Board games have become more popular than ever, especially given the wide range of options available. From intense, hours-long strategy games to quick party card games, players can find a game that matches their style easier than ever before.

While Game ZXC has already broken down our top board games of the year, this list is a great way to find the best stocking stuffer tabletop games and the coolest expansions that experienced board game players have been waiting for all year. Those who still need to pick up the perfect gift for their gaming friends and family are in luck, because all of these titles are sure to be a blast during holiday meetings and greetings!

  • Board game
    TIcket to Ride

    Ticket to Ride is a classic train collection and route-building game set in the Industrial-era USA. Each turn, players collect train cards, place tokens on the map to secure routes or opt to gain secret objectives. The game is a constant balance of trying to take on more to gain more points while also not attempting to do more than is possible.

    See at Amazon$44 at Walmart
  • Ticket to Ride Europe
    Ticket to Ride - Europe
    $35 $45 Save $10

    Ticket to Ride Europe takes players on a new train adventure through the great cities of turn-of-the-century Europe. With elegantly simple gameplay, Ticket to Ride can be learned in less than 15 minutes and enjoyed time and time again. This fun family board game for adults and kids can be played with 2 to 5 players, is suitable for ages 8 and up and takes 30 to 60 minutes to play.

    See at Amazon$35 at Walmart
  • wingspan
    wingspan
    $52 $60 Save $8

    This beautiful resource management game offers a unique look at ornithology with a shockingly high replay value. Players seek to discover and attract the best birds to their wildlife preserves. Each bird extends a chain of powerful combinations in one of your habitats (actions). Featuring delightful watercolor illustrations and real-world facts about dozens of species of birds, this board game is perfect for experienced tabletop players.

    See at Amazon$52 at Walmart
  • Wingspan Asia Expansion
    Wingspan Asia
    $36 $45 Save $9

    In the third expansion to Wingspan, players get a ton of content, including new, magnificent birds of Asia. This expansion also makes it easier for smaller and larger groups to play together. Wingspan Asia adds a stand-alone game for 1 player or 2 players and the new Flock mode, which allows up to 7 players at once. All in all, the game comes with dozens of new cards, new goal tiles, dice, and even a new duet map, among tons of other extras.

    See at Amazon$36 at Walmart
  • Flamecraft
    Flamecraft

    Flamecraft is a board game that allows up to 5 players to work with dragon artisans in a world of adorable magic. Players operate as Flamekeepers, gathering items, placing dragons, and playing cards to enhance the shops of the town. Competing to win over the hearts and minds of a town, this strategy game makes great use of shared engine building. The board and every card offer beautiful art and the wide variety of dragons and artisan roles makes this game perfect for many, many game nights.

    See at Amazon
  • Codenames
    Codenames
    $12 $16 Save $4

    Codenames is a social word game with a simple premise and challenging game play. Two rival spymasters know the secret identities of 25 agents. Their teammates know the agents only by their codenames. The teams compete to see who can make contact with all of their agents first. Spymasters give one-word clues that can point to multiple words on the table. Their teammates try to guess words of their color while avoiding those that belong to the opposing team.

    See at Amazon$12 at Walmart
  • Frosthaven
    Frosthaven

    Frosthaven is the follow-up to the smash-hit TTRPG Gloomhaven. Set in a small outpost far to the north of the capital city of White Oak, a group of mercenaries is tasked with averting the outpost's imminent doom. Dealing with the harsh elements and other dangerous threats, players must survive against the cold world of Frosthaven. Parties must work together and even with some of their enemies in order to defend against even more sinister threats.

    See at Amazon
  • Trekking The National Parks
    Trekking the National Parks

    Winner of the Mensa and Parent's Choice Awards, Trekking the National Parks is a family-oriented game that can entertain both kids and parents. Featuring charming illustrations, real-world facts about the U.S. National Parks and the wildlife that lives there, and encouraging discussions about the natural world, this game will engage most players regardless of their age. This game is perfect for adding to family game night, especially considering its moderately quick playtime.

    See at Amazon$80 at Walmart
  • Selfish Shipwrecked Edition
    Selfish: Shipwrecked Edition

    Selfish: Shipwrecked Edition turns players into castaways stranded out at sea with little hope of surviving. In fact, only one person can survive! As sharks and other dangers lurk closer towards players, it's every man for themselves, with only one rescue raft available. A quick and easy game to play, this competitive expansion of a wildly popular title is ready and waiting for ruthless friends and families to be completely selfish!

    See at Amazon
  • The Uk'otoa board game
    Uk'otoa Board Game

    Beware the eldritch beast whose name is only whispered for fear of incurring its wrath... Uk'otoa! From Darrington Press, this "Uk'otoa" board game is inspired by the horrifying demigod introduced in Critical Role Campaign 2. The game lets up to 5 players fight against the evil serpent in an epic battle at sea. It includes cards, tokens, and an impressive mini of the ferocious Uk'otoa himself.

    $30 At The Critical Role Store
  • Freelancers
    Freelancers

    Freelancers: A Crossroads Game condenses the fantasy RPG campaign experience into a single night of fun and mayhem. Players can create a character, roll funky dice, and blaze their way through multiple stories set in a world of magic, monsters, and murder. No game master is required, as a magical companion app does all the storytelling for you! This immersive game is fully voiced by industry-leading audio too! Explore hundreds of branching paths in five highly replayable campaigns. Mix and match a multitude of species and jobs to build a unique character. This game is easy to pick up and play, offering simple rules, low commitment, and no prep.

    See at Amazon
  • A Bob's Burgers Clue board game
    Clue Bob's Burgers Board Game

    A new take on an old classic, table-top lovers can play their very own Bob'sBurgers version of the board game "Clue." In this special edition, players will take on a murder mystery to figure out who killed "Ned Boddy." Was it one of the Belchers, or was it Teddy? In which room of the Belcher apartment did the foul deed take place? Fans will have to play to find out!

    $40 At Amazon$40 At Walmart

How to Choose the Best Board Games

Picking out a board game can be challenging, especially if the person buying it has never played the game before. However, there are a few things to keep in mind while shopping that can pretty well safeguard against a bad purchase:

  • How many players can participate? Consider how many people will be enjoying the game or whether the gift recipient has a group to play games with.
  • How long is the estimated playtime? Some players only want to play quick games, while others enjoy a mix of short and long playtimes.
  • How complex is the game? Experienced players tend to enjoy any level of tabletop gaming, but new or younger players will have more fun with a game that’s less complicated than others.

Best Budget Board Game

This game is pretty simple, consisting of only a handful of cards with basic words on them, but it’s an absolute blast at parties! Perfect for close friends and family, this game relies on players hinting at each other using references, shared knowledge, or any other clues that are exclusive to the various players at the table.

Normally, the game is listed under $30, but for a limited time it’s on sale for just $12 at multiple retailers. This extremely fun game is the best thing to bring to holiday dinners and can be an excellent gift for D&D groups who are always trying to find fun warm-up games. This affordable game can be bought almost as an afterthought and stuffed into the stocking of someone special.

Best Premium Board Game

The follow-up to the smash hit tabletop RPG Gloomhaven, Frosthaven is just as in-depth as its predecessor. Still packaged in an absolute behemoth of a box, this present won’t be hidden under the tree for long. Frosthaven promises even more adventures, with dozens of unique paths for each one!

Tabletop gaming groups who enjoyed Gloomhaven are going to love Frosthaven just as much, making it a pretty sure-fire way to please a board game geek! Of course, the price tag is nothing to balk at, given that it’s nearly $200. However, the game is designed for groups to be able to play over the course of multiple years, so the high price tag does actually offer quite the value by the end of a campaign. Frosthaven is a lauded TTRPG for a reason, and any gamer with their eyes set on it would be delighted to receive it as a gift.

Editor’s Choice Board Game

This adorable game about artisan dragons has won hearts and minds across the globe, thanks to the wildly successful Kickstarter campaign that launched the game originally. A somewhat straightforward resource management game, Flamecraft uses a number of unique mechanics to show off their specialty dragons.

The game runs pretty quickly once players know what they’re doing, but with tons of dragon and shopkeeper cards available to play, each session can feel like a whole new experience! The game is also seriously affordable, especially considering how many high-quality pieces it comes with. Plus, with such a wide appeal and easy to learn rules, the game is perfect for everyone from kids to grandparents!