The Best Board Games with Bats 2026

Bats add mystery and excitement to board games. These games feature our flying mammals in various creative ways.

This list was last updated on June 6, 2026. There's also a print version for this list .
  1. Cockroach Poker Royal

    Cockroach Poker Royal (Kakerlakenpoker Royal) elevates the art of bluffing to a royally entertaining level. This game, a twist on the original Kakerlakenpoker, swaps the traditional poker deck for one festooned with critters like cockroaches, rats, and stink bugs, emphasizing bluffing over traditional poker hands.

    More details for Cockroach Poker Royal
    • 👥 2 - 6 Players
    • ⏱️ 15 - 25 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable

    Video reviews for Cockroach Poker Royal

    • YouTube Review for the game "Cockroach Poker Royal" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video
  2. Cockroach Poker

    Cockroach Poker is a lighthearted and engaging card game focused on bluffing and reverse set collection. It features various critters like cockroaches, rats, and stink bugs, and the aim is to trick others into collecting these undesirable creatures.

    Nominated for 3 awards.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kinderspiel des Jahres 2004

    More details for Cockroach Poker
    • 👥 2 - 6 Players
    • ⏱️ 20 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable

    Video reviews for Cockroach Poker

    • YouTube Review for the game "Cockroach Poker" by BoardGameGeek
      Video
  3. Forest Shuffle

    Forest Shuffle is a strategic and environmentally themed card game where players vie to create the most ecologically rich and balanced forest habitat. By gathering valuable trees and attracting diverse species, players work towards building a vibrant ecosystem, all while keeping an eye on the changing seasons that signal the game's end.

    Nominated for 13 awards and won 4.

    More details for Forest Shuffle
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 40 - 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 10+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  4. Looking for a really good game with lizards? Then we have exactly the right thing: The list of the best lizard board games 2026.

    The Best Board Games with Lizards →
  5. Everdell

    Everdell invites players to immerse themselves in the enchanting valley of Everdell, where a thriving civilization of forest critters seeks to expand their territories and establish new cities beneath towering trees, meandering streams, and mossy hollows. As the leader of a group of ambitious critters, you have a busy year ahead, filled with construction, character encounters, and hosting events. Can you ensure that the sun shines brightest on your city before the winter moon rises?

    Nominated for 16 awards and won 7.

    More details for Everdell
    • 👥 1 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 40 - 80 Minutes
    • 🧒 10+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty

    Video reviews for Everdell

    • YouTube Review for the game "Everdell" by BoardGameGeek
      Video
  6. Animal Upon Animal: Balancing Bridge

    Players stack animals in this exciting game for 2-4 participants aged 5 to 99. Flamingos, giraffes, panthers, bats, and iguanas embark on an adventurous journey across a shaky hanging bridge. Each player has three secret stacking tasks involving specific animals, and the first to complete these tasks skillfully wins the game.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.

    More details for Animal Upon Animal: Balancing Bridge
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 15 Minutes
    • 🧒 5+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  7. Megaland

    Are you ready to run? Bet your luck in the video game world of Megaland, fighting monsters (and rabbits) while collecting coins!

    More details for Megaland
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 20 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  8. Atiwa

    • Spiel der Spiele Hit für Trend-SpieleSpiel der Spiele Hit für Trend-Spiele
    • Worker PlacementWorker Placement
    • Solo ModeSolo Mode
    • Economy & TradeEconomy & Trade
    • Nature & FarmingNature & Farming
    • Strategy GameStrategy Game
    +7 more

    The Atiwa Mountains in southeastern Ghana are characterized by steep hills and flat peaks, home to a vital evergreen forest reserve. This region faces threats from deforestation, bushmeat hunting, and mining activities. Players will build a community near the mountains, create housing for new families, and balance environmental concerns with resource management, aiming to harmonize the needs of both the community and nature for victory.

    Nominated for 3 awards and won 1.

    More details for Atiwa
    • 👥 1 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 - 120 Minutes
    • 🧒 12+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  9. Castle Flutterstone

    • Spiel der Spiele Hit für KinderSpiel der Spiele Hit für Kinder
    • DexterityDexterity
    • Kids' GameKids' Game
    +2 more

    Hurry to the old stone castle! An exciting race for the Magical Trophy begins at Castle Flatterstein. Players use a catapult to launch fabric bats onto the game board, moving 1-2 spaces based on where the bats land. If they land in the ditch, players must draw a ghost card that can either help or hinder their progress. The first player to reach the top of the castle wins the game and claims the golden bat trophy!

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for Castle Flutterstone
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 15 - 25 Minutes
    • 🧒 6+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  10. Ghost Chase

    • DeductionDeduction
    • Family GameFamily Game
    • Kids' GameKids' Game
    • ExplorationExploration
    • Team GameTeam Game
    +3 more

    One player takes on the role of Max, the ghost, while the other players are ghost hunters searching for him in the castle. Max moves invisibly from room to room, revealing himself only occasionally. Ghost hunters can enter any room as many times as they like to trap Max; if a hunter enters the room where Max is hiding, they all win. However, if the last animal is removed without finding Max, that player wins.

    More details for Ghost Chase
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  11. Dragon Pass

    Players explore the world of Glorantha through a role-playing system initially launched in the 1960s. It began with the release of a war game called White Bear and Red Moon, which inspired the creation of RuneQuest. This edition is a re-release of Chaosium's classic game, also known as La Guerre des Héros in French and Dragon Pass in Japanese.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Dragon Pass
    • 👥 2 - 3 Players
    • ⏱️ 120 Minutes
    • 🧒 12+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  12. Spiders bring intrigue and strategy to board games. These games feature our eight-legged arachnid friends in creative ways.

    The Best Board Games with Spiders →
  13. Magic Realm

    • FantasyFantasy
    • Solo ModeSolo Mode
    • AdventureAdventure
    • HeavyweightHeavyweight
    • Role-PlayingRole-Playing
    • CombatCombat
    +4 more

    MAGIC REALM is a fantasy adventure set in a land filled with monsters, legendary treasures, and powerful warriors and mages. Players can embody one of sixteen detailed characters, embarking on quests in a richly crafted world where wealth and glory await. Every game offers a unique adventure with varying landscapes, unexpected challenges, and hidden treasures, resulting in an unpredictable experience that keeps players engaged.

    More details for Magic Realm
    • 👥 1 - 16 Players
    • ⏱️ 60 - 240 Minutes
    • 🧒 12+ years old
    • 🧩 Very hard to learn
  14. Looking for a really good animal board game 🦓? Then we have just the thing for you: The 30 best board games with which you control animals or are an animal.

    The best animal games 🦓 →

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