Want to play your favourite board games in video game format? There are many popular board games that have been reproduced as multiplayer board games, from tactical and strategy games to casual and party games. With the recent release of Gloomhaven, we thought now was the perfect time to take a look at which popular board games have become great video games you can try out at your next games night.
Our top 5 board game / video game adaptations
1. Carcassonne
The basics of Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a popular multiplayer competitive board game that is easy to pick up and highly strategic. A tile and worker placement game, Carcassonne awards you points for completing cities, roads and cathedrals whilst having the most meeples (wooden human characters) on those squares once construction finishes. The game ends once all the tiles have been used and the one with the most points wins.
Our thoughts on the video game adaptation of Carcassonne
The game is really easy to follow and doesn’t require any complex strategy planning or thinking ahead. The noise the horn makes once you score points is obnoxious and may mean it’s one of those games you play with the sound down. We’d give this adaptation a 6/10
You can purchase Carcassonne for XBox now.
2. Ticket To Ride
The basics of Ticket To Ride
Make the best railway network possible. Players must complete routes and score as many points as possible by building longer train lines. To claim train lines you must draw and play the appropriate cards that match that line, but beware, most train lines are only designed for 1 train, so only one of you can claim it. The game is over once a player is down to 2 trains and all other players have 1 final turn.
Our thoughts on the video game adaptation of Ticket To Ride
The route planning is fun, that’s until someone takes the trainline you needed, now you must make a detour and adapt your strategy. Each of the expansions adds different mechanics to the game which enhance the experience (such as tunnels in the European expansion, which may mean you need more cards than originally required). It also teaches a bit of geography. 7/10
You can purchase Ticket To Ride for PlayStation and XBox now.
3. Catan
The basics of Catan
Be the first player to achieve 10 victory points. In order to do this you must collect resources from your settlements in order to build roads, to create new settlements or upgrade existing ones to cities.
Our thoughts on the video game adaptation of Catan
Catan has been around for ages and is a bit like marmite, people either love it or hate it. The premise is reasonably simple and when it works, it offers a reasonably close experience. However, the reliance on dice means the game is very dependent on luck. The explanation videos are straightforward and the season pass offers plenty of variety. 8/10
You can purchase Catan for PlayStation and XBox now.
4. Wingspan
The basics of Wingspan
Have the most feathers at the end of the 4th round. Players score feathers by playing bird cards, but in order to play the cards you need the appropriate resources and potentially eggs if playing in a field which is already occupied by birds.
Our thoughts on the video game adaptation of Wingspan
Wingspan has become a bit of a modern classic, much the same as Catan and Ticket to Ride are. Explaining the rules can be a bit complex, but the game is a delight to play. Certain cards have abilities which help score more feathers. The cards feature both fantastic artwork and fun facts about the birds. The expansion also adds further birds into the mix. 8/10
You can purchase Wingspan for XBox or Nintendo Switch now.
Blood Bowl 2 / 3
The basics of Blood Bowl 2 / 3
It’s Warhammer crossed with American Football, where the idea is to score as many touchdowns (getting the ball to your opponent’s end zone) as possible within the set number of turns.
Our thoughts on the video game adaptation of Blood Bowl 2 / 3
Admittedly the title for this entry is a bit vague; common consensus at the time of writing, has been that 2 is currently better than 3; however, this may be fixed over time with patches. Blood Bowl is an acquired taste; it is a game that would appeal to sports fans (especially American Football fans) who may be looking for something slightly different to play and those who appreciate a no holds barred style game where it is possible to murder an opponent.
Whilst it is enjoyable, the game doesn’t exactly hold your hand and explain things well if you’re not up on Warhammer mechanics or haven’t read the Blood Bowl manual. However, it’s a much cheaper alternative for those who are curious to try it rather than buying the figures and attending an in person event.
You can purchase Blood Bowl 2 / 3 for Steam (PC), XBox and PlayStation now.
And there we have it, 5 board games that have been converted into video games. If you’re board (edit note: deliberate pun) one night, why not pick up one of these games, before buying the real game and introducing it to your family over Christmas … your Monopoly set will be grateful for the break.