With the highly anticipated two-part finale of Stranger Things season 4 just around the corner, fans may want to sink their teeth into experiences that capture the magic of the series. Fortunately, the realm of tabletop gaming offers experiences that evoke elements from the show and the essence of working together to vanquish evil.
Although Dungeons and Dragons would be the standard go-to option as it is featured and referenced significantly throughout the show, the game may not be accessible to most people. The RPG requires a good dungeon master(DM) familiar with the D&D material and effective at leading a session.
In addition to this, players will need considerable time to commit to a campaign (though one-shot sessions are available) and for some, the game can appear to have a steep learning curve. Thankfully, there are other board games available that don’t require a DM and offer a more accessible and streamlined experience that recreates the Stranger Things experience.
4 The Snallygaster Situation: Kids On Bikes Board Game Is Stranger Things In A Box
Based on the RPG Kids on Bikes,The Snallygaster Situation will feel all too familiar to fans of Stranger Things. Set in the quiet town of Lakeview, players will drop into the shoes of normal kids who feel that something is off. Strange things have been happening: weird sounds echo through the nights and the new kid at school has vanished. It may seem far-fetched and bizarre but a monster may be on the loose. Scratch that, it's definitely on the loose.
Up to 5 ‘kids’ will investigate the town for clues on their bikes whilst evading the monster, condescending adults, and federal agents who will hamper any progress. What’s cooler is that 1 player takes on the role of the lost kid and will have to lay down breadcrumbs for the other players to follow.
However, the lost kid must choose their clues carefully as playing a helpful clue can potentially put another player in danger. Once the lost kid has been found, all players will team up to finally defeat the monster. With up to 4 monsters ranging in difficulty to choose from, no other board game comes close to recreating a Stranger Things experience than this one.
3 Elder Sign Adds A Nice Shot Of Cthulu
Elder Sign dials it back to the roaring 20s. In this game, players take on the role of investigators who must prevent a Lovecraftian entity from another dimension from entering the world. To succeed, players must locate the necessary Eldritch symbols needed to seal the various portals that will allow the entity to come through.
Armed with the necessary tools, occult knowledge, and allies, (as well as dice) players must race against the clock to prevent the advent of the Elder Being. Should players fail to seal up the portals, they must then band together to defeat and vanquish the Ancient One to win. A cooperative experience that cleverly weaves dice into its theme, fans of Stranger Things can enjoy this tense experience in a session that lasts about 2 hours.
2 Eldritch Horror Is A Globetrotting Lovecraftian Adventure/Nightmare
Another Lovecraftian coop board game experience, Eldritch Horror replaces the idea of kids needing to protect their town from extradimensional monsters with investigators having to protect the fate of the world from eldritch entities. Players will once again don the robes of investigators who will travel the world to unravel clues or fight off pesky cults to prevent and weaken the arrival of the elder being.
The game can be described as a mashup of Stranger Things and Indiana Jones, players will get to build their narrative experiences with encounter cards, thus making sure that every game will be different. With several investigators and Lovecraftian entities to choose from and multiple expansions, Eldritch Horror is the epitome of allies banding together to vanquish strange and terrifying horrors from the beyond.
1 Escape From Aliens In Outer Space Parallels Escaping From The Upside Down
Escape from Aliens in Outer Spaceis a card game that utilizes strategy and bluffing with elements of social deduction and hidden movement. The ship’s power has been knocked out plunging everything into darkness but what’s worse is that a strange and horrifying parasite is turning the crew into flesh-hungry monsters.
Players will take on the role of surviving crewmembers and voracious alien monstrosities. Each player receives an identical map sheet and pencil and will take turns making movements. Crew members must find the escape hatches whilst monsters must devour all life on board. Some areas on the map are dangerous but necessary to move forward and will require players to draw a card that may reveal their position or allow them to lie about it depending on the card.
As each player’s identity is kept secret, players will need to read into the movements and behaviors of other players to know their exact nature and location on the map. Tense and fast-paced, this game evokes the idea of players trapped within the Upside Down with a dash of mistrust as others could secretly be terrors from the beyond.