The best board games with exploration elements 2024
Looking for a board game that needs the explorer in you? We've created a list of the best exploration games 2024.
What are exploration games anyway?
Exploration games often encourage players to discover unknown areas or territories and search for specific objects, events and or people - for example to trade, settle new land or explore a lonely mansion.
The best exploration social games 2024
The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine
The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine is a cooperative trick-taking game that takes players on an adventurous space journey, filled with challenges and strategic gameplay.
Nominated for 26 awards and won 13.
⭐️ Kennerspiel des Jahres 2020
More details for The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine- 2 - 5 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Silver & Gold
Silver & Gold is a board game that offers players the thrill of discovering distant islands filled with golden treasures.
Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.
More details for Silver & Gold- 2 - 4 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Trails of Tucana
In Trails of Tucana, players embark on an adventure to connect the mystical island's villages and landmarks through an intricate network of trails. This flip-and-write game, designed by the creators of Avenue and Doodle City, offers a unique challenge with each playthrough thanks to randomized village setups. Players draw trails on their maps, aiming to link together sights and harbors for points, while navigating the island's diverse terrains. Strategic planning and adaptability are key, as the terrain card distribution influences potential pathways and scoring opportunities.
Nominated for 4 awards and won 2.
More details for Trails of Tucana- 1 - 8 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
The Quest for El Dorado
The Quest for El Dorado is a strategic and adventurous board game that immerses players in the exciting journey of discovering the legendary city of gold, El Dorado. Set in the lush South American jungles, this game combines deck-building and racing elements, challenging players to be both cunning and quick.
Nominated for 13 awards and won 6.
⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2017
More details for The Quest for El Dorado- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 60 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for The Quest for El Dorado
Lost Cities
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 2–10 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
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Destinies
Destinies is a unique blend of board gaming and digital app integration, offering a rich, competitive, story-driven experience set in a dark medieval-fantasy universe. It is the first game in a series utilizing the innovative Destinies system.
Nominated for 9 awards and won 3.
More details for Destinies- 1 - 3 Players
- 90 - 150 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Incan Gold
The board game known as Diamant or Incan Gold unfolds as an exhilarating press-your-luck experience, offering players a quick and enjoyable journey into mine shafts and jungle paths. As participants flip cards from a deck, the gems discovered are evenly distributed, creating a shared bounty. However, the decision to venture deeper comes with the risk of encountering hazards like scorpions, snakes, poison gas, explosions, and rockfalls.
Nominated for 9 awards and won 4.
⭐️ Nominated for Kinderspiel des Jahres 2005
More details for Incan Gold- 3 - 8 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Karuba
Karuba is a tile-laying race game that combines strategy with a touch of luck, as players navigate their explorers through a dense jungle to reach temples and collect treasures. Each player's decision-making skills are put to the test as they create paths and vie to be the first to explore the riches of Karuba.
Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.
⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2016
More details for Karuba- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 40 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Deep Sea Adventure
More details for Deep Sea AdventureDeep Sea Adventure is a light and engaging board game that combines elements of press-your-luck and resource management. Players take on the roles of daring explorers, seeking treasures in undersea ruins. The twist? Everyone shares a single rented submarine and, crucially, a single tank of air. The game unfolds over three rounds, and the player who accumulates the most points by retrieving underwater relics is declared the winner.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Legacy of Dragonholt
More details for Legacy of DragonholtLegacy of Dragonholt is an innovative narrative adventure game that transports players to the enchanting Realms of Terrinoth, offering a unique blend of role-playing, adventure, and storytelling without the need for a game master. Designed for one to six players, this game stands out by utilizing the Oracle system to create a rich, interactive story where every decision impacts the unfolding narrative.
- 1 - 6 Players
- 60 - 999 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Immediately playable
The Search for Planet X
The Search for Planet X is a captivating board game that immerses players in the world of astronomy and scientific discovery. Aspiring astronomers use a combination of observation, deduction, and a companion app to unravel the mystery of a hidden planet in our solar system.
Nominated for 5 awards.
More details for The Search for Planet X- 1 - 4 Players
- 60 - 75 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Easy to learn
Forgotten Waters
Forgotten Waters is a captivating board game that plunges players into the whimsical and unpredictable world of pirate adventure. Blending storytelling and strategy, this game stands out for its immersive narrative and engaging gameplay.
Nominated for 8 awards and won 2.
More details for Forgotten Waters- 3 - 7 Players
- 120 - 240 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
🔥 Great price!Check for best price now at*Planet Unknown
Planet Unknown is a competitive and strategic game for 1-6 players set in a future where Earth's resources are depleted. Players are tasked with developing the most efficient and habitable planet among a series of newfound worlds. Using polyomino-shaped tiles, each representing vital infrastructure, players work to efficiently cover their planets and build an effective support system for life.
Nominated for 9 awards and won 3.
⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2023
More details for Planet Unknown- 1 - 6 Players
- 60 - 80 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
My First Adventure: Finding the Dragon
Nominated for 3 awards and won 1.
More details for My First Adventure: Finding the Dragon- 1 - 5 Players
- 10 - 20 Minutes
- 3+ years old
- Immediately playable
🔥 Great price!Check for best price now at*Space Base
Space Base is a dynamic and fast-paced dice game that blends strategy and luck, where players take on the roles of Commodores commanding a fleet of ships.
Nominated for 4 awards.
More details for Space Base- 2 - 5 Players
- 60 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Space Base
Unlock! Kids: Detective Stories
Unlock! Kids: Detective Stories brings the beloved Unlock! game system to younger audiences, allowing families to enjoy the thrill of escape rooms from the comfort of their homes. This edition is tailored for children aged 6 and up, offering a simplified experience that encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and imaginative play without the need for an app.
Nominated for 4 awards and won 2.
More details for Unlock! Kids: Detective Stories- 1 - 4 Players
- 20 - 60 Minutes
- 6+ years old
- Immediately playable
Escape: The Curse of the Temple – Big Box
- 1 - 6 Players
- 10 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Escape: The Curse of the Temple – Big Box
The Guild of Merchant Explorers
The Guild of Merchant Explorers is a unique and engaging strategy game that blends exploration with city-building elements. Players begin with a single city on their personal map and must skillfully expand their territory by placing cubes based on terrain cards drawn from a shuffled deck. The game emphasizes strategic planning and adaptability, with players aiming to efficiently complete areas, connect cities, and maximize their score through various means.
Nominated for 3 awards and won 1.
⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2024
More details for The Guild of Merchant Explorers- 1 - 4 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
🔥 Great price!Check for best price now at*Karak
Nominated for 2 awards and won 2.
More details for Karak- 2 - 5 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 7+ years old
- Immediately playable
Kids Chronicles: Quest for the Moon Stones
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Kids Chronicles: Quest for the Moon Stones- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 7+ years old
- Immediately playable
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Terraforming Mars
Terraforming Mars is a strategic board game set in the 2400s, where players, representing giant corporations, embark on the colossal task of terraforming Mars. Sponsored by the World Government on Earth, each corporation competes to contribute most effectively to raising the planet's temperature, oxygen level, and ocean coverage to make Mars habitable. While players work together in the terraforming process, they also compete for victory points awarded for their contributions to terraforming, advancing human infrastructure throughout the solar system, and other notable achievements.
Nominated for 27 awards and won 14.
⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2017
More details for Terraforming Mars- 1 - 5 Players
- 120 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Video reviews for Terraforming Mars
Mansions of Madness: Second Edition
Mansions of Madness: Second Edition is a cooperative, app-enhanced board game that combines elements of horror and mystery. It's set in the same universe as Eldritch Horror and Elder Sign, offering an immersive narrative experience.
Nominated for 9 awards.
More details for Mansions of Madness: Second Edition- 1 - 5 Players
- 120 - 180 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Escape: The Curse of the Temple
Escape: The Curse of the Temple is a cooperative, real-time board game that offers an exhilarating and unique gaming experience. The game's theme centers around players working together to escape a cursed temple before it collapses.
Nominated for 11 awards and won 1.
More details for Escape: The Curse of the Temple- 1 - 5 Players
- 10 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Escape: The Curse of the Temple
Lost Ruins of Arnak
Lost Ruins of Arnak is an adventurous board game that blends deck-building with worker placement, set on an unexplored island filled with remnants of an ancient civilization.
Nominated for 30 awards and won 14.
⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2021
More details for Lost Ruins of Arnak- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 120 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Medium difficulty
🔥 Great price!Check for best price now at*Unlock!: Timeless Adventures
More details for Unlock!: Timeless AdventuresUnlock! Timeless Adventures offers a trio of captivating "escape room" scenarios packed into one tabletop game. This cooperative card game draws players into immersive adventures requiring teamwork, puzzle-solving, and quick thinking, all facilitated through a blend of physical cards and a digital companion app.
- 1 - 6 Players
- 60 - 90 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth
The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth invites players to immerse themselves in the rich and legendary world created by J.R.R. Tolkien. This fully cooperative, app-supported board game is designed for one to five players, offering a unique blend of adventure, strategy, and storytelling set in the iconic landscapes of Middle-Earth.
Nominated for 4 awards.
More details for The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth- 1 - 5 Players
- 60 - 120 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Trapwords
Trapwords is an innovative and engaging party game that reimagines the classic concept of word-guessing games with a clever twist. Designed for two teams, the game infuses the word-guessing genre with strategic depth and an element of surprise, as each team sets secret "trapwords" for the other, creating a dynamic and suspenseful experience. Players navigate a fantasy dungeon theme, adding an immersive layer to the challenge of describing and guessing words.
Nominated for 5 awards.
More details for Trapwords- 4 - 8 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Trapwords
Tiny Epic Galaxies
In Tiny Epic Galaxies, each player commands a galactic empire, striving to expand their influence by acquiring contested planets and strengthening their cosmic armada. The game features an innovative dice-rolling combo mechanic, where the number of rolled dice corresponds to your galaxy's strength. These dice display symbols representing actions such as spaceship movement, resource acquisition, and the advancement of political or economic influence over newly discovered planets.
Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.
More details for Tiny Epic Galaxies- 1 - 5 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Tiny Epic Galaxies
Star Wars: Outer Rim
Star Wars: Outer Rim is a thrilling and immersive board game that takes players into the expansive universe of Star Wars, particularly focusing on the fringes of the galaxy. This game is perfect for fans of the Star Wars saga who enjoy strategy, adventure, and role-playing elements.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Star Wars: Outer Rim- 1 - 4 Players
- 120 - 180 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*For the Queen
- 2 - 6 Players
- 30 - 120 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Immediately playable
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