The word ‘game’ contains a wide range of entertaining activities, from team sports to Fortnite.
Whether you’re the type of person who wants to settle in for hours at a time with an expansive open-world video game, or someone who’s more into playing board games with a group of friends, anyone and everyone can find something that suits them.
As mentioned on Embryo, the global gaming industry is expected to be worth $321 billion by 2026. It shows the massive shift of players to online gaming.
In this article, I have listed the best tabletop games that have been seamlessly converted to digital platforms and can be enjoyed online.
15 Best Tabletop Games
In the below section, I have listed the top 10 Tabletop games for you in details.
1. Chess
Chess is possibly the most well-known tabletop game of all time, and while the rules are relatively simple to learn, it has a strategic depth that few other games exhibit.
Chess was one of the first tabletop games to make the jump to the digital space with now hundreds of websites offering the ability to play the game online, either against AI or real opponents. It’s also the case that virtually every popular video game console from the last 20 years has chess in its catalog.
2. Solitaire
Another extremely popular game that went digital early on was solitaire. The most well-known digital version is Microsoft Solitaire, which was first bundled with the Windows operating system back in 1990.
Since then, the game has found a home online: given the fact that it’s easy to learn, single-player, and addictive, it’s become a favorite with people wanting to kill a bit of time during a slow day at the office or as they wait for the bus.
3. Monopoly
Monopoly has become a staple in most households. It’s quick to pick up, and nearly all ages can get invested in the pursuit to become the last player standing on the property board.
Given the nature of the game, it might seem as though it wouldn’t translate very well to the digital realm, but software versions have become very popular. There are many different versions available: one of the best is considered Monopoly Plus, which was released in 2014 for a wide variety of different video game platforms.
4. Catan
For many, Catan straddles the line between being pick-up-and-play and deep strategy, and this means it’s perfect for translating to digital platforms.
The game is all about gathering resources and building roads and settlements on a grid comprising hexagonal tiles, whereby the first person to 10 points wins. The most recent digital version features impressive high-resolution graphics to make the experience more immersive and has online capabilities so that a player can play with friends all over the world.
5. Uno
Uno is one of the most popular modern card games of all time, so it’s no surprise that digital versions were not long to follow.
Ubisoft – the developer behind big franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry – was the one to take on the task of making a video game version. Digital Uno brings with it new rule sets as well as online play, and you can get the game on virtually all platforms, from iPhone and Android to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation.
6. Risk
Risk is another classic strategy board game that’s been brought over to digital platforms. The aim of the game is to slowly claim territory by building an army and defeating your opponents in battle.
Similarly to Catan, the digital version features brand new 3D graphics to bring the board to life, and the best part is it’s free to play on Steam. You can play online, of course, and one thing players appreciate is the high level of customization on offer so far as different rules and maps.
7. Clue
Many have great memories of playing the classic murder mystery board game Clue, but did you know that there’s now a digital version available, too?
The video game variant of clue offers a far more expansive experience than the original, with players getting to explore a fully 3D mansion with many different unique modes the board game never had.
There haven’t been many digital renditions that have put this amount of effort into creating a proper feel and atmosphere, and so rather than simply being different from the original, many actually consider it the ideal version. There’s even a solo option if you want to play by yourself!
8. Yahtzee
Yahtzee is an incredibly simple game as you only need a pair of dice to play. The objective is similarly straightforward, in that you simply roll dice to score points in thirteen distinct categories, such as “repeat until you’ve rolled three times” or “roll all five dice”.
You’ll be surprised about how addictive the game becomes after a few rounds. There are many digital versions available to play for free online that feature both single-player and multiplayer variants.
9. Mahjong
Mahjong is an ancient game in which players take turns to draw from an assortment of shuffled tiles and form them into sets. The main objective is to be the first player to gain a winning hand. There’s also a variation of the main game called Mahjong Solitaire, which is the single-player version.
Mahjong is another game that, like Chess, is easy to learn but difficult to master. There are many different winning hand combinations, and a truly skilled player is thinking several steps ahead to a range of possible outcomes.
10. The Game of Life
The Game of Life is a classic board game in which players are tasked with moving through a linear board from birth to retirement, making important life decisions to accumulate the most wealth by the end of the game.
Given the fact that the game places heavy emphasis on the player’s imagination, you can imagine how the video game version brings each scenario to life. Rather than featuring a classic 2D board, it places players within a fully animated map for greater immersion, enhancing the degree of interactivity.
11. Backgammon
Backgammon is one of the oldest games in the world, with historians estimating that it’s likely around 5000 years old.
It’s a two-player game played with checkers, with the aim being to move the checkers around in a horseshoe formation until they’re on your home board. The first player to complete the task wins.
There are many free digital variations of backgammon online, and it’s often included in classic tabletop game compilations for PC and consoles.
12. Carcassonne
Played on a tiled, medieval-themed board, the aim of Carcassonne is to place tiles that resemble roads, fields, cities, and more to gradually claim the board and earn points (it’s similar to Catan in this sense).
The digital version is available for a variety of different platforms including PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, and the original Xbox Live Arcade. Rather than digitally rendering the board as a map, these developers opted to design a basic 3D board to be in keeping with the original tabletop feel.
13. Scrabble
Nearly everyone’s played Scrabble – the classic board game in which players compete to spell words on a grid using small lettered squares. Once again, Ubisoft handled the development of the official versions of digital Scrabble, and there have been many different releases dating back to 2000 (though there was also a version from way back in 1984 for the Apple II and ZX Spectrum.
There’s also Scrabble Go which was released for iOS and Android, and whichever of the modern versions you go for, you’ll be guaranteed online multiplayer.
14. Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride is a unique board game in which the objective is to compete in building the best railway network. It’s a relatively simple game with each turn comprising three core elements: drawing cards, claiming a route, or drawing new tickets.
The game is traditionally played on a standard rectangular board but has since been adapted to the digital format. The latest version features impressively programmed AI and a clean, intuitive map that does a great job of capturing the look and feel of the original.
15. Dominion
Deck builders are all the rage, and Dominion has supplanted itself firmly as a fan favorite. Players compete to acquire ‘victory points’ by buying new cards throughout the game, and the goal is to amass the best cards and build the most powerful deck out of all players.
While with many games it’s hotly debated whether or not the physical or digital version is better, there seems to be a general consensus amongst fans that the online functionality of the digital version makes it vastly superior.
Wrapping Up
So, there you have it! A list of 15 tabletop games that have been successfully converted to work as digital products. These are far from the only tabletop games that have made the leap, of course, so you never know: maybe you can find a digital version of your favorite obscure tabletop game (or perhaps one’s already in development)
