The best board games of the 90s 2024

Looking for a board game classic from the 90s? We have compared the best board games from the 1990s 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 90s

In this overview, we've listed the best board games from the 1990s that you can 2024 still buy on Amazon:

This list was last updated on October 8, 2024. We compared 818 board games for this list and selected the top 30. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. PitchCar

    All details for the board game PitchCar and similar games

    PitchCar and its earlier version Carabande are dexterity-based board games that create a fun and competitive racing experience. Players use finger flicks to propel small discs (representing cars) around a track constructed from wooden pieces.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 3.

    โญ๏ธ Spiel des Jahres 1996

    More details for PitchCar
    • 2 - 8 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 6+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  2. For Sale

    All details for the board game For Sale and similar games

    For Sale is a fast-paced, engaging game about buying and selling real estate, involving strategic bidding and sales to maximize profits.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for For Sale
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  3. Time's Up!

    All details for the board game Time's Up! and similar games

    Time's Up! is a lively and entertaining charades-based party game, ideal for playing in teams of two or more. It's particularly engaging when played with teams of two. The game revolves around guessing famous historical or fictional characters, with each player contributing to a communal deck of names used across three distinct rounds.

    Nominated for 5 awards and won 2.

    More details for Time's Up!
    • 4 - 18 Players
    • 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  4. Lost Cities

    All details for the board game Lost Cities and similar games

    Lost Cities is a two-player card game focused on building profitable archaeological expeditions. Part of the Kosmos two-player series, it features a deck with cards ranked 2โ€“10 in various colors, including a new sixth color added in 2019. The game also employs "handshake" cards as multipliers for scoring.

    Nominated for 3 awards and won 2.

    More details for Lost Cities
    • 2 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    ๐Ÿ‘ Good price!Check for best price now atAmazon*
  5. Take 5

    All details for the board game Take 5 and similar games

    6 nimmt!, also known as Take 5, Category 5 and other names, is a card game focused on scoring as few points as possible. It combines elements of strategy, prediction, and a bit of luck.

    Nominated for 5 awards and won 3.

    More details for Take 5
    • 2 - 10 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    ๐Ÿ‘ Good price!Check for best price now atAmazon*
  6. High Society

    All details for the board game High Society and similar games

    High Society is a competitive auction-style card game designed by Reiner Knizia, where players vie to acquire wealth and status while avoiding financial pitfalls. The game focuses on strategic bidding and careful money management.

    More details for High Society
    • 3 - 5 Players
    • 15 - 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  7. Schotten Totten

    All details for the board game Schotten Totten and similar games

    Schotten Totten is a strategic card game that combines elements of poker with a battle for territory. Players compete to capture boundary stones by creating powerful card formations, with a clever twist on using logic to claim victory.

    More details for Schotten Totten
    • 2 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  8. Loopin' Louie

    All details for the board game Loopin' Louie and similar games

    Loopin' Louie is a light-hearted, action-packed board game that is as silly as it is addictive. Designed for players of all ages, this game centers around protecting your chickens from a looping airplane piloted by Louie.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 3.

    โญ๏ธ Spiel des Jahres 1994

    โญ๏ธ Kinderspiel des Jahres 2006

    More details for Loopin' Louie
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 10 Minutes
    • 4+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    ๐Ÿ‘ Good price!Check for best price now atAmazon*
  9. Ra

    All details for the board game Ra and similar games

    Ra is an engaging board game that combines elements of auction and set-collection within an Ancient Egyptian theme. Players are immersed in a competition of power and fame across 1500 years of Egyptian history, condensed into an intense gaming experience.

    Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.

    More details for Ra
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 45 - 60 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  10. Bohnanza

    All details for the board game Bohnanza and similar games

    Bohnanza is a unique card game about planting, trading, and harvesting beans. Unlike typical card games, you can't rearrange your hand, adding a strategic twist. The core of the game lies in trading beans with others to manage your hand effectively.

    Nominated for 3 awards and won 1.

    More details for Bohnanza
    • 2 - 7 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  11. Unanimo

    All details for the board game Unanimo and similar games

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Unanimo
    • 3 - 8 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable

    Video reviews for Unanimo

    • YouTube Review for the game "Unanimo" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  12. Modern Art

    All details for the board game Modern Art and similar games

    Engage in the captivating world of art commerce with Modern Art. As both buyer and seller, players navigate the vibrant art market, aiming to turn their transactions into lucrative endeavors. Five unique artists have contributed a plethora of paintings, and it's your task to strategically auction them for maximum profit. Each turn, players auction a painting from their hand, gaining wealth if others purchase it or incurring costs if they buy it themselves. The key lies in shrewd decision-making.

    Nominated for 6 awards and won 3.

    More details for Modern Art
    • 3 - 5 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  13. Tichu

    All details for the board game Tichu and similar games

    Tichu is an intriguing partnership card game that combines elements of Zheng Fen with traditional card play. It stands out as a strategic and competitive game, requiring players to be both tactically astute and keenly aware of their partner's actions. Typically played by four players in partnerships, the game is a race to get rid of all cards in hand, while aiming to score points.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Tichu
    • 4 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  14. Chinatown

    All details for the board game Chinatown and similar games

    Chinatown is a dynamic negotiation board game where players engage in the strategic acquisition and development of city blocks to establish profitable businesses. It emphasizes trading and deal-making to succeed in a competitive urban landscape.

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Chinatown
    • 3 - 5 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Chinatown

    • YouTube Review for the game "Chinatown" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  15. Zopp

    All details for the board game Zopp and similar games
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 40 Minutes
    • 6+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  16. Guillotine

    All details for the board game Guillotine and similar games

    Kingdom Builder is a strategic board game where players shape their domains by building settlements, with the ultimate goal of earning the most gold by the end of the game.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for Guillotine
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  17. Wildlife Safari

    All details for the board game Wildlife Safari and similar games

    Wildlife Safari, originally introduced as Flinke Pinke and later reissued under various names such as Quandary, Loco!, and Botswana, is a deceptively simple yet strategically rich card game designed by the renowned Reiner Knizia. This game, through its various iterations, has maintained its core gameplay while adopting different themes and presentation styles to appeal to a wide audience.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Wildlife Safari
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 20 - 30 Minutes
    • 7+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  18. Jungle Speed

    All details for the board game Jungle Speed and similar games

    Jungle Speed is a lively and fast-paced game that tests players' observation skills and quick reflexes. It's a game filled with excitement and often leads to bursts of laughter due to its frantic and fun nature.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    โญ๏ธ Nominated for Kinderspiel des Jahres 2003

    More details for Jungle Speed
    • 2 - 10 Players
    • 10 Minutes
    • 7+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  19. Chicken Cha Cha Cha

    All details for the board game Chicken Cha Cha Cha and similar games

    Chicken Cha Cha Cha is a delightful and engaging memory game that combines the whimsy of chickens learning to dance with the challenge of strategic movement and memory. Players become chickens vying to out-memorize and outmaneuver their opponents around a circuitous path, aiming to collect the tail feathers of their rivals by accurately recalling the images hidden on octagonal tiles.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 4.

    โญ๏ธ Spiel des Jahres 1998

    More details for Chicken Cha Cha Cha
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 15 - 20 Minutes
    • 4+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    ๐Ÿ‘ Good price!Check for best price now atAmazon*
  20. The Great Dalmuti

    All details for the board game The Great Dalmuti and similar games

    The Great Dalmuti is a light and engaging card game that revolves around players striving to improve their social status by being the first to discard all their cards. The game is a commercial adaptation of the traditional card game President, and it offers a fun, fast-paced experience.

    Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.

    ๐Ÿ”ฅ Deal: 6% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!

    More details for The Great Dalmuti
    • 4 - 8 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    ๐Ÿ”ฅ Great price!Check for best price now atAmazon*
  21. Circus Flohcati

    All details for the board game Circus Flohcati and similar games

    Circus Flohcati brings the vibrant world of the flea circus to your table, offering a fast-paced game of strategy and risk-taking. Players aim to collect a variety of acts, each represented by ten types (colors) and point values ranging from 0 to 7, to amass the highest score. Your turn could involve adding a face-up card to your hand or unveiling a new one from the deck, which might just force an action upon youโ€”like pilfering a card from a rival. But beware, revealing a card matching the color of one already face-up means you end up empty-handed. The thrill of the game lies in deciding whether to secure a card in sight or gamble for a potentially better draw.

    More details for Circus Flohcati
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 15 Minutes
    • 6+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  22. Samurai

    All details for the board game Samurai and similar games

    Samurai is a strategic board game set in medieval Japan. It immerses players in a contest of influence and power among three key factions of the era: samurai, peasants, and priests.

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Samurai
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Samurai

    • YouTube Review for the game "Samurai" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  23. Turn the Tide

    All details for the board game Turn the Tide and similar games

    Turn the Tide is a clever card game that combines strategy, prediction, and a bit of luck. Players start with a hand of 12 cards from a deck numbered 1-60, with the remainder set aside for the entire game. Each round involves choosing a card secretly and then revealing them simultaneously. Scoring involves collecting cards from a separate deck, with the highest card played taking the lower scoring card and the second-highest taking the other. A unique aspect is the rotation of hands, as players pass their entire hand to the next player after each round, challenging them to score well with the same cards their neighbor previously used.

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Turn the Tide
    • 3 - 5 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  24. El Grande

    All details for the board game El Grande and similar games

    El Grande is a classic strategy board game set in medieval Spain, where players, as powerful lords or "Grandes," vie for control over various regions in a declining kingdom. The game is known for its blend of tactical depth and strategic planning.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 3.

    โญ๏ธ Spiel des Jahres 1996

    More details for El Grande
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  25. Cloud 9

    All details for the board game Cloud 9 and similar games

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Cloud 9
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 20 - 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  26. Rummikub Six Player

    All details for the board game Rummikub Six Player and similar games
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 6+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  27. Excape

    All details for the board game Excape and similar games
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  28. Through the Desert

    All details for the board game Through the Desert and similar games

    Through the Desert is a strategic board game where players guide caravans through the desert to claim oases and territory. Often compared to the classic game Go, it combines strategic planning with a visually appealing setup featuring colorful plastic camels.

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Through the Desert
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  29. Kaleidos

    All details for the board game Kaleidos and similar games

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 3.

    More details for Kaleidos
    • 2 - 12 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  30. Mystery Rummy: Jack the Ripper

    All details for the board game Mystery Rummy: Jack the Ripper and similar games

    In Mystery Rummy: Jack the Ripper, players are transported back to Victorian London, tasked with solving one of history's most enduring mysteries. Using a rummy-style card game framework, players collect and meld cards representing evidence, suspects, and victims to build a case against the infamous Jack the Ripper. The gameplay cleverly integrates historical details of the Ripper cases with unique card game mechanics, adding depth and intrigue. With the potential for Jack to escape if all Victim cards are played, the game introduces a thrilling twist that keeps players engaged till the very end.

    More details for Mystery Rummy: Jack the Ripper
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn

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