When mobile phones first started hitting the market in a serious way a couple of decades ago, it wasn’t clear quite how ubiquitous they would become in our lives. Today, they handle more than just phone calls – also serving as everything from flashlights, GPS, cameras and more. One of the most entertaining functions that phones fill for us geeks is gaming on mobile – a hobby that has become massively more popular in just the last several years.
One of the most exciting recent trends is a huge increase in the volume of board games getting versions available on mobile phones. This article looks at five of the best board games currently and aims to point you in the direction of something new and fun to try out if you haven’t already!
Bear in mind that board games aren’t the only mobile games by a long shot – online gambling is another rapidly growing space with both apps and sites that are configured for mobile phones allowing you to play at mobile casinos in the UK, for example. GPS games are also a fast-growing trend ever since Pokémon GO released and changed the world! Just recently we received the huge announcement that The Witcher would be launching its own augmented reality GPS game, for example! But putting all that aside, and without further ado, let’s have a look at the top board games available on mobile phones right now.
7 Wonders
7 Wonders made a huge splash in the tabletop board game world when it launched 10 years ago. It is a fast-paced competitive game featuring up to 7 players competing to build one of the ancient wonders of the world, while at the same time growing their cities and developing their militaries. It is a game that’s easy to learn but hard to master and has seen extensive competitive play since its release.
It made the jump to mobile phone seamlessly with Repos Production providing a solid app that lets players compete in real time with each other, forgoing the otherwise oft-needed turn timers and games that take hours or days rather than minutes. If you’re looking for a great entry into the world of board gaming on mobile phones, 7 Wonders is a great first stop!
Evolution
Evolution is a game all about evolving the best species in a competitive matchup with up to 5 other players, although the mobile phone version only supports 4. Players make multiple species of creatures and choose how much food to collectively provide for all the herbivores before sending their carnivores against their competitors’ species. It is a simple concept and very easy to both teach and learn and so is definitely worth a look for your phone! Best of all, developers North Star Games have made it free, including multiplayer, during the pandemic – woohoo!
Agricola
If you’re looking for something a little meatier than the above two games, then Agricola is definitely worth a look-in. It’s what’s known as a euro-style board game, basically meaning you will be managing a lot of resources and trying to optimize production and efficiency of your player tokens and assets. The theme of Agricola? Medieval farming of course! You’ll compete with up to 3 other players to build the best farm with the most varied vegetables, livestock and structures – all the while remembering to feed your family lest you be forced to beg for food and lose loads of points!
Hearthstone
Okay, so Hearthstone isn’t technically a board game, but it certainly looks, plays and feels like one! It’s a collectible card game in the style of the famous Magic The Gathering where players collect cards with varying powers and abilities, build limited-sized decks out of them and then play against other players using them.
Hearthstone is from Blizzard and features imagery and characters from their games including World of Warcraft and others. It is a high fantasy setting where you’ll be taking on the roles of wizards, shamans, warriors, priests and more, summoning creatures and casting spells in an effort to defeat your opponent! While the game may seem daunting at first it has good tutorials and is very well-designed for mobile phones. Finally, there are a multitude of sites such as HearthstoneTopDecks that can help you get into it should you enjoy the experience!
Through the Ages
Our final game is Through the Ages, which is a real mammoth of a game. Although more challenging to master than most other board games you’ll likely encounter for mobile phones, its complex and intricately woven mechanics do not make it unapproachable. This is one of those board games that makes the jump to mobile phones flawlessly – all the fidgety work of moving tokens, which takes up a lot of time in the tabletop version, is taken care of digitally and you can focus completely on the strategy and experience of the game.
The theme of the game is civilization-building. You start off against up to three other players in control of a fledgling bronze age civilization and must see it grow, expand and defend itself against the modern era. Games can be set to take either hours or days with a great matchmaking system and a healthy player base. If you are looking to jump into the deep end of board gaming on mobile phones, then this is your pick!