Board Game Gifts for Tabletop Enthusiasts: 15 Picks for Every Type of Gamer

Board game gifts for tabletop enthusiasts

Board gaming has experienced a massive renaissance, with thousands of amazing titles releasing yearly that go far beyond the classics you grew up playing. If you are shopping for a tabletop enthusiast, you are in luck - there has never been a better time to find the perfect board game gift. This guide covers 15 outstanding games across different styles and complexity levels.

Understanding Board Gamer Preferences

Board gamers typically have preferences regarding complexity, player count, game length, and mechanics. Before buying, consider: Do they prefer competitive or cooperative games? Quick party games or epic strategy sessions? Ask what games they already love for the best guidance.

15 Board Game Gift Recommendations

  • Wingspan (Strategy): A beautifully designed engine-building game about attracting birds to wildlife preserves
  • Codenames (Party): A word association party game where teams compete to identify their agents
  • Gloomhaven (Epic Campaign): A massive dungeon-crawling campaign with hundreds of hours of tactical combat
  • Ticket to Ride (Family): The gateway game that hooked millions on modern board gaming with train routes
  • Pandemic Legacy Season 1 (Co-op): A cooperative campaign where decisions permanently change the game
  • Azul (Abstract): Tile-drafting game with stunning Portuguese tiles aesthetics and deep tactical decisions
  • Exploding Kittens (Quick Fun): Chaotic card game that is easy to teach at parties with quick rounds
  • Catan (Trading): The classic resource trading and settlement game essential for any collection
  • Root (Asymmetric Strategy): Adorable woodland creatures engaged in asymmetric warfare
  • 7 Wonders (Card Drafting): Build an ancient civilization through card drafting for up to 7 players
  • Mysterium (Deduction): One player is a ghost giving cryptic visual clues while others interpret them
  • Spirit Island (Complex Co-op): Spirits defend their island against colonizers in this brain-burning game
  • Wavelength (Party): Guess where your teammate placed a marker on a spectrum between two concepts
  • Terraforming Mars (Engine Building): Corporations compete to make Mars habitable through card combos
  • The Crew (Trick-Taking): Cooperative trick-taking missions in space with huge gameplay value

Consider game-adjacent gifts too: premium dice sets, card sleeves for protection, custom dice towers, board game organization inserts, or subscriptions to board game cafes. These complement existing collections without risking duplicates. Check their BoardGameGeek profile if they have one - it shows games they own, want, and have rated.