If you enjoy Monopoly or Risk, you already like board games, but you’ve just been playing older designs that often feel slow, luck-heavy, or too long for what they deliver.
Modern “gateway” board games keep what’s fun (tension, interaction, satisfying choices) while cutting down the parts that frustrate new players (downtime, rule arguments, endless turns, player elimination).
Below are 10 modern board games that are easy to learn and consistently fun.
Pick your next game (Fast)
- If you want quick, repeatable, “one more round” sessions: Sushi Go Party!
- If you play with 3–5 people and want a classic feel: Ticket to Ride or Carcassonne.
- If you mostly play 2-player or 2–3: Azul or Santorini.
- If you want something social and loud: Codenames or Dixit.
- If you like light strategy and upgrading your options: Splendor.
Easiest Board Games for Beginners
1. Azul
Azul is one of the most beautiful board games I have seen, starting with the box. And it’s not wonder that is the case, because in Azul we are going to build Porguese tile walls.
You have to make sure you pick the right tiles from the providers at any time, so that you will be able to add to your rows of tiles and score the most points by doing so.
Very few games are so simple to learn, yet so complex in mastering. This will give you hours of play while being as excited as the first game.
And, really, those plastic tiles, I want them all over my walls now!
If you want a quick overview, there is a good rules explanation in this great introduction by Teach The Table.
Check Azul on Amazon2. Carcassonne
Based in the beautiful village in Southern France, Carcassonne is all about building towns, paths and getting abbeys surrounded by grassy tiles. You are going to compete with others trying to seize the most points at the end of the game, by claiming those areas with your meeples.
Carcassonne has become one of the most famous board game franchises and there is a myriad different expansions to turn an already more than fun game into a neverending experience.
3. Catan
Catan is the classic of the classic. The most played board game ever, or at least the one that took the typical Trivial Pursuit, Risk or Monopoly player to board game addiction.
In Catan, you are one of the settlers of the island by the same name. You will be able to get the resources that the island gives you, trade them and build with them roads, settlements and finally cities. Points will be accumulated during various rounds, until a winner is proclaimed!
My first memory of Catan goes back more than ten years, but thanks to Board Game Arena this was the game that made my partner and my best friend hang out despite being half continent away from each other.
4. Codenames
Codenames is a word board game. Two teams of spies fight against each other. Each one is going to try to contact their spies on the field before the others do.
Blue against red and a five by five square of words. You will have to give a word that will make your team mates identify the right location of you agents. If you do, the game is yours.
5. Dixit
Dixit is probably one of the most beautiful card games I’ve ever seen. The art is simply otherwordly. And we don’t use otherworldly lightly here, it really does take you to other worlds.
You can tell a story or simply say a couple words that relate to what the card you decide to play is showing. Then the rest of the players play cards that could align with what you said. Cards are revealed and people guess which was your card.
6. Munchkin
Munchkin is a card game, a parody to Dungeons & Dragons and other dungeon crawlers and Role Playing Games and also a very successful franchise with tons of titles.
The objective of the game is to turn your poor level one human into a great level 10 wizard, warrior, cleric or thief (and maybe change their race on the way there).
You will be fighting fun monsters and looting great treasures while making sure you screw your friends and family at the table in every possible way. But of course with great sense of humor.
7. Santorini
In Santorini you combine building white walled and blue domed towers with having the help of gods to carry that task.
The reference of the dreamlike town in Greece would be already enough to captivate me, but it turns out, it’s a banger of a game, and so easy to play, you will need less time than what it takes to set up the cliff that acts as board.
8. Splendor
Splendor is a card building game were you play the role of a jewel merchant trying to get prestige by obtaining development cards and pleasing the lords.
Beautiful gem tokens are used to acquire said developments. Reserve those developments and you will earn prestige. You can also use your jewels to gain the favour of the lords.
It’s a very easy to explain board game, that will keep you playing with friends and family for quite a while. You can see another great review from The Rules Girl here.
9. Sushi Go Party!
Sushi Go Party! is an awesome family game. And not only that, it may be the cutest board game in this list.
You are eating at a sushi buffet, one of those restaurants where sushi spins around a trail while you eat and pick whatever you feel like having.
The only difference is the sushi pieces are cards, and you are passing them to your friends. Each one has a point value. They can be combined for extra points, or their value will drop to zero if some conditions are not met.
That is the premise of Sushi Go!, actually, it’s older brother, Sushi Go Party!, just gives you a ton more options, cards and customisation. That way playability is maximised.
This is one of the board games that almost never fails. I have played it a lot both physically with my copy or in Board Game Arena: with my partner, with friends who play board games regularly, with friends who play only every now and then. It’s easy to learn, fun to play, and oh so cute!
10. Ticket to Ride
In Ticket to Ride the objective is to create the longest train routes possible in a map that initial was that of the United States, but that since has turned into many others thanks to the different editions of the game.
You draw train cards from a deck and once you have enough of a given colour you turn them into tracks in the map. You will also be able to claim destinations that will be adding points to your final count.
If you are fan if train and travel, this game will be quite inspiring. Plus, if you travel a lot, you will be the first to start!
The original Ticket to Ride, with it’s United States map, must be the game I have lost the most plays at on Board Game Arena. My partner is just that good! And I know it’s the right game to play with newbies, that’s why I got myself a copy of it when I saw it for sale on my local game store.
What makes these good “next step” games?
Calling a board game the easiest one for beginners is obviously a personal choice. But what exactly is my criteria to do so? Here is the list of things I want an easy board game to have:
- Easy to teach in 5–10 minutes.
- Plays well with beginners (no “gotcha” rules).
- Strong decisions without heavy complexity.
- Consistently fun at the player counts people actually have.
So, now you know which are the best board games to continue walking your path in this hobbie. I hope this list had something to your liking, and remember that using the Amazon links in this article helps me to continue working on this beautiful project that is Board Game Newbie. I hope to see you soon on the tables!