Finding the best board game to suit your family can be a challenge. So, I’m excited to share some of the best board games for 2025 and hope these help you.
All these games are rated from 6-8+. Whether you’re looking for an entertaining family night or a way to challenge your friends, these classic board games have got you covered. You’ve probably heard of most of these, but they still continue to be the most popular board games for 2025.
First up, The Game of Life is still a favorite, letting us navigate our own unique journeys. Then there’s Sequence, where strategy meets luck—perfect for those competitive vibes. Of course, I can’t forget about Connect 4; it’s always been one of my best board games to outsmart my opponents with those coloured discs.
If you’re in the mood for something a little wacky, Twister never fails to get everyone laughing (and tangled). Boggle is fantastic for word lovers, while Guess Who? adds an enjoyable twist to detective work. And for those who enjoy a bit of tile strategy, Rummikub is a must-try.
Let’s not overlook Sorry! and Clue or Cluedo in some places, both of which deliver that perfect mix of strategy and chance. And of course, we can’t forget Battleship—there’s nothing quite like the thrill of sinking an opponent’s fleet. These games have been around for years, so if you’re looking for a new challenge or something different, pop over to the adults section or check out the other recommendations from our age groups.
I only recommend board games I’ve seen work well in real families. I am an Amazon Affiliate, and if you choose to buy through a link here, I may earn a small commission to support the blog—at no additional cost to you.
- 2-4
- 8+
- 60 mins +
- Strategy
The ultimate goal is to amass the most wealth and reach retirement with the highest net worth—to win. Along the way, you will make important decisions about life.
How to Play The Game of Life
Participants select a game piece car and places it at the starting position, known as “college” or “career.”.
On your turn, you’ll spin the wheel to determine how many spaces you can move forward on the board. As you progress, you’ll encounter a variety of scenarios, such as:
Career Choices: Select a career path that will determine your starting salary and future earning potential.
Life Events: Navigate unexpected twists and turns, like getting married, having children, or facing financial setbacks.
Milestones: achieving significant life achievements, like buying a house or retiring.
Along the way, you’ll also have the opportunity to collect “Life” tiles (such as getting married or having children), which can provide valuable bonuses or introduce new challenges to overcome.
Is The Game of Life a good board game? Produced in the 1960s, it has become a family favourite board game for kids ever since. Recommended for children from the age of 8 and helps develop critical thinking.
- 2
- 6+
- 5 minutes
Guess Who has been a popular board game with families for its ease of playing with young and old people. You play Guess Who with 2 players as young as 6 years old.
How to play Guess Who
Guess Who is very easy; each player selects one out of 24 characters and keeps it hidden from their opponent. Each player then takes turns asking one question, such as “Does your person have glasses?” and your opponent can only answer yes or no. The aim is to be the first to guess who the opponent has selected; however, if you guess wrong, you lose. Of course it cant be made too easy, so the simplest and easiest question, such as “Are you a man or a woman?” is banned from being asked.
- 2 -4
- 8+
- 15-30 mins
- Tile Based
Ephraim Hertzano who was born in Romania invented the tile game Rummikub in the 1940s when card-playing was outlawed under the Communist regime. After World War II he developed the first sets in his backyard and to this day is still widely popular and a household favourite. Rummikub is a fast-moving and easy tile-based game, with the object being to be the first to place all the tiles from the rack on the table, and it is easy to play and learn. And still classified as being the best board games for 2025.
How do you play Rummikub?
Each player selects 14 titles and places them on the rack in front of themselves. On your first move, you need to create a set of three or more of the same numbers (but different colours) or a run (same colours) but numbers in consecutive order and have a score of no less than 30 points. Points are calculated based on the face value of the tile.
After your first round, you are allowed to add tiles to your opponent’s sets and runs. If you are unable to place a tile, then you pick up and wait for your next turn. The object of Rummikub is to be the first person to clear their rack. Each player has both luck and strategy to work with.
- 4
- 6+
- 25mins +
Want a fun board game for kids? Then, Sorry is it. The objective of Sorry is to be the first person to move all 4 of their pawns around the board to home before any other player. On your turn, pick up a card and complete what it says. If you are not able to, then the next player starts their turn.
If another player is on your square, you can bump them and send them back home. One minute you’re apologising for sending your friend’s pawn back to the start, and the next you’re plotting with your partner to take down the champion.
Lots of people forget the Sorry start rule, which is where each player must draw a 1, or 2, card to move their pawn to the start.
- 8+ Age rating
- 2+
- 3 mins
- Word
Boggle is a quick and easy, timed word game in which players have to write down as many 4-plus-letter words as possible before the sand timer runs out. Each letter in the word must touch the previous letter in any direction.
There are 16 letters in this cube grid and a 3-minute timer, which makes this fun-paced word game. When the timer runs out, players compare their lists of words, remove any words found by multiple players, shake the cube grid, and start over again.
Even though this age rating is 6+, my teenage sons enjoy this challenge. You can even buy super big boggle.
- 8+ Age Rating
- 2-6 players
- 10-60 mins +
- Clue Solving
As a long-time fan of classic board games, Clue has always been one of my go-to choices for a fun and engaging evening with friends or family. I enjoy trying to solve a mysterious murder by deducing the culprit, the weapon, and the location is a challenge I love.
The Objective of Clue
In Clue, each gamer takes on the role of one of the six suspects, tasked with solving a mysterious murder that has taken place in the mansion. The objective is to be the first player to correctly identify the murderer, the weapon used, and the room where the crime was committed.
How to Play Clue
To start, the game board is set up, depicting the various rooms of the mansion, and the suspect, weapon, and room cards are shuffled and placed in the center. Each player selects a game piece and places it on the starting space.
On your turn, you’ll roll the dice and move your piece to enter a room. Once in a room, you can ask a question to try and gather information, such as “Was it Scarlet, with the rope, in the garage?” The other competitors will then have the opportunity to provide answers or withhold information, depending on the cards in their hands.
As you progress through the game, you’ll carefully track the clues you’ve gathered on the provided clue sheet, eliminating potential suspects, weapons, and locations as you go. When you feel confident you’ve solved the mystery, you can make your final accusation by returning to the center of the board and announcing the murderer, the weapon, and the room where the crime took place.
If you’re correct, you won the game! But be careful, as an incorrect accusation will result in your elimination from the game.
Tips for Mastering the Game of Clue
Here are a few tips to help you become a clue-solving pro:
- Pay close attention to the information provided by other players and use it to narrow down your options.
- Don’t be afraid to ask sneaky questions that might throw your opponents off the scent.
- Keep your clue sheet organized and up-to-date to help you make informed deductions
- With a bit of practice and a keen eye for detail, you’ll be solving the mystery of Clue like a true detective in no time. So, gather your friends, roll the dice, and let the game of cat and mouse begin!
- 7+ Age Rating
- 2-12 Players
- 30 mins +
- Card + Luck
Sequence is a board and card game that can be played with 2–3 people or in teams if more than 3 people.
The objective is to place five chips in a sequence on the board, either in a row, column, or diagonally.
The board illustrates all the cards from 2 standard decks (except for the Jacks) in a 10 x 10 pattern, with each corner as free space.
Each person is dealt a certain number of cards; this varies depending on the number of players. On your turn, choose a card from your hand and place a chip on the same corresponding board tile.
The two Jacks are wild; one allows you to remove an opponent’s checker (not already a completed sequence), and the other allows you to place a checker anywhere on the board. Tip: Use these wisely and timely.
If you have younger children, check out Sequence for Kids
- 2
- 7+
- 10-45 mins +
- Strategy + Luck
Battleships is a two-person game where each player has a portable battle case. Each battle case has a fleet of five ships: an aircraft carrier, a destroyer, a submarine, a patrol boat, and a battleship. The object is to position these ships to survive your opponent’s strikes. The ultimate goal is to “sink” all of your opponent’s naval ships before they sink yours.
So place your ships strategically. On your turn, call out coordinates to hit a ship. Players respond with either a “hit,” “miss,” or “sunk,” which is where all the peg holes have been filled for that ship.
- 2 Players
- 6+
- 5-15 mins
- Strategic
Connect 4 is a quick and relaxed board game for children ages 6 and up. The object is to get four discs of the same colour in a straight line, either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. It’s easy to achieve a win, but don’t get so caught up in your own strategy that you forget to block your opponent’s moves.
This classic board game will also help children with eye tracking, coordination, and strategy.
- 6+ Age Rating
- 2+
- 10 mins
- Physical + Party
Twister, is a laughter-filled tabletop (aka floor) game for friends and families. The “board,” so to speak, is a large piece of plastic with 4 lines of 6 different coloured dots. Simply place the mat down, spin the wheel, and see which body part lands on which spot, e.g., the left foot on red. The more people who play, the more you’ll twist up.
