If you haven’t played any new board games for a while and not sure where to begin, look no further. We’ve listed similar games to all of the major classics. We’ve tried to list games which are available to buy and should feel familiar yet exciting by highlighting a key aspect similar to the classic game.
Modern board games have come on a huge way in the last 20 years. Give it a try and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. This list is also subjective. There are many thousands of awesome games out there so if you have a better suggestion do let us know.
December 2020 additions added (prizes not adjusted yet)
- Monopoly; Set collection, why not try Ticket to Ride Europe (£30) or Power Grid (£30)
- Monopoly: Getting rich, why not try Lords of Vegas (£40)
- Monopoly: Building / Making things why not try Quadropolis (£25)
- Risk; WAR! why not try, Small World (£35) or Blood rage (£55)
- Chess; Two player abstract why not try Hive (£20), or Santorini (£50) or The Duke (£30)
- Other roll the dice to move game, Why not try Jamaica (£30)
- Scrabble; Spelling, why not try, Bananagrams (£13) Upwords (£15) or Qwirkle (£20)
- Cluedo /Clue; Who dunnit? why not try, Mysterium (£30) or Love letter (Various themes including Batman, Archer) (£10) or Mystery at the Abbey (£35) Chronicles of Crime (£24) Awkward Guests
- Liars Dice; bluffing, why not try, Coup (£15) or Skull (£15) Cockroach Poker
- Angry Birds; Dexterity/ Destroying things) why not try, Pitch Car (£40) or Terror in Meeple City (£40)
- Tetris: Spatial, Why not try Blokus (£25) Patchwork, Welcome to Dinoworld, Cartographers
- Connect 4; Paths / Blocking why not try Tsuro (£25) or Ingenious (£25)
- Charades; Describing, Why not try Concept (£20) Obama Llama, Monikers
- Yahtzee; Dice rolling, why not try Ganz Schon Clever (£13) King of Tokyo (£22), King of New York (£30) or Roll for the Galaxy (£40)
- Pit; why not try Happy Salmon (£15) or Ligretto (£10)
- Rummy: Cards set collection, why not try Sushi Go party! (£20) Sushi Go.
- Poker; bluffing why not try Coup (£15), or Bang the dice game (£15) Cockroach Poker, One night Ultimate Werewolf.
- Jenga; Dexterity, why not try Bausack (£40) or Rhino Hero (£10)
Junk Art (£20) Catch the moon - Werewolf; traitor / bluffing, Why not try, One Night Ultimate Werewolf (£20) or Coup (£15), Growl
- Uno; sets, why not try, category 5 / 6 nimmit (£10)
- Pictionary; Drawing, why not try Telestrations (£25) or Pictomania (£40) Scrawl
- Cranium; party, why not try Telestrations (£25),Dixit (£25) , Codenames (£20) or Pictomania (£40)
- Trivial Pursuits; General Knowledge, why not try Wits and Wagers(£30) or Timeline (Various versions and themes) (£15), Colour Brain
- Scotland Yard; Hidden Movement, why not try Letters from Whitechapel (£40) or Specter Ops (£40)
- Magic the Gathering; Clever card combos, why not try 7 Wonders (£30) or Evolution (£30) or Seasons (£40)
- Guess who: Guess: Why not try Dinosaur Tea party (5 player) (£20)
- Dominios: Why not try Kingdomino (Queendomnio after) (£20) or Carcasonne (£20)
- Heroquest: Gloomhaven (£90)
- Games which always go great with new players are Telestrations,Timelines, Just one and Codenames.
- Finally did you know it is possible to play cooperatively. You and your friends or family against the game. It is not as easy as it sounds and is a great way to play with a mixed skill or age group. Sound interesting? Why not try Pandemic, or Flash Point: Fire Rescue?
- A lot of these games have excellent app (iPhone / Android) implementations or can be played online at sites like Boardgamearena.com
- Prices are approximate and were updated 07/08/19