Board games make excellent holiday gifts because they usually have a long play life and can be enjoyed by kids and parents alike. With so many options to choose from, the question is, which game should you pick? A new survey reveals the most popular board games across the country to try for your next family game night.
Enlisting Google Trends for data on the most searched for games by state, game and puzzle retailer, Spilsbury, compiled a list of the most popular board games in America for the past year. They also created a handy map to show which games ranked as the most searched for by state.
The Most Popular Board Games in America
According to the data, popular board games varied widely from state to state, with many classics and a few newer games appearing, including Pictionary, Monopoly, Clue, Battleship, Codenames, Hungry, Hungry Hippos, Apples to Apples, Scrabble, Chutes & Ladders, and Settlers of Catan.
A handful came up in the highest rankings again and again, however. The top games across the country included Dungeons & Dragons, Chess, Backgammon, and Codenames. Taking second place overall is Hungry Hungry Hippos. The most popular game by far and ranking as the most popular board game in America is Monopoly.
Underrated Board Games
While most of the top choices across the country were games that have been around for years, there are so many new board games to try for your next family game night. Spilsbury has a few suggestions that you may not have heard of:
Family Feud
Much like the popular TV show, Family Feud is a fun way to get the whole family to work together and see what creative answers they come up with.
Name 5
Another fun one for older kids and grown-ups that asks players to come up with five answers for a specific topic, like five vegetables that start with “A,” in a short amount of time.
Heroes Wanted
Avengers fans will love this roleplaying game that has players assembling a team of superheroes to battle a supervillain.
More Fun Family Games to Try
A few fun classics didn’t make the list, like Guess Who and Connect Four, which make for fun game night options. For younger players, we love Peaceable Kingdom’s cooperative games, like Dinosaur Escape. These are a fun family activity for little ones who aren’t quite ready for the competitive aspect of gameplay yet as they allow players to work together towards a common goal.
What are your family’s favorite game night choices? Share them with us in our Facebook community.
