The Best Cooperative Board Games for Your Next Game Night

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Friends playing board games in a brightly lit living room
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Not all board gaming experiences have to be competitive. Some of the best tabletop games out there require you to work together to succeed. Here’s a look at the best cooperative board games.

We’ve checked out a wide variety of different types of board game. There’s room for a challenge, family gaming, great storytelling, as well as quick sessions that take mere minutes to complete. And, of course, they’re all tremendous fun too. Here are some of our favorite cooperative board games.

Best Challenging Cooperative Game: Pandemic ($24)

Pandemic Board Game
Z-Man Games

Pandemic isn’t an easy game to succeed at but it is a ton of fun in the meantime. You and your teammates are the last defense standing in the way of deadly diseases and you have to travel the world together to treat infections while attempting to discover a cure.

Each session takes about an hour or so, and there’s actually a keen sense of urgency. After all, who wants to run out of time and watch plague wipe everyone out, right? Strategy and a little luck play a role here as you use time management skills and shrewd thinking to try to succeed. Spoiler alert: It’s not easy.

Best Family Cooperative Game: Forbidden Island ($18)

Forbidden Island Board Game
Gamewright

A little more family-friendly than Pandemic, Forbidden Island has 2 to 4 players working together to find four sacred treasures from the island ruins. A mixture of strategy and problem-solving is required here, and it’s actually quite smart.

You have to use a combination of cards to stop the Forbidden Island from sinking while you explore it with your mission ending in defeat if you don’t make it in time. There’s endless replayability here with random game tiles and cards, as well as the option to adjust the difficulty level.

Best For Horror Fans: Betrayal at House on the Hill ($30)

Betrayal at House on the Hill Board Game
Avalon Hill

Ideal for horror fans, Betrayal at House on the Hill tells a creepy story. Aimed at 3 to 6 players, there are multiple scenarios, as well as a different layout for every game, so you have plenty of excuses to keep coming back for more.

It takes a little time to figure out and set up but it’s immensely satisfying to watch as the ‘house’ grows and the monsters and pieces develop. It’s all about exploring the board you’re building with some creepy surprises along the way. For those who are a little wary of the occult or voodoo, this isn’t a great idea, but for everyone else, it’s fun seeing how the house grows differently every time. Just feel pleased with yourself if you all manage to survive.

Best Storytelling Game: T.I.M.E. Stories ($48)

T.I.M.E. Stories Board Game
Asmodee

Arguably the most beautiful looking board game here, T.I.M.E. Stories also tells a fantastic story too. Players become temporal agents who have been sent into different bodies of reality in a bid to fulfill certain missions. Think Quantum Leap (but less cheesy) and you’re not far off. Everything is geared around ensuring that you don’t mess up the fabric of the universe while still achieving your goals.

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