The best board games that can only be played in threesomes 2025

Star Trek: Ascendancy brings the expansive universe of Star Trek to your tabletop, offering a deep strategy experience that allows you to control the iconic civilizations of the Star Trek universe: the United Federation of Planets, the Klingon Empire, and the Romulan Star Empire. Engage in exploration, expansion, and conflict as you navigate through uncharted territories, interact with new life forms, and decide whether to pursue paths of peace or domination. This game is a must-have for Star Trek fans and strategy enthusiasts alike, featuring over 200 plastic miniatures and an ever-changing galaxy map that ensures every game is a unique adventure.

Players take on the role of wise owls, once known as "Philosophers of the Forest," now associated with the famous witch Minuit who demands resource gathering. In this cooperative game for 3 players, teams aim to achieve a high score by collecting "Otsukai cards," with the initial goal of reaching 25 points. Each game reveals 5 Otsukai cards, encouraging players to strategize for the highest victory points.

Chimera is a three-player card game where two players team up against one. Players compete for points in multiple rounds by playing sequential pairs, trips, straights, and other card combinations. The game typically ends when a player reaches 400 points, though it can be played to different target scores.

Triest is a box card game where three players assume the roles of a thief, a merchant, or the city guard. Each role features its own unique deck and victory conditions. Players secretly select actions simultaneously, leading to conflicts in the streets and alleys of the bustling coastal city as they vie for power and wealth.

Skat is a traditional German card game for three players, played with a standard deck (excluding 2-6 cards). The game involves a complex bidding process to determine the solo player, who then chooses the type of game to be played in the second phase. Winning players score points based on the announced game type and modifiers, while losing players score double.

Cosmic Eidex is an intriguing trick-taking game for three players, featuring a deck of 36 cards from 6 to Ace in four colors: hearts, lizards, ravens, and stars. Each player randomly draws a Cosmic character at the start, granting them a unique ability that allows them to break one game rule once during play. Players aim to score either the most or the least points, with victory points earned based on their performance in hands and the rules of the Cosmic powers.

Die game is a dice game for three players aged 10 and up. Players move their wizard and apprentice pieces on the board to collect 7 different tarot cards from the depicted locations. To collect a card, a player must bring their apprentice and wizard to the same spot or duel another player if both wizards land in the same place.

The Han Dynasty, established in 206 BC, ruled much of central China for nearly four centuries. However, by the end of the second century, corruption and mismanagement led to its decline, culminating in the Yellow Turban Rebellion in 184 AD. Three Kingdoms Redux is a board game that places players in the roles of leaders from the Wei, Wu, and Shu states during this tumultuous time, focusing on strategy and state management to gain victory points and aim for the reunification of China. Players bid for action tokens to improve their state's development, recruit armies, and strengthen their position against others.

3-Man Chess is a unique chess variant for three players, played on a non-standard board such as a hexagon or circle, with differently shaped cells. The traditional rules for moving and capturing pieces still apply, but the addition of a third player changes goals and strategies. Victory conditions vary, but typically, one player must checkmate another, leading to the elimination of both remaining players, ensuring a strategic game without alliances.

Players engage in chess for three, using a unique three-way board. Each player competes against the other two, and the first to checkmate is the winner. The player who gets checkmated loses, along with the third player, regardless of their involvement in the situation. Players must focus on their own strategies while preventing one of their opponents from winning.

Three-player chess is played on a hexagonal board and also includes a standard chessboard. The designer may be Robert Zubrin, as he is listed on the box and is considered the copyright holder.