The Best Board Games Based on Video Games That Are Actually Worth Playing

When the screen's glare becomes too much, and you need a break from the digital world, board games offer a fantastic alternative for satisfying that urge to play and escape. Fortunately, numerous board games draw inspiration from popular video games, providing engaging experiences for all kinds of players. Whether you crave a lengthy campaign or a quick party game, these adaptations will keep you immersed in your favorite virtual worlds, even without a screen.

TL;DR – These Are the Best Video Game Board Games

• Fallout
• Slay the Spire
• Bloodborne
• Resident Evil 2
• Pac-Man
• Tetris
• Dark Souls: The Board Game: Tomb of Giants
• Cuphead: Fast Rolling Dice Game
• The Oregon Trail
• Fallout

Fallout: The Board Game

Players: 1-4 Age Range: 14+ Play Time: 2-3 hours

Following the success of Amazon's Fallout series, explore the Wasteland from the comfort of your kitchen table. Choose from various scenarios dictating the map setup. Like Bethesda's RPGs, players uncover the map, develop skills, battle irradiated enemies, interact with factions, and complete quests, vying for Wasteland dominance. Immersive and detailed, this game is perfect for extended sessions.

Slay the Spire: The Board Game

Players: 1-4 Age Range: 12+ Play Time: 45 minutes

A superb board game adaptation, Slay the Spire faithfully recreates the digital experience. Players choose a hero and embark on a roguelike deck-building adventure through the Spire. Navigate various rooms – encounters, elites, events, campfires, treasure, merchants, and the final boss – each impacting gameplay. The roguelike nature ensures countless hours of replayability as players experiment with different characters, builds, and items.

Read our Slay the Spire: The Board Game review for more details.

Bloodborne: The Board Game

Players: 2-4 Age Range: 14+ Play Time: 60-90 minutes

Become a Hunter and combat the evil plaguing Yharnam. Bloodborne's modular map tiles offer endless replayability, with no two sessions exactly alike. Featuring numerous cards, tokens, and miniatures, this gothic adventure tests skill and decision-making as players uncover secrets and fight the plague. Highly detailed miniatures enhance immersion.

Resident Evil 2: The Board Game

Players: 1-4 Age Range: 12+ Play Time: 90-120 minutes

A successful adaptation, Resident Evil 2's cooperative gameplay lets players control Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield, battling zombies to escape. Collect weapons, items, and keys, navigate the environment, evade the undead, and solve puzzles. Even iconic ink ribbons and typewriters are featured.

Pac-Man: The Board Game

Players: 2-5 Age Range: 10+ Play Time: 30 minutes

This classic arcade game gets a tabletop revival. Play cooperatively or competitively. Pac-Man navigates the maze, eating pellets and fruit, while ghost players try to catch him. Played on four metal tiles, setup is straightforward, with quick subsequent games. The Pac-Man figure even makes its iconic sound!

Tetris Board Game

Players: 2-4 Age Range: 8+ Play Time: 20-30 minutes

A competitive Tetris experience where players maneuver, rotate, and drop tetrominos for the highest score. The next piece is displayed, allowing strategic planning. Earn points by completing lines, matching pieces to symbols, and achieving specific goals. Quick setup and play time make it ideal for parties and younger players.

Dark Souls: The Board Game - Tomb of Giants

Players: 1-3 Age Range: 14+ Play Time: 90-120 minutes

A standalone adventure perfect for newcomers, Tomb of Giants is faithful to the source material. Choose a class and gear, navigate the catacombs, battle enemies, and rest at bonfires. Limited actions demand careful planning. The game features punishing combat, RPG elements, a level-up system, new characters, and over a hundred new cards.

Cuphead: Fast-Rolling Dice Game

Players: 1-4 Age Range: 8+ Play Time: 30-45 minutes

A fast-paced cooperative game where players defeat bosses using dice-rolling mechanics. Setup is simple, with a fixed boss deck. Choose from four characters and play through timed rounds, carefully selecting dice rolls. High replayability lets players improve scores and upgrade abilities.

See our Cuphead: Fast Rolling Dice Game review for more info.

The Oregon Trail Card Game

Players: 2-6 Age Range: 12+ Play Time: 30-45 minutes

A fast-paced card game where players cooperate to reach Oregon without dying. Quick sessions are punctuated by sudden deaths from Calamity cards. Win by playing fifty Trail cards. While a first-turn death necessitates sitting out the session, it's a fun and challenging recreation of the original.