Board games are a great way for teenagers to unplug from social media, flex their competitive side, and perhaps allows them to recharge from the madness of the world.
But, most teenagers probably won’t have the attention span or the patience for classic board games like Monopoly or Clue.
The best board games for teenagers are simple yet dynamic, with unorthodox gameplay, and hours of replay-ability. The best board games are captivating which channel a teenager’s energy and time proactively.
So, here are my top 10 board games that are perfect for teenagers.
Article Contents:
- Monopoly Deal · 15 – 20 minutes · 2 to 5 player
- Cards Against Humanity · 15 – 35 minutes · 2 to 5 player
- Codenames · 20 – 25 minutes · 4 to 8 player
- Magic Maze · 5 – 15 minutes · 1 to 8 player
- Survive: Escape from Atlantis · 45 – 60 minutes · 2 to 4 player
- Kingdomino · 15 – 30 minutes · 2 to 4 player
- Risk · 90 – 120 minutes · 2 to 6 player
- Catan · 60 – 90 minutes · 2 to 5 player
- Ticket to Ride · 35 – 60 minutes · 2 to 5 player
- Citadels · 20 – 60 minutes · 2 to 8 player
Gameplay: 15 to 20 minutes
Players: 2 to 5
Transportability: High
Difficulty to Learn: Low
Setup Time: 1 minute
Expansions: No
Price: $10 – $15
Monopoly deal is a card-based board game that is just as competitive as its older brother but is much better suited for impatient teenagers.
That’s because, instead of games lasting well into the night like traditional Monopoly, Monopoly Deal takes only 15 to 20 minutes to play!
Quick Rules
The goal of the game is to collect 3 complete sets of properties of different colors. Each player starts with 5 cards. On your turn, you draw two cards and play up to three cards.
Cards played can be either added as money to your bank, properties, enhancements to your properties (increased rent) or actions (collect rent, birthday money or steal/swap property cards). It’s just that simple!
Why it’s Great
The low setup time, simple rules, and high re-playability makes Monopoly Deal a personal favourite board game of mine to play with pre-teens and teenagers.
Looking for the complete rules to play Monopoly Deal? Check them out here.
Gameplay: 15 to 35 minutes
Players: 2 to 5
Transportability: High
Difficulty to Learn: Low
Setup Time: 1 minute
Expansions: No
Price: $15 – $20
If you haven’t heard, Cards Against Humanity is a hilarious card-based party board game that is a blast to play, especially for awkward and immature teenagers.
Not only is it a fantastic ice-breaker, and perfect for teens looking for a laugh, it’s so darn simple!
Quick Rules
Players attempt to complete fill-in-the-blank statements with words or phrases that are the most bold, brash, offensive, insensitive, or politically incorrect printed on playing cards.
Why it’s Great
For the uninitiated, it can be somewhat jarring but it’s meant to rouse innocent provocation and intense laughter which makes it great for teenagers!
Looking for the complete rules to play Cards Against Humanity? Check them out here.
Gameplay: 20 to 30 minutes
Players: 4 to 8
Transportability: High
Difficulty to Learn: Low
Setup Time: 5 minutes
Expansions: No
Price: $20 – $25
We all know that teenagers struggle with communicating sometimes. Thankfully, there’s a board game that can (possibly) help!
Quick Rules
In Codenames, you and your teammates try to reveal friendly spies by properly guessing their codename with only one-word, one-number clues by the spy master.
But, guessing the wrong codename can reveal innocent bystanders, rival spies, or worse, the assassin.
Why it’s Great
The complete rules for Codenames are quick and easy to explain. It can be a lot of fun, especially among close friends. And, it’s not ultra-competitive which makes it super engaging for teenagers.
Looking for the complete rules to play Codenames? Check them out here.
Gameplay: 5 to 15 minutes, per round
Players: 1 to 8
Transportability: Medium
Difficulty to Learn: Low
Setup Time: 5 minutes
Expansions: No
Price: $30 – $40
For teenagers who take board games seriously, Magic Maze is truly a whopper. The game takes a bit of explaining, but once you get the jest of it, it’s actually unbelievably fun.
Quick Rules
The board game consists of completing different “find and escape” scenarios, and with each scenario comes added complexity.
Four coloured pawns are placed on a centre map tile. Each player is then granted a specific ability associated with the movement of the pawns. For example, move up, move right, relocate a player, etc. The pawns methodically explore each tile, revealing more areas and connecting tiles, until the all the required items are recovered and the pawns get to the exits.
The game requires intense cooperation. But there’s a twist… actually, a double twist! For a vast majority of gameplay, no talking or gesturing is allowed.
Instead, players are forced to use the “Do Something!” token, and tap it in front of the player that needs use their ability to move a pawn. Oh, and there’s a running timer that must be reset before it runs out!
Why it’s Great
Magic Maze is a test of focus and teamwork. Trust me, if you stop paying attention for just a second, even the most cool and collected player will become panic-stricken and confused!
Looking for the complete rules to play Magic Maze? Check them out here.
Gameplay: 45 to 60 minutes
Players: 2 to 4
Transportability: Low
Difficulty to Learn: Low
Setup Time: 5 minutes
Expansions: No
Price: $40 – $50
Probably one of the most engaging board games out there, Survive: Escape from Atlantis has “made for teenagers” written all over it.
Quick Rules
The name of the game is to get your players off of a volcanic island that’s poised to explode.
But, toss in a few sharks, whales, and seas serpents, pepper in some occasional sabotage, and you’ve got a recipe for truly epic board game for teenagers!
Why it’s Great
The unpredictability of the game, competing player strategies, and, at times, the pure cut-throat action makes this an exciting board games teenagers will soak up!
Looking for the complete rules to play Survive: Escape from Atlantis? Check them out here.
Gameplay: 15 to 20 minutes
Players: 2 to 4
Transportability: High
Difficulty to Learn: Low
Setup Time: 2 minutes
Expansions: Yes
Price: $20 – $25
When it comes to well-kept secrets, the board game Kingdomino takes the cake! It’s such a simple, yet highly addictive game that’s both competitive and quick to play.
And, for its surprisingly low cost, just oozes with value.
Quick Rules
The board game contains 48 high quality domino tiles. Each tile is comprised of two “terrain” squares. There are 6 types of terrain: farm, forest, grassland, mine, sea and swamp.
Some terrain squares also contain a crown symbol (or two, or three!), which is extra important for scoring.
The goal of the game is to build a 5 x 5 square kingdom around your castle and earn the most points based on the number of connected terrain territories.
The back of each tile is numbered 1 through 48. Typically, the higher the number, the higher the points-earning potential. Four tiles are drawn and arranged smallest to largest, then flipped over to reveal the terrain side.
Players take turns selecting 1 of the 4 tiles, the player selection order of which is dictated by the previous round of selection and ranking of tiles.
Why it’s Great
The low set-up time, relatively quick play-time, and dynamic gameplay makes Kingdomino a great option for teenage gamers!
Looking for the complete rules to play Kingdomino? Check them out here.
Gameplay: 90 to 120 minutes
Players: 2 to 6
Transportability: Low
Difficulty to Learn: Low
Setup Time: 10 minutes
Expansions: No
Price: $35 – $45
Many teenagers and young adults strive to one day become world leaders. But, if they have more sinister goals in mind, and want nothing less than total world domination, then they probably need some practice… So, why not get them a board game purpose built to test out their ambitions!
Quick Rules
Risk is a board game that pits players against one another for world-wide military supremacy. Territories and entire continents are up for grabs. But, it takes keen diplomacy, conflict resolution and a little bit of hutzpah to win!
Why it’s Great
During high school, I can’t tell you how many nights my friends and I stayed up way too late battling over Britain and clashing over Kamchatka. We campaigned for the Congo and skirmished for Scandinavia.
Needless to say, Risk was a favourite and I can’t recommend it enough for teenagers.
Looking for the complete rules to play Risk? Check them out here.
Gameplay: 60 to 90 minutes
Players: 2 to 5
Transportability: Low
Difficulty to Learn: Medium
Setup Time: 10 minutes
Expansions: Yes
Price: $40 – $60
No doubt one of the most popular board games of all time, Catan (aka. Settlers of Catan) is an absolute banger of a board game to play.
Quick Rules
Although it takes a bit of time to setup and explain, the game dynamics are very easy to learn.
It’s all about collecting resources, bartering, and ultimately expanding your civilization. It takes strategic diplomacy, thoughtful development, and a little bit of luck…
Why it’s Great
Personally, I wasn’t introduced to Catan until much later in life. However, countless people I’ve played against have said they first played Catan as teenagers.
Where were my Catan board game nights back then?!
Looking for the complete rules to play Catan? Check them out here.
Gameplay: 35 to 60 minutes
Players: 2 to 5
Transportability: Low
Difficulty to Learn: Medium
Setup Time: 10 minutes
Expansions: Yes
Price: $55 – $65
I know what you’re thinking: “How can a train-based board game be fun for teenagers”?
Honestly, I thought the exact same thing too when I first heard about this board game. But, after my first time playing Ticket to Ride, I knew it would be a hit with teens.
Quick Rules
The name of the game is to be awarded the most points by the end.
Players can score points two ways: (1) By purchasing and placing rail cars between cities, and (2) by completing destination cards. At the end of the game, any destination cards that are not completed result in negative points being awards.
Why it’s Great
Ticket to Ride is such a great board game for teenagers because it takes the right amount of luck and strategy to win.
It’s very easy to setup and explain, and every game is different so they’ll never get bored!
Looking for the complete rules to play Ticket to Ride? Check them out here.
Gameplay: 20 to 60 minutes
Players: 2 to 8
Transportability: High
Difficulty to Learn: Low
Setup Time: 5 minutes
Expansions: Yes
Price: $20 – $30
Tailor-made for competitive teenagers, in Citadels, players are constantly switching characters in an attempt to gain power and points, all the while undermining their component’s attempts at success.
Quick Rules
During the game, players take turns selecting 1 of 8 character cards in secret. Each character has their own unique ability, which becomes evident during the action phase of gameplay.
Some characters give you more points, others let you chose your next character first, and others all-together block rival characters from maneuvering during the action phase.
The goal is to systematically choose characters that help increase your income so that you can build district cards (which earn you points). Once any player builds their 8th district card, the game ends, and the player with the most points wins!
Why it’s Great
In Citadels, and in life, understanding how and when to change roles to benefit your end-game will lead to triumph.
These gaming (and life-lessons) are extremely valuable to teenagers as they live through their most formative years!
Looking for the complete rules to play Citadels? Check them out here.
What board games did you love playing as a teenager? What board games do you think today’s teenagers might like?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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