The Best Board Games with Donkeys 2026

It's race day in Quedlinburg, and with the right mix of food and luck, you ride your mount to victory and win the golden cauldron. Players build their own bag of tiles throughout the game, drawing them to advance on the race track. They will collect resources, gain bonuses, and strategize until someone crosses the finish line first.

Players must find the magical ring stolen from the wise king by an evil sorcerer. Racing against the clock, they move their tokens through various rooms on the board to gather clues about who took the precious gemstone. Talking animals assist players by providing hints through a treasure chest, which players must unlock by feeding the animals. Cooperation is essential, as everyone works together to reclaim the stolen ring and either win or lose as a group based on their success in completing assigned tasks.

Welcome to the sun-soaked island of Mallorca, where the game of Finca unfolds against a backdrop of golden beaches, a light-blue sea, and abundant orchards. In this strategic board game, players take on the role of Mallorcan farmers as they endeavor to cultivate and deliver the island's finest fruits, including oranges, lemons, almonds, and grapes. The key to success lies in efficiently managing your resources and outpacing your competitors in the race to deliver your crops.

The flood is imminent, and Noah needs your help to save as many species as possible. Players start with eight animal cards and must place them on ferries following specific rules regarding weight and gender order. If a player can't legally play a card, they must take back all animals from the ferry Noah is on and play another card. Players can manipulate the game by drawing Noah or sending ferries off to the ark, while certain special animal cards can also provide strategic advantages. The round ends when a player runs out of cards or a fourth ferry is placed, with points awarded based on unplayed cards. The player with the fewest points after three rounds wins.

"Buenos Dias!" invites families with children aged 6 and up into the world of Los Mampfos, a game about food, hungry donkeys, and the millstones that determine their fate. In this 20 to 30-minute game, three donkeys with varying levels of fullness are always on the move, requiring good memory skills from players.

An exciting and funny card game for large and small groups! Players aim to get rid of their cards as quickly as possible, while others accumulate negative points. Beware of the donkey, as it might keep sticking to you!

A fast-paced card game inspired by other titles, it features 120 animal cards including dogs, cows, donkeys, goats, cats, and parrots, along with five special tarantula cards. Players must mimic the sounds of animals shown on previous cards before discarding their own, all within a strict time limit. Additional expert rules add complexity, creating unique challenges such as forcing cards to be placed on donkeys or having dogs change the direction of play.

Players trade various spices that travel along the Silk Road from Asia to Europe. Each controls three caravans, starting with three cards representing caravan members with unique abilities. Players perform one action on their turn by selecting a card and executing its action, affecting their supply of spices, gold, and mules, while also bringing new members into their caravans or completing delivery cards. The game ends when a player reaches 25 points through collecting character cards and fulfilling delivery requests.

Tuareg takes players on a journey between Timbuktu and Gao, where they load camels with water, gold, salt, and millet for a trek to the next oasis. Throughout the game, players aim to collect the most valuable resources while dealing with rival nomads who might steal or hide their goods. The game involves strategic use of special cards and resource management to earn points, with two phases of play and opportunities to earn bonuses along the way.

Caverna: The Cave Farmers is a worker-placement board game that builds upon the mechanics of its predecessor, Agricola. It combines farming and cave dwelling themes, where players manage a dwarf family and their expanding homestead.

Fields of Green is a strategy board game set in the latter half of the 20th century where players immerse themselves as farm owners. The objective is to expand your farm by strategically drafting cards to add fields, livestock, and buildings, creating a productive economic engine. Inspired by Among the Stars, this game spans four rounds, representing years, during which players grow their farms and prepare for the harvest season. Success in managing resources during harvest allows for further expansion and accumulation of wealth, ultimately converted into victory points.

The second edition, released in 1996 for 2-6 players, features a double-sided game board with either 3 or 4 colored donkeys. Players receive secret cards indicating the order in which the donkeys will finish, while they navigate a patchwork path to the finish line. The game involves moving donkeys according to colored arrows, and the player with the best card outcome wins, despite the occasional frustration of donkeys tipping over.

Players engage in a fun quiz game suitable for 2 to 12 participants, where everyone can play each round without the game dragging on for hours. Each player can shout out answers at any time when they think they know the right response, with four categories of questions: Who am I? Where am I? What am I? and Hard Ass! Be cautious of the "Dummy" and "Smart Ass" spaces, as they come with penalties. The first player to reach the end wins the title of "Smart Ass."

The game board depicts a livestock market where pigs, goats, donkeys, chickens, and other animals are for sale. Players strategically position their farmers to achieve the best prices or block competitors. Once animals are acquired, they must be fed each round, and a player can sell their herd for victory points when they own four of the same animal, with different animals having varying values.

Players contribute to a central village with a self-forming demand and supply economy. They build various shapes of buildings that connect in interesting ways, allowing villagers to transport resources and deliver goods, fostering a dynamic economy. As the village grows, its transformation into a bustling town culminates in the construction of the church, where players compete to be the greatest benefactor.

Schwarzer Peter is a traditional children's game played with a deck of cards. Players discard all but one queen and then deal the remaining cards. During the game, players take turns drawing cards from others, aiming to form pairs; the player holding the last queen, known as the "Old Maid," loses, while everyone else wins. The game's humor often comes from the reactions of players, especially children, when the Old Maid is drawn from their hand.

Roads & Boats is a complex and expansive board game that focuses on the development of civilization through logistics and transportation. Players start with basic resources and must strategically transport these goods to various production facilities to create new, more valuable items. The game is unique in its emphasis on logistics rather than territorial control: the only possessions players truly own are those being carried by their transportation units. This creates a dynamic play environment where facilities are communal and goods left unattended can be claimed by any player.