The best semi-cooperative board games 🤝 2023

Are you looking for a cooperative 🤝 game where only one can win - but if things go bad, everyone loses? These are semi-cooperative games, we have listed the best ones.

What are semi-cooperative games?

The term "semi-cooperative" cannot be defined so clearly. We understand it as follows: You cooperate and play against each other in the same game. There is only one winner or one party - all others are losers. But it can also be the case that nobody wins and everybody loses the game. So semi-co-op games are like a love-hate relationship with your fellow players - you can't play with them, but you can't play without them either. So you have to balance in yourself your sense of selfishness and team spirit - both are required.

Example of semi-co-op game: Archipelago

An example of a semi-cooperative party game is Archipelago. The goal of the game is to colonize an archipelago in the South Seas. However, the natives stand in the way - you can't keep them in check alone, teamwork is required here. However, the winner is only the one who reaches his goal first (or has earned the most points for it).

More team player than egoist?

For the team players among you we have created a separate list with the best cooperative games.

List with the best semi-cooperative 🤝 board games 2023

This list was last updated on June 1, 2023. We compared 230 board games for this list and selected the top 30. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. Forgotten Waters

    All details for the board game Forgotten Waters and similar games

    Nominated for 8 awards and won 1.

    More details for Forgotten Waters
    • 3 - 7 Players
    • 120 - 240 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    🔥 Great price!43€ atAmazon.de
  2. Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game

    All details for the board game Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game and similar games
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  3. Nemesis

    All details for the board game Nemesis and similar games

    Nominated for 8 awards and won 3.

    More details for Nemesis
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 90 - 180 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  4. Hellapagos

    All details for the board game Hellapagos and similar games
    • 3 - 12 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  5. Castle Panic

    All details for the board game Castle Panic and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Castle Panic
    • 1 - 6 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  6. Treasure Island

    All details for the board game Treasure Island and similar games

    Nominated for 3 awards.

    More details for Treasure Island
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    👍 Good price!38€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for Treasure Island

    • YouTube Review for the game "Treasure Island" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Treasure Island" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Treasure Island" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  7. Inside Job

    All details for the board game Inside Job and similar games
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 20 - 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    🔥 Great price!13€ atAmazon.de
  8. Kameloot

    All details for the board game Kameloot and similar games

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Kameloot
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 20 - 25 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  9. Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game

    All details for the board game Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game and similar games

    Nominated for 13 awards and won 4.

    More details for Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  10. The Menace Among Us

    All details for the board game The Menace Among Us and similar games
    • 4 - 8 Players
    • 40 - 60 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  11. Shadows over Camelot

    All details for the board game Shadows over Camelot and similar games

    Nominated for 10 awards and won 3.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2006

    More details for Shadows over Camelot
    • 3 - 7 Players
    • 60 - 80 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

    Video reviews for Shadows over Camelot

    • YouTube Review for the game "Shadows over Camelot" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Shadows over Camelot" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  12. Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game – Villains

    All details for the board game Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game – Villains and similar games
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  13. Cerberus

    All details for the board game Cerberus and similar games
    • 3 - 7 Players
    • 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Cerberus

    • YouTube Review for the game "Cerberus" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  14. Quiz Club

    All details for the board game Quiz Club and similar games
    • 3 - 8 Players
    • 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    👍 Good price!24€ atAmazon.de
  15. Pact

    All details for the board game Pact and similar games
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  16. Bag of Dungeon: A Fantasy Adventure Game

    All details for the board game Bag of Dungeon: A Fantasy Adventure Game and similar games
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 20 - 60 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  17. Nemesis: Lockdown

    All details for the board game Nemesis: Lockdown and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Nemesis: Lockdown
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 90 - 180 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Hard to learn
  18. Fog of Love

    All details for the board game Fog of Love and similar games

    Nominated for 7 awards.

    More details for Fog of Love
    • 2 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 17+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Fog of Love

    • YouTube Review for the game "Fog of Love" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  19. AuZtralia

    All details for the board game AuZtralia and similar games

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for AuZtralia
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 30 - 120 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
    👍 Good price!71€ atAmazon.de
  20. Tiny Epic Zombies

    All details for the board game Tiny Epic Zombies and similar games
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Tiny Epic Zombies

    • YouTube Review for the game "Tiny Epic Zombies" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Tiny Epic Zombies" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  21. Yacht Rock

    All details for the board game Yacht Rock and similar games
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 25 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  22. Cutthroat Caverns

    All details for the board game Cutthroat Caverns and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Cutthroat Caverns
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Cutthroat Caverns

    • YouTube Review for the game "Cutthroat Caverns" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  23. Dead of Winter: The Long Night

    All details for the board game Dead of Winter: The Long Night and similar games
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

    Video reviews for Dead of Winter: The Long Night

    • YouTube Review for the game "Dead of Winter: The Long Night" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  24. Knight Tales

    All details for the board game Knight Tales and similar games
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
    👍 Good price!60€ atAmazon.de
  25. Allegra

    All details for the board game Allegra and similar games

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Allegra
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 30 - 40 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    👍 Good price!12€ atAmazon.de
  26. Munchkin Panic

    All details for the board game Munchkin Panic and similar games
    • 1 - 6 Players
    • 45 - 60 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  27. New Angeles

    All details for the board game New Angeles and similar games
    • 4 - 6 Players
    • 120 - 240 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  28. Castaways

    All details for the board game Castaways and similar games
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 120 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  29. Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game

    All details for the board game Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game and similar games
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

    Video reviews for Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game

    • YouTube Review for the game "Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  30. Archipelago

    All details for the board game Archipelago and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Archipelago
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 30 - 240 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Hard to learn

    Video reviews for Archipelago

    • YouTube Review for the game "Archipelago" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      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: