The best games released in 1980📆 2026

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.

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.

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.

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+".

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Dragon Pass is a fantasy wargame from Avalon Hill set in Greg Stafford's world of Glorantha. It is a re-release of the classic White Bear & Red Moon.