Gone are the days when families and friends used to gather around the table to play board games. An impressive array of popular digital board games has given a whole new dimension to the old hobby.
The best board game apps don’t only provide challenges, teach strategies, and connect players around the world, but they are also extremely convenient. You can play right at home or on the go, games take less time to play, and they don’t require any set-up. And the best part: no need to clean up the table after the game.
From classic adaptations to new games, we’ve compiled a list of the top 20 mobile board games for you to play.
Top 20 Board Games For Mobile
1. Ticket to Ride
Price: $6.99 iOS | $5.99 Android
Age: 4+
Ticket to Ride is one of the most popular digital board games today. Although it’s quite simple, it allows for a variety of strategies that make it a fun phone board game to play. Ticket to Ride can be set up as a long term game, lasting for up to 15 days, or real-time game of less than 10-minute spans.
Getting started with Ticket to Ride is straightforward: you play sets of matching colored cards in order to place your trains on the map and create a route. The amount of points you gain for each route depends on its length. The goal is to complete as many routes as possible and outscore the opponent. While the base app contains only the original Ticket to Ride USA map and card set, you can purchase additional maps and cards.
2. Sentinels of the Multiverse
Price: $6.99 iOS | $7.99 Android
Age: 12+
Sentinels of the Multiverse is a delightful digital adaptation of the comic-book themed multiplayer board game. It’s definitely a must-have in everyone’s digital board games collection.
Players act as comic book heroes. They join forces to combat a villain and save the Multiverse. The rules of the game are simple: play a card, use a power (some powers can change the rules of the game), and draw a new card.
Among the many great features of this top-quality virtual board game are: the original music with ambient tracks for each environment, an intricate artwork, as well as more than 9,000 battles to choose from.
3. Star Realms
Price: Free iOS | Android
Age: 4+
Star Realms, a sci-fi battle card game, is with no doubt one of the best online board games on the market. It’s a popular two-player deck-building game where you face your opponent in a race to reduce each other’s Authority to zero. Once you’re familiar with all the rules and app controls, this addictive game will take around 10 minutes to play.
Star Realms has a robust set of offline modes, but also some of the best online multiplayer implementations for virtual board games. There are two options: choose your opponent by username or accept random matchmaking. In any case, you’ll be sure to enjoy this endlessly entertaining mobile board game for hours on end.
4. Ascension
Devices: Free iOS | Android
Age: 9+
Ascension is a deck-building digital board game for 2 to 4 players, where you battle against the Fallen One for honor and victory. Ascension is a perfect strategy game for beginners and experienced gamers alike. Depending on player count, it takes between 10 and 30 minutes to play. Some of the game’s highlights are its beautifully designed hand-drawn cards, elaborate introductory tutorial, as well as several expansions available as in-app purchases.
5. Shards of Infinity
Price: $7.99 iOS | $8.99 Android
Age: 9+
Shards of Infinity is Ascension’s follow-up phone board game. The Infinity Engine was shattered and its shards have destroyed most of the world: the players have to gather forces, defeat adversaries, and rebuild the Infinity Engine. A big plus for this addictive multiplayer board game is Mastery, where players can build experience points to make the cards more powerful. Playing time is around 30 minutes.
6. Le Havre – Best Mobile Board Games
Price: $4.99 iOS | $2.99 Android
Age: 4+
An adaptation of the popular traditional board game, Le Havre is one of the best online games. Construct buildings and ships to support the shipping empire, collect resources for new buildings while paying your workers and saving up for ships. There are 3 play modes: solo, solitaire or against AI of varying degrees of difficulty. Unlike many other digital board games, this is not an easy one to start with. An in-depth tutorial and in-game hints help you develop a strategy for the game. In addition, Le Havre boasts an eye-catching design and replicates the art from the original board game.
7. Through the Ages
Price: $9.99 iOS | $9.99 Android
Age: 12+
This classic civilization pass n play game is among the best board games for mobile. Providing the ultimate online board game experience, it’s a must-have for all board game lovers out there. To play, you begin with a small tribe, then expand your farms and mines and lay the groundwork for technological advancements, as you ultimately guide your civilization to greatness. The game includes a funny,engaging tutorial, and the choice to follow the original or digital version rules.
8. Patchwork – Best Mobile Board Games
Price: $3.99 iOS | $2.99 Android
Age: 4+
Patchwork, a Tetris-like puzzle game, is one of the best two-player board games apps on the market. The game is fairly simple: players choose the best-suited pieces of quilting fabric in different shapes, that need to fit into a 9×9 grid. The game has a great interface and includes both pass n play and online multiplayer options. Although easy to start with, it requires quite a lot of strategy, making it the perfect game for players of all levels.
9. Race for the Galaxy
Price: $6.99 iOS | $7.99 Android
Age: 9+
Race for the Galaxy is an addictive strategy phone board game that you’ll play over and over again. You are invited to build space empires by inhabiting planets and developing technologies. The app includes an excellent tutorial comprising several training missions, an introduction to various concepts of the game, and numerous in-app rule explanations to help you out during the game.
10. Terra Mystica
Price: $9.99 iOS | $9.99 Android
Age: 4+
Terra Mystica, one of the best board games online, is a successful adaptation of a long-standing favorite board game. The game principle is simple: 14 races are fighting against their opponents to gain power and territory. Players have to use their resources wisely to gain supremacy and lead their settlers to victory.
The game is easy to learn due to the high-quality interactive tutorial. You can play against other players or challenge the computer opponents. One of the best perks of Terra Mystica is game replays, which allow to analyze the best games and learn tricks from other players.
11. Carcassonne – Best Mobile Board Games
Price: $9.99 iOS | $3.99 Android
Age: 4+
Carcassonne is a famous award-winning board game, and it comes as no surprise that its digital version is one of the very best online board games. Carcassonne is played by placing tiles and game pieces to create a medieval world, complete with towns, roads, and fields. You earn points as you complete structures. Play this fast and fun game against up to 4 human or AI opponents. Although the game is simple, it is still challenging and requires a great amount of strategy.
12. Card Thief
Price: $2.99 iOS | Free Android
Age: 12+
Card Thief is a solitaire style virtual board game. To play, move through a deck of cards as a stealthy thief. You have to sneak in the shadows, pickpocket guards and steal treasures without getting caught. You can then use stolen goods to unlock cards and become a skillful master thief. Card Thief is a fun and quick game, lasting for only 2-3 minutes.
13. MONOPOLY Bingo!
Price: Free iOS | Android
Age: 17+
MONOPOLY Bingo! digital board game keeps all the thrill and visuals of the old favorite, adding a new dimension of excitement and fun. This fast-paced game combines classic Monopoly rules with bingo boards. Among many features of MONOPOLY Bingo! it’s worth mentioning mini games, a great variety of properties and areas to choose from, and excellent graphics.
14. Forbidden Island
Price: $4.99 iOS
Age: 9+
A popular phone board game, Forbidden Island is a thrilling adventure based on the best-selling classic game. This is a cooperative strategy game at its best. The goal is to capture the four ancient treasures hidden on a sinking island. The interface of this equally challenging and rewarding game is appealing too, and the graphics successfully reproduce the look and feel of the original game.
15. Fleet Battle: Battleships – Best Mobile Board Games
Price: Free iOS | Android
Age: 4+
If you are looking for an addictive and entertaining pass n play game, look no further. Fleet Battle includes all the elements that made its classic counterpart so popular. You’re in charge of the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, a sailor on a patrol boat, or the captain of a submarine. As you defeat the ships, you rise through the ranks, from Seaman Recruit to Admiral of the Navy. It’s worth noting that although the strategy is the same as in the classic version, the digital game is somewhat more violent.
The game comes with a set of features like quick-match mode, 3D ships, and free chat. Add to this some great graphics and sounds and lots of game modes, and you get a perfect phone board game to entertain you for hours.
16. Galaxy Trucker
Price: $4.99 iOS | $4.99 Android
Age: 9+
Galaxy Trucker stands among the very best of board games online. Join the race to build the best ship to navigate a series of adventures. The winner is the player who makes it to the end of the game with their ship intact. The game takes 5-15 minutes to play.
You can compete online and play several games at the same time. Multiplayer in Galaxy Trucker is full of great features, such as the abundance of AI options and levels, a robust online user base and numerous expansions. In addition, it’s beautifully executed, duplicating the look of the physical game.
17. Catan Universe – Best Mobile Board Games
Price: Free Android
Age: 4+
This family-friendly pass n play game is among the best board game apps out there. The app allows you to play both the classic board game, including a number of expansions, and the two-player card game.
Catan is a trading game in which players race to accumulate victory points. You can earn scrolls which enables you to unlock expansions for 24 hours, and try them out before deciding on a purchase. The game visuals of Catan Universe are outstanding and include the 3D viewpoint, plus the possibility to choose the view from any angle, also from above.
18. Pictionary Air
Price: Free iOS | Android
Age: 4+
Pictionary Air is a fun twist on the classic family game. Draw in the air, point the in-app camera at the illustrator and the drawing appears on the screen of your smart device. Your teammates have to guess the images that appear on the screen, and the team with the most points wins. The easy-to-use app lets you record your performance and play it back for even more laughs in between rounds.
19. Lost Cities – Best Mobile Board Games
Price: $3.99 iOS
Age: 4+
Lost Cities is a two-player card game that takes you on a journey to undiscovered countries and mythical places. The goal is to take profitable expeditions to the lost cities: the Himalayas, the Brazilian Rainforest, the Desert Sands, the Ancient Volcanoes and Neptune’s Realm. The key features of the game are: online matches, 4 different AI players with their own skill levels and playing styles, an interactive tutorial and beautiful soundtrack, all of which make it one of the best digital board games to play.
20. Small World 2
Price: $4.99 iOS
Age: 9+
Based on the successful board game, Small World 2 lets you race to grab all the land you can in a world that’s too small to share. This action-packed virtual board game features playing online games in real-time or solo against up to 4 built-in AI, a well-executed video tutorial, as well as fantastic sound effects, graphics, and animations.
For more top 20 mobile gaming reviews, do check out Cellular News’s dedicated mobile gaming page.
