Summary
I’m a huge board game player, and frankly, I’m also hyper-competitive. I have been called ‘the sorest winner of all time.’ To that I say, don’t hate the players, hate the game. And if you’re someone who hates competitive board games that pit you against your friends, I advise you to take a good, hard look at this list.
For this list, we’ve compiled some of the best co-operative board games for you to play with your friends! These games are all about working together to achieve the same goal. Here are some great co-op board games for you to try at your next game night.
8E.T. Light Years From Home Game
Time To Phone Home
I’ve already mentioned before how odd this game is, and yet, as far as cooperative games go, there’s nothing better in my opinion. This game is so charming and delightfully conceived that I can’t ever really be mad at it, despite some flaws in its design.
In the game, you take on the role of Elliot and his friends working to get E.T. home via his spaceship. You’ll have to avoid the police, who are looking for you and the extraterrestrial, as well as assemble a phone to, well, phone home. There’s a decent amount of complexity going on in the game, too, which is a real treat.
7Mysterium
Spooky Scary
This cooperative game allows players to take on one of two roles. You either play as the ghost of a murdered person or a psychic detective who is trying to divine the cause of death for the lingering spirit. In the game, the ghost will take turns with players, handing out cryptic image cards to attempt to convey where they were killed and how.
This game is great for anyone who loves visual art, as the cards are simply gorgeous. Plus, the cooperative nature doesn’t sacrifice the thrill and risk of losing, as there’s a very strict time and round limit on this game. The last few turns can prove hair-raising if you play your cards right.
6The Forbidden Series
From Island To Sky
This series, which includes three games: Forbidden Island, Desert and Sky, allows players to take on the roles of explorers navigating through various terrains in pursuit of treasure and technology. In this game, you’ll race against the clock to either escape a sinking island, a tumultuous desert, or a base floating in the sky.
These games do get increasingly complicated as time goes on. Forbidden Sky, in particular, can prove taxing to even the most seasoned board game player. However, if you manage to find the time to play all three in one sitting, the results are well worth it.
5Pandemic
Maybe A Bit Too Real
Pandemic isa fantastically designed board gamein which players work together to combat a pandemic. It’s great to take on the roles of doctors fighting infectious diseases. Given recent years, it can also be a bit too real.
However, if you’re brave enough to dive into the game, the mechanics are fantastic and wonderfully in-depth. However, I will also highlight that this board game is definitely not for more casual players. You might want to run this game by your friends, though, before pitching it for your game night.
4Codenames Duet
Shhh…
This game is an offshoot of the classic Codenames game that allows you to play cooperatively as opposed to competitively. The only major change is that this game is a two-player variant, as opposed to the regular Codenames, which allows for a lot more flexibility in terms of player count.
In this version of the game, each player takes turns giving one-word codes to each other to reveal the location of agents on a grid. Just be careful not to accidentally reveal the assassin card, or you and your partner will suffer.
3Wavelength
Perfect For Parties
This is one of thosefantastic party gamesthat you may play endlessly. Yes, technically, there are a ton of rules you can implement to track points, or you can play it the way my friends and I play, which is completely haphazardly and borderline randomly. You can also technically play it competitively, but I think it’s much better if you just play it as a group.
In this game, you’ll be given a card that represents two opposites. For example, one card might read ‘commercial’ versus ‘artistic.’ Then, the person reading the card will give a clue that represents a point on the spectrum between those two ideas based on the location of an arrow on a wheel. The other players will then have to guess where on the spectrum the arrow lies. This game is very fight-inducing in the best way possible.
2Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
There’s Murder Afoot
Mystery games are one of my favorite subgenresof board games. With the increase in popularity of escape rooms, murder mystery parties, and more, this board game is fantastic for anyone who has a taste for true crime.
In this game, you’ll have the chance to work through a handful of different Sherlock Holmes-inspired murder mysteries. What’s most exciting about this game is that you’re given lots of interesting suspects, props, and more to investigate, which can make the game feel extremely tactile in some ways. And, if you don’t like gore, not all of the mysteries are murder-themed, which is fantastic.
1Concept
Think Carefully
Concept is an awesome game that, similar to Wavelength, has rules to play competitively, but in my opinion, is best done cooperatively. In this game, you’re given an extensive board with a variety of symbols on it, as well as a card with a clue on it. Your job is then to creatively use colored cubes and other tokens to explain your clue just by using conceptual imagery.
This means you’ll have to break down complex ideas or phrases like ‘the early bird gets the worm’ using a handful of rudimentary pictures and symbols. This game can prove incredibly stressful if your friends aren’t understanding your hints. But it’s also extremely rewarding if you get it right.
