Your ultimate list of best Android board games
Updated on October 10th, 2023 – re-checked the list. Original list by Jon Mundy, updated by Jupiter Hadley.
Christmas might be receding into the rearview mirror, but that doesn’t mean that you have to pack away those board games. In fact, with most of us practically housebound right now, conditions continue to be ripe for a spot of dice and card action.
The only trouble is that there are only so many physical board games many of us are willing or able to cram into our homes. Thank goodness for the advent of digital board games.
With this sub-genre of video games, you can play recognisable (and often totally original) board games from the comfort of your smartphone. And while it’s true that you miss out on the tactile joy of the real thing, there are benefits to this way of playing.
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Digital board games tend to simplify and streamline often very complex or fiddly titles, with automated UIs and spruced up graphics. They also make online multiplayer a tantalising possibility, which is especially useful in these socially isolated times.
This is a wide and varied field, so we’ve included digital board games of all shapes and sizes in the following top 25 list. Don’t see your own personal favourite? Let us all know your recommendations in the comments below.
Wingspan is a really beautiful mobile adaptation of the board game with the same name. It can be played in a single player mode, against AI or up to four other players. You are looking to discover and attract birds to your wildlife preservers, using their abilities and chaining together combinations to create a better habitat for them.
The subtle animations and transitions within Wingspan bring everything to life, not only highlighting the game but also making this version so much more enjoyable. If you are a fan of card games or birds, try out this title.
Raiders of the North Sea is a Viking-filled worker placement title that ticks all of the necessary boxes, with stunning artwork and brilliant mechanics. You’ll develop your own village by picking the cards that are going to boost one building or another. Raising a raiding party is another logical step on the way, as you’ll be raiding your opponent, while also defending your settlement.
It’s one of the finest board game conversions we’ve ever played, and we’ve stated that in greater detail in our Raiders of the North Sea review, so make sure to take a look!
Antihero looks and feels like a slick and pacy turn-based strategy, and it even has a fully fleshed-out single-player campaign mode. Look a little deeper, though, and you’ll find a super-tight digital board game at its core. You’ll play as a leader of the local thiefs guild in Victorian London. Your utmost goal is to hold control of the city through scouting, theft, extortion, and other shady actions.
Not sure how Antihero plays out exactly? We’ve got a Antihero – Digital Board Game review where we give you some further details about the playstyle!
Maestro Playdek here tackles one of the best board games ever made – with predictably ace results. Twilight Struggle manages to encapsulate the complexities of the Cold War in a strategically rewarding experience.
It’s an immersive Android board game that will leave you in awe. It has so much replay potential that you won’t believe you haven’t actually found it sooner!
Award-winning in physical form and similarly awesome on mobile, the Isle of Skye takes the tile-laying land-grab concept of the original and adds a decent tutorial and a suite of modes.
We even got a Isle of Skye review that covers every aspect to the single bit!
Oceans Lite is about the vast world hidden underwater, it is a beautiful and immersive experience with close to infinite replay value. This is one of the best Android board games right now, and if you haven’t played the physical one yet, you must try the digital one.
The beautifully drawn cards and several features (pass, weekly challenges) make it one game that can be enjoyed no matter if you’re a single-player or you’re playing with friends.
Monopoly Go is a new way to play Monopoly, bringing the game to a more multiplayer, online mode where you can do a lot of classic Monopoly things like roll your dice, move around the board, draw cards, and hopefully not land on a place to pay rent to another player. However, Monopoly Go also has mini-games, where you can match items to steal money from another player, or destroy bits of their town. Monopoly Go is a fun version of Monopoly and one that you do not need to play in one solid sitting.
Another one that puts the lie to the idea that board games are boring, Galaxy Trucker is heart-pumpingly frenetic. Race to build your spaceship against the clock before embarking on an event-filled sci-fi mission.
It is absolutely stunning, and our Galaxy Trucker review expresses it perfectly. It’s one of those Android board games that you’ll think about over and over again and try to get your friends to play with you on every occasion!
This is the second digital take on board game legend Carcassonne, and it’s a much better version than the 2011 original. Take turns laying tiles to build a map of medieval France, but pick your moment to launch a treacherous land grab.
We even have a Carcassonne (Asmodee) review for you, but if you’re a board games enthusiast, chances are you’ve already heard of Carcassonne – it’s a classic!
A beautiful title from every single point of view, Tokaido follows the player through Japan, while trying to fulfill the trek. It’s a relaxing experience with astounding music that will leave you in a ‘feel-good’ momentum the second you dive in.
From characters to the narrative and even achievements, Tokaido is easily one of the top board games on Android you need to check out.
An enticingly verdant title that casts you as a deceptively cute creature, and tasks you with conquering your local forest. Featuring four distinct factions and deep strategic potential, Root gets appropriately deep.
While Root is not outstanding in terms of graphics or mechanics, it is simple and encompasses all the key elements of a competitive board game. Just don’t let the cartoonish graphics fool you – it is a lot deeper than it gives off at first glance.
Here we have a stripped-down card-based version of the popular tabletop role-playing game Pathfinder, and it feels perfectly suited to mobile. Pick your team, kit them out, and embark on a series of combat-filled quests.
You guessed it – in our Pathfinder Adventures review, we’ll talk about all of these key elements that make it such a successful tabletop RPG.
This port of a 2016 physical board game is a classy slice of interactive sci-fi, as players cooperate to make Mars habitable. As you skip along its hex-shaped board, though, you must also vie for corporate supremacy.
Both the original and this digital adaptation look stunning, but we’d urge you to play it on a bigger screen. It is one of the best board games for tablets because you really get to enjoy every single detail that went into the making of Terraforming Mars.
This wonderful abstract strategy has you taking turns with your rival to place the blocks in an ever-expanding tower. It’s got that ‘easy to learn, tough to master’ thing going on and a surprisingly involved single-player campaign.
This mobile board game is exactly how you’d have imagined. Of course, it is a little lacking in the graphics department – the original looks slightly better – but it’s not a strong enough reason to pass it. It’s still one of the best Android board games ever created, and we’ve stated that clearly in our Santorini review.
Dire Wolf Digital manages to make this port of a unique dice-drafting title feel suitably tactile on the small screen. Sagrada has you rolling dice to build the best-stained glass window.
The board game might not be as popular as the mobile adaptation, hence we’ve chosen to add this one to the list. It’s a fun little strategy title that you can enjoy on quick breaks at work or when you just want to relax with friends.
This conversion of a highly regarded cooperative board game sees you taking on the role of an elemental god and strategically defending your island home from colonial invaders.
It’s got every element that you need in a simple but colourful rendition and the simple yet goal-oriented gameplay keeps it true to the original. Definitely, Spirit Island feels natural on mobile.
You know this Agricola, we know this Agricola and every seasoned board game enthusiast knows Agricola. Suitably enough for a title that concerns itself with running a farm, Agricola takes a fair amount of graft before you’ll reap its rewards. But this engaging and beautifully presented title is well worth the effort.
Never heard of it before? Don’t worry – we’ve got a Agricola review where we cover every aspect of it in great detail and share our honest opinions.
As the name suggests, Evolution is all about adapting to your environment in order to survive. You do this through a delightfully tactical card-driven title filled with countless agonising decisions.
It’s a stunningly-looking game with truly amazing gameplay. There is always something to be done, a new feature to be learned – and if you want to learn more on why we’re so biased towards Evolution, then we’ve got a Evolution Board Game review for you.
A brilliant asymmetrical multiplayer contest of cat and mouse. One player is on the king’s side, the other the would-be killers and the result is an impossibly tense board contest.
Since you already know how much we love Carcassonne, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that we’ve chosen another one of Asmodee’s mobile creations to feature on the list of best board games on Android. And that’s exactly the case for Kings and Assassins – check out our Kings and Assassins review for more!
The next one on the list is well-known by many players. Monopoly is a fantastic digital board game with many great features. One of the best things about it is the video chat that allows you to play face-to-face with your friends.
The other option is offline multiplayer, which allows you to play on one device with up to 4 other players. Moreover, you can test your skills against AI or play a quick mode if you do not have enough time for a regular game.
Ah, D&D – we cannot have a board game list without it!
Though it’s set in the classic Dungeons and Dragons tabletop RPG universe, Lords of Waterdeep is actually a worker-placement game that sees you strategically occupying spaces and resources on a board. It’s a very attractive and accessible example of the form, too.
Don’t know what to make of it yet? Our review should clear that up for you – it’s a clear winner in the digital board game category!
Elder Sign: Omens is a deep tactical title that takes ages to master, but it also has the added spice of a universe based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft.
In the Elder Sign: Omens review we’ve spilt all the tea when it comes to gameplay – it’s stunning but requires a little bit of learning in order to be enjoyed to its utmost extent.
You’re probably familiar with the famous GoT – be it the books or the TV show. Well, did you know there is also a board game? A Game of Thrones: The Board Game is an absolutely massive and beautiful adaptation of the physical GoT board game, and it’s all that you have ever wanted in a digital adaptation. Of course, that’s partly because it’s another Asmodee creation.
The idea is pretty simple – conquer land and reach the Iron Throne… but the path is pretty difficult, so if you’re up for the challenge, it’s definitely worth paying for.
This sequel to Hasbro’s casual family favourite updates the formula of wanton materialism with a rather more varied spread of goals and events. In a further nod to its fresh Generation Z audience, you can also unlock a bunch of cosmetic customisation items.
Turn-based battles with unique dice, skills and challenges every step of the way make Armello one of the best board games of all time – both online and offline (in non-digital format). This fantastical RPG urges players to become the king by following the path through the forest (the board) and trying to overcome all the challenges that lay ahead.
We’ve already said that in our Armello review, but we’ll say it again. It’s a unique experience that feels at home on mobile.