Unlocking the Power of Play: Top Strategy Board Games
In an era dominated by screens and digital entertainment, it’s refreshing to note that the tactile joy and cognitive benefits of board games are experiencing a renaissance. Strategy board games, in particular, offer a unique blend of fun, mental stimulation, and social interaction.
At SimplyFun, we have always prided ourselves in creating engaging games that help players, young and old, learn new things, practice skill sets, and strengthen new ones. To help you find the best strategy board games for you, your friends, and your family, we have curated a selection of titles that stand out in the realm of strategic play. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or new to the tabletop scene, these games promise to challenge your mind and foster meaningful connections.
The Cognitive and Social Benefits of Strategy Board Games
First, let’s start with the fundamentals. What makes strategy board games so valuable? When playing any strategy board game, it’s easy to forget that you’re not just being entertained, you’re actually working out your brain!
Research indicates that participating in board games strategy actually enhances memory, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking.
A recent study from the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine at the International University of Health and Welfare highlights the cognitive and emotional benefits of board game play, particularly for older adults. While strategy board games for adults especially are often seen as a simple leisure activity, playing board games has been linked to a reduced risk of dementia and cognitive decline. A notable 20-year population-based study in southwestern France followed 3,675 participants without dementia and found that regular board game players—who made up 32% of the group—had a 15% lower risk of developing dementia compared to non-players. These individuals also showed smaller declines in cognitive test scores and experienced lower rates of depression.
While the exact causes behind these benefits are still being explored, researchers suggest that the strategic thinking required in strategy board games, like planning ahead and making proactive decisions, may help maintain and even strengthen cognitive function. In addition, the social aspects of playing board games together, such as non-verbal communication and group interaction, strengthen social bonds with other people which is also known to protect against mental decline.
Beyond cognitive benefits, strategy board games may serve as a form of stress relief and even artistic expression, offering players a structured yet imaginative outlet. This break from the norm of everyday life can give people an unexpected burst of energy, joy, and mental stimulation.
For children, the impacts are even greater. Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child shares insight into why brain-building through play is an essential part of childhood development. Classic board games like checkers and chess are great brain teasers to challenge kids at this age. Strategy games like our Planet Voyagers or Amalgam are great ways for kids to build memory skills as they contemplate their next moves and develop mental flexibility in responding to opponents. If your child likes war strategy board games but you prefer something less violent and more heroic, Triage is a great option.
Adults should encourage kids to focus on having fun and learning new things, rather than on winning and losing, and to take note of each child’s unique interests and talents as they take shape.
Some of SimplyFun’s Top Strategy Board Games
Take a look at some of our Top Strategy Board Games and see which one you’d like to try next!
1. Amalgam
2-4 players • 30 min • 10 & up
Mix up magical ingredients in your cauldron to brew the most powerful potions! Use strategy and planning to remember and collect matching ingredients for a spellbinding brew.
Amalgam is a great game for developing strategy skills, as players collect as many of the same ingredient cards as they can, while at the same time, considering what their opponents are collecting. Amalgam also improves planning skills. Players think ahead, trying to collect cards where the number on the card equals the number of spaces they want to move on their next turn. Players try to project the number of points they may earn for that card at the end of the game as well. To set up the game, first assess how many players will be mixing potions. For 3 to 4 players, use all 72 ingredient cards. If only 2 players are playing, remove 8 ingredient cards with the number labels that match the colors of the pawns not being used. The object of the game Amalgam is to fill your cauldron with as many of the same type of ingredient cards as you can. Your score card will tell you which cards will help you collect the most points.
2. Dish ‘em Out
2-5 players • 30 min • 8 & up
Ready to run the hottest diner in town? Strategize and plan how to seat and serve your breakfast rush. Manage cook times, complete orders, and avoid wasted food to score big! Players compete as rival diner owners to earn the most points with correct and complete orders. After being assigned a new customer order card each round, players collect food tiles. The different food types have varying cook times, so planning is essential to ensure each order's items are ready to serve at the same time. Any wasted food, incorrect or incomplete orders will cause a player to lose points. The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner. Dish ‘em Out also helps with strategy skills as players take turns assigning customer order cards and make decisions based on the complexity and the associated point values. Players total the scores from their served customer order cards and subtract any penalty tokens received to determine their final scores. The player with the most points wins. In the case of a tie, the player with the fewest penalty tokens wins. If there is still a tie, the player with the five highest-point customer order cards wins.
Manage your customer orders and quickly Dish’em Out to make your diner rank best among your competitors!
3. Triage
2-5 players • 40 min • 12 & up
It’s up to you to save your citizens from disasters! Use your decision-making, strategy, and predicting skills to mobilize rescue crews and lead everyone to safety. Will you be the hero they need? The challenge awaits! This is a major strategy game that supports two to five players, ages 12 and up. Each player is responsible for evacuating citizens from natural disasters happening across the map. Be the best rescuer to win the game. At its heart, Triage is about making critical social choices. The gameplay features tactical decisions and strategy, but on a broader scale, it raises important questions about how to manage priorities in a crisis situation. Triage also leads to critical 'value discussions', important for your family. Included in the rules is a section dedicated to topics for parents or teachers to begin a conversation like “what resources become scarce during a natural disaster?”
Triage provides a forum for us to think about difficult choices using a bold theme to introduce important, thought-provoking issues. It also develops advanced strategy and planning skills. We hope it's a favorite on your game table!
4. Planet Voyagers
2-5 players • 30 min • 8 & up
Embark on an interstellar adventure with Planet Voyagers! Players explore distant planets, learn cool astronomy facts, and strategize with their cards to advance their rocket or research for points. Planet Voyagers is good for increasing Astronomy Knowledge as players read their voyager cards and data boards, learning interesting facts about planets, moons, asteroids and comets while sparking their curiosity about our solar system. Planet Voyagers also helps with developing Strategy Skills as players analyze their voyager cards, as well as the movements and cards of other players, planning, adapting strategies and making decisions that help them score points. Journey from planet to planet and send out research probes to earn points and learn interesting facts about the celestial bodies near and far.
Be the first player to reach the planet Neptune with your rocket or to score 12 points and win the game!
5. Strategy Starter Game Set
2+ players • 30 min • 8 & up
Get an easy introduction to Strategy games the whole family can enjoy with this fantastic bundle! Each set includes:
1. High Tail It! Hop to victory with your kangaroos in this checkers style game! Use strategy, predict your opponents' moves, and plan your route to leap over them. Be the first to get all five kangaroos around the board and back across the river to win! This racing game in the outback is for 2-4 players ages 8 and Up. High Tail It builds spatial reasoning and memory skills for young children as they move their pieces around the board, as well as promotes the concept of teamwork as they position their roos to make the most of their jumps.
2. Chess on the Loose: Get ready for chess fun with 3 wild game variations on basic chess. You'll need top-notch strategy and decision-making skills as chess takes on a brand-new twist. Includes a full chess set, cards, and tokens. Chess on the Loose adds three optional variations to the classic game of chess: 1. Bring a fiendish friend to the party by adding the Frankencheck piece to the board in Frankencheck 2. Dig for treasures and uncover special points in Treasure Chessed. OR, 3. Win UFO Spell Check by collecting letters, spelling the names of chess pieces, and adding those bonus pieces to the board. Chess on the Loose provides fun new variations for beginning chess players. Alternate rules provide variety for players who already know chess rules. And ALL players will add new layers of depth to their spatial orientation, problem solving and logical thinking skills.
3. Triage: As we spotlighted above, this is a major strategy game that supports two to five players, ages 12 and up. Each player is responsible for evacuating citizens from natural disasters happening across the map. Be the best rescuer to win the game. At its heart, Triage is about making critical social choices. The gameplay features tactical decisions and strategy, but on a broader scale, it raises important questions about how to manage priorities in a crisis situation.
Each can be played in 40 minutes or less, and focuses on decision making, predicting, and planning. For those new to the world of strategic gaming, SimplyFun’s Strategy Starter Game Set offers a curated selection of games designed to introduce core strategic concepts. This set is ideal for families or groups looking to delve into board games strategy without feeling overwhelmed, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking board games for adults strategy.
Shop Strategy Starter Game Set
The Timeless Appeal of Strategy Board Games
Strategy board games have stood the test of time, evolving from ancient games like Chess to modern classics. Their enduring popularity stems from their ability to challenge players intellectually while providing a platform for social interaction.
The revival of board games in recent years underscores their relevance in today’s fast-paced world. They offer a break from digital overload and screens, encouraging face-to-face interaction and critical thinking. Whether you’re revisiting classic strategy board games or exploring new favorites, the strategic depth and communal experience they provide are a fantastic way to reconnect with other people.
Pick Some Fun Strategy Board Games for Tons of Benefits
Incorporating strategy board games into your routine offers a ton of benefits, from cognitive enrichment to strengthened social interactions and bonding. SimplyFun’s selection of top strategy board games appeals to a variety of ages and stages, ensuring that both beginners and seasoned players will find a new and exciting game that appeals to them.
Instead of a movie night, why not try a night of strategy board games to make memories, learn through play, and test your critical thinking skills?
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