

Through battle and negotiation, you'll try to be the first player to land on five planets outside your own system. If you like "Monopoly" because you want to crush the opposition through negotiation and manipulation, "Cosmic Encounter" might be the game for you. Want to play a game of more strategic manipulation and negotiation? "Cosmic Encounter" is a good fit. Can you sneak contraband past the sheriff and can you catch everyone else trying to do the same to you? Or will you fall for other players' bluffs? It's all about you trying to pull a fast one on the other players. If you didn't lie, the sheriff pays up instead. If you lied about what's in your bag and they inspect it, you'll have to pay up.

"Sheriff of Nottingham" is one fun, engaging option.Įach player is a merchant bringing goods into town, with a sheriff getting a chance to interrogate you and potentially inspect your bag of goods. If you like "Monopoly" because it gives you a chance to sit around for a few hours with your friends and family, your options are wide and varied. Want to play a game where you trick your family and friends? Try "Sheriff of Nottingham." Here are some options that might fare better during game night. As a result, it's rarely enjoyed by more than one player in any given game. Sure, it's a game about real estate, but it's also a game about tricking your siblings into believing your made-up rules as you crush their spirits. Replacing a game like "Monopoly" isn't an easy, straightforward thing. If you are the most dominant over the course of the game, which lasts a set number of rounds, you'll win. But don't worry - when that happens, you can spend your turn to switch to another combination instead of placing your troops on the map. Over time, your power will wane as you run out of troops. If you're looking for world domination where you're trying to wipe out the opposition - you know, just like "Risk" - check out "Small World." You start by selecting one race with a unique special power, which you use to spread your troops and influence across the map. Want something similar to "Risk" but with a shorter timeframe and more flexibility? Try "Small World." To succeed, you'll need to earn the most points through a variety of methods, from completing quests, to winning battles, to growing the popularity of your faction. You and your crew of workers and large robot mechs aren't fighting for control of the entire map, just certain areas where you can gather the resources you need. "Scythe," one of the more popular designer board games of the last five years, is as much about warfare as it is about farming and mining. Instead, you focus on establishing positions of strength across the map before your opponents can do the same. Unlike "Risk," there are several distinct victory conditions, so you don't have to focus on simply eliminating the opposition. Like "Risk ," Inis" is a game in which you play as a leader of a clan fighting for control of a map. Want to dominate everyone on a map? Try "Inis." It's cutthroat and tense, but it's also a game where a few lucky dice rolls can change the course of your battles.


One of the most renowned games to ever appear on a family table, you probably best recall "Risk" as a game that takes hours to complete. We offer the following 12 board games that can replace these four classics at your table. If you're looking to add some variety to your game nights or to just play something more modern, there is no shortage of good options. But even these golden oldies can sometimes get, well, old. Classic board games are written in the annals of every family game night.Īnd of all the classics, "Risk" "Monopoly" "Stratego" and "Scrabble" are the quadfecta of board games that have withstood the test of time.
