Board gamesfall into several different categories, such as guessing games, games of chance, and turn-based tile games. Some of the oldest board games are strategy-based, with Chess being one of the most famous examples. Other ancient variations of Chess include Go and Checkers, which either use the same black-and-white play area or similar strategy and planning to succeed as the winner.
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There are plenty of modern board games that use the same gaming concepts as Chess, whether it’s the pattern on the board or planning a series of moves in advance. The accessories can also include traditional figurines, but other items include interlocking panels, colorful tiles, and creative gaming boards.
Updated on December 26th, 2022, by Kristy Ambrose:There’s been a big upswing in board game popularity, especially in the cold days of winter, but the last few years have seen more people finding ways to spend time at home. Tabletop games remain a popular pastime, and the existence of video games, streaming services, and even social media hasn’t made a dent in their popularity. In fact, it’s made them even more essential as one of the few remaining ways to unplug and still be entertained. For those who appreciate simple, classic, or abstract strategy board games, here are a few more modernboard games like chess.
10Cathedral
A classic that dates back to the 20th century, the first version ofCathedralwas released in 1978, and there are plenty of vintage and modern versions of this popular design and strategy game. The goal of each player is to put all of their pieces on the board before their opponent.
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Like chess, there are two shades to choose from, and players use strategy and planning to use the best placement possible. There are no points or scoring, it’s just a matter of putting as many buildings on the board as possible. It’s a game for two and the first person who uses up all their pieces wins.
9Azul
It’s a tile game like chess, but it’s also based on careful planning, and the winner is determined by the points accumulated as opposed to having the nicest design. The game is based on a medieval type of ceramic art found in Portugal and Spain calledazulejos,but this game also includes tiles outside of the conventional blue and white color scheme.
There’s a historic reference hidden here, with the aim of the game to create the best design for theRoyal Palace of Evora at the request of King Manuel I. Each player designs their own individual tile board, with the scores tallied at the end according to the patterns made and sets completed.
Shopping for this game can be confusing since like any proper strategy-survival game it has numerous modules and expansions to improve the replay value. TheDead of Winterboard game is the base game that can be used with expansions, just to clarify for those who are new to the franchise.
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In addition to the figurines and gaming board, players also use cards to determine their supplies, companions, and next move. This is a real-time strategy game with higher stakes than just sacrificing one piece for another. Players are responsible for a whole colony of survivors, and the choices they make could mean either safety or doom for any of them.
7Onitama
It looks ancient, and ituses a familiar vintage aesthetic, butOnitamawas released in 2014. The board is simple, with the same features as a conventional chess board with squares and figurines, which are also known as pawns, but players also have the elements on their side along with their martial powers.
Players use cards to determine their exact powers and all the next possible moves. The game is won when a player succeeds in either taking their opponent’s main pawn or moving their main pawn into their opponent’s starting square.
67 Wonders
A strategy game that uses building and crafting as the focus, players use decks of cards, individual gaming boards, and tokens to found their own nation and set out to build its special wonder.As few as three playersor as many as seven can play a game that combines strategy with role-playing and timing to determine the winner. Two can also play, but that requires a slightly different set of rules which are also included.
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7 Wonderscombines several different genres but it’s classified as a card-development game. Players can use cards right away or store them for later, and some cards have unique, situational powers that are only useful once in a while.
5Sagrada
Another design board game, but a unique one that uses multicolored dice,Sagradagives each player their own stained-glass window to design. Players get extra points for using certain colors in designated places and making special patterns.
To make the game more interesting, there are “skill tokens” that players can use as special tools to craft an even more stunning work of stained glass. These get more expensive as the game progresses, making the second half of the game more challenging. As many as four can play and the highest score wins.
4Hive
Hiveis a variation on the tile board games that require the playersto build the board as they progress. Unlike other tile games, however, the game can conclude without using all of the tiles, and pieces are not eliminated or canceled out.
The goal is to use a planned layout of patterns to trap your opponent’s queen bee in the hive, and the hexagonal tiles mimic the shape of a real beehive. Two players can compete over who is the best Queen Bee of all, with one taking the white tiles and the other taking the black, another feature that makes it aboard game like Chess.
3Blokus Duo
The black-and-white color scheme remains the same, but instead of figurines, the players move geometric shapes over the game board. Originally developed on a hexagonal-shaped board designed to accommodate as many as six players, this version ofBlokus Duois more like traditional chess as it’s been tweaked to accommodate two.
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Blokus Duois an abstract strategy game that includes a few simple but strict rules as to where and when pieces can be used. A popular version of this game includes pieces that snap into place, so it’s also nice for a travel activity for those going to the cottage or on a long car ride.
2Patchwork
Patchworkis a modern game that uses a traditional board that resembles the one used for chess, but it mixes the features of games likeAzulandCathedralwhen itcomes to a contest of design. Two players compete to make not only the highest scoring but most beautiful quilt and the one with the most points at the end wins.
In keeping with the aesthetic, buttons are the currency the game uses, and players have to exchange their buttons for bits of cloth that can be used for the quilt. Some pieces cost more than others and turns are time restricted, which keeps the playtime down to about half an hour.
1Photosynthesis
The board forPhotosynthesislooks so placid and idyllic, but this is a cut-throat game in the same spiritas any real-time strategy game. Even plants have to compete for resources and fight for survival, and that’s the goal of the game.
Players have to plan out their seeding and growing carefully, not only for their own optimal cultivation times but to frustrate and sabotage their competitors. The seasons and movement of the sun are also factors to take into account. Another version of this game was released in 2020 calledPhotosynthesis: Under the Moonlightwhich uses moonlight as a source of energy as well as sunlight.
