There are many things to keep you entertained at home. Let it be something educational like reading a book or something relaxing and meaningless like sitting on a sofa watching a TV. If you've tried everything from the mentioned above, but are still bored and looking for fun activities to do, there's still something you can consider. Board games!
When it comes to playing board games, I prefer the following: brief instructions, few components, clear mechanics and most importantly, little to no competitiveness. That might seem a bit off, but enjoy cooperative games more than those requiring people to fight against each other. The more competitive they are, the more likely you are to stop being friends or end up in a divorce. I warned you.
What is a cooperative (or co-op) game?
Players work together to develop a strategy and plan actions/moves in order to reach a certain goal and win the game. In the end of the game, players either both win or lose.
What are the best cooperative board games?
Well, it differs from person to person. It majorly depends on whether you're planning to play with a group of friends or family, whether you will have children in a team, and what types of board games you like the most. One thing I know for sure you will find something from the list below. Make sure to check out the expansions and other editions as well.
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1. Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 (2015)
Players: 2-4
Time to play: 60 min
Age: 13+
Gameplay
Campaign game, in which players travel around the world to treat diseases and discover cures. Each player has a specific role, which will give special abilities to the player. The team will experience events such as outbreaks and epidemics, and will have objectives to achieve throughout the game. The game starts similarly to the classic original Pandemic board game, but progresses differently.
Expansions and other editions
Pandemic
Pandemic: On the Brink
Pandemic: In the Lab
Pandemic: State of Emergency
Pandemic Legacy: Season 2
Pandemic: Contagion
Pandemic: The Cure
Pandemic: The Cure - Experimental Meds
Pandemic: Iberia
Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu
Pandemic: Rising Tide
Pandemic: Fall of Rome
Pandemic: Rapid Response
Pros
- Different player roles and game progression allow you to develop new strategies every time you play the game and not feel like the game is getting repetitive.
- Straightforward rules and easy set-up
- You can control the difficulty of the game
- Very interesting theme of the game
Cons
- Some roles are objectively better than others, because of the advantages they give.
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2. Gloomhaven (2017)
Players: 1-4
Time to play: 60-120 min
Age: 12+
Gameplay
It is a fantasy-themed campaign driven game, in which each player is assigned a unique role. Players have control over how the story continues through enhancing their abilities, fighting monsters and discovering new locations.
Expansions and other editions
Gloomhaven: Forgotten Circles
Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
Frosthaven
Pros
- 95 unique playable scenarios
Cons
- Pricey
3. Aeon's End: War Eternal (2017)
Players: 1-4
Time to play: 60 min
Age: 14+
Gameplay
It is a deck building game where players aim for defending Gravehold from enemies using special abilities and spells.
Expansions and other editions
Aeon's End
Aeron's End: The New Age
Aeon's End: The Void
Aeon's End: The Outer Dark
Aeon's End: Buried Secrets
Pros
- The game is fully compatible with the original game: Aeron's End. They are both stand-alone games, but combining both makes things more interesting and complex.
- The game is highly replayable
- Easy to adjust the difficulty of the game
Cons
- The mechanics and combinations are slightly more difficult compared to the Aeron's End game. If you prefer something simpler, go for the original game instead.
- Due to random card flips, the game can quickly make matters a lot worse during the gameplay
4. Too many bones (2017)
Players: 1-4
Time to play: 60-120 min
Age: 12+
Gameplay
A fantasy-themed game, where the story progression is based on rolling the dice and strategic decision-making. Throughout the game players must fight the enemies to reach the final destination.
Expansions and other editions
Too many bones: Undertow
Too many bones: Nugget
Too many bones: Ghillie
Too many bones: Tink
Too many bones: Gasket
Too many bones: 40 Days of Daelore
Too many bones: Age of Tyranny
Too many bones: Splice & Dice
Too many bones: Lab Rats
Too many bones: Dart
Pros
- A huge variety of scenarios.
- Expansions bring a lot to the game.
Cons
- Once you figure out how to defeat certain enemies, they won't be much of a challenge next time.
5. Mansions of Madness: Second Edition (2016)
Players: 1-5
Time to play: 120-180 mins
Age: 14+
Gameplay
This is a horror- and mystery-themed app-assisted game inspired by Lovecraftian world, where players investigate streets and mansions, solve complex puzzles and reveal the truth behind mysteries.
Expansions and other editions
Beyond the threshold
Streets of Arkham
Sanctum of Twilight
Horrific Journeys
Path of the Serpent
Pros
- Frightening atmosphere!
Cons
- It's only for people who love randomness in games. Game progress can go downhill if you're unlucky enough to, for example, draw a bad set of cards a few times in a row.
6. Arkham Horror: The Card Game (2016)
Players: 1-4
Time to play: 60-120 min
Age: 14+
Gameplay
A card game that gives you the experience of being an investigator in the Lovecraftian world. You solve the mysteries while meeting and battling evil creatures.
Expansions and other editions
Dunwich Legacy
The Path to Carcosa
The Forgotten Age
The Circle Undone
The dream-Eaters
The Innsmouth Conspiracy (upcoming)
Pros
- This is a living card game. The publishers keep releasing new content for the game, such as new playing cards and scenarios.
Cons
- Takes quite some time to set up
