The best board games for ages 14 and up 2025

Codenames is a captivating and popular party game that involves clever wordplay and deduction. Two teams compete, each led by a spymaster who knows the secret identities of 25 agents, represented by cards bearing single-word codenames like "disease," "Germany," or even "carrot." The objective is for each team to be the first to correctly identify all their agents based on clues given by their spymaster, while avoiding the dangerous assassin.

Wavelength is a unique and engaging social guessing game that requires players to tap into their ability to communicate and interpret conceptual clues. This game stands out for its emphasis on understanding and interpreting the perspectives of others, making it an ideal choice for groups looking for a fun and thought-provoking experience.

Top Ten is a lively party game that challenges players to creatively rank responses based on humorous or bizarre scenarios. Each player’s task is to align their answer with a secret number they are assigned, ranging from worst (1) to best (10), according to the theme provided by the round's chief. The game combines elements of comedy, strategy, and social deduction as players try to guess and assign the correct rankings to each other's answers.

Deception: Murder in Hong Kong offers a riveting game of deduction and deception designed for 4-12 players, providing an immersive experience in approximately 20 minutes.

Cthulhu: Death May Die is an intense, cooperative board game set in the 1920s, drawing inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft's universe. Players take on the roles of daring investigators, embarking on a perilous mission to confront and eliminate Elder Gods.

Marvel United: X-Men is an expansion to the cooperative board game Marvel United, focusing on the beloved X-Men universe. This game invites players to embody iconic Marvel heroes, joining forces to thwart the nefarious schemes of a villain who is orchestrating their master plan behind the scenes. With a mix of strategy, collaboration, and superhero flair, this game brings the X-Men's battles and stories to life on the tabletop.

Fantasy Realms immerses players in the role of rulers striving to build the most powerful realm. This card game is all about strategic combinations and choices, with every decision shaping the strength and nature of your realm.

Marvel United is a cooperative board game where players take on the roles of Marvel superheroes, working together to thwart the plans of a powerful villain, who is controlled by the game mechanics.

Dune: Imperium is a strategic deck-building game inspired by the iconic Dune universe, incorporating elements from both the recent film adaptation and the classic novels. Players lead one of the Great Houses in the interstellar political landscape of the Landsraad.

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

Legacy of Dragonholt is an innovative narrative adventure game that transports players to the enchanting Realms of Terrinoth, offering a unique blend of role-playing, adventure, and storytelling without the need for a game master. Designed for one to six players, this game stands out by utilizing the Oracle system to create a rich, interactive story where every decision impacts the unfolding narrative.

Forgotten Waters is a captivating board game that plunges players into the whimsical and unpredictable world of pirate adventure. Blending storytelling and strategy, this game stands out for its immersive narrative and engaging gameplay.

Undaunted: Normandy is a deck-building war game that immerses players in the pivotal battles of Normandy following the D-Day landings during World War II. It offers a unique blend of strategy, historical warfare, and deck management.

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

Space Base is a dynamic and fast-paced dice game that blends strategy and luck, where players take on the roles of Commodores commanding a fleet of ships.

The Guild of Merchant Explorers is a unique and engaging strategy game that blends exploration with city-building elements. Players begin with a single city on their personal map and must skillfully expand their territory by placing cubes based on terrain cards drawn from a shuffled deck. The game emphasizes strategic planning and adaptability, with players aiming to efficiently complete areas, connect cities, and maximize their score through various means.

It's a Wonderful World is a strategic card drafting and engine-building game, where players take on the role of leaders of expanding empires. The game is designed for 1 to 5 players and offers a compelling blend of careful planning and resource management.

Mansions of Madness: Second Edition is a cooperative, app-enhanced board game that combines elements of horror and mystery. It's set in the same universe as Eldritch Horror and Elder Sign, offering an immersive narrative experience.

Sheriff of Nottingham is an engaging board game of bluffing, bribery, and negotiation set in the medieval town of Nottingham.

Embark on an adrenaline-pumping undersea adventure with Captain Sonar, a board game that plunges you into the heart of intense submarine warfare. In this gripping scenario, every move and decision can be the difference between victory and defeat. Form a skilled crew aboard a cutting-edge submarine as you strive to locate and eliminate an enemy sub before they do the same to you. The underwater battlefield is unforgiving, and effective communication and coordination are paramount for success.

Ethnos is a fantasy-themed board game where players harness the powers of various mythical tribes to gain control of the land. The game is a blend of strategy and area control mechanics, set in a vibrant mythical world.

The King's Dilemma presents a captivating blend of narrative storytelling and strategy, set in the fictional Kingdom of Ankist. As players, you step into the roles of leaders of various noble houses, each with your own agendas and influence, making critical decisions that shape the fate of the kingdom.

Tyrants of the Underdark is a strategic board game that combines elements of territory control with deck-building. Set in the iconic Dungeons & Dragons setting of the Underdark, players lead Drow houses vying for power and influence beneath the Sword Coast. The game stands out for its integration of card-driven gameplay with spatial control on the board.

In the immortal words of Stan Lee, "With great power, there must also come great responsibility." Enter the thrilling world of Marvel Champions: The Card Game, where Iron Man and Black Panther unite to thwart Rhino's rampage through New York, and Captain Marvel teams up with Spider-Man to face the looming threat of Ultron and global annihilation. Do you possess the mettle to stand alongside these legendary heroes and emerge as a true champion?