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Card games and board games have never been more popular and have given new meaning to quality family time. When you have run out of TV to watch, are tired of mindlessly scrolling Instagram, and simply cannot read another book, a challenging and fun board game with friends and family will never disappoint.
Below are a few young adult and teen board games that can really encompass all age ranges. Included is an award-winning strategic card-based game involving unicorns and another fast-paced strategy-based game about surviving and killing zombies.
Also included are some fun games that may be a blast from the past in the form of a song game where talent is not required and a classic game of Trouble that still holds up and will be a ton of fun for a new generation.
Detailing Our Favorite Young Adult Teen Board Games of 2024
CASHFLOW Young Adult Teen Board Game — Best Overall
With the CASHFLOW Board Game, you can explore the world of stock investing, real estate investing, and business building as a team. It's a fantastic way to introduce financial concepts and encourage discussions about money management within the family. Designed for up to six players aged 14 and up, the game is both accessible and enjoyable. Its colorful design and straightforward rules make it easy to learn and engage with, even for those new to financial concepts.
While some basic math skills are needed, you can always use extra sheets of paper to simplify calculations and enhance the gameplay experience. This board game for young adult teens is the best overall choice for a fun and educational evening with the family, fostering financial literacy and bonding simultaneously.
Pros
- Ideal for family bonding and quality time
- Learn essential financial skills together
- Suitable for up to six players, aged 14 and up
Cons
- Requires basic math skills for play
Unstable Unicorns Card Game — Most Exciting
This strategic card game is about destruction and unicorns. The goal is to be the first person to collect seven unicorns in your play area by using the available cards to hinder your opponents’ progress and ultimately destroy their unicorns. This game is ideal for ages 14+, takes 30-45 minutes to play, and is ideal for 2-8 players.
Pros
- This game won the 2019 People’s Choice Award for Toy of the Year
Cons
- The instructions may be slightly complicated upon first play
Spontuneous – The Song Game – Sing It or Shout It — Best for Big Families
Talent is not required for this family board game. Great for family game night and parties with friends, this game is simple to play and requires one player to say a word while the other players race to sing a song containing that word. The first player who starts singing must sing a minimum of five words containing the trigger word to score. This award-winning game is ideal for ages 8 and up with no singing skills needed.
Pros
- This game is perfect for small or large groups and can be played by children, teenagers, adults, and friends
Cons
- This game should be played with more than two players
Wit's End Board Game — Honorable Mention
This challenging and entertaining trivia game will test your knowledge and engage how you think through some fun problem-solving. In addition to trivia, this game will make you think with its brain teasers and riddles in a bunch of diverse categories and has you answering questions in four different categories. This game is played on a board and comes with 1200 mind-bending questions.
Pros
- This game contains easy and challenging questions
Cons
- If you do not like challenging trivia games, another option might be better
Tiny Epic Zombies Strategy Board Game — Contender
This epic board game features five different play modes with the goal of killing zombies and trying to escape them. Easy to learn with a quick setup, this game functions as an exciting fantasy cooperative or a competitive defense board game with players working together to become heroes and defeat the zombie outbreak. This is the type of game where you are in control of the narrative and you may never play the same game twice.
Pros
- This game can work for up to five players and can be just as fun and challenging with one
Cons
- This game has a slight learning curve
Winning Moves Games Classic Trouble Board Game — Also Consider
If this game looks at all familiar, then you will have no problem understanding what it is about. This is the classic board game where the goal is to be the first player to remove all four of your pegs around the board and into the “finish” area. The sounds of the familiar dice popper might bring you or your friends back to their childhood and since it works for ages 5 and up, a new generation of Trouble lovers may emerge.
Pros
- This game comes fully assembled with instructions
Cons
- The dice popper might take a little getting used to
Quoridor by GIGAMIC — Another Option
If you prefer a fast-moving abstract strategy game that has a short playing time of 15 minutes, this classic game is a great option. The goal of the game is to reach your opponent’s side of the board by either placing pawns or walls to slow them down. This board game also comes with an attractive wooden game board and its simple rules allow you to start playing it quickly while teaching others to play just as easily.
Pros
- This game encourages analytical and logistical thinking as well as math-minded strategy
Cons
- If you prefer long-playing games another option might be better
Buying Guide: Young Adult Teen Board Games
Why Is It Good to Play Board Games?
Board games form an excellent source of entertainment and fun. You can spend consecutive hours arranging words, finding the right cards, defeating players, and whatnot. But, while fun is one fundamental benefit, there are several other amazing reasons why teens and young adults should play board games. These include:
Reconnects with family and friends
The board games involve a minimum of two or three players. Also, these games require cooperation and teamwork amongst players to proceed forward. Hence, playing board games helps teens spend quality time with like-minded individuals and improve relationships.
Improves brain function
It doesn’t matter whether you’re playing a card or dice board game. Playing it stimulates specific areas of your brain that are responsible for cognitive thinking and memory formation. Thus, playing forms a brain exercise and improves its functionality.
Teaches strategy-building
Every board game declares one of the players a winner and the rest losers. This particular design encourages young minds to create unique and effective strategies that ensure success. It also changes their mindset into a growth-focused one.
Elevates mood
Playing board games also stimulates the release of happy hormones in the human body. The endorphins make you feel better and more content. You will notice a happier and more cheerful mood in regular board game players.
Reduces stress
The board games provide a healthy distraction to young minds from academic stress, peer pressure, and other issues. Playing and laughing together helps ease their stress. In return, lowered stress levels improve focus, attention, and overall well-being.
Features of a Quality Board Game
Indeed, playing board games does have countless benefits. But, different games tend to offer these benefits to different extents. A high-quality board game will provide benefits to their maximum, whereas a low-quality game won't.
You can assess a board game's quality by looking for certain features. These include; originality, equal opportunity, reasonable waiting times, and creative control. Let's explore each one in detail!
Originality
The game should possess a unique and interesting design. It should be a spin-off of a popular game or incorporate common game elements. These features can make the game boring quickly.
Equal opportunity
The board game should provide equal winning chances to all the players at the beginning. No player should get an advantage or disadvantage. Otherwise, unfair rules can make remaining players lose interest.
Reasonable waiting times
Long periods of wait and inactivity kill the vibe of the game. Thus, a board game's design should ensure that players get reasonable waiting times. For example, chess provides sufficient wait time to plan your next move and not get bored.
Creative control
Chance-driven board games keep the players in anticipation of who will win and lose. But, if a game is not chance-based, it should provide players with some creative control to stay entertained.
This particular control gives the feel of playing the game and not getting played by the game. Hence, all quality board games (not chance-based) either allow players to affect the direction or progress.
What Are the Different Types of Board Games?
Contrary to this belief, it’s possible to group board games into specific categories depending on their work mechanism. Here are the most common types of board games:
Area control
Board games that feature maps or defined spaces for which players compete are area control games. Typically, you have to add your pieces to those regions or remove opponent pieces. At times, players may have to take control by denying access to others.
Drafting
The drafting refers to a board game that offers a set of options to the players. These options may be in the form of dice and cards. You have to select one and leave the rest for others.
In certain games, drafting forms a small segment. For example, you may have to choose an ability or power for the round using drafting.
Roll-and-move
The roll-and-move is a traditional style of a board game that involves one or more dice. You have to throw the dice and move spaces accordingly. The pattern continues until the players complete the track from start to finish. There might be specific actions in between the tracks. A player has to perform these actions if his piece lands on it.
Eurogame
The Eurogames first popped up in Europe, or more specifically Germany. These board games focus more on strategy building and competition. There is little chance-driven winning in this type.
How to Choose the Right Board Game for Teens?
There are hundreds of different board games present for teens and young adults in the market. But, not all are the perfect choice for your particular needs. Hence, to find the best one, we need to consider the following factors when choosing:
Theme
Most board games revolve around a specific theme, such as Harry Potter and Marvel. If your kid is passionate about any theme, try to find relevant board games. However, do not compromise on the quality of a board game for the theme.
Age limit
Teen board games are the ones targeted at children between the ages of 12 to 19. But, even in this range, certain board games will target specific ages. These games get designed according to the mental maturity and development of the child at that age. And so, the players are able to understand and handle the game without worries. They do not feel burdened or stressed while playing. So, it's best to purchase a board game designed for your teen's specific age.
Number of players
Different board games require different numbers of players. On average, the lowest number required is 2, and the highest is 10. Choose a board game for a large number of players if you've more teens at home, and vice versa.
Build quality
The game should include boards and components made from high-grade plastic material. These items are durable and damage-resistant so that your teens can play for a long time. Please avoid purchasing board games with glass components since they are easy to break.
