The best board games of the 1930s 2025

Stiga Hockey, also known as table hockey or rod hockey, offers an affordable version of dome-style hockey games found in many arcades. Players control five plastic or metal hockey players along designated tracks using steel rods, mimicking real hockey dynamics. Over the last 50 years, numerous versions have been released, incorporating different materials and designs that have influenced gameplay and strategy.

This trick-taking card game is played with a standard deck of cards and includes various group-specific rules. Each player receives thirteen cards and partners with another player (2 against 2). Players bid the number of tricks they will take, and their goal is to achieve at least that many tricks collectively, with spades serving as the trump suit.

American Mah Jongg is a unique variant of Mah Jongg, most popular in North America and previously underrepresented in documentation. Originating in the 1920s, the game evolved with different house rules, and in 1937, the National Mah Jongg League standardized the scoring system. Players aim to complete hands listed on a scoring card by forming Pungs, Kongs, Quintets, and Sixtets from discarded tiles.

Players engage with a three-dimensional, rotating game board featuring "Michigan Rummy," a standard card game that includes chips or tokens. The board is divided into nine sections, with win value cards indicated next to each section, while the central round area serves as the Michigan Rummy pot.

Cards are illustrated with shapes and numbers. The game is simple; match the shape or number on your card to the one on the previous card. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins.

Players draw cards one by one and read the instructions on them. They must provide a word that fits the criteria given, such as a country, something that ends with a specific letter, or a band starting with a certain letter. The first player to reach the designated number of correct answers wins the game.

Canasta originated in Montevideo, Uruguay, around 1940 and spread to Argentina, the USA, and worldwide. In the 1950s, it became extremely popular, nearly overtaking Contract Bridge as the leading card game. The game has standard rules in North America since the 1950s and has evolved into various versions, with Modern American Canasta being favored among many players. While traditionally best for four players in partnerships, it can also be played with two, three, or six players using a modified standard deck that includes two decks and all four jokers.

A card game played with a standard deck and a special layout, it is a modern version of the game Poch. Each round consists of three phases: "Hearts," "Poker," and "Michigan Rummy." Players bet chips on combinations on the board, and various strategies are applied in each phase to win the respective pots.

Players embark on a world journey to discover stunning locations. With packed suitcases and planes ready, they can choose their travel routes strategically, visiting 173 destinations. Dice rolls determine the speed of their travels, while special cards offer unique twists to the gameplay.

The game includes 12 boards and a large number of poker-style chips, but no cards. It combines elements of poker and Keno (or lottery) in a way that enhances the excitement and interest of both.

DKT is similar to Monopoly and is the most successful board game in Austria's history. Developed in 1936 in Vienna under the name "Spekulation," it was renamed during World War II to avoid German censorship. The game was slightly modified and re-released in the 1950s.

Each player receives destination cards with locations in Germany and moves around the board by rolling a die. The first player to visit all their destination cards and return to the starting point wins the game. In different editions, players may have varying numbers of cards and starting locations, with specific rules on using action cards for additional moves or effects.

This is a classic board game that involves answering questions about language, science, art & music, mathematics, history, literature, and geography. The 1986 edition released in the USA for the 50th anniversary includes a new quiz book with three difficulty levels, allowing players of various ages to choose easier or more challenging questions based on their preferred level.

Belote is a popular card game in France, primarily played by adults. It involves four players organized into two teams, with each team aiming to collect points by winning tricks. The game is played with a 32-card deck, and players bid on taking tricks with trump suits in play. Variants include la coinche, which has become the standard version, and faster variations like la belote de comptoir and Klabberjass for two players.

Battleship is a classic strategy game that began as a pencil-and-paper public domain game before Milton Bradley transformed it into the well-known board game in 1967. The game involves two players deploying ships on a grid and taking turns to guess the location of the opponent's ships.

Monopoly is a classic board game that combines strategy, luck, and negotiation. It's widely recognized for its representation of property trading and economic management.