Board games remain a favourite way to bring families together, especially during the holidays. Experts recommend modern titles that are easy to learn and quick to play, with a focus on cooperative fun and broad age appeal.
Taylor Chavez of Gamescape San Francisco emphasises that family games should have a low barrier to entry. “We’re not going to send you on something that takes 45 minutes to just learn,” he says. “Ideally it’s something you can pop out, learn in a few minutes, and then just run with it.” Game length should be around 30 to 45 minutes, according to Mandi Hutchinson of Salt & Sass Games.
The top pick across multiple experts is Bomb Busters, winner of the 2025 Spiel des Jahres award. This cooperative deduction game has players working together to defuse a bomb by cutting the right wires, represented by numbered tiles. With 66 missions, it offers variety and replayability.
Other considerations include a wide age range and large player count for intergenerational gatherings. Peter Ballou from Dogpatch Games values flexibility and portability, noting that smaller boxes are easier to bring along. Modern games offer far more variety than classics like Monopoly or Scrabble, so families are encouraged to explore new options.
