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Top 10 best mobile family board games to play this Christmas

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Top 10 best mobile family board games to play this Christmas

Hope you have a good one

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Updated: Original list by Harry Slater, Updated by Jupiter Hadley on December 24th, 2021.

Above and beyond everything else, Christmas is a time for family. And what better way to get your family together than around a board game. There are lots of positivies to bringing along a digital board game! Often, I have sat down to play a board game just to find that, in the last few years, some piece that is crutial for the game to play right has gone missing. Or the rules have been written all over. Having a digital board game already on your mobile device means that you won't run into these problems - and there is nothing to clean up afterwards either.

Playing board games is a family tradition, and a great way to spend some time with everyone you love, infront of the fire, keeping focused on common goals or beating each other in the end. It's a great way to spend the holidays, especially when it comes to staying in from the cold itself.

So to celebrate the holiday season, here are five digital board games you should definitely be whipping out to play when you're about to slip into a food coma. You know, between finishing dinner and watching Doctor Who.

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1
Ticket to Ride: First Journey

Publisher: Asmodee Digital
Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Card/board game
Find out more about Ticket to Ride: First Journey
Ticket to Ride: First Journey

A beginner version of the excellent board game. It's simpler than the full Ticket to Ride, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to enjoy here. And it's a great way to introduce younger players to the wonders of digital board gaming, especially if they are interested in trains, as this game is all about creating train routes between towns, so that you can make a good system for the towns you need to join.

2
Takenoko: the Board Game

Developer: Asmodee Digital
Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Card/board game
Find out more about Takenoko: the Board Game
Takenoko: the Board Game

Takenoko is a colourful game about growing bamboo and taking care of pandas! It's a really fun game, where you must build garden plots, grow bamboo, feed a panda, irrigate land and more all through cards you draw. You'll want to make sure you are scoring points as the person with the highest points at the end of the game, from doing the previously mentioned assets, is the winner.

3
Lords of Waterdeep

Developer: Playdek
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Available on: iOS
Genre: Card/board game
Find out more about Lords of Waterdeep
Lords of Waterdeep

If you're looking for something that's going to keep the family playing for a bit longer, this is a great bet. It's not as dry as some other hefty board games, and there's plenty going on to keep your relatives focused. Your goal is mainly in strategic management, where you need to recurit new adventurers and send out the ones you have to do your bidding.

4
Agricola Revised Edition

When it comes to creating and maintaining a farm, there is already a lot of issues you will need to work through. In Agricola Revised Edition, there has also been a famine, recently, destroying this place completely. You and up to three other players will be working together to attempt to farm, work the land, and gather resources. It's an interesting management game that does well digitally.

5
Agricola Revised Edition

When it comes to creating and maintaining a farm, there is already a lot of issues you will need to work through. In Agricola Revised Edition, there has also been a famine, recently, destroying this place completely. You and up to three other players will be working together to attempt to farm, work the land, and gather resources. It's an interesting management game that does well digitally.

6
Agricola Revised Edition

Publisher: Asmodee Digital
Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Card/board game
Find out more about Agricola Revised Edition
Agricola Revised Edition

When it comes to creating and maintaining a farm, there is already a lot of issues you will need to work through. In Agricola Revised Edition, there has also been a famine, recently, destroying this place completely. You and up to three other players will be working together to attempt to farm, work the land, and gather resources. It's an interesting management game that does well digitally.

7
Mille Bornes

Publisher: Asmodee Digital
Available on: iOS + Android + Steam
Genre: Card/board game, Multiplayer, Racing
Find out more about Mille Bornes
Mille Bornes

Definitely one for the kids in your family. This one's a racing game played with cards where your goal is to avoid obstacles, make your way forward, and be the first one across a vast distance. There's probably not enough going on to keep older ones entertained, but the bright colours and easy play will probably distract less advanced players for a good long while.

8
The Game of Life 2

Publisher: Marmalade Game Studio
Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Card/board game
Find out more about The Game of Life 2
The Game of Life 2

The Game of Life 2 is a classic board game that you can probably find a copy of around your house. However, if you opt for the digital version, you will find a much better experience. The maps are more advanced, there are lots of different options that you can take, different decisions you can make, and more maps to explore than you could play in real life. It's interesting watching how your friends and family react to decisions and change their life, based on what they are doing.

9
Monopoly

Developer: EA Mobile
Publisher: EA Mobile
Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Card/board game
Find out more about Monopoly (2005)
Monopoly (2005)

If you didn't know, you can download Monopoly on your mobile device. I am sure you know what Monopoly is, but I figured I'd include it at the end of this list as I am sure you will see a copy, missing your favourite piece, at your grandma's house this holiday season. The digital version adds new worlds, characters, and animations - while also protecting you from your "I am always the banker and swear I do not cheat" cousin!

10
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links

Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Card battler, Card/board game
Find out more about Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links

If you were a fan of Yu-Gi-Oh growing up, and have passed your collection along to some of your loved ones this holiday season, downloading Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links might be what you are looking for! It's actually a simple version of the standard game, where you play quite speedy rounds, summoning monsters and destroying whoever you are playing against.

11
Maracaibo

Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Card/board game
Find out more about Maracaibo
Maracaibo

Maracaibo is a pirate-esque board game, where you are sailing around the Caribbean in the 17th centruy, completing quests, upgrading your ship, and battling various other pirates. There are tons of cards to help develop your strategy, which can really change how you are playing. This game is also great an onboarding players, as it doens't take long to get into the game itself.

12
Gloom: Digital Edition (2020)

Developer: Sky Ship Studios
Publisher: Sky Ship Studios
Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Card/board game, Strategy
Find out more about Gloom: Digital Edition (2020)
Gloom: Digital Edition (2020)

Gloom is a board game with a bit of a strange name and concept. You and your family will be trying to make another family have the most miserable time. You will be playing cards that make their life more tiresome, without actually destroying them completely. It's a fine balance, and you can also play cards against people you are playing with, to give their families a fun time!

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Jupiter Hadley
Jupiter Hadley
Jupiter is a prolific indie game journalist with a focus on smaller indie gems. She covers thousands of game jams and indie games on her YouTube channel, letting every game have a moment in the spotlight. She runs indiegamejams.com, a calendar of all of the game jams going on in the world, and judges many jams and events. You can find her on Twitter as @Jupiter_Hadley