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It’s not always easy going out to play board games so sometimes doing so in the virtual space is the way to go. Not all adaptations of board games are created equal, so those looking to give them a try need to know which ones are going to provide countless hours of fun.
10 Small World
For gamers that have played every wild version of Risk out there, Small World could be the next step in their virtual board gaming adventures. This eight-time award-winning game has players fighting for map dominance with fantasy races that all have unique randomized traits. A battle between Flying Rat Men and Diplomat Orcs can be utterly fascinating fun. The game is widely available for PC, Android, and iOS.
9 Scythe
From award-winning game designer Jamey Stegmaier, Scythe is set in an alternate history of the 1920s. Players have to collect resources, create infrastructure, and do battle with giant steampunk mechs. Kickstarter backers contributed over $1.8 million dollars when the game was first printed showing that board game fans understand Scythe’s quality on sight alone.
Scythe: Digital Edition was released on Steam in 2018 and now even has a cell phone version making it easier to play than ever before.
8 Terraforming Mars
Terraforming Mars is considered by many to be one of the best board games released in 2016 and to currently is ranked among the top five games of all time on BoardGameGeek. In Terraforming Mars players are tasked with making Mars inhabitable for human settlers. The game has five expansions that will keep gameplay fresh for a long time and is available on PC, Android, and iOS.
7 Sagrada
Sagrada is one of those games anyone can pick up and play. Trying to build the most beautiful stained glass window is simple at first with many complexities for players to learn and explore. The game is particularly fun to play on the Nintendo Switch with friends. it’s simple, quick, and great to pick up and play.
6 Gloomhaven
The box for the physical game of Gloomhaven weighs over twenty-two pounds so having an easier to access virtual version might be the way to go. The game is a legacy styled game, which means the choices and actions the players take will affect the game going into the future. The digital edition of Gloomhaven is currently available on Steam Early Access.
5 Ticket To Ride
Ticket to Ride is a unique set collection game that has players trying to collect sets of similarly colored cards to build a massive railroad system. The game has won over 35 awards including the prestigious Spiel des Jahres so there’s no denying it’s good. With multiple maps across dozens of countries, Ticket to Ride can keep players busy for hours.
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4 Pandemic
COVID-19 has changed the world of gaming and this game provides the ultimate power fantasy of taking not only one, but multiple pandemics down. Pandemic has players working together cooperatively to completely cure multiple pandemics before they take over the globe. Each player has special powers only they can use and it takes cunning to win. The game has multiple difficulty levels making it approachable for gamers of any skill.
3 Onirim
It’s just not always possible to get friends to play games, even in the digital realm. Thankfully, there are fantastic solo games! No, this isn’t just solitaire, Onirim has players navigating the realm of dreams to escape the dream labyrinth before time runs out. The app version of the game even includes one of its expansions for free making this an excellent value.
2 Secret Hitler
Social deduction games have taken the world by storm — just look at Among Us! If a gaming group loves hunting down the imposter they’ll find that Secret Hitler is the perfect virtual board game for them to try. The game made $1,479,046 in its initial Kickstarter run showing just how excited board game fans were to try this game.
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The game has players trying to kill Hitler and stop the fascist’s rise to power before the second world war. The game has been praised for its bold yet educational take on a difficult topic while providing amazing gameplay. Not only is the game free to print and play on the game maker’s website, but there’s even a website to play it for free with friends for any boardgame fans interested in giving it a try.
1 Tabletop Simulator
Tabletop Simulator is the epitome of virtual board games that no one will want to miss. The game allows people to play virtually any board game as long as it can be programmed into the engine. The number of games that be played using Tabletop Simulator boggles the mind. This unique sim game allows fans to add in their own content through the Steam Workshop making it so the number of choices available just keeps on expanding.
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