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Whats really the appeal of thebest board games?

That new cardboard smell when you open a board game for the first time?

Jaipur, Pandemic, and Paint the Roses boxes on a wooden table, seen from above

Or is there something deeper going on?

Whether you feel comfortable with socializing with other people or not, a game provides a way to engage.

If you know the rules you dont even necessarily need to speak the same language!

Pandemic Legacy Season 0, Disney Lorcana: Deep Trouble, and Betrayal at House on the Hill 3rd Edition on a wooden table, against a black background

This ability to broadly connect people is powerful, and more important than ever."

Perhaps that’s why thebest family board gamescan play such a big role in our lives.

Theres also a big overlap between board game communities and neurodiverse individuals.

King of Tokyo box, standees, and dice on a wooden table against an orange, out-of-focus background

Both Davis and Bean stress the importance of a good facilitator to ensure these benefits unfold intentionally.

The specific game youre playing drastically changes the bang out of benefits on offer, too.

How far back does tabletop gaming go?

Splendor, Patchwork, and Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion boxes stacked on a wooden table

We exploredthe history and cultural significance of board gamesto find out.

Want something new to play?

Check out thebest 2-player board games, thebest cooperative board games, and thebest adult board games.

A collection of board games stacked together, with Paypay and Monopoly clearly visible

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A noh mask on a black background

A little witch reads on a ledge in a chasm.

Three Pokemon Journey Together cards leaning against the Elite Trainer Box from the set

Articulate! box, board, tokens, and timer on a wooden table, against a black background

King of Tokyo components, box, and cards on a wooden table against a black background

Space Wolves Logan Grimnar and Arjac Rockfist models against a slightly blurred photo of the Space Wolves Army Set

Dorfromantik and Creature Comforts cozy city building games

Survivor and abomination mini standing on a game tile from Zombicide

Oblivion Remastered at night

Lego Mario Kart, Endgame Final Battle, Jango Fett�s Firespray-Class Ship, and Chopper divided by white lines, with a �GamesRadar+ new Lego� badge in the middle

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle screenshot of Indiana dressed as priest, looking over a book

Days Gone Remastered protagonist Deacon running from hundreds of zombies in the rain

PS5 Pro reveal from trailer

The cast of Thunderbolts standing in an elevator during the trailer for the upcoming Marvel Phase 5 movie.

Articulate box, cards, board, and tokens on a wooden table

Logan Kim as Hershel and Lauren Cohan as Maggie in The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2