It’s safe to say that many of us have gone from “shots in arms” to “butts on vacation” in a very short period of time. With a lot of things changing one thing is constant…our love for fun and getting the most out of our gaming. Even though we may be getting ready to hit the road or take to the skies, it’s smart to plan out what the best travel board games are for us and those with who we’ve chosen to vacation with.
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Narrowing Down the Best Travel Board Game for You
In order to narrow down which travel board games fit your needs (vacation type, who’s playing, how much packing space, etc) we need to take a look at the types of game options there are.
Just know that of the categories of travel board games presented here there will appear to be an overlap by a few. However, if you prioritize which travel board games sound right for you, it will make deciding on the perfect game(s) much more simpler.
1) Road Trip Board Games
If you know that the vacation itself will be on a tight itinerary or maybe you’re more concerned with using the travel time as a family bonding experience, consider using this category of game.
These types of games are the most limited of all the categories but they do range from magnetic travel board games to role-playing games.
2) Card Games
If the first thing you wonder when you see ‘Card Games’ is, “Do you mean Pokémon/Magic or more like Uno, when you say ‘card game’?” then great question! Because if you’re a Pokémon, Magic, Marvel Champions, or the hundreds of other complex, continually-building-your-deck type of player, then you know that these Collectable Card Games (CCG) are best played with others who have their own decks built and know the rules inside and out already. So if you’re vacationing with people like that then it sounds like you have your choice made by now.
For everyone else, there are a lot more options between Pokémon and games like Uno when it comes to card games. There are card games that range anywhere from grid building, adventuring, cooperative deck-building, to even fun twists on trick-taking.
If you think card games will be best because of their small size then just know that not all card games come in small packages so choose wisely otherwise check out the next category as that may be your better bet.
For more advantages (and even disadvantages) on this type of game, as well as some recommendations, take a look at our Best Travel Card Games.
3) Travel-Size Board Games
Just as the category says, these games are great for not taking up much room in your luggage. Nevertheless, don’t be fooled. Just because they’re small they pack a big punch in fun and gameplay. Unlike the previous category of card games, travel-size board games have the potential to allow for more gameplay mechanics to keep things interesting since they have more components that make up the game than just cards.
That said, since their components are smaller they have a chance of lacking in quality. At the end of the day, though, travel-size games are advantageous if you’re the type who packs games and never gets around to playing them while on vacation, at least with these you don’t waste too much of your valuable space.
4) Party Games
For the rest of you who don’t care about winning or losing but just like having fun…then not only can you play party games but you have also found the key to winning life (not the board game).
5) Campaign Board Games
This category is for all the players out there who have that big, beautiful box, possibly unopened, that stares at them from off the shelf but never gets taken onto the table due to limited time.
This is the chance you’ve been waiting for where everything in life, as well as the moons and the galaxy, needed to align to finally make it happen within your busy schedule. You deserve this, treat yourself to that progressing, narrative that will always be a storied memory in your vacation history.
Now that you have a better idea of what to look for in travel board games, what type do you prefer to take on vacation and why? Also, are there any categories you would add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!
Final Thoughts on Best Travel Board Games
As you can see there are lots of different choices of best travel board games. Over the next few weeks, I will go over each kind in detail as well as give you a bunch of different examples that you can use for your next vacation!
