Best Board Game Apps: Carcassonne, Splendor, Ticket to Ride & More

Why Play Tabletop Games With Apps?

Tabletop games are a great way to spend time with friends and family, but they can be even more fun when you add an app to the mix. Apps can provide a digital board game that everyone can play together, or they can be used to find new multiplayer opponents online. They can also be used to create physical board games that you can play with friends or family. And if you’re looking for a new favorite board game, there are plenty of options out there for both iOS and Android devices.

Tokaido, Raiders of the North, and Race for the Galaxy are all great options for digital board games that you can play with friends or family. Terraforming Mars is also a great strategy board game that has been released as a digital game so it’s definitely one of the best board game apps for strategy game fans to help pass the time. And if you’re looking for a physical board game to play with your friends or family, there are plenty of great options out there as well.

Just remember that when you play against AI opponent, you may want to consider playing the digital version of the game instead of the physical version. If that new board game app lets you play solo, then playing the original game might not be as simple of an experience.

Are board game apps just as good as playing the real thing?

Board game apps are a great way to get your fix of board gaming without having to lug around a physical board and pieces. They also have the added bonus of online multiplayer and AI opponents, so you can always find a game to play. Victory points are still the goal in most cases, and players must still strategize to win, but the best mobile board games add an extra layer of fun.

Modern board game manufacturers have to always consider game modes and online play nowadays since mobile games have made the act of playing board games a bit obsolete. But a great game will always resonate with gamers, whether you’re actually rolling dice or not, and giving them the option to play alone or play online should be an option for all popular tabletop games by now.

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Ticket to Ride Board Game | Family Board Game | Board Game for Adults and Family | Train Game | Ages 8+ | For 2 to 5 players | Average Playtime 30-60 minutes | Made by Days of Wonder

• STRATEGY GAME: Build your tracks across the United States in this fast-paced and strategic board game. Connect...
• FUN ADVENTURE GAME: Ticket to Ride is a cross-country train adventure game in which players collect and play...
• MULTIPLE WAYS OF SCORING POINTS: Players collect train cards that enable them to claim railway routes connecting...

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Option #1: Settlers of Catan

Settlers of Catan  is a classic board game that’s all about resource management and building rapport with the other players. The digital mobile board-game app version also allows you to play with up to four players and handle trades and barters between you and the other lands of Catan.

GET THE APP:
ANDRIOD: https://www.catan.com/game/catan-android
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/catan-classic/id335029050

Pros

• This game is available in several different languages to reach a wider audience base.
• There are many methods to maneuver the map in the digital mobile board-game app, making it easy to look at and to work with for most players.

Cons

• Playing against the CPU can be very difficult and frustrating to win.
• The text can be difficult to see in some of the screens.

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Option #2: Carcassonne

Carcassonne  is a board-building game that players have to work together to complete, even as they compete against each other. This version of Carcassonne comes with an expansion pack. The digital mobile board-game app version keeps up with the important aspects of the original without sacrificing anything in terms of the game’s overall feeling.

GET THE APP:
ANDRIOD: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.asmodeedigital.carcassonne&hl=en
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/carcassonne/id375295479

Pros

• This game features many of the original hand-drawn graphics from the board game and is visually pleasing to look at.
• The boards for the games in the digital mobile board-game app version are not repeated, so you have a different experience each time you play.

Cons

• There is no player block feature, so you could end up playing with someone you dislike.
• Matching with other players can be challenging.

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Option #3: Splendor

Splendor  is an economic-style resource management board game that is great for older kids, teens, and adults. The digital mobile board-game app includes several of the original functions as well as some smaller, easier quick challenges for players to try.

GET THE APP:
ANDRIOD: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.daysofwonder.Splendor.gp&hl=en
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/splendor-the-board-game/id971215921

Pros

• This app game allows you to play against the computer or to play with real people online.
• The game is nice to look at and easy enough to figure out as an app game.

Cons

• The digital mobile board-game app game is very buggy and can crash or play incorrectly very easily.
• The mobile board-game app hasn’t been updated in some time.

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Option #4: Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride  is a game all about traveling the railroads of days gone by. The objective of the game is to visit more cities than your competitors by the end of the experience. In the digital mobile board-game app, you can branch out beyond just the United States and try rail travel in other countries as well.

GET THE APP:
ANDRIOD: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.daysofwonder.tt.android&hl=en
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ticket-to-ride/id432504470

Pros

• It is possible to play this game online with players from around the world.
• You can also play this game against the computer if you want to hone your skills on your own.

Cons

• The tutorial may be confusing and hard for some players to follow.
• The game may come across as annoying to some players.

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Option #5: Pandemic

Pandemic  asks players to work together to help solve the root cause of a disease that’s spreading around the world and save those affected by it. This is a long board game that has been adapted into a shorter but still very in-depth app game version by the same name.

GET THE APP:
ANDRIOD: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.daysofwonder.tt.android&hl=en
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/ph/app/pandemic-the-board-game/id700793523

Pros

• Unlike many app versions of board games, this game can be played totally solo by one player assuming many different roles.
• The game can also be played with people online and can include expansion content at an additional cost.

Cons

• Some players feel there are not enough gameplay options with this game.
• The game may have some bugs now and then, particularly in the menus.

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Option #6: Dungeons & Dragons: Lords of Waterdeep

Dungeons & Dragons: Lords of Waterdeep  places players in the world of D&D without requiring them to play a full-on game of tabletop D&D as it would normally be played. This game includes several campaigns and allows players to assume the role of lords in charge of various individuals in the world of Waterdeep.

GET THE APP:
ANDRIOD: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.playdekgames.waterdeep&hl=en
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/ph/app/d-d-lords-of-waterdeep/id648019675

Pros

• Some players prefer the digital mobile board-game app to the physical game.
• The game is easy to learn how to play.

Cons

• The digital mobile board-game app can be difficult to see and confusing to figure out.
• The text is very small in this game.

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Option #7: Jaipur

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No products found. that also involves some elements of chance and risk. This game is quick and easy to learn and incorporates elements of economics and barter into its gameplay system. The original card game comes with beautifully drawn cards that are rendered into the digital mobile board-game app as well.

GET THE APP:
ANDRIOD: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.meepletouch.jaipur&hl=en
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/ph/app/jaipur-the-board-game/id1193262249

Pros

• The digital mobile board-game app is very easy to learn.
• There is a longer campaign mode included in the mobile board-game app.

Cons

• The game may sometimes stop saving progress.
• The game may lag very badly.

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Option #8: Scrabble

Who doesn’t love a game of Scrabble ? This classic board game is all about building words from the tiles you’re given. The longer and more intricate the word, the better your score will be—especially if you can use letters that aren’t very commonly used!

GET THE APP:
ANDRIOD: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ea.game.scrabblemattel_bv&hl=en
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/ph/app/scrabble/id623367437

Pros

• There are many new features and functions added to the mobile digital games app game to improve playability.
• The digital mobile board-game app runs smoothly.

Cons

• If you play the free app, you will have a lot of ads to deal with.
• There is no way to check if a word is real within this app.

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Option #9: Agricola

For those who like resource and planning games such as Catan and Risk, Agricola provides another opportunity to enjoy this type of gameplay . This is a game best enjoyed with a bigger group, and it can take some time to complete a playthrough depending on the individual experience.

GET THE APP:
ANDRIOD: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.digidiced.abvrelease&hl=en
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/ph/app/agricola/id561521557

Pros

• This game includes a simple tutorial that makes it easy to learn.
• The digital mobile board-game app has nice, clear graphics.

Cons

• Customer service is poor with the company behind the mobile board-game app.
• The digital mobile board-game app crashes often.

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Try the Best New Board Game Mobile Apps Today

So should you try these games as apps or as board games? Here are a few advantages of playing a game as an app instead of a physical game:

• Apps are easier to travel with.
• You can pick up and put down an app in the middle of a game.
• Apps may have more features like AI opponents or online multiplayer options.

And here are a few disadvantages of choosing an app over a physical game:

• Physical versions encourage more face-to-face family bonding time.
• They can’t crash like apps can.
• You can play them when the power is out or if the internet isn’t working.

Keep these in mind when trying to choose which variety is right for you!

Last update on 2023-04-29 at 14:51 Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE, COMES FROM AMAZON. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.