Best board games based on video games

In the early days of video game development, many projects were based on board games. A significant number of popular RPGs emerged thanks to D&D and other board games, where gamers created their own stories and worlds. However, progress can be ruthless towards certain things.

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Video games began to attract a larger audience, and boxes with cards and dice started gathering dust on shelves. It's much more convenient to gather friends in a voice chat than to wait for a moment when everyone can get together around a table.

But board games have withstood the impact. Moreover, adaptations of video games into card versions have started to appear. The circle has closed, and now board games are borrowing ideas from their digital counterparts. In this article, we will talk about the best board games made based on video games.

Minecraft: Builders & Biomes

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Minecraft: Builders & Biomes is a cooperative game based on the popular Minecraft. The creators closely collaborated with Mojang Studios, striving to transfer the gaming experience from the digital version to the board game.

Players build their own biome, engage in construction, and gather resources. Thanks to a variety of cards, each game will be unique, and your worlds will be maximally diverse.

The set includes 64 resource cubes, 64 building and monster cards, 36 weapon tokens, 4 skins, and 12 overview cards. All of these are made of wood and cardboard.

XCOM: The Board Game

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This wargame is based on the video game XCOM: Enemy Unknown. It is an unusual board game that can definitely surprise and engage you for many hours. Unlike the original, the scale of battles with aliens here is grand. You're not just clearing the battlefield of aliens, but are able to save the whole world.

The main feature of XCOM: The Board Game is a special digital assistant. It not only teaches you how to play but also generates game situations. Thanks to this, each game will be unique and tense. And that's not all. You can play both in a group and alone.

The Witcher: Old World

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The Witcher: Old World is not only a great gift for all fans of The Witcher franchise but also for all fantasy lovers. The developers did colossal work for the perfect adaptation of the video game The Witcher 3.

The game lasts 90–150 minutes. Each player chooses a Witcher school and embarks on a journey across a large map. As you progress, you will collect ability cards, money, and equipment. A key feature of this process is quests with a good storyline.

After building a strong setup, players can fight each other for honor or profit. Ultimately, the strongest or the most cunning and negotiable will win.

Gwent: Art of The Witcher Card Game

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Many gamers fell in love with the mini-game Gwent that was featured in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. It quickly became a cult favorite, and the release of its board game version was a real celebration for fans.

The game involves two players. Each one assembles a deck of cards with characters from the game and their unique abilities before the game starts. The rules fully correspond to the digital version, so fans will immediately know what to do without any training. It's worth mentioning the quality of the set. The cards and game board are of the highest quality and look very stylish.

This War of Mine: The Board Game

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This War of Mine: The Board Game is based on the original computer game. If you want to challenge yourself and be a board game professional, then you definitely should check out this project.

The action takes place in the ruins of a house, where refugees try to survive the conditions of war. You will constantly have to make moral choices and deal with difficulties bordering on hopelessness. The developers themselves warn that it's hard to win here, so be prepared for a challenge.

Fallout: Wasteland Warfare

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The wargame set in the popular Fallout universe impresses with its scale. Similar to wargames from the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Fallout: Wasteland Warfare offers an entire platform for game creation. Numerous miniatures of units and buildings, ability cards, and environmental elements are available for purchase. At the forefront of all this is the large Rulebook with rules for the storyteller.

The number of players for a game is unlimited — it all depends on your imagination and the rules. Gather a whole collection of miniatures and conquer the wastelands with like-minded players.

DARK SOULS: The Board Game — The Sunless City

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DARK SOULS: The Board Game — The Sunless City is a reinterpretation of the previous board game based on this franchise. This time, the developers decided to focus on the very first Dark Souls video game, and they created a wonderful and exciting wargame.

Players can expect battles with bosses and the constant danger of attacks from creatures inhabiting the ruins of the Sunless City. Here, the choice of class and interaction with other players is very important. Any mistake will cost you dearly: after the death of your character, the others will have to return to the bonfire and go through the dangerous path again.

Up to 3 players can participate in a game (4 players in the full edition). The gameplay lasts from 120 to 150 minutes. The set also includes stunning miniatures.

Bloodborne: The Board Game

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Another souls-like game for your table. Ironically, Bloodborne got its own board game version but was not released on PC. Here you also become a monster hunter in the darkly gothic city of Yharnam and its surroundings. The world here is very cruel, so you can become a monster yourself, hindering other players from reaching their goal faster than you.

The gameplay lasts approximately 45 to 60 minutes. The set includes, in addition to cards, tokens, and a board, miniatures. Additional miniatures can be purchased separately.

Civilization A New Dawn

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The legendary Civilization is now on your table! This series was valued for its exciting multiplayer, but a game with friends around the same table is incomparable. The gameplay is closely modeled on the digital version — you choose a leader with unique bonuses and start developing your civilization.

Players can finely tune their state using cards, advancing science, culture, faith, or military. Whether you become a harbinger of peace or a bloodthirsty dictator depends entirely on you.

Betrayal at Baldur's Gate

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The renowned Baldur's Gate series was based on the D&D board game, and here is an unusual fusion of these titans. A key feature of Betrayal at Baldur's Gate is its modularity: in each game, you build the city's catacombs, where the events take place.

During the game, you'll encounter monsters from the Dungeons and Dragons universe, but they aren't the main danger. Any player can assume the role of a traitor and secretly lead the team to doom.

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game

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The unique world of Horizon Zero Dawn attracted many gamers, leading to the creation of this board game. It's the most beautiful post-apocalypse in the gaming industry, making it a pleasure to immerse in.

Players act as hunters, traveling through the ruins of former humanity and unraveling their mysteries. By collecting decks of cards, you strategize to battle various mechanical animals that inhabit this world. Notably, the game is challenging. If one team member dies, the game ends.

The World of Warcraft Miniatures Game

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Concluding our list is the great World of Warcraft. This universe spawned many games, comics, and even a feature film. And it didn't stop short of a board wargame with miniatures. The World of Warcraft Miniatures Game features miniatures of all the popular heroes of this enchanting world.

The game offers several variations of play: classic hero battles, duels, and dungeon exploration.

As we see, video games have become a source of inspiration for board game developers. If you're a fan of any of the listed franchises, a board game based on it would be an excellent gift.

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