Quick and Easy Games

Light games, fast rules and easy to get to the table.

Azul

Players:2–4
Time:30–45 min
BGG rating:ca 7.7
Theme:Portuguese tile art.
Mechanics:Tile drafting, pattern building, set collection.
Draft colourful tiles and build a beautiful wall while trying not to waste materials.

Carcassonne

Players:2–5
Time:30–45 min
BGG rating:ca 7.4
Theme:Medieval towns, roads and countryside.

Mechanics:Tile placement, area control, meeple placement.
Build a shared landscape and claim cities, roads, farms and monasteries.

Catan

Players:3–4
Time:60–120 min
BGG rating:ca 7.1

Theme:Settling an island.

Mechanics:Trading, dice rolling, resource management, route building.

Collect resources, trade with other players and build settlements, cities and roads.

Codenames

Players:2–8+
Time:15 min
BGG rating:ca 7.5

Theme:Spy networks and secret words.

Mechanics:Word association, deduction, team play.
Give one word clues to help your team find the right words before the other team does.

Deep Sea Adventure

Players:2–6
Time:30 min
BGG rating:ca 6.9

Theme:Treasure hunting under the sea.
Mechanics:Push your luck, dice movement, shared oxygen.
Dive for treasure, but remember that everyone shares the same oxygen supply.

Eight Minute Empire: Legends

Players:2–4
Time:8–20 min
BGG rating:ca 6.9

Theme:Fantasy empire building.
Mechanics:Area control, card drafting, set collection.
A tiny empire game where you expand, collect cards and fight for control very quickly.

Forbidden Island

Players:2–4
Time:30 min
BGG rating:ca 6.8

Theme:Treasure hunting on a sinking island.
Mechanics:Co operative action points, hand management, set collection.
Collect treasures and escape together before the island disappears beneath the waves.

Gloom

Players:2–5
Time:60 min
BGG rating:ca 6.3

Theme:Miserable gothic families.
Mechanics:Transparent cards, hand management, storytelling.
Make your family as miserable as possible before giving them a tragic ending.

Gloomies

Players:2–4
Time:ca 20–30 min
BGG rating:limited data

Theme:Cute gloomy creatures.
Mechanics:Card play, set collection, light tactical choices.
A lighter card game with charming strange energy and quick table presence.

Here Comes the Dog

Players:2–4
Time:ca 15–30 min
BGG rating:limited data

Theme:Dogs and playful chaos.
Mechanics:Light card play, quick family friendly decisions.
A small, accessible game with a playful theme and easy table appeal.

Labyrinth

Players:2–4
Time:20 min
BGG rating:ca 6.4

Theme:Magical maze and treasure hunting.
Mechanics:Tile shifting, route building, pattern movement.
Move the maze itself to create paths and collect treasures.

Nåt ska bort

Players:likely 3+
Time:ca 15–30 min
BGG rating:limited data

Theme:Party style guessing and association.
Mechanics:Social guessing, deduction, discussion.

A light party game where players decide what does not belong.

Pictomania

Players:3–6
Time:25–45 min
BGG rating:ca 7.1

Theme:Drawing and guessing under pressure.
Mechanics:Drawing, simultaneous play, real time guessing.
Everyone draws and guesses at the same time. It is messy in the correct way.

Pirate Fluxx

Players:2–6
Time:10–40 min
BGG rating:ca 6.1

Theme:Pirates and treasure.
Mechanics:Chaotic card play, changing rules, hand management.
A pirate themed Fluxx game where the rules and win condition keep changing.

Rush Hour

Players:1
Time:variable
BGG rating:ca 6.7

Theme:Traffic puzzle.
Mechanics:Solo logic puzzle, sliding blocks.
Move cars around to free the red car from the traffic jam.

Sea Salt and Paper

Players:2–4
Time:30–45 min
BGG rating:ca 7.3
Theme:Origami ocean art.
Mechanics:Set collection, hand management, push your luck.
A small card game with lovely art, sharp decisions and tempting risk.

That’s Not a Hat

Players:3–8
Time:15 min
BGG rating:ca 6.9
Theme:Gifts, memory and confusion.
Mechanics:Memory, bluffing, hand management.
Pass cards around the table and try to remember what everyone is pretending to give away.

The Quacks of Quedlinburg

Players:2–4
Time:45 min
BGG rating:ca 7.8
Theme:Potion brewing quack doctors.
Mechanics:Bag building, push your luck, simultaneous play.
Pull ingredients from your bag and brew the best potion without exploding.

Toy Battle

Players:2
Time:15–30 min
BGG rating:ca 7.2
Theme:Toy armies fighting across small battlefields.
Mechanics:Area control, tactical placement, fast dueling.
A quick two player tactical game with simple rules and clever positioning.

Unstable Unicorns

Players:2–8
Time:30–45 min
BGG rating:ca 6.2

Theme:Chaotic unicorn armies.
Mechanics:Hand management, take that, set collection.
Build a unicorn army while ruining everyone else’s plans with ridiculous cards.

Family and Gateway Games

Great for newer players, mixed groups and relaxed game nights.

7 Wonders

Players:2–7
Time:30 min
BGG rating:ca 7.7

Theme:Ancient civilizations and city building.
Mechanics:Card drafting, set collection, resource management, simultaneous turns.
Build one of the great cities of the ancient world by drafting cards and developing your civilization.

7 Wonders Duel

Players:2
Time:30 min
BGG rating:ca 8.1

Theme:Rival ancient civilizations.
Mechanics:Card drafting, tableau building, set collection, multiple victory paths.
A tense two player version of 7 Wonders where every card taken opens new opportunities.

Brian Boru: High King of Ireland

Players:3–5
Time:60–90 min
BGG rating:ca 7.2

Theme:Medieval Ireland and political influence.
Mechanics:Trick taking, area majority, multi use cards.
Win tricks, control towns, gain influence and become the most powerful ruler in Ireland.

Century: Eastern Wonders

Players:2–4
Time:30–45 min
BGG rating:ca 7.2

Theme:Spice trading across islands.
Mechanics:Pick up and deliver, route movement, resource conversion.
Sail between islands, trade goods and complete valuable contracts.

Equinox

Players:2–5
Time:30–60 min
BGG rating:ca 6.8

Theme:Mythical creatures competing across seasons.
Mechanics:Betting, hand management, elimination.
Back the creatures you believe will survive and manipulate the contest in your favour.

K2

Players:1–5
Time:60 min

BGG rating:ca 7.1

Theme:Mountain climbing.
Mechanics:Hand management, racing, survival, weather management.
Climb K2, manage oxygen and weather, and try to get your climbers back alive.

Mission: Red Planet

Players:2–6
Time:45–90 min
BGG rating:ca 7.2

Theme:Steampunk Mars colonisation.
Mechanics:Area majority, simultaneous action selection, role cards.
Send astronauts to Mars, compete for regions and sabotage your rivals.

Pergola

Players:1–4
Time:ca 45–60 min
BGG rating:ca 7.4

Theme:Building a beautiful garden.
Mechanics:Drafting, tile placement, pattern building, set collection.
Create a colourful garden by arranging plants, insects and decorations.

Ra

Players:2–5
Time:45–60 min
BGG rating:ca 7.5

Theme:Ancient Egypt.
Mechanics:Auction, push your luck, set collection.
Bid for tiles across three epochs in one of Reiner Knizia’s cleanest auction games.

Shikoku 1889

Players:2–6
Time:ca 180–240 min
BGG rating:ca 7.8

Theme:Railway development on the island of Shikoku in Japan.
Mechanics:18xx, stock holding, route building, auctions, train operation, market manipulation and economic strategy.
A sharp railway investment game where players buy shares in railroad companies, operate trains, build routes and try to make the most money through dividends and stock value. Shikoku 1889 is often seen as one of the more approachable 18xx games, but it still brings the full flavour of brutal train economics, timing and beautifully stressful financial decisions.

Små trädgårdsmästare

Players:2–4
Time:ca 20–30 min
BGG rating:limited data

Theme:Little gardeners and nature.
Mechanics:Family game, set collection, light planning.
A gentle family friendly game about gardening and small decisions.

The Hobbit: The Defeat of Smaug

Players:2–4
Time:ca 30–45 min
BGG rating:ca 5.9

Theme:The Hobbit and the battle against Smaug.
Mechanics:Family adventure, dice rolling, card play.
A lighter fantasy game based on The Hobbit.

Tokyo Highway

Players:2–4
Time:30–50 min
BGG rating:ca 6.8

Theme:Building wild urban highways.
Mechanics:Dexterity, construction, spatial planning.
Build roads over and under each other without knocking the city apart.

Wingspan

Players:1–5
Time:40–70 min
BGG rating:ca 8.0

Theme:Birds and wildlife habitats.
Mechanics:Engine building, card play, dice drafting, set collection.
Attract birds to your habitats and build elegant combos over four rounds.

Strategy and Eurogames

Modern board games with planning, clever choices and satisfying table presence.

Acquire

Players:2–6
Time:90 min
BGG rating:ca 7.3

Theme:Hotel chains, stocks and mergers.
Mechanics:Tile placement, stock holding, investment, economic strategy. Found hotel chains, buy shares and profit from mergers.

Architects of the West Kingdom

Players:1–5
Time:60–80 min
BGG rating:ca 7.7

Theme:Medieval city construction.
Mechanics:Worker placement, resource management, worker capture.
Build the king’s city while balancing virtue, ambition and slightly questionable labour practices.

Arboretum

Players:2–4
Time:30 min
BGG rating:ca 7.3

Theme:Creating a beautiful garden of trees.
Mechanics:Hand management, set collection, spatial card placement.
A small, clever card game where every card you play or keep matters more than it first seems.

Concordia Venus

Players:2–6
Time:60–120 min
BGG rating:ca 8.2

Theme:Trade and expansion in the Roman world.
Mechanics:Hand management, deck building, network building, economic strategy.
Expand trade routes and plan your card actions carefully in this smooth eurogame.

Hansa Teutonica

Players:2–5
Time:45–90 min
BGG rating:ca 7.7

Theme:Medieval trade networks.
Mechanics:Route building, area control, action upgrades, network strategy.
A dry looking eurogame that is secretly sharp, interactive and extremely good.

Iberian Gauge

Players:3–5
Time:60 min
BGG rating:ca 7.2

Theme:Railway investment in Spain and Portugal.
Mechanics:Stock holding, route building, economic manipulation.
A lean train game about investing in companies and shaping the railway map.

Iki

Players:2–4
Time:60–90 min
BGG rating:ca 7.7

Theme:Edo period market life in Japan.
Mechanics:Rondel movement, set collection, worker development.
Walk through the market, hire artisans and build harmony over the seasons.

Imperial

Players:2–6
Time:120–180 min
BGG rating:ca 7.6

Theme:European powers and global finance.
Mechanics:Stock holding, area control, rondel, economic strategy.
Players are investors controlling nations, not nations themselves. Very elegant, very mean.

Maracaibo

Players:1–4
Time:30–120 min
BGG rating:ca 8.0

Theme:Caribbean trade and adventure.
Mechanics:Rondel movement, card driven engine building, campaign elements.
Sail around the Caribbean, complete quests, build combos and develop long term strategy.

Museum

Players:2–4
Time:30–60 min
BGG rating:ca 7.1

Theme:Building a museum collection.
Mechanics:Set collection, card drafting, tableau building.
Collect historical artefacts, build exhibitions and create the most impressive museum.

Orléans

Players:2–4
Time:90 min
BGG rating:ca 8.0

Theme:Medieval trade and development in France.
Mechanics:Bag building, worker placement, engine building.
Recruit followers into your bag and use them to travel, trade, build and score.

Paladins of the West Kingdom

Players:1–4
Time:90–120 min
BGG rating:ca 7.9

Theme:Medieval kingdom defence and development.
Mechanics:Worker placement, engine building, variable action planning.
A deep eurogame where paladins, workers and careful planning build your strategy.

Puerto Rico

Players:2–5
Time:90–150 min
BGG rating:ca 7.9

Theme:Colonial era production and shipping.
Mechanics:Role selection, engine building, resource management.
A classic eurogame about choosing roles, producing goods and shipping for points.

Trajan

Players:2–4
Time:60–120 min
BGG rating:ca 7.7

Theme:Ancient Rome.
Mechanics:Mancala action selection, set collection, point salad euro strategy.
A deep Stefan Feld eurogame where your action selection puzzle drives everything.

Viscounts of the West Kingdom

Players:1–4
Time:60–90 min
BGG rating:ca 7.7

Theme:Medieval influence and development.
Mechanics:Deck building, rondel movement, resource management.
Travel the kingdom, build, trade, write manuscripts and manage your deck.

Viticulture

Players:1–6
Time:45–90 min
BGG rating:ca 8.0

Theme:Winemaking in Tuscany.
Mechanics:Worker placement, hand management, engine building.
Plant vines, harvest grapes, make wine and build the best vineyard.

Yamataï

Players:2–4
Time:40–80 min
BGG rating:ca 7.1

Theme:Mythic Japan and island building.
Mechanics:Route building, set collection, action selection, network planning.
Place boats, build on islands and compete for prestige in a colourful strategic puzzle.

Heavy Eurogames

For players who like longer sessions, deep strategy and a proper table puzzle.

A Feast for Odin

Players:1–4
Time:30–120 min
BGG rating:ca 8.1

Theme:Viking exploration, crafting, farming and raiding.
Mechanics:Worker placement, tile placement, resource conversion, engine building.
Build a Viking household through hunting, trading, crafting and exploration.

Age of Innovation

Players:1–5
Time:40–200 min
BGG rating:ca 8.5

Theme:Fantasy civilizations expanding across a changing map.
Mechanics:Area control, resource management, variable player powers, tech development.
A deep strategy game in the Terra Mystica family, with factions, inventions and long term planning.

Ark Nova

Players:1–4
Time:90–150 min
BGG rating:ca 8.5

Theme:Building a modern conservation focused zoo.
Mechanics:Action selection, card driven engine building, tile placement.
Develop your zoo with animals, sponsors, conservation projects and careful planning.

Black Forest

Players:1–4
Time:60–120 min
BGG rating:ca 7.8

Theme:Glassmaking and production in the Black Forest.
Mechanics:Resource wheels, action selection, tile placement, engine building.
Manage production, buildings and resources in a strategic forest village.

Brass Birmingham

Players:2–4
Time:60–120 min
BGG rating:ca 8.6

Theme:Industrial revolution in England.
Mechanics:Network building, hand management, economic strategy, route building.
Build industries, canals and railways in one of the most highly rated strategy games on BGG.

Caverna

Players:1–7
Time:30–210 min
BGG rating:ca 8.0

Theme:Dwarves, farming and cave building.
Mechanics:Worker placement, farming, resource management, tile placement.
Build a dwarf family, expand your cave, farm animals and become absurdly productive.

Terra Mystica

Players:2–5
Time:60–150 min
BGG rating:ca 8.0

Theme:Fantasy factions shaping the land.
Mechanics:Area control, resource management, variable player powers.
Expand your faction across the map while terraforming terrain and building structures.

Terraforming Mars

Players:1–5
Time:120 min
BGG rating:ca 8.3

Theme:Colonising and terraforming Mars.
Mechanics:Engine building, card drafting, resource management, tile placement.
Play corporations, develop projects and transform Mars into a livable planet.

Co Operative and Adventure Games

Work together, survive the chaos, solve mysteries or go on a big journey.

Arkham Horror

Players:1–6
Time:120–180 min
BGG rating:ca 7.3
Theme:Lovecraftian horror and investigation.
Mechanics:Co operative adventure, dice rolling, variable characters, narrative events.
Investigators explore Arkham, close gates and try very hard not to lose their minds.

Atlantis Rising

Players:1–7
Time:60–120 min
BGG rating:ca 7.4

Theme:Escaping the sinking island of Atlantis.
Mechanics:Co operative worker placement, push your luck, resource gathering.
Work together to build a cosmic gate before Atlantis disappears beneath the waves.

Chronicles of Crime

Players:1–4
Time:60–90 min
BGG rating:ca 7.6

Theme:Crime investigation.
Mechanics:Co operative deduction, app integration, narrative scenarios.
Scan clues, interview suspects and solve crimes together.

Easter Quest

Players:2–5
Time:ca 20–40 min
BGG rating:limited data

Theme:Easter themed adventure.
Mechanics:Family game, set collection, light tactical play.
A colourful lighter game with a playful seasonal theme.

Elder Sign

Players:1–8
Time:60–90 min
BGG rating:ca 6.9

Theme:Lovecraftian museum horror.
Mechanics:Co operative dice rolling, push your luck, variable characters.
Investigators use dice to complete tasks and stop ancient horrors from waking up.

Fate of the Fellowship

Players:1–5
Time:ca 60–150 min
BGG rating:ca 7.8

Theme:Lord of the Rings adventure.
Mechanics:Co operative strategy, card play, threat management, adventure movement.
Work together against the shadow while guiding heroes through Middle earth.

First Martians

Players:1–4
Time:60–90 min
BGG rating:ca 6.2

Theme:Survival on Mars.
Mechanics:Co operative survival, app integration, worker placement, scenario play.
Try to keep a Mars colony alive while systems fail, resources run low and space behaves badly.

Gen7: A Crossroads Game

Players:3–4
Time:60–90 min
BGG rating:ca 6.3

Theme:Science fiction colony ship drama.
Mechanics:Narrative campaign, worker placement, crossroads decisions.
Lead a generation ship through moral choices, hidden problems and story driven consequences.

Gloomhaven

Players:1–4
Time:60–120 min per scenario
BGG rating:ca 8.6

Theme:Fantasy mercenary campaign.
Mechanics:Tactical combat, campaign progression, hand management, legacy elements.
A huge fantasy campaign game with tactical battles, evolving characters and many scenarios.

Holding On: The Troubled Life of Billy Kerr

Players:2–4
Time:45–60 min
BGG rating:ca 7.1

Theme:End of life care and memory.
Mechanics:Co operative storytelling, action selection, narrative discovery.
A serious and emotional co op game about caring for a patient and uncovering his past.

Pandemic

Players:2–4
Time:45 min
BGG rating:ca 7.5

Theme:Global disease control.
Mechanics:Co operative action points, hand management, crisis management.
Work together to cure diseases before outbreaks overwhelm the world.

Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective

Players:1–8
Time:60–120 min
BGG rating:ca 7.6

Theme:Victorian detective work.
Mechanics:Co operative deduction, reading, open investigation.
Read clues, follow leads and solve cases in London.

Social Deduction, Bluffing and Mystery

For lies, suspicion, dramatic reveals and staring at your friends like they absolutely did it.

Cheese Thief

Players:4–8
Time:10–15 min
BGG rating:ca 6.5

Theme:Mice, cheese and suspicion.
Mechanics:Hidden roles, memory, social deduction.
A tiny deduction game where someone stole the cheese and everyone looks guilty.

Mind MGMT

Players:1–5
Time:45–75 min
BGG rating:ca 7.7

Theme:Psychic espionage and hidden agents.
Mechanics:Hidden movement, deduction, one versus many play.
One player hides in plain sight while the others hunt them across a surreal spy map.

Secret Hitler

Players:5–10
Time:45 min
BGG rating:ca 7.5

Theme:Political hidden identity game.
Mechanics:Social deduction, voting, hidden roles, bluffing.
Liberals and fascists fight for control while everyone argues about who is lying.

Snabba Cash

Players:3–6
Time:ca 30–45 min
BGG rating:limited data

Theme:Crime, money and risky deals.
Mechanics:Card play, negotiation, take that.
A fast social game with criminal energy and risky choices.

The Resistance

Players:5–10
Time:30 min
BGG rating:ca 7.2

Theme:Resistance fighters and spies.
Mechanics:Social deduction, hidden roles, voting.
A pure bluffing and deduction game where spies try to sabotage missions.

Two Player Games

Great for couples, friends, rivals and dramatic little duels.

Caverna: Cave vs Cave

Players:1–2
Time:20–40 min
BGG rating:ca 7.1

Theme:Two dwarf clans building caves.
Mechanics:Tile placement, resource management, action drafting.
A smaller, faster two player version of Caverna focused on building the best cave.

Duel for Cardia

Players:2
Time:15–30 min
BGG rating:ca 7.0

Theme:Fantasy duel for control of a city.
Mechanics:Simultaneous card play, hand management, bluffing.
A fast two player card duel where every card clash can swing the game.

Lord of the Rings Duel

Players:2
Time:ca 30–45 min
BGG rating:ca 7.8

Theme:The struggle for Middle earth.
Mechanics:Card drafting, tug of war objectives, asymmetric pressure.
A two player duel inspired by the world of The Lord of the Rings.

Twilight Struggle

Players:2
Time:120–180 min
BGG rating:ca 8.2

Theme:The Cold War.
Mechanics:Card driven conflict, area influence, hand management.
A legendary two player strategy game about global tension between the USA and USSR.

Thematic and Big Experience Games

Games with strong worlds, big table presence and memorable stories.

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game

Players:3–6
Time:120–240 min
BGG rating:ca 7.5

Theme:Political war in Westeros.
Mechanics:Area control, negotiation, hidden orders, conflict.
Take control of one of the great houses of Westeros and fight for the Iron Throne.

Drakborgen

Players:2–4
Time:30–60 min
BGG rating:ca 6.5

Theme:Fantasy dungeon adventure.
Mechanics:Tile exploration, dice rolling, combat, survival.
Enter the dungeon, find treasure and try to escape before everything goes horribly wrong.

Inis

Players:2–4
Time:60–90 min
BGG rating:ca 7.8

Theme:Celtic clans and mythic Ireland.
Mechanics:Area control, card drafting, multiple victory conditions.
A striking area control game where clever timing matters more than brute force.

Oath

Players:1–6
Time:45–150 min
BGG rating:ca 7.8

Theme:Kingdoms, power and history.
Mechanics:Area control, negotiation, tableau building, evolving world state.vA big political strategy game where the outcome of one game can shape the next.

Rising Sun

Players:3–5
Time:90–120 min
BGG rating:ca 7.7

Theme:Mythic feudal Japan.
Mechanics:Area control, negotiation, alliances, combat bidding.
Form alliances, command clans and fight with monsters, politics and betrayal.

Star Wars: Rebellion

Players:2–4
Time:180–240 min
BGG rating:ca 8.4

Theme:Galactic civil war.
Mechanics:Hidden base, area control, card driven missions, asymmetric play.
The Empire searches the galaxy while the Rebels hide, strike and try to inspire the galaxy.

Card Games and Small Box Games

Compact games with clever rules, quick setup and strong table energy.

Dokojong

Players:2–6
Time:ca 15–30 min
BGG rating:limited data

Theme:Small box card game.
Mechanics:Light card play and quick tactical decisions.
A compact game for short sessions and curious players who like unusual titles.

Forest Shuffle

Players:2–5
Time:40–60 min
BGG rating:ca 7.7

Theme:Forest animals, trees and ecosystems.
Mechanics:Card drafting, tableau building, set collection.
Build a living forest by playing trees, animals and plants that combo together.

Kamisama no Iu Toori

Players:3–6
Time:ca 15–30 min
BGG rating:limited data

Theme:Japanese card game with chaotic divine decision energy.
Mechanics:Light card play, bluffing, quick tactical decisions.
A compact and unusual card game for groups who like discovering something different.

Ninja Master

Players:3–5
Time:ca 15–30 min
BGG rating:limited data

Theme:Ninjas and fast confrontations.
Mechanics:Card play, bluffing, quick tactical interaction.
A light small game with quick turns and playful conflict.

Steampunk Rally Fusion

Players:2–8
Time:45–60 min
BGG rating:ca 7.3

Theme:Mad science racing.
Mechanics:Dice placement, card drafting, engine building.
Build a strange machine, power it with dice and try not to explode before the finish line.

Terraforming Mars: Dice Game

Players:1–4
Time:45 min
BGG rating:ca 7.1

Theme:Terraforming Mars in a faster format.
Mechanics:Dice drafting, engine building, card play.
A quicker version of Terraforming Mars using dice as resources.

TRND

Players:2–5
Time:ca 15–30 min
BGG rating:limited data

Theme:Trendy patterns and visual decisions.
Mechanics:Card play, pattern recognition, light strategy.
A compact modern card game for shorter sessions.

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