Why think about how to have fun if the best board games have long been available online? They are designed to unite friends located in different parts of the world and give unforgettable evenings. In this article, we will discuss five digital board games that can turn your head and make you forget about everything.
Terraforming Mars Online: a real space strategy for everyone
Terraforming Mars is a strategy developed by FryxGames and implemented in a digital format. Here, each user becomes part of a corporation that competes for the right to make Mars habitable. The task is to develop resources and manage energy projects in order to terraform the planet.
Players take turns, build new objects, develop technologies, and compete for control over different regions. Each session consists of three main stages: infrastructure construction, terraforming, and development of new technologies.
The main feature is the variety of strategies, which makes each game unique and unpredictable. As you progress, new project cards are unlocked, goals emerge, and the strategic approach of the players changes depending on the situation. This is one of the best board games that truly captures the space theme.
Gameplay Features
Terraforming Mars is famous for its complex card system, which offers a huge range of actions. Each project that a player can implement is another step towards victory. The cards have different categories: from terraforming oceans to creating new technologies, such as oxygen generators or greenhouses for growing plants. The cards are also divided into types – projects, buildings, resources, and events – each sector requires an individual approach.
The project has a popularity rating and a reward system that forces each participant not only to think about their own interests but also to consider the impact of their actions on the global process. For example, successfully creating a new lake or forest adds terraforming points, which increases the corporation’s rating. Such versatility makes the best popular board games so exciting and competitive.
Where to play and the advantages of the online version
Terraforming Mars is available on Steam and Board Game Arena. This gives you the opportunity to participate in competitions with participants around the world. The online version offers an intuitive interface, where each element is conveniently visualized: cards, markers, resources – everything is in its place. There is a hint system, that helps beginners quickly master the rules. There is also a function for automatic calculation of resources, which eliminates the possibility of errors and makes it easier to pass. Such an organization allows you to play the board game online without unnecessary fuss.
Gloomhaven: online adaptation of the cult cooperative game
Developed by Isaac Childres, Gloomhaven provides the opportunity to control a squad of mercenaries who travel through gloomy dungeons. The goal is to complete missions, develop characters, and fight enemies.
Characters can specialize in healing, ranged attack, or defense. There are more than 17 heroes in the game, and each has its own set of abilities and unique action cards. There is no time to think, as every decision, from card selection to interaction with a partner, can change the outcome of the entire game.
Team dynamics and cooperative element
Group dynamics are what make Gloomhaven one of the best online board games. Users must work together to overcome the dangers of dungeons and win difficult battles. Each dungeon is a set of scenarios, and in order to successfully complete it, it is necessary to work out tactics in detail and coordinate the actions of the team.
It is important not only to use the individual skills of the characters, but also to consider the common goals. For example, one can take on the task of distracting enemies, while the rest focus on completing the main mission. Board games for a group, like Gloomhaven, really flourish when participants can interact online and discuss strategies. This gives the game a depth that is missing in solo versions.
Carcassonne: A Digital Medieval Classic
Carcassonne is an online classic among the best board games, where the user becomes an architect and builder of medieval Europe. The task is to build a landscape: place tiles and create cities, roads, and monasteries. Each tile placement affects possible actions, which adds an element of strategic planning.
This is the most interesting board game because it requires a strategic approach and the ability to predict the opponent’s moves. The variety of landscapes and tile combinations ensures that no two games will be the same.
Board game for two or more: time to throw a party
Carcassonne is ideal for any composition. In the two-player format, it becomes a real duel, where each action of the opponent can change the outcome of the entire game. For example, blocking a road or occupying a strategically important area can deprive the opponent of a chance to win. The game is also good in a large company – you can compete for territories.
The free version and its features
Carcassonne is available on the Board Game Arena platform, making it one of the few free online board games that have retained their spirit and uniqueness. The project offers full functionality, including a multiplayer mode, the ability to play with artificial intelligence, and participation in global tournaments.
Codenames: spy intrigues on your screen
In Codenames, teams compete in guessing words based on the host’s hints. Each team has one spy who knows the location of all agents, and his task is to help the team uncover their agents faster than the opponent does.
This is the best of the online board games where you can test your intuition and ability to think associatively. Each word that the host reveals can lead to victory or defeat. There are special cards with agents and civilians, as well as a card with a killer – a word that is absolutely forbidden to choose.
Available platforms and their features
The project is available on several platforms – Codenames. game and Tabletopia. The interface is intuitive, and there are also options for playing with different sets of words (for example, themed sets dedicated to films or books), which makes each game unique.
Ticket to Ride: traveling along the world’s railways
In Ticket to Ride, players build railway routes – connecting different cities on the map. The game requires participants to think strategically and react quickly to the actions of opponents. Developed by Days of Wonder, the project offers a variety of world maps with unique conditions and rules.
Participants must collect train car cards and use them to build routes. Each card has its own color, and it is necessary to collect a certain number of cards of the same shade. For example, for a route from Paris to Berlin, you will need four red cards. This best online board game immerses you in the atmosphere of travel and competition.
Variability and adaptation
Ticket to Ride has several versions, each of which takes users to new corners of the world. There are classic maps of the USA and Europe, and more exotic Africa and Asia. Each version adds new rules, such as tunnels and ferries in the European version, which complicate the process of building routes. The variety of tactics and strategies is what makes Ticket to Ride one of the top board games.
Dive into the best board games now.
To sum it up, we can confidently say that the best online board games are an opportunity to test yourself, strategic skills, and team spirit. Try each of them and find your favorite! The proposed projects are guaranteed to make any evening unforgettable and give a lot of emotions.
