When the screen time's up and you need a satisfyingly escapist experience without the glow, board games are your answer. Thankfully, a plethora of board game adaptations of popular video games exist, offering everything from sprawling campaigns to quick party games. Whether you crave extended adventures or a fast-paced challenge, these board games let you continue inhabiting your favorite virtual worlds—but without the tech.
TL;DR – Top Video Game Board Games
Fallout
Slay the Spire
Bloodborne
Resident Evil 2
Pac-Man
Tetris
Dark Souls: The Board Game: Tomb of Giants
Cuphead: Fast Rolling Dice Game
The Oregon Trail
Fallout
Fallout: The Board Game
Players: 1-4
Age Range: 14+
Play Time: 2-3 hours
$44.49 at Amazon (36% off $69.99)
Following the success of Amazon's Fallout series, explore the Wasteland from your kitchen table. Choose from various scenarios dictating map setup. Like Bethesda's RPGs, you'll uncover the map, develop skills, battle irradiated foes, interact with factions, and complete quests, all while vying for Wasteland control. Immersive and detailed, perfect for lengthy sessions.
Slay the Spire: The Board Game
See it at Contention Games
Players: 1-4
Age Range: 12+
Play Time: 45 minutes
A superb board game adaptation, Slay the Spire mirrors its digital counterpart. Players choose a hero and embark on a roguelike deck-building ascent of the Spire. Select from various rooms—encounters, elites, events, campfires, treasure, the merchant, and the final boss—each impacting gameplay. The roguelike nature ensures hours of replayability with diverse character builds and item combinations. (Read our review for more details.)
Bloodborne: The Board Game
See it at Amazon
Players: 2-4
Age Range: 14+
Play Time: 60-90 minutes
Become a Hunter, battling the evil plaguing Yharnam. Bloodborne's modular map offers endless replayability. Hundreds of cards, tokens, and miniatures create an immersive, macabre adventure testing your skills and decision-making as you uncover secrets and fight the plague. The highly detailed miniatures enhance the experience.
Resident Evil 2: The Board Game
See it at Amazon
Players: 1-4
Age Range: 12+
Play Time: 90-120 minutes
A successful adaptation, Resident Evil 2 (arguably the best in the series) sees players cooperatively control Leon or Claire, battling zombies to escape in various scenarios. Collect weapons, items, and keys, evade the undead, and solve puzzles. Use iconic ink ribbons and typewriters to influence gameplay.
Pac-Man: The Board Game
See it at Amazon
Players: 2-5
Age Range: 10+
Play Time: 30 minutes
Buffalo Games brings the arcade classic to the table. Play cooperatively or competitively: Pac-Man navigates the maze, gobbling pellets and fruit, while ghost players try to catch him. Four metal tiles form the board, requiring initial setup, but subsequent games are quick. The Pac-Man figure even makes the iconic "waka waka" sound!
Tetris Board Game
See it at Amazon
Players: 2-4
Age Range: 8+
Play Time: 20-30 minutes
Another Buffalo Games creation, Tetris is a head-to-head game where players maneuver tetriminos to achieve the highest score. The next piece is displayed, allowing strategic planning. Earn points by completing lines, matching pieces to symbols, and achieving specific goals. Quick setup and play make it ideal for parties and younger players.
Dark Souls: The Board Game - Tomb of Giants
See it at Amazon
Players: 1-3
Age Range: 14+
Play Time: 90-120 minutes
A standalone adventure perfect for newcomers, Tomb of Giants is set in the infamous location from the video games. Choose a class and gear, navigate the catacombs, battle enemies, and rest at bonfires. Limited actions demand careful choices. Faithful to the source material, with punishing combat and RPG elements. Includes new characters and cards compatible with other Dark Souls board games.
Cuphead: Fast Rolling Dice Game
Players: 1-4
Age Range: 8+
Play Time: 30-45 minutes
$46.88 at Amazon (22% off $59.99)
A fast-paced cooperative game where you defeat bosses using dice-based mechanics. Setup is simple; the boss deck remains consistent. Choose from Cuphead, Mugman, Ms. Chalice, or Elder Kettle. Timed rounds and upgradeable abilities offer high replay value. (See our review for more details.)
The Oregon Trail Card Game
See it at Amazon
Players: 2-6
Age Range: 12+
Play Time: 30-45 minutes
Experience the thrill (and peril) of The Oregon Trail. Players cooperate to reach Oregon without dying. Quick gameplay, but deaths are frequent due to "Calamity" cards. Win by playing fifty trail cards. A fun, albeit luck-based, recreation of the classic game.
