The best board games of the 40s 2025

Looking for a board game classic from the 40s? We have compared the best board games from the 1940s and listed them in an overview.

More lists from similar periods

If you are looking for classic games from other decades, you can find a list of the best games from other decades at the bottom of the page.

Additionally, we have created several more lists of card & board game awards:

The best board game classics from the 40s

In this overview, we've listed the best board games from the 1940s that you can 2025 still buy on Amazon:

This list was last updated on March 19, 2025. We compared 11 board games for this list and selected the top 10. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. Subbuteo

    All details for the board game Subbuteo and similar games

    Subbuteo is a classic finger-flick soccer simulation action game played on a large cloth pitch. Teams of miniature football players are set on smooth round bases, and players flick them to slide across the field and hit the ball. The rules cover nearly all aspects of a soccer game, including possession, passing, throw-ins, shots on goal, and fouls, making it a detailed and immersive experience.

    More details for Subbuteo
    • 2 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 6+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  2. Super Farmer

    All details for the board game Super Farmer and similar games

    Players take on the role of farm owners, aiming to breed, trade, and collect various animals, including rabbits, sheep, pigs, cows, horses, and dogs. The goal is to gather at least one of each type, except for dogs, while avoiding foxes and wolves that threaten their livestock. Originating in WWII Warsaw, it became popular among families, who sold handmade copies despite the destruction of most copies during the war.

    Nominated for 3 awards and won 3.

    More details for Super Farmer
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 7+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  3. Stratego

    All details for the board game Stratego and similar games

    Stratego is a classic board game of strategy and deception. Set on a battlefield, each player commands an army with the sole mission of capturing the opponent's flag while protecting their own. This game combines elements of strategy, memory, and bluffing, as players maneuver their pieces across the board, engaging in battles and outwitting their opponents.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for Stratego
    • 2 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  4. Scrabble

    All details for the board game Scrabble and similar games

    Scrabble is a classic and highly popular word game that challenges players to create words using letter tiles on a gameboard. It combines elements of vocabulary skill, strategy, and spatial reasoning.

    More details for Scrabble
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 90 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  5. Clue

    All details for the board game Clue and similar games

    Clue invites players into the classic realm of mystery and deduction. Assemble your wits and embark on a journey through the mansion, determined to unveil the secrets of the perplexing crime. This timeless detective game challenges you to answer the crucial questions: who committed the deed, with what weapon, and in which room?

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    ⭐️ Kinderspiel des Jahres 2011

    More details for Clue
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Clue

    • YouTube Review for the game "Clue" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  6. Qubic

    All details for the board game Qubic and similar games

    Turm MΓΌhle is a placement game played on a 3D board with four levels and a 4x4 grid on each level. Players aim to align four of their pieces in a row, either on a single level or across all levels, in straight or diagonal lines. The first player is restricted from placing their initial piece in corner or center positions, balancing the advantage at the start of the game.

    More details for Qubic
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 15 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  7. Electric Football

    All details for the board game Electric Football and similar games

    Most older Americans will recognize this classic from 1948, which has seen several re-releases over the years. It features players for a complete football team, allowing specific routes and plays, including a versatile quarterback capable of passing and kicking. The game includes a vibrating playing field that brings the components to life, making it enjoyable even if the gameplay proves challenging.

    More details for Electric Football
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 120 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  8. Game of the States

    All details for the board game Game of the States and similar games

    Players learn the locations of the individual states of the USA, their capitals, and important industries and products available for trade. The goal is to buy a product in one state and transport it by truck to another state, aiming to sell it for a profit. The challenge is to determine who sells the most products coast to coast.

    More details for Game of the States
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  9. Labyrinth

    All details for the board game Labyrinth and similar games

    Navigate the steel ball through the wooden labyrinth without falling into any of the holes. The surface features many tiny indentations and unevenness, making the ball's movement even more unpredictable, thus increasing the challenge. This is an unplugged precursor to video games, invented in the early 1940s.

    More details for Labyrinth
    • 1 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 6+ years old
    • Immediately playable

    Video reviews for Labyrinth

    • YouTube Review for the game "Labyrinth" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  10. Candy Land

    All details for the board game Candy Land and similar games

    Candy Land was developed in the early 1940s to entertain children recovering from polio and was first published by Milton Bradley in 1949. Players race down a rainbow-colored path to find the lost King Kandy in the Candy Castle while avoiding obstacles like the sticky Molasses Swamp. Each player draws a card to move their character along the path based on the card's color, and the game ends when someone reaches or surpasses the last space on the track.

    More details for Candy Land
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 3+ years old
    • Immediately playable

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