Best Board Games for Older Kids

10 Best Board Games for Older Kids! As kids get older it gets harder and harder to find time as a family, but the right board game is the perfect way to bring the family together.  We made this list with kids 8+ in mind, but adults enjoy these games too! A lot of older kids think they have ‘cooler’ things to do then play board games with the family, so we found games that are engaging from the start, have some complex strategy but play relatively quickly to be the perfect fit.  If your kids aren’t quite ready for these, check out  the best board games for 7 year olds.

[Stephanie’s note: If the voice sounds different it’s because this post was written by Tyler, my husband, and originally published on Kidsloveboardgames.com which is now defunct!]

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Pin this round-up of family board games with this photo or link!

Best Board Games for Older Kids

When you’re shopping for games, consider looking on Facebook marketplace for secondhand, buying from your local, small board game shop/toy shop, searching on Ebay, or checking Kidizen for used games. These are linked to Amazon for convenience but we’d much prefer you shop secondhand and/or small when you’re able!

King of Tokyo by Iello

King of Tokyo is a dice game where each player picks a monster and brawls over Tokyo.  Dice rolls can heal your monster, damage others, or score victory points and the last monster standing wins.  There is a big deck of power up cards to make your monster stronger and keep the game interesting.

• Number of Players: 2-6
• Manufacturer Age Recommendation: 8+
• What we like best:  Fast paced, continually evolving strategy
• Prerequisite skills: Reading, basic dice concepts
• Kids will learn:  Basic statistics, strategy

Forbidden Island by Gamewright

This is one of our favorite cooperative games of all time.  You and your team of treasure hunters visit a forbidden island to hunt for treasure, but as you explore the island more and more of it vanishes below the ocean.  Can your team find the four treasures and escape the island before it sinks?  We also love this board game for date night, check out the 5 best cooperative board games for couples!

• Number of Players: 2-4
• Manufacturer Age Recommendation: 10+
• What we like best:  Great mechanism for adjusting difficulty, cooperative game where the game actually wins often
• Prerequisite skills:  Ability to remember different rules for the game plus each player, ability to work cooperatively toward the endgame
• Kids will learn:  Strategy, planning, communication

Smash Up by AEG

Zombie-Dinosaurs, Alien-Ninjas, Robot-Wizards what’s not to love!  Players pick two groups of cards and shuffle them together.  Then they compete against each other trying to conquer bases to win the game.  Each group has different strengths and weaknesses setting up a lot of different strategies and counters.

• Number of Players: 2-4
• Manufacturer Age Recommendation: No recommendation given
• What we like best: Varying strategies all compete well, fun card art
• Prerequisite skills: Reading, ability to read and interpret complex card abilities
• Kids will learn:  Strategy, planning, focus

Tales of Arabian Nights by Z-Man Games

This is the game for the story-teller in your family, take your hero on multiple adventures and decide how to respond to each encounter while the other players theatrically deliver the results of your quest.  While there is very little strategy to this game, it’s a blast watching everyone struggle through their encounters and coming being crazed, wounded, or having any other number of afflictions.

• Number of Players: 2-6
• Manufacturer Age Recommendation: 13+
• What we like best:  Awesome book of seemingly endless different adventures
• Prerequisite skills:  Reading, counting
• Kids will learn:  Storytelling, vocabulary

San Juan by Ravensburger

San Juan is a card game where players use their cards to build a city, whoever builds the best city wins.  The unique thing about San Juan is the cards are everything, they are the goods you produce to get resources, the resources you spend to build buildings, and the buildings themselves.

• Number of Players: 2-4
• Manufacturer Age Recommendation: 10+
• What we like best:  Quick games, different phases of each turn add complexity to the strategy
• Prerequisite skills:  Reading, ability to remember advantages of multiple cards in play
• Kids will learn:  Planning, strategy, decision-making

Thebes by Queen Games

While games focused on paleontology don’t scream ‘cool’ to older kids, this is a game they can really engage in.  Turns go very quick and keep the game moving, players start out ‘researching’ and then use that research to perform digs and attempt to uncover artifacts.  The most interesting part of this game is that it’s not turn based its time based.  Players spend ‘weeks’ doing research or completing digs and the game ends after three years worth of weeks.  Whoever has spent the least amount of time takes the next turn adding another interesting level to the strategy.

• Number of Players: 2-4
• Manufacturer Age Recommendation: No recommendation given
• What we like best:  Time system for managing turns is a lot of fun, well-balanced strategies, high quality construction
• Prerequisite skills:  Attention span for longer game, ability to plan for multiple turns
• Kids will learn:  Planning, time management, basic statistics thinking, strategy

Terror in Meeple City (formerly known as Rampage) by Repo Productions

Terror in Meeple City is a great board game for a rainy day to get rid of all the pent-up energy from being inside.  Players control a monster and use that monster to destroy a city and its meeples.  There is no complex thinking in this one; players throw, flick or slide their monster into buildings and meeple to score points.

• Number of Players: 2-4
• Manufacturer Age Recommendation: 8+
• What we like best: Awesome 3-D game play, huge board, and light-hearted destruction
• Prerequisite skills: Decent coordination
• Kids will learn:  Dexterity and fine motor skills

Escape the Room by Think Fun

A game you can only play once?! While usually we look for board games that have great replayability, these ‘One’ play games are a blast for a special occasion.  Similar to the Escape Room locations that have become very popular lately (but much cheaper), players work cooperatively to solve puzzles and challenges to progress through and escape the game.

• Number of Players: 3-8
• Manufacturer Age Recommendation: 13+
• What we like best:  Cooperative gameplay, challenging puzzles, pressure to get out before time is up
• Prerequisite Skills: Reading, experience with puzzles
• Kids will learn:  Problem solving, working under pressure, communication

What games do you enjoy most as the best board games for older kids?  Comment below!