The best abstract♟ board, card & dice games 2025

Cascadia is a tile-laying and token-drafting board game that features the rich habitats and diverse wildlife of the Pacific Northwest. It combines strategic tile placement with wildlife conservation themes.

Azul invites you to step into the captivating world of Portuguese artistry and craftsmanship. This board game draws inspiration from the introduction of azulejos, originally white and blue ceramic tiles, by the Moors. The tiles found a new home in Portugal when King Manuel I, during a visit to the Alhambra palace in Southern Spain, was enchanted by the exquisite Moorish decorative tiles adorning its interior. Filled with awe and inspiration, the king promptly ordered the embellishment of his own palace in Portugal with similar decorative tiles. As a skilled tile-laying artist, you are tasked with the prestigious mission of adorning the walls of the Royal Palace of Evora.

Patchwork is a two-player game where you compete to create the most beautiful and high-scoring patchwork quilt on your personal 9x9 game board.

Players build landscapes by placing colored tiles to create habitats for their animals. To score the most points and win, they must cleverly integrate these habitats into their landscapes and attract as many animals as possible.

Project L is a dynamic and visually appealing board game that combines tile-matching with engine-building elements. It's designed to challenge players with its strategic depth, encapsulated within an elegant and simple design. The game features unique triple-layer 3D puzzles and attractive acrylic pieces, making it not only a test of intellect but also a delight to play.

Orchard: A 9 card solitaire game is an engaging and compact solitaire tile-laying game that has captured the hearts of players with its simplicity, strategic depth, and quick playtime. Garnering acclaim by winning the 2018 9-Card Nanogame Print and Play Design Contest, Orchard challenges players to skillfully manage a limited set of resources — in this case, nine double-sided cards — to create a flourishing orchard.

Immerse yourself in the world of Onitama, a dynamic two-player abstract game offering perfect information and a randomized starting setup on a 5x5 board. Both participants begin the game with five pawns each, strategically placing the main pawn at the board's center.

Santorini is a beautifully re-imagined strategy game that combines abstract elements with accessible gameplay, suitable for a wide range of players.

Sagrada is a visually striking board game where players draft dice to create beautiful stained glass windows, combining strategy and aesthetics.

Players take turns drawing colored tiles from suppliers to place on their boards. Points are awarded based on how the tiles are arranged to decorate the palace, with extra points for specific patterns and completing sets. Wasted resources will reduce a player's score, and the player with the most points at the end wins.

Azul: Summer Pavilion takes players back to Portugal to embark on an artistic challenge of crafting a summer pavilion, a task assigned by King Manuel I. As master artisans, players must use their skills to construct the pavilion using the finest materials while efficiently managing their resources.

Mandala is an intriguing two-player game that combines strategy and contemplation. Players compete to collect valuable cards by building mandalas, but the true value of these cards only becomes clear as the game progresses. It's a delicate balance of strategy and adaptation, set against the backdrop of a symbolic ritual.

War Chest is a distinctive bag-building war game that requires players to skillfully manage their army both on and off the battlefield.

NMBR 9 presents a unique puzzle game where numbers take on significance only when they rise above the ground level. The game encompasses twenty cards numbered 0-9, each appearing twice, and eighty tiles numbered 0-9, each composed of squares arranged in different configurations. Players embark on a captivating journey where they draw cards, select number tiles, and strategically build their own tile arrangement. The goal is to maximize points by constructing multi-level structures and showcasing their numerical prowess.

Players engage in a deceptively cute and challenging abstract strategy game for two. Each time a player places a kitten on the bed, it shifts other kittens on the board, creating a dynamic gameplay experience. Align three kittens to transform them, and then align three cats to win. The game features a fabric board that fits over the game box and includes 32 adorable wooden cat figures.

Calico is a delightful, tile-laying board game that combines the art of quilt-making with the charm of cats. It's designed to offer a relaxing yet engaging puzzling experience for players.

Tsuro offers a blend of simplicity and elegance in a game that revolves around laying tiles and guiding your token along an evolving path. This game, known for its brief playtime and broad player range, challenges you to outlast others in a journey across the board, navigating an increasingly crowded space filled with potential pitfalls and unintended directions set by others.

In the warmest nights of the year, shimmering lights fill the waters as sleeping Noctiluca awaken. Known for their regenerative properties, these glowing creatures are highly sought after by healers. Players dive into the waters to collect colorful transparent cubes representing the Noctiluca and securely store them until they can be delivered for points. A double-sided game board also offers a solo mode where one player must save the Noctiluca before a storm strikes.

Nova Luna is an abstract tile-laying strategy game that focuses on careful planning and decision-making. Players are tasked with fulfilling objectives by placing tiles strategically, creating a unique and engaging gameplay experience.

Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra is a visually striking and strategic board game designed by Michael Kiesling. It offers a unique twist on tile drafting, focusing on creating beautiful stained glass windows.

Ingenious, also known as Einfach Genial, is a strategic tile-placement game that challenges players to think tactically about color scoring. It's a game that balances individual progress with the need to perform well across different areas.

Embark on a frigid escapade with Hey, That's My Fish! as players compete to secure the most fish using their waddle of penguins. Each turn unfolds a strategic journey as players guide their penguins in a straight line across hex-shaped ice tiles, each adorned with 1, 2, or 3 fish.

Players engage in a tactical battle inspired by pebbles stacked along paths. Each player begins with eight colored pebbles, while a neutral colored set is placed in the corners of the board. On their turn, players stack a pebble on a chosen pile and then shift it, leaving one pebble on each space crossed. The first to stack four pebbles of their color wins the game.

SHŌBU is a beautifully designed abstract strategy game for 2 players. The game features 4 square wooden boards in two colors and 16 natural river stones for each player, along with a rope dividing the playing area. Players take turns moving their stones in a passive and then an aggressive manner, aiming to remove all four of their opponent's stones from one of the boards to win.

Assembly is a fast-paced cooperative or solo puzzle card game that fits in your pocket. Players manipulate room modules around a ship using command cards to construct it according to a blueprint and escape. Each game presents different challenges due to variable setups and optional malfunction mechanics, requiring players to adapt their strategies.

Cribbage is a classic card game with a rich history, dating back to the early 17th century. It's a game that combines strategy, skill, and a bit of luck, making it a favorite among card game enthusiasts.

The abstract game of Qwirkle unfolds with 108 wooden blocks, each featuring six different shapes in six distinct colors. Unlike traditional board games, there is no designated board; players utilize any available flat surface.

Hive is a highly strategic two-player game that stands out for its versatility and unique gameplay mechanics, involving a variety of insect-themed pieces.

Blokus is an abstract strategy game known for its simple rules and deep strategic gameplay. It features colorful Tetris-shaped pieces that players aim to place on the board.

Players take turns placing tiles in a communal garden area, with each tile featuring a colored flower and a colored bird. Points are awarded for bird groups during placement, while points for flower rows are scored at the end, based on the player's perspective from their position on the board. The version "Seikatsu: A Pet's Life" follows the same principles but instead features tiles depicting pets sitting on cushions.