Engrossed in the world of video games, it’s easy to think the medium has surpassed its table-based counterpart through shiny graphics and only experiences. But the age of board games is far from over, in fact it’s alive and thriving like never before. There’s a frankly overwhelming number of stellar board games out in the world, but finding the time and money to get involved with many of them can be tricky.
Thankfully, many have now made the jump to digital, releasing versions on both Apple’s iOS as well as Android. Tablets and touchscreens offer a great opportunity to try out some real classics at a fraction of the physical game price, as well as letting you take them with you on the move. Read on to discover eight of the best board game apps available on iOS and Android.
Splendor (iOS/Android - $4.99)
An intriguing puzzle of chips and cards, Splendor is one of our favorite board games. Each turn, players choose to either collect three gems from a pool of five colors, or spend them by purchasing cards from a tableau. These cards also count towards your gem totals, and over the course of the game enable you to purchase more expensive cards that are, crucially, worth victory points. It’s a simple game to learn, but the variety of ways you can approach its puzzle makes for an deep and exciting experience each time.
The app is a very faithful conversion, and while you do lose the satisfying weightiness of the gem chips, the structure of the game holds up perfectly. The ability to play it solo against AI is also an option the physical game can’t provide. While competing with AI is usually an inferior experience, Splendor offers a range of AI playstyles to mix things up. The challenge to the game is usually as much of a competition with yourself as it is with your opponents, making it great to delve into for a short commute. The app also offers online play and a selection of challenges to flesh things out a bit.
Star Realms (iOS/Android - Free, $4.99 for full game)
Star Realms is a PvP deck-building game in which two sci-fi factions vie for control of the galaxy. If you’ve not played a deck-builder before, the general premise is that both players start off with a small deck of cards to draw from, and use these to expand and improve their personal decks by purchasing more cards from a shared pool in the centre. Each player in Star Realms starts with an Authority value of 50, and by playing various ship cards and abilities they’re able to whittle down their opponent’s number. The first player to drop to zero loses. This might all sound like standard fare to those who’ve played card games such as Magic: The Gathering or the myriad deck-building board games, but Star Realms offers a compact and thoroughly enjoyable take on the setup.
Star Realms will take just 15-20 minutes to play, and better yet the game itself is a breeze to learn compared to most card games, making it a great pickup for those without a lot of experience in the field. The full (paid) app offers a decent but short solo campaign, but the real meat of Star Realms is in the online play. Built around PvP competition and the app is popular enough to get you into a game without much trouble, and can be played in real-time or asynchronously.
Unfortunately the UI can be a bit of a let down depending on which platform you buy it, with some unhelpful control quirks you’ll have to learn. We wouldn’t recommend purchasing Star Realms on your phone, as due to the interface being standardized across platforms, icons and text can prove tough to read on smaller devices. Fortunately, the game itself is worth pushing through these problems, and is easily one of the best (and most popular) PvP digital deck-builders available right now.
Potion Explosion (iOS/Android - $2.99)
Potion Explosion might look like a simple Match 3 game, but builds on that base to incorporate a number of layers and mechanics to generate a lively and engrossing game. Players compete to create as many potions as possible, combining colors as required. Each turn you select a gem on the board to “explode” into your potion, chaining to the surrounding gems if the color matches. It’s a cracking multiplayer experience and a great way to lure fans of Match 3 titles into the wider world of both board and video games.
The physical version includes a wooden device in which marbles are rolled down, slotting into a grid. It’s a delightfully tactile experience and one that all players involved can enjoy every turn. Sadly, the board game loses some of that appeal, and even using pass-and-play only one player will be able to watch the screen each turn to see the results. Fortunately, the app, while simple, is a joy to look at, filled with color and character. Physical constraints aside, it’s a fantastic (and cheap) conversion of a great game. One word of warning however is that it can be very tricky to find a match online with strangers, so this is one best recommended for playing with your friends.
Through the Ages (iOS/Android - $9.99)
When it comes to tablets and mobile devices, we usually prioritize quick games you can jump in and out of while travelling or when you’ve got a spare minute. However, sometimes we get the urge to lose ourselves in something a little grander. Through the Ages is widely regarded as one of the greats in board gaming, holding the third spot on BoardGameGeek’s ranking. Guiding your civilization over three ages, you develop your capabilities in production, military, science and culture, acquiring different leaders and building wonders from history to help give your people the edge.
It’s an enormous game, and learning the physical version can take upwards of two hours before the full cycle of a turn begins to click. Fortunately, this is a case where the automation of video games proves a real time-saver. The Through the Ages app handles all of the itty bitty details regarding every player’s science, culture and military scores, saving you a world of effort when it comes to ending a turn. There’s a huge amount of information to keep track of during each turn, but the interface keeps it all clearly available. It’ll still take you a good while to play through your first few games, but the app makes the process as painless as possible, reducing a 3-4 hour tabletop game to a palatable hour-long experience.
You can play solo against AI (and trust us, the satisfaction of development alone is enough to keep you interested), complete challenges and even play online multiplayer or using a pass-and-play system for a group in the same room. If you’re on the hunt for a bigger game to bite down on, there’s little better out there than Through the Ages.
Burgle Bros. (iOS/Android - $4.99)
If you’re hankering for a real single-player board game experience, Burgle Bros. could be the game for you. Tim Fower’s compactly boxed board game put up to four players to the co-operative task of robbing a variety of high-tech banks together. The app translates the game digitally into a quality single player package, letting you control all four characters at once (there’s also a pass-and-play option). Exploring a series of gridded tiles, each set representing a floor of the building, you’ll need to avoid motion sensors, outmanoeuvre guards and crack the safe before making it out with the loot.
The level of polish might not match some of the flashier board game apps out there, but few offer an experience that translates so well to solo play. The app offers a full, guided tutorial for new players and includes some nice touches such as displaying the guard’s current patrol path and an undo button to solve any of those painful misclicks. The tile-based nature of the game means the challenge you face changes each time you play, and you’ll be able to develop new strategies as you grow more experienced with the characters and items on offer.
Twilight Struggle (iOS/Android - $9.99)
If Through the Ages sparked your interest with its lengthy playtime, but felt lacking on the competitive front, Twilight Struggle may be right up your cloak & daggers filled alley. Set during the Cold War, Twilight Struggle is a two player game in which each side plays cards to exert their influence over an enormous world map, attempting to wrest control from their opponent without starting nuclear war. Another game from the top echelons of board gaming history, Twilight Struggle is thoroughly complex, far too much so for us to detail here. Fitting for its name, competing is truly a struggle, and you’ll often find yourself simply trying to minimize the pain you suffer in a turn rather than actively hurting your opposition.
Don’t be too put off by the scope of this game however, as while it will take you several hours to get your head around, the in-game tutorial does a decent job of getting you to grips with the basics. The biggest limitation comes in the singleplayer, in which you’ll find yourself locked into competing with a fairly easy AI. In a game about deception and finely balanced strategies, the real thrill is in competing against another human mind, and you’ll be able to play both real time and asynchronously online in a couple of different modes. You can even set the game up to give you an email alert whenever your turn comes round - a very welcome addition considering the length of most matches. Twilight Struggle is a fantastic game to play against a friend over the course of a week. Pitting your minds against one another as you enact rival schemes of world domination will elicit a unique thrill as you check up on what’s changed each day.