The best games released in 1980πŸ“† 2025

Looking for a really good game from the year 1980? Then we have just the thing for you: our recommendation list with the best board games that were newly released in 1980.

More lists from similar periods

A list with the best games from other years can be found at the end of the page.

In addition, we have created several more lists of card & board game awards:

List of the best new games releases in 1980:

This list was last updated on March 19, 2025. We compared 19 board games for this list and selected the top 10. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. Can't Stop

    All details for the board game Can't Stop and similar games

    Can't Stop is a classic dice game designed by Sid Sackson, renowned for its blend of luck, risk-taking, and tactical decision-making. It's a game that challenges players to wisely balance their boldness and caution as they aim to complete columns on the game board.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for Can't Stop
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 9+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  2. 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
  3. O'NO 99

    All details for the board game O'NO 99 and similar games

    Players aim to avoid accumulating 99 points or more to prevent losing a round. The game involves a deck of 54 cards and 24 tokens to track losses. Each player starts with four cards and three tokens, drawing a card and playing one on their turn, while keeping the total sum on the table beneath 99. The last player with remaining tokens wins.

    More details for O'NO 99
    • 2 - 8 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 7+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  4. Samarkand

    All details for the board game Samarkand and similar games

    Players engage in a trading game where they do not trade with each other. Instead, goods are displayed in a series of "nomad camps" on the board. When landing on a camp, players must offer a gift to exchange their cards for those available there. Players can also purchase goods from the deck on the "oasis spots." Collecting a certain quantity of a good allows players to head to town to sell it. The game continues until someone reaches 500 cash to win. It’s an entertaining family game that doesn’t require complex strategies.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Samarkand
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 40 Minutes
    • 9+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  5. Spiel

    All details for the board game Spiel and similar games

    The game features an unusual tetrahedral game board with 121 dice in three colors. It includes a variety of games that range from dexterity to abstract movements and encourages players to create new games. The box of the Kosmos edition indicates an age range of "4-99," while the latest edition states "6+".

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 1980

    More details for Spiel
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 6+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Spiel

    • YouTube Review for the game "Spiel" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  6. Tangoes

    All details for the board game Tangoes and similar games

    Players compete using Tangram sets, each consisting of a square, a parallelogram, two small triangles, a medium triangle, and two large triangles. The goal is to assemble the pieces into a square while also forming shapes shown on cards. Tangoes features a patented travel-friendly case, puzzle cards, and two sets, with additional card packs and puzzles available for more challenges.

    More details for Tangoes
    • 1 - 2 Players
    • 10 Minutes
    • 5+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  7. Trax

    All details for the board game Trax and similar games

    Trax is an abstract strategy game for two players that involves loops and lines. It can be played on any flat surface without a board. Players place square tiles to match the colors of the tracks, aiming to form a loop or line in their color while blocking their opponent. The game’s strategic depth comes from the forced play rule, allowing or requiring multiple tiles to be played in one turn.

    More details for Trax
    • 2 Players
    • 10 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  8. Titan

    All details for the board game Titan and similar games

    Titan is a venerable classic from The Avalon Hill Game Co, celebrated for its strategic depth and fantasy theme. Players lead legions of mythical creatures across a vast masterboard, seeking to bolster their forces with increasingly powerful monsters. The goal is simple yet compelling: eliminate rival legions, survive epic battles on thematic battleboards, and enhance your Titan's might.

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Titan
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 30 - 240 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  9. Warlock

    All details for the board game Warlock and similar games

    Players enter the arena to engage in a magical duel against up to six wizards. They cast various spells to banish opponents to hell while managing their limited energy for offensive or defensive actions. As energy runs out, a player who is sent to hell will remain there until only one wizard remains. Each player can choose to play as a black or white wizard, which affects spell costs and abilities.

    More details for Warlock
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  10. Dragon Pass

    All details for the board game Dragon Pass and similar games

    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 HΓ©ros 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

    Video reviews for Dragon Pass

    • YouTube Review for the game "Dragon Pass" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Dragon Pass" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English

Didn't find the game you were looking for?

We're positive that you'll find it in one of our other lists! To make the search easier for you, we split our website into different categories. The following board game categories will help you find the right list: