ARTICLE AD BOX
If the suggestion of playing a board game sends a wave of groans around the living room, then you’ve come to the right place. There is, believe it or not, a game out there that can have even the pickiest family member hooked, and we’re here to help you find it.
From modern twists on time-tested classics (think, a more collaborative version of Scrabble), to games for the pop culture experts and music buffs of the family, the best board games have the power to get everyone off their phones, around the table, and engaged in some fun (and healthy) competition, whether it’s for a fun and furious game or an all-nighter.
We’ve tested a huge range of board games to see which ones really cut the (Colonel) mustard, so you can round up your nearest and dearest, open the snacks, and get stuck in.
How we tested
We turned our kitchen into a board game café and worked our way through a mountain of games over the course of several weeks. To test the family friendliness of each game, our testers ranged from children to grandparents, and we only selected games that were enjoyed by all.
To whittle down our shortlist, we looked for games that were still enjoyable after the first game – no one-hit wonders here – and didn’t baffle everyone with overly complex rules.
Bonus points were awarded to games that could be played within minutes of opening the box because nobody wants to spend hours faffing about when victory is at stake.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Katie Gregory has been writing product reviews for IndyBest since 2021. She specialises in kids products and homeware, having tested everything from kids luggage to bedroom furniture, kitchen appliances and more. Katie has also played and appraised the best card games, and we'd recommend checking out her recommendations for more games night must-haves.
The best family board games for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Outsmarted: £31.95, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Blokus: £19.94, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for an all-night game – Catan: £36, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for big groups – Herd Mentality: The udderly addictive family board game: £19.74, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for kids – 13 Beavers: £19.99, Amazon.co.uk
English (US) ·