5 Tabletop Games You Should Try in 2024

I like to break out a tabletop game every once in a while. These games can provide a more interactive and enjoyable experience for those who aren’t into video games. After playing several tabletop games, these are the ones I think everyone should try at least once.

5 Tabletop Games You Should Try

There’s a diverse selection here. Whether you’re into horror or creatively challenging board games, something will catch your eye. I included each game’s minimum age to play, player count, type, length, and publisher website. You’ll also find a brief explanation of rules under every entry. Visit the websites to learn more about them! 

Wingspan 

• Age: 14+
• Player Count: 1-5
• Game Type: Drafting, Strategy, Set Collection, Hand Management, Competitive
• Duration: ~ 40-70 minutes
• Website

We’re starting with my favorite! Wingspan puts a creative spin on collector board games by letting players become bird researchers. Grow your habitats and win the game by attracting birds with food tokens, having them lay eggs, and meeting your goals each round. Wingspan may seem overwhelming when you start, but it’ll be smooth sailing when you get the hang of it. 

Dixit 

• Age: 8+
• Player Count: 3-6
• Game Type: Creative, Guessing
• Duration: ~ 30 minutes
• Website

This one is an excellent pick for the artistic minds out there. Dixit lets you take on the role of “storyteller” and makes you dig deep into your imagination. Storytellers must lay one of their picture cards face down and announce a theme. The other players choose a card from their hand that matches the theme and lies it face down. After shuffling the cards and turning them face up, players vote for which one they think belongs to the storyteller. Dixit is about interpretation and perspective, making it a unique entry.

Betrayal At House on the Hill 3rd Edition

• Age: 12+
• Player Count: 3-6
• Game Type: Horror, Survival, Cooperative, Strategy
• Duration: ~ 60 minutes
• Website

An exciting adventure for a curious bunch of explorers becomes a living nightmare in the abandoned House on the Hill. This horrifying investigation contains 50 haunting scenarios, making each game feel as fresh as the last. Every room in the mansion has surprises that can be helpful or detrimental to your survival. All players work together initially, but as the name suggests, a traitor eventually emerges. The rest of the crew must figure out how to beat the traitor’s twisted game to escape. There’s a lot of reading in this entry, so it’ll take a while to get used to. However, it’s a lot of fun for those who like a great narrative and in-depth characters. 

Forbbiden Island 

• Age: 10+
• Player Count: 2-4
• Game Type: Cooperative, Strategy
• Duration: ~ 30 minutes
• Website

A game about another team of adventures struggling to survive makes it to the list. This time, the group must work together to collect four treasures and escape a sinking island before it’s too late. Each explorer has a unique ability that’s useful for finding the most efficient ways to obtain all relics. Those who enjoy strategic thinking will get a kick out of Forbbiden Island.

Just One 

• Age: 8+
• Player Count: 3-7
• Game Type: Guessing, Cooperative, Word
• Duration: ~ 20 minutes
• Website

Just One is the most straightforward game on the list, making it ideal for those who want a calmer gameplay experience. The guesser draws a card without looking at it and chooses a number one through five. The number corresponds to a word on the card, and the other players must help the guesser say the correct word. The other players write a one-word clue on their easels and show their answers to the guesser. There is a catch, though. If two or more hints match, they’ll get canceled out, and the guesser will have fewer clues to use. Just One is great for many ages since it’s easy to grasp!