The best games by Alex Randolph 🇨🇿👨 2025

Looking for a really good game from game designer Alex Randolph 👨? Then we have just the thing: the list with the best Alex Randolph games 2025.

Who is Alex Randolph anyway?

Alex Randolph has been designing dice, card & board games since 1960. The game designer is from Bohemia, Czech Republic🇨🇿, was born in 1922 and lived in Venice, Italy 🇮🇹 since 1968. He is also known as L. W. Bones, P. Halvah, F. Phompy, J. Phumby or I. Phumpy.

Career of Alex Randolph

Randolph was a self-described "son of rich parents" who attended a private school in Switzerland. He spent his early years in various jobs, including military intelligence and as a copywriter in Boston.

First game was published in 1960

Randolph's first game, Pan-Kai, was published in 1960 when he was 38 years old - he designed games until his death in 2004 - over 44 years. Famous Randolph games are for example Enchanted Forest, Twixt or What the Heck?.

Professional game developer since 1961

In 1961, Randolph moved to Japan and became a professional game developer, first working on Twixt. During this time he became a dan player in Shogi.

In 1962, Randolph (along with Sid Sackson) was hired to start a new game division for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (also known as 3M). Through 3M, Randolph developed and published games such as Breakthru, Evade, Oh-Wah-Ree, and Twixt.

In Venice since 1968

Randolph moved to Venice, Italy in 1968 and continued his career as a game developer with Venice Connection, a company he co-founded with Dario De Toffoli and Leo Colovini.

Randolph died in Venice at the age of 82 on April 28, 2004.

How good are "Alex Randolph" games?

There are 1 games by Alex Randolph included in our Top1000 games list, making Randolph the 273rd best game author out of 708 authors in our database.

More information about Randolph

For more information about Randolph, see the Wikipedia article for Randolph.

List of best games by Alex Randolph 👨 2025

In this list we have listed the best board games that Alex Randolph either designed himself - or was involved in designing.

Unfortunately, not all of Alex Randolph's games are currently available. In the following list you can find all dice, board & card games by Alex Randolph that you can buy 2025:

This list was last updated on March 19, 2025. We compared 118 board games for this list and selected the top 30. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. What the Heck?

    All details for the board game What the Heck? and similar games

    Players receive a set of cards numbered from one to fifteen. During each round, a price token is drawn randomly, which can have either positive or negative points. Players secretly choose one of their remaining cards and reveal them simultaneously; the highest card wins the prize if it's positive, while the lowest card wins if it's negative. However, if two players play the same highest or lowest card, they cancel each other out, and the prize goes to the next player.

    More details for What the Heck?
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 7+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  2. Mahé

    All details for the board game Mahé and similar games

    Players aim to win from a limited set of prize cards by navigating a circular track, typically consisting of 21 spaces. A player rolls 1-3 dice each turn to determine movement, but must keep the total rolled at or below 7 to advance. Landing on another player's piece requires them to carry it, influencing how many dice must be rolled, while the top piece owner determines the stakes, leading to potential removals from the board. The player collecting the most valuable prize cards at the end wins.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for Mahé
    • 2 - 7 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 6+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  3. Good & Bad Ghosts

    All details for the board game Good & Bad Ghosts and similar games

    Players each have four good and four evil spirits, but only the player who owns a spirit can see whether it is good or evil. The spirits start in the back rows of a 6x6 board with the corners removed. On their turn, players move one of their spirits one space orthogonally and can eliminate an opponent's spirit by landing on it. To win, a player must either get rid of their own evil spirits, eliminate the good spirits of their opponent, or move one of their good spirits off an opponent's corner space.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for Good & Bad Ghosts
    • 2 Players
    • 15 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  4. The Piggyback Brigade

    All details for the board game The Piggyback Brigade and similar games

    Players control seven colorful piglets that love to run through meadows on narrow paths, often needing to stack on top of one another to pass. Using a special die numbered 1-4, players take turns moving their piglets; rolling a black number allows an extra move. If a player lands on the same space as another pig, they can carry the lower piglets in a piggyback style, aiming to reach the end of the track first to win.

    Nominated for 5 awards.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kinderspiel des Jahres 2001

    More details for The Piggyback Brigade
    • 2 - 7 Players
    • 15 - 25 Minutes
    • 4+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  5. Figure It

    All details for the board game Figure It and similar games

    Domemo is an engaging game with simple rules that challenges players to discover their own set of hidden numbers. Each player has numbered stones visible to others but not to themselves. Players take turns calling out numbers they believe belong to their set to break their secret code.

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Figure It
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  6. Ricochet Robots

    All details for the board game Ricochet Robots and similar games

    Ricochet Robots offers a unique blend of puzzle and game, challenging players to find efficient solutions in a dynamic board setup. The game features a modular board representing a room filled with walls and targets, where the main objective is to maneuver color-coded robots to their corresponding targets using the least number of moves possible.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Ricochet Robots
    • 1 - 99 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  7. In Teufels Küche

    All details for the board game In Teufels Küche and similar games

    In this fun, light children's game called "In the Devil's Kitchen," players move little devils wearing chef hats through the underworld to collect pots and be the first to gather dishes worth 10 points. Before the game starts, each player secretly assigns a value to their pots and then takes turns placing them on the board. Players roll dice to move their devils, aiming to reach opponents' pots or return one to the kitchen, while a large plastic stove in the center adds excitement during duels between competing devils.

    More details for In Teufels Küche
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  8. Square Off

    All details for the board game Square Off and similar games

    The game board consists of two sliding puzzles, each featuring a 5x5 grid, separated by a raised platform with five slots. Players randomly insert game pieces labeled A-E into the slots and must create a path connecting the starting points with a chosen letter and number. This fast-paced game combines elements of Sudoku and Rubik's Cube, designed by Alex Randolph.

    More details for Square Off
    • 2 Players
    • 10 Minutes
    • 9+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  9. Ciao, Ciao...

    All details for the board game Ciao, Ciao... and similar games

    Players try to move their pawns safely across a bridge in a bluffing game where the "coolest player wins." The bridge spans a swamp full of hungry, carnivorous plants, which is also the interior of the game box. A secret dice mechanism allows for clever bluffing, making it a sharp little game.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for Ciao, Ciao...
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  10. Xe Queo!

    All details for the board game Xe Queo! and similar games

    Seven game pieces in seven different colors and a ring are randomly placed on eight squares of a seven by seven grid. Each player has seven tiles corresponding to the game pieces.

    More details for Xe Queo!
    • 2 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  11. Worm Up!

    All details for the board game Worm Up! and similar games

    Players control a worm made up of several connected discs in this fun and silly game. Each round, players secretly choose how far to move their worm on their dice. If two or more players pick the same number, they lose their movement for that turn, while others move their worms by rearranging discs, sometimes curving them to block other players' movements.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kinderspiel des Jahres 2009

    More details for Worm Up!
    • 3 - 5 Players
    • 15 - 20 Minutes
    • 7+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  12. Banda

    All details for the board game Banda and similar games

    Players take turns placing tiles on a board. The goal is to be the last to place a tile that creates a single continuous path connecting all the laid tiles. The game includes a double-sided board, 36 plastic tiles, and a rulebook.

    More details for Banda
    • 1 - 2 Players
    • 10 Minutes
    • 9+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  13. Leinen los!

    All details for the board game Leinen los! and similar games

    The goal is to push a small wooden ship along a racetrack while avoiding buoys. The challenge lies in the ship's two separate parts: the motor and the rest of the ship, which tends to rotate unpredictably. Players take turns using an egg timer, and the first to reach the end of the track wins.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 1997

    More details for Leinen los!
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 10 - 20 Minutes
    • 6+ years old
    • Immediately playable

    Video reviews for Leinen los!

    • YouTube Review for the game "Leinen los!" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  14. Big Shot

    All details for the board game Big Shot and similar games

    Players participate in an auction game where colorful dice are auctioned based on a random roll. Winning bidders place the dice on the board, and once a section has seven dice, it is locked and cannot receive more. Players can borrow a limited amount of money each round, but they must repay loans with interest at the end of the game, where they tally their property values to determine the winner.

    More details for Big Shot
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  15. Enchanted Forest

    All details for the board game Enchanted Forest and similar games

    Enchanted Forest is a captivating family board game that combines memory, strategy, and a dash of luck. Set in a magical forest, the game's objective is to discover treasures hidden under each tree and recall their locations to win the favor of the king.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 1982

    More details for Enchanted Forest
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 4+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  16. Inkognito

    All details for the board game Inkognito and similar games

    Inkognito is an intriguing board game that combines deduction, secret identities, and espionage in a vibrant setting. Players take on the roles of secret agents with hidden missions, navigating a world of intrigue as they try to identify their allies and complete their objectives without knowing who they can trust from the start.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 1988

    More details for Inkognito
    • 3 - 5 Players
    • 90 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  17. Sagaland Mitbringspiel

    All details for the board game Sagaland Mitbringspiel and similar games

    Sagaland Mini is the travel version of the award-winning game with fewer trees, cards, and a smaller board. Players explore the forest to uncover hidden treasures beneath the trees. They must remember the locations of each treasure and race to the castle with the correct information when asked by the king.

    More details for Sagaland Mitbringspiel
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 6+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  18. Code 777

    All details for the board game Code 777 and similar games

    Players combine elements of logical deduction and Indian poker in a unique game. Each player holds three game pieces with different colors and numbers but cannot see their own pieces. By asking questions about their opponents' pieces, players try to deduce what they have and can guess their own, but mistakes mean starting over with new pieces.

    More details for Code 777
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  19. Jagd der Vampire

    All details for the board game Jagd der Vampire and similar games

    As a vampire who has given up blood for ketchup, you aim to reach the five towers to find the great tomato. The towers also hide four onions, so caution is necessary. Players use ketchup bottles to navigate the landscape, cast spells, and hinder other vampires. It's a straightforward game suitable for children aged 10 and up.

    More details for Jagd der Vampire
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  20. Baggage Claim

    All details for the board game Baggage Claim and similar games

    Players control an airplane that visits various "airports." Each airport has a collection of face-down baggage cards numbered one to ten, with more cards showing the number one than ten. The goal is to collect the baggage in ascending numerical order, with the first player to gather numbers one through ten winning.

    More details for Baggage Claim
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 5+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  21. Oh-Wah-Ree

    All details for the board game Oh-Wah-Ree and similar games

    Players can experience 3500 years of history with OH-WAH-REE, now available in a special edition tailored for modern tastes. This Mancala game accommodates up to four players and includes unique rules, making it engaging for both children and adults. The game features a contoured folding board, smooth stone pebbles, markers, and a neatly designed instruction booklet, all housed in a compact case.

    More details for Oh-Wah-Ree
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  22. Chess Race

    All details for the board game Chess Race and similar games

    It's time for a race on the chessboard! Chess Race is a variation of a classic board game featuring three pawns for each color and a set of cards with chess symbols. Players draw two cards and use one to move a pawn on the track, with identical cards being able to act as a queen and obstacles that can be moved to block opponents.

    More details for Chess Race
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  23. Gute Freunde

    All details for the board game Gute Freunde and similar games

    Frogs leap for silver and gold in a sunny clearing beside a dark forest. Players take on the role of frogs jumping to collect coins at the bottom of a lily-covered pond. The game features twelve wooden tiles depicting lilies, allowing easy jumping between them. The length of each jump is determined by dice, and players must navigate carefully as they race to gather the most coins while avoiding obstacles.

    Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 1989

    More details for Gute Freunde
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 5+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  24. Venice Connection

    All details for the board game Venice Connection and similar games

    This is a river-building tile placement game for two players. The goal is to complete the canal in a loop using 16 identical pieces, each featuring a straight section on one side and a curve on the other. If a player realizes the canal cannot be completed, they challenge the other player, who must attempt to finish it alone; if successful, they win, otherwise, the challenger wins.

    Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 1996

    More details for Venice Connection
    • 2 Players
    • 10 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  25. Top Secret

    All details for the board game Top Secret and similar games

    Players distribute "bags" containing secrets and bombs across an abstract representation of the world, connected by various paths. They must move their agents around the board to collect these bags and return them to their headquarters. The goal is to bring back 10 secrets, ensuring that at least one of the first three bags belongs to an enemy, while bombs reduce the number of agents available for collecting secrets.

    More details for Top Secret
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  26. Snail's Pace Race

    All details for the board game Snail's Pace Race and similar games

    In this very simple children's game, all six snails are always in play, regardless of the number of players. Each player bets on which two snails will enter the game first and which will be last. Players take turns rolling two colored dice and move the corresponding snails forward one space if their color shows, or two spaces if their color appears twice.

    More details for Snail's Pace Race
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 10 Minutes
    • 3+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  27. Die Osterinsel

    All details for the board game Die Osterinsel and similar games

    A simple game involves racing to the end of a path. On your turn, you move a figure and place stones in the heads of other figures based on how many spaces you moved. The winner among the first two finishers is the one with the most stones in their head.

    More details for Die Osterinsel
    • 3 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  28. Sisimizi

    All details for the board game Sisimizi and similar games

    Players control competing ant colonies aiming to connect all their anthills. They work to create ant chains from one anthill to another while simultaneously cutting off the chains of their opponents.

    More details for Sisimizi
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  29. Halunken & Spelunken

    All details for the board game Halunken & Spelunken and similar games

    Players assemble a suitable crew for their ship by selecting from a deck of villains with different values. Villains are revealed in a circle of inns, and players discreetly choose movement cards to navigate their captain while collecting chosen villains. The highest number of villains of the same color is worth double points, and a tougher variant includes elements of Blackjack to steal villains.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Halunken & Spelunken
    • 3 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  30. Twixt

    All details for the board game Twixt and similar games

    Players engage in an abstract two-player game that focuses on creating connections, similar to Hex. Each player uses pegs and links to build a continuous path across a 24x24 board, connecting their respective sides while preventing their opponent from doing the same. The game includes strategic elements, such as the ability to swap sides after the first move, which helps balance the advantage of going first.

    More details for Twixt
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn

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