Ready your strategic mind! Join us as we count down our picks for board games that demand serious brainpower to master. From ancient classics to modern masterpieces, these tabletop challenges will test your tactical thinking, resource management, and long-term planning skills. Which of these strategic showdowns has claimed the most of your gaming hours?
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00:00Oh, come on!
00:01Welcome to the next five to eight weeks of your life.
00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for board games that need a cunning mind to win.
00:13All resources are kept on and spent from territories you control on the board.
00:19If you love games, be sure to check out WatchMojo's new game Terrible Influence, launching soon on Kickstarter.
00:25Terrible Influence is a satirical board game about the dark side of fame from the writer of the most popular girls in school and us, WatchMojo.
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00:50Number 20. The Settlers of Catan
00:55To build roads and settlements, to do so requires wood. Now, I have sheep. I need wood.
01:04Who has wood for my sheep?
01:07Also known as Settlers or just Catan, this game's arrival on the game scene was game-changing.
01:13It seems simple enough. Players need ten points, and each settlement equals a point.
01:18But actually getting those points? That's the challenge.
01:21This game brought us into the hobby, and I think a lot of people, too.
01:25And in this game, you are settling the island of Catan by building settlements and cities and getting resources, and you have to know how to negotiate.
01:34You gotta talk, people. You gotta talk it out.
01:36The game features 19 terrains, which are designated by resource.
01:40Brick, ore, wool, grain, and wood, all of which are needed for accomplishing different goals.
01:46But rather than pure greed, Catan is a game built upon negotiation, resource management, and situational awareness.
01:53It's also a platform ripe for expansion, with cities and knights, trails to rails, seafarers of Catan, and other packs available.
02:06Where can I put this?
02:07What is it?
02:08It's Risk, Jerry, the game of world conquest.
02:11Everybody wants to rule the world.
02:13And if you have enough skill, luck, and good planning, you just might pull it off.
02:18You'll never make the news, but you will have made two to four enemies out of former friends.
02:23Invented by French filmmaker Albert Lamaurice, Risk arrived on the scene in 1957 as La Conquête du Monde, or The Conquest of the World.
02:32Soon after, the rights were snapped up by Parker Brothers, who also tweaked the rules slightly.
02:37Typical play lasts around two hours, but can hit the six-hour mark if the delicate balance of alliances and betrayal really heats up.
03:01Created by Klaus-Jürgen Bride, and released in German and English-speaking markets in 2000,
03:06Carcassonne won gaming awards right out of the box, and it's easy to see why.
03:10Opening up play for two to five players, the game packs plenty of excitement without claiming an entire evening, with rounds lasting about 45 minutes.
03:19Best still, no one gets eliminated, which means no one is forced to sit and watch the game peter out and the game buzz wane.
03:27The game focuses on developing communities, and utilizing the population and resources within.
03:33And like other games, it comes with a rich array of expansion materials as well.
03:40Based on the monumental novel Dune, this is an updated version of a significantly older game.
03:45A key part of Dune is managing your leaders as you fight across Arrakis.
03:50Fans of the books go crazy for this, since it lets you reenact and rewrite the story.
03:55Each player controls one of six great factions, all vying for control over Spice.
04:00It's extremely strategic on account of its punishing nature.
04:03Each faction has a quick reference sheet, which tells you where you're going to set up your forces, how much spice you have, and any rules that are exclusive to your faction.
04:14A small mistake can cost you the entire game, which fits thematically given the harsh climate of Arrakis.
04:20Player elimination is usually shied away from, but not in Dune.
04:24To some, it's the best board game ever.
04:27However, we could say the same for most entries here, since modern board gaming is just that good.
04:32The Harkonnen player loses everything in the territory, and both cards.
04:37While the Fremen receive four spice for Beast Ruban and keep everything.
04:44If you've played Brass in the past, learning how to play Burning will be a snap.
04:48This is currently the highest rated board game on Board Game Geek, and for good reason.
04:53Finding someone who has played it but didn't enjoy it is nigh on impossible.
04:58It's the pinnacle of industrial revolution games.
05:01Brass Birmingham is an optimistic take on business where you can always adapt to improve in industrial era England.
05:06Set between 1770 and 1870, players take on the role of competing entrepreneurs.
05:11It's far from the most complicated game with only two major resources, coal and iron.
05:17And the possible actions are rather simple.
05:19Whether it be the balance card drawing, the unique double arrow progression,
05:22or the me scratching your back and then you scratching my back as we progress together on the board,
05:26this game is an economic delight.
05:28Even the best strategies can crumble when another player builds on your spot or takes the last iron.
05:33So you'll have to think of almost every possible outcome to reliably win.
05:38And we have to stress that for how dense the game is, it's never punishing at all.
05:44The Hanseatic League was an incredibly wealthy medieval German trading league.
05:48This is the setting for Hansa Teutonica where players take the role of league traders.
05:53Now this game has no luck, no cards, no dice, just pure strategy.
05:59The goal is to build the best trading house network across Germany.
06:03The original and its later big box edition are debatably the best commerce games ever made.
06:08Players take on the role of traders competing to gain victory points by building networks and controlling cities.
06:15It ends the instant someone hits 20 victory points,
06:18giving you little breathing room to execute game winning strategies.
06:22No two games will ever feel the same since the amount of strategic expression feels unlimited.
06:35Quite a few Mars colonization games exist, but this is the most popular.
06:39Set in the 2400s, you play as CEOs competing for the best Martian settlement.
06:45So far, there are eight expansions available, adding a variety of mechanics and features.
06:50Note that the energy production stated on the card is added to the initial production we get for playing the standard game.
06:56Everyone works together to convert Mars into an oasis, but whoever does it the best wins.
07:01While it's not strictly scientifically accurate, it is heavily inspired by real science,
07:07making it a highly immersive title.
07:09Now if you increase the temperature to minus 24 degrees,
07:12you get to increase your heat production on your player board one step.
07:15It's been so popular, it even got a video game adaptation.
07:19Starting with nothing and converting Mars into a habitable paradise is immensely satisfying,
07:24at least until you lose.
07:26Be sure to also check your event cards for victory points.
07:37There's no shortage of civilization-focused board games,
07:40where you guide your people through history, advancing through the ages.
07:43It's tough to pick just one for our list, but we believe Through the Ages is the most strategically demanding.
07:49So he's only got one civil action, which means he can only take one of these five cards.
07:53It's a civilization-building game, with emphasis on resource management.
07:57Its main mechanic is card drafting, with little board focus.
08:01One strategy could be to rush technology and create a vibrant metropolis.
08:05First of all, this section is the future events.
08:07These are things that are going to happen at some point later on in the game.
08:10Just don't forget about the military aspect,
08:12or else your hard work will quickly become someone else's crown jewel.
08:16These units that make up this tactics card have to be from this age,
08:20or the one before, or in fact the one afterwards, for you to get the higher number.
08:27The original Pandemic was pretty popular, but players found each game felt relatively similar.
08:33Its successor, Pandemic Legacy, solved this issue.
08:36It's still a cooperative game, however a story carries between games.
08:40In total, it'll take between 12 and 24 playthroughs to complete.
08:44The first game feels a lot like the regular Pandemic.
08:47As you keep going, there'll be new rules and components added, keeping it refreshing.
08:52This means after a few games, you'll have an entirely unique copy.
08:56There have been three seasons in total, giving Pandemic more replayability than ever before.
09:02Number 11, Root.
09:03Typically, board games have the same rules and mechanics for every single player.
09:07This symmetry is completely foregone in Root, where everyone is playing a separate board game.
09:13Rival factions compete for control over a forest, with each one playing entirely differently.
09:26There's the Woodland Alliance, who spend the game accumulating sympathy,
09:29which literally explodes at a critical mass.
09:32Or the Vagabond, a lone soldier who plays all sides.
09:40It's a brilliant example of how much fun asymmetry can be.
09:43It also means formulating the perfect strategy requires understanding how every single faction plays.
09:49That's a huge task, which extends its replayability by a hefty margin.
09:54Also, did we mention the art is adorable?
10:00Number 10, Oath.
10:02This is a remarkable concept for a board game.
10:05It's focused on guiding history in a fictional world.
10:08What's unique is that your actions in one game carry over to the next.
10:12So if you want to properly dig your teeth into Oath, you'll need a dedicated group of players.
10:17Otherwise, you'll miss out on the details shared between games.
10:21This means you'll gradually develop an extensive history for your game.
10:25As such, your copy will be unique after a few games.
10:28An example of what carries over is a dynasty, which can exist across generations.
10:33It's made by the same person as Root, with the same beautiful art style, making every game a treat.
10:39Number 9, War of the Ring 2nd Edition.
10:42There's a plethora of Lord of the Rings board games in the world.
10:46None of these can match War of the Rings' quality.
10:49It's an asymmetric two-player game where someone plays Mordor and the other the Fellowship.
10:53There's no hand-waving to make every mechanic feel appropriate to Lord of the Rings.
10:57The Mordor player will spend most of the game spamming orcs and trying to Zerg rush their opponent.
11:02The Fellowship's playstyle is instead focused on evasion,
11:05and the occasional wildcard that lets Gandalf instantly destroy Saruman.
11:09For the multiple varied armies and the characters of Middle-Earth,
11:13there's so many stories and moments of Middle-Earth waiting to be played.
11:17No matter what role you play, your strategic prowess needs to be on full display in this battle for the lands of Middle-Earth.
11:23Even if you're not into Lord of the Rings, the action die and event card system still holds up 20 plus years after this game's release.
11:30Number 8, Scythe.
11:31The roaring 20s was a time of economic prosperity,
11:34instantly recognizable by flappers, Ford Model Ts, and of course, mechs.
11:39Well, that last one was only present in Scythe, which is based in an alternate dieselpunk 1920s.
11:45Combat is driven by players' decisions and cunning, not randomness.
11:50It was originally a Kickstarter project, but released in shops.
11:53Good luck getting your hands on a copy though, it immediately sold out everywhere.
11:58It's an engine building game, set in Eastern Europe.
12:08There's almost zero luck involved, only big brain maneuvers that can win.
12:13It's also asymmetrical, with each faction having unique mechanics,
12:17placing even more emphasis on a cunning strategy to achieve victory.
12:26Number 7, Magic Realm.
12:28Commonly known as the granddaddy of RPG games, this 70s title is phenomenally complex.
12:34It's more similar to Dungeons & Dragons than any other war game.
12:38It's been out of print since 1998, making it an item cherished by collectors.
12:44There are 16 unique characters to play, each with drastically differing playstyles.
12:49Its age adds to its unique charms, since games like this are no longer made.
12:54Despite this, its influence is unparalleled.
12:57It takes a few games to wrap your head around, but once successful, you will be completely addicted.
13:02With endless combinations and amazing replayability,
13:05this is a must-play for the most hardcore board game enthusiasts.
13:09Number 6, Gloomhaven.
13:11This mechanically cumbersome Euro game designed by only one person was instantly adored.
13:16In total, it contains 100 different scenarios, with a world that changes across sessions.
13:22Gloomhaven is arguably the best dungeon crawler combat out there,
13:25with endless replayability with permutations of enemies, items, classes, and scenarios to mix and match.
13:31This makes completion a gigantic time sink.
13:34It's not a legacy game like you may assume, it's more of a sprawling adventure RPG.
13:39This keeps it constantly fresh, and it can take years to finish everything.
13:43It starts with 6 classes, but you can unlock 11 more through playing.
13:47Like Dungeons and Dragons, you create and control one character throughout the adventure.
13:52Eventually, you'll complete their goals and they'll happily retire.
13:55It's tough to summarize this immense game in just one video.
13:59You'll have to play it yourself.
14:00Admittedly, it's a huge hassle to set up and the story is lackluster,
14:03but you are playing it for the Euro card-driven gameplay.
14:07Twilight Imperium 4th Edition
14:09You're not a true board game nerd until you've had the amazing experience of playing Twilight Imperium.
14:15Individually, none of its mechanics are that complex, but it's far wider than any other Space 4X.
14:21Twilight Imperium has a lot of things going on for sure, but it's relatively simple given its massive scope.
14:26Reserve an entire day for this one because a 10 victory point game can last between 10 and 14 hours.
14:32The most intense fans may embark on an 8 player 14 victory point adventure, which could take an entire weekend.
14:38What's to scare players in this game is the other players from all the politics that is encouraged, never from the mechanics themselves.
14:44There will be something for everyone here.
14:46Want to be rich? Play Hakann and revel in your wealth.
14:49Want to be a civilization destroying virus? It's got that too.
14:52It's one of the most replayable board games ever, with each game making memories to be cherished forever.
14:58Find ways to play this game because it's one of the most satisfying experiences we've had from a thematic, mechanical, and negotiation standpoint.
15:09This game's playtime average is anywhere from 1,440 to 2,880 minutes.
15:15It's one of the most intricate games ever conceived.
15:18It's considered by many to have the most expansive war system ever, allowing players to recreate World War 2 in immense detail.
15:26For example, players can acquire famous named ships, and they'll need plenty of oil to sustain them, as well as their military and air force.
15:34It's the most successful large-scale game representing the period, and lets you live out your wildest alternate history fantasies.
15:40For instance, what would have happened if Japan had never attacked Pearl Harbor?
15:44The only way to find out is to pick up a copy, grab some friends, and spend an entire weekend gaming.
15:50Number 3 – The Campaign for North Africa – The Desert War, 1940-43
16:03A 60,000-minute-long board game is an auto-include on a list about strategy.
16:08This is arguably the most complex board game in history, and it's unlikely to be topped because why would anyone want to?
16:15It needs 10 players, and it takes 1,500 hours.
16:18No one playtested it, and we have no evidence anyone has bothered to complete a single game.
16:28In the 70s, board game players demanded larger games, and this was made to answer that call.
16:33Turns out they weren't that eager, with many considering it unplayable.
16:37Thankfully, the board game industry learned a valuable lesson, and few games of this scale have been released since.
16:49That was five hours ago!
16:52Number 2 – Go – China's Zhou Dynasty
16:59Who invented Go is anyone's guess, but it's been agreed that it came to be during China's Zhou Dynasty.
17:05The game's popularity, and the required brainpower it takes to master it,
17:09led the game to become, like calligraphy, painting, and playing the guqin,
17:13one of the four scholarly arts of ancient Chinese aristocratic society.
17:17A game for two, played with a set of black and white stones, and a 19x19 square grid,
17:23the rules to Go could not be simpler, and the gameplay any more complex.
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17:44Number 1 – Chess
17:47The game we know as Chess first appears in history around the year 600 in Persia.
17:52Then called Chatrang, it had morphed from an earlier creation called Chataranga that was found in eastern India.
17:59By the 9th century, it had made its way to Russia and Europe,
18:02and by the year 1000, it became popular with the upper classes due to its challenging nature and la-di-da factor.
18:09Easy to learn, Chess is never truly mastered, and pulls upon critical thinking skills,
18:15while teaching valuable lessons about decision making and patience.
18:19There's no room for luck in Chess, one false move is all it takes to lose.
18:25Which board game do you think relies most on a strategic mind? Let us know in the comments.
18:30You forgot about the essence of the game. It's about the cones.
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