ride: Ghost Train takes the familiar game play of Ticket to Ride and scales it down for a younger audience. Players still collect cards and claim map routes to connect locations. But the cards in this children’s board game are parade float cards. And the locations are things such as the Gingerbread House, Mad Scientist’s Lab, the Lonely Barn, and the Pumpkin Patch.
Your kids might really like this simplified iteration of Ticket to Ride with a fun, spooky theme.
Get a copy of Ticket to Ride: Ghost Train.
Monkey Palace
Ages: 10+, Players: 2-4, Time: 45 min
Do your kids love playing with LEGOs? If so, give them a jungle-themed light strategy game with both collaborative and competitive elements with Monkey Palace. Players work together to build the palace while competing for the highest brick income and points.
Players will enjoy creating a differently built LEGO palace every time!
Tetra Tower
Ages: 3+, Players: 1-10, Time: 5-15 min
Tetra Tower is a dexterity game that lets kids build a tower of pieces until it topples over. On a player’s turn, they draw a tetromino piece and place it on the tower. As you can imagine, as the tower grows, it become more unstable. If a player causes the tower to collapse, they’re out of the game. Players keep building until one player is left.
This is a great game for young kids working on their fine motor skills.
Family Games
Will these new fun family board games be the next big hit for your family?
World Wonders
Ages: 12+, Players: 1-5, Time: 60 min
World Wonders is a fantastic family board game. It’s a tile-laying game where players build out their own city complete with famous world landmarks. In addition to being a tile-laying game, the game also includes economic, turn-order, and resource elements that keep players considering many choices throughout the whole game. And whether you win or not, it’s so fun to see what you and you opponents have built by the end of the game.
See our review of World Wonders.
Get a copy of World Wonders.
Rome in a Day
Ages: 8+, Players: 2-5, Time: 15-20 min
Rome In A Day is a fun strategy board game of “I split, you choose” where players build out their own domains with land tiles and buildings. During each turn, players draw 5 land tiles and 2 buildings. Then they choose how to divide and group them behind their screen. Next, all players remove their screens and players choose from what their neighbors have set out. What they take from their neighbor and what’s left in front of them are what each player gets to build with that turn.
Akropolis
Ages: 8+, Players: 1-4, Time: 30 min
Are you ready to build ancient Greece? In Akropolis, players are charged with building the most beautiful and efficient city in the land. However, the various city areas must meet certain criteria to score the most points. For example, merchants refuse to have their markets next to another market and military barracks want to be at the edge of the city. The game is a drafting and tile-laying game where you’re trying to optimize every choice. You can also play the game solo if you’d like to see how well you can build a city all on your own.
Skyrise
Ages: 14+, Players: 2-4, Time: 45-90 min
Skyrise is a reimplementation of a board game I first encountered years ago after it went out of print – Metropolys. So I was super excited when Roxley Games released the new version earlier this year and it turned out to be even better than before. The game is a unique spatial auction game with territory control and resource collection. What it really means is that player vie for different areas of the sky-city board using their numbered buildings as auction bids. The new production value is fantastic but it’s the thoughtful, strategic game play that keeps me coming back for more. I’d highly recommend it to families who enjoy good strategy board games.
See our full review of Skyrise.
Cooperative Games
Rather than battle it out against each other, join forces with some of these fun cooperative board games.
Decorum
Ages: 13+, Players: 2-4, Time: 30-45 min
Decorum is a cooperative, hidden information game where players share the same goal: decorate their home in a way that makes everyone happy. The catch is that players don’t know what’s going to make the others happy! They must deduce what types of things make others happy by what changes they make to the decorations in the various rooms. Hopefully they’ll all be able to figure it out and arrange things correctly before the game ends. The game includes 30 scenarios that are all a great challenge to work through.
See our full review of Decorum.
Sky Team
Ages: 12+, Players: 2, Time: 15 min
Sky Team is a 2-player, co-operative game where players are a pilot and co-pilot at the controls of an airliner. Their goal is to work together to land the airplane in different airports around the world. To land the plane, they need to silently assign their dice to the correct spaces in the cockpit to manage things such as the axis, the speed, the flaps, the landing gear, as well as contact the control tower to clear their path. If the aircraft tilts too much and stalls, overshoots the airport, or collides with another aircraft, they lose the game. It’s always a fun challenge and plays in just 15 minutes.
Kites
Ages: 10+, Players: 2-6, Time: 10 min
I first played Kites at SaltCon 2023 and really enjoyed it. It’s is a colorful cooperative card game where players frantically try to keep all the kites in the air. The kits are represented by colored sand timers that expire at different rates. Players play matching color cards in order to flip the corresponding sand timer before it runs out. Because if even one sand timer runs out, the kite has crashed and all players lose. To win, players must play through the full deck of cards without a single kite crashing.
2-Player Games
Looking for a game for just 2 players? These are fun games for going head-to-head against your bestie. (They all just happen to have “Duel” in the game name.)
King of Tokyo: Duel
Ages: 8+, Players: 2, Time: 20 min
It has a familiar name and may be based on the original King of Tokyo dice game, but King of Tokyo: Duel is a different beast! While the original isn’t fun at 2 players, this newly released version is specifically made for head-to-head battles. While you’re still rolling dice and buying power cards, this game is all about the tug-o-war between Fame and Destruction. If you know someone who loves dice battles, give them this game as a fun gift.
Get a copy of a King of Tokyo: Duel.
Splendor Duel
Ages: 10+, Players: 2, Time: 30 min
Here’s another 2-player version of a super popular board game. Splendor was first released in 2014 and has become a game best-seller. Splendor Duel keeps some of the main gameplay of the original game design, while adding a bit more complexity and interaction. Similar to the original, players collect gems and earn cards that grant additional gems or points. However, this new version also has 3 different ways to win. Be either the first to 20 points, the first to get 10 crowns, or the first to get 10 points in a single color.
The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth
Ages: 10+, Players: 2, Time: 30-45 min
While this may look like a brand new game, the core game play is actually based on 7 Wonders Duel from 2015. However, the designer and publisher have done more than just reskin the game with a new theme. Instead, The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth feels like a fresh new 2-player game that’s super fun. Like the game above, there are 3 different win conditions so players have plenty of paths to pursue and every game plays out differently. And it captures the them of Lord of the Rings very well.
Get a copy of The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth.
Party Games
This time of year, it’s great to snag some party games to play when the gang gets together.
That’s Not a Hat
Ages: 8+, Players: 3-8, Time: 15 min
This sounds like a crazy name for a game. But it’s even crazier when you scratch your head because you honestly can’t remember what single card you have in front of you! That’s Not A Hat is a crazy simple game, pass the face down card in front of you to your neighbor and tell them what object it is. If they don’t believe you, then can call you out. If they think you’re right (or can’t remember themselves), they go ahead and pass their facedown card, doing the same thing. Eventually someone will challenge. Whoever is mistaken in the challenge takes the card. The first player to take 3 cards losses. Simple, but crazy with how forgetful you can be with cards passing back and forth – because they don’t all get passed in the same direction. The back of the card has an arrow that points which way it gets passed. So fun.
Get a copy of That’s Not A Hat.
Who Knows You Best?
Ages: 8+, Players: 2-12, Time: 15 min
Who Knows You Best has become a game staple at the office because it’s such a good game for groups. One player draws a question card and all the other players try to match how that player would answer the question. After everyone has written their answer, everyone reveals their answer and those that match with the active player score points. Sure, it’s a simple game to play – and that’s what makes it great. It also works great for teenage group gatherings or as a get-to-know-you activity.
Get a copy of Who Knows You Best.
Wavelength
Ages: 14+, Players: 2-12, Time: 30-45 min
Wavelength is a social guessing game in which two teams compete to read each other’s minds. Players split into teams and on each turn one player tries to get their team to guess where a dial is positioned on a gauge (1-4). They do so using clue cards that show extremes such as “hot/cold, flexible/inflexible, good game/bad game, someone you could beat up/someone who could beat you up, etc”. The player names a person or object that will best help their team guess the dial position matched with the clue card. The opposing team also gets a chance to steal points if the active team doesn’t hit it correctly. See how much the people at your next party think alike.
Dice Games
If you’d rather roll with the luck of dice rolls, then these top 5 dice games are for you.
Splitter
Ages: 8+, Players: 1-12, Time: 15 min
Roll-and-write games have stormed the board game community over the past 5 years. And this relatively small game has flown under the radar. In Splitter, two dice are rolled every turn and players write those numbers on their individual grid sheets. The catch is that those numbers must be placed in mirrored spaces on their sheet. Players score points at the end based on groupings of numbers. Those final rolls can make or break what you’ve done so far. (Not recommended for those that don’t like luck in their games.)
Diced Veggies
Ages: 6+, Players: 2-4, Time: 30 min
As you might guess, the theme of Diced Veggies is about chopping vegetables. How about that for a unique theme? Like other culinary games, there are Recipes to make with your ingredients. In this case, those ingredients are dice (yellow carrots, pink onions, red tomatoes, green peppers, and tan mushrooms). The really unique part is that the dice start out stacked in a huge block and players take turns “cutting” the block by moving out portions of dice. Perhaps this is just the right game gift for the person in your life who loves to cook (and play dice games).
Spots
Ages: 10+, Players: 1-4, Time: 30 min
And how about a dice game for dog lovers? Spots is a push-your-luck dice game where players roll dice and place them on their dog cards with matching pips. The catch is that if the dice rolled, don’t match the dog spots, the player must burying those dice in the yard. If there are too many buried in the yard, the player busts – losing all their dice. Players also get to use “tricks” on their turns which let them do various things with their dice. It’s a light dice game that’s easy to pull out and enjoy with friends and family.
Deduction Games
If your friends and family love games that make them think, then take a serious look at our top 5 favorite deduction games.
Museum Suspects
Ages: 8+, Players: 2-4, Time: 20-25 min
In Museum Suspects, players take on the role of a detective sifting through a multitude of museum attendees and clues in order to figure out who the thief or thieves are. The player who hedges their bets the best may wind up working for Scotland Yard some day and will definitely win the game. The game lasts only 6 turns, so players need to choose their investigations wisely and try to throw the other players off the scent.
See our full review of Museum Suspects.
Get a copy of Museum Suspects.
Turing Machine
Ages: 14+, Players: 1-4, Time: 20 min
Do you know someone who loves cerebral experiences? Then the Turing Machine may be just what they’re looking for. The game offers more than seven million problems from simple to mind-staggeringly complex combinations, making the gameplay practically endless. It can be played in competitive mode, as a team, or solo. Using perforated cards, players must be the first to crack a 3-digit code. It’s an interesting puzzler for sure.
Chronicles of Crime: 1900
Ages: 12+, Players: 1-2, Time: 60-90 min
Chronicles of Crime: 1900 is another standalone game for the popular Chronicles of Crime deduction game Millennium Series. These new cases are set in flourishing 1900 Paris. Players are challenged to not only collect evidence and interrogate suspects but also solve some escape-room-style puzzles incorporated into each scenario. It’s a fantastic system that wonderfully works in the use of an app and cards with QR codes to create thematic stories and mysterious with every scenario. Great game to play cooperatively with your friends.
Get a copy of Chronicles of Crime: 1900.
Gamer Games
If you know someone who enjoys longer and heavier-weight games, grab them one of these fun board games.
Descent: Legends of the Dark
Ages: 14+, Players: 1-4, Time: 120-180 min
Descent has been a hit game with gamers for many years. Our boys absolutely loved playing Descent: Journeys in the Dark growing up. A few years ago, Fantasy Flight Games released a new version of this cooperative dungeon-crawling game, Descent: Legends of the Dark. This version is fully app-assisted to create a very immersive game experience. If you know people who love fantasy dungeon games, this should be a hit for them.
Get a copy of Descent: Legends of the Dark.
Star Wars: Outer Rim
Ages: 14+, Players: 1-4, Time: 120-180 min
Star Wars: Outer Rim, a game of bounty hunters, mercenaries, and smugglers set in the original movie trilogy. Players play characters such as Han Solo and Boba Fett, setting out to make their mark on the galaxy. They take on dangerous jobs, track down bounties, upgrade their ship, and hire legendary Star Wars characters to gain more and more fame along the way. The game is packed with 215 full-sized cards, an eight-piece map, ~170 cardboard tokens, 4 player boards, 6 dice and 12 ship sheets. It’s an expansive experience that so many gamers love.
Get a copy of Star Wars: Outer Rim.
Crossbows and Catapults: Fortress War
Ages: 10+, Players: 2, Time: 20 min
Not every gamer’s game needs to span multiple hours. Some just need to hit a flame of nostalgia and they’re in. Such is the case with Crossbows and Catapults: Fortress War. It’s a restoration of the 1983 classic game, Crossbows and Catapults. Each player builds their castle, then players take turns using their weapons to fire discs at their opponent’s castle, trying to knock over their warrior figures. This new version features highly engineered weapons, more detailed building bricks, and deeper game play.
Get a copy of Crossbows and Catapults: Fortress War.
There you have it, 25 game recommendations you can give your friends and family members as gifts this year. Just hope that since you gave them the gift, they’ll invite you to play with them too!
Are you interested in seeing the full list from each year instead?
Take a look at The Board Game Family’s Board Game Gift Guides from years past.
- 2023 Board Game Gift Guide
- 2022 Board Game Gift Guide
- 2021 Board Game Gift Guide
- 2020 Board Game Gift Guide
- 2019 Board Game Gift Guide
- 2018 Board Game Gift Guide
- 2017 Board Game Gift Guide
- 2016 Board Game Gift Guide
- 2015 Board Game Gift Guide
- 2014 Board Game Gift Guide
- 2013 Board Game Gift Guide
- 2012 Board Game Gift Guide
- 2011 Board Game Gift Guide
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