The Ultimate Games Like Bingo: Board Game Alternatives

Bingo is such a classic game, that it’s no wonder board games have leant on some of the best elements of it in the past. Because what is it that makes it so popular? Searching for numbers? Random numbers coming up? The feeling that anyone could win? The more you delve into it, the less the game is about the numbers, and more about the fun of discovery, and playing with your friends. All of this can be, and is, encapsulated in board games, which means we’re well-equipped to offer you some of the greatest games like bingo. These games are alternatives to Bingo, for when you want to switch things up a bit. Many board games use variations of the bingo card to create new and engaging formats, transforming traditional bingo into exciting new experiences.

What is Bingo?

Before we begin, let’s understand the origins – Bingo is a game of chance. It uses 75 numbered balls – though interestingly, the UK use 90 as standard – and a caller announces each number at random one by one. Players in turn will strike off those numbers from their individual player sheets, which are randomly arranged. If they achieve a line, they must shout Bingo to declare their win, often then winning a prize for doing so. Although there is some suggestion of a decline in popularity of the game, it’s a commonly played game in local halls through church groups, schools, or fundraising groups, and there is still a vast presence of Bingo halls that are well frequented. Free bingo and free bingo games allow players to enjoy the game without wagering money, providing a risk-free way to practice and have fun.

Traditional Bingo Alternatives

Keno

Keno is a thrilling traditional bingo alternative that blends the excitement of lottery and bingo games. In Keno, players select their favorite numbers from a board, eagerly awaiting the random draw to see if their picks come up. This game is known for its fast-paced and exhilarating gameplay, making it a fantastic option for those who crave a bit more adrenaline than traditional bingo. Whether you’re playing solo or with friends, Keno offers a dynamic experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The anticipation of each draw and the potential to win real money add an extra layer of excitement, making Keno a popular choice in both casinos and online bingo platforms.

Lotto

Lotto is another classic alternative to traditional bingo that combines the elements of a lottery draw with the familiar thrill of marking off numbers. Players participate by selecting numbers and waiting for the random draw to determine the winner. Lotto is often enjoyed in a group setting, adding a social dimension to the suspense and excitement of the game. Its popularity spans across many countries, making it a beloved pastime for those who enjoy the communal aspect of playing bingo games. The shared anticipation and the joy of a win make Lotto a fantastic option for social gatherings and family game nights.

Tambola (Housie)

Tambola, also known as Housie, is a beloved social game that merges the excitement of bingo with the thrill of a lottery. Players purchase tickets and eagerly match numbers as they are called out, aiming to win prizes. The game is typically played in a lively group setting, making it a perfect choice for parties and community events. Tambola’s widespread appeal lies in its simplicity and the shared excitement it generates among players. The game’s ability to bring people together, combined with the suspense of each number called, makes it a fantastic alternative to traditional bingo. Whether you’re playing with family, friends, or at a larger gathering, Tambola promises a fun and engaging experience.

Karuba

By: HABA

Players: 2-4

Time: 30 minutes

Easily the closest board game to Bingo is a HABA game called Karuba, and the game is so good, that it earned itself a nomination for one of the most prestigious awards in board games – losing to a modern classic, Codenames. Karuba sees you donning your best Indiana Jones hat, and setting off in an adventure across the board.

Each player gets their own gridded player board and a row of tiles with numbers on them. These tiles contain a path linking different sides, which you can place together in a certain orientation to form a pathway. All players have the exact same tiles, marked with the same numbers, so everyone has the same odds and chances at the beginning. To play, one player is designated to draw and call tiles out from a central reserve of tiles – one might say they’re the Bingo caller – and players must then find the tile of that number from their collection. With this, they then place the wherever they want to on the board, forming pathways in search of temples. Of course, players will make different choices, meaning that despite everyone having the same numbers, rarely will their path be the same. It’s simple, fun, and should appeal to the Bingo lovers that enjoy finding the number called.

There is also Karuba Junior, which is cooperative rather than head to head, with a few very minor theming changes as well, and which is suitable for ages 4+. Karuba could easily become a favourite game for those who enjoy the familiar experience of bingo.

Dorfromantik: The Duel

By: Pegasus Spiele

Players: 2 players

Time: 30 minutes

A similar game to Karuba, and yet also very different, is Dorfromantik: The Duel. Duel games are always two player, head to head games, and have been proven popular. So much so, we’ve seen a number of different ones – from Splendor Duel, to the newly announced Azul Duel. Dorfromatik began life as a tile-laying video game, before being adapted to tabletop to much acclaim, and then on to the duel version. So why is this a Bingo alternative?

Well much like Karuba, the players have the same tiles in which to create their masterpiece. In this game, players are trying to earn points by placing their tiles in certain formations, based on objectives. However, these objectives are only revealed as you play – in fact, only when one player drops below having three active objectives – which means you can’t prioritize a specific pathway, as you’ll never be too certain what might emerge. To do this, the tiles aren’t numbered, but they are identical. One player stacks their tiles at random, and will then draw one, and the other player must locate the same tile in their stack to play.

Different game themes in Dorfromantik: The Duel enhance player engagement and provide diverse ways to enjoy the game, whether playing solo or against others.

The call and response of it invokes a Bingo like element – not even accounting for the satisfaction of finding it, despite knowing you have the same pieces! – whilst offering some more depth and strategy, as well as a really satisfying map being created as you go.

MicroMacro

By: Pegasus Spiele

Players: 1-4

Time: 15-45

What is it you like about Bingo? Is it the finding of the number once it’s called out, and the feeling of victory and a job well done? That sounds like the best bits of MicroMacro! MicroMacro started small, but we’ve seen multiple expansions since its initial release, and recently it’s even expanded into the puzzle market. Whether you play the original game, or your tastes lean into puzzles, both represent a really fun board game to try out, that champions that same finding element we love in Bingo.

In MicroMacro, your game board is a huge fold out poster that depicts a town in great detail. The whole thing is a cartoon-like illustration, using no color, and simple lines, but as a result of its size, it is incredibly detailed. The game element comes in with the prompts, which will ask you to find something happening within the picture, a crime that has occurred. Once you’ve found this, you’ll be prompted to follow the trail further by tracking the path and looking for clues either before or after your first find, that will allow you to answer questions about what might have happened. It’s as if Where’s Waldo had a detective story beneath it, but turning the simple act of finding something – in Bingo its numbers, in MicroMacro its crime – into a game really taps into the fun. You can even try a case online if you’re unsure. Music bingo transforms traditional bingo by replacing numbers with song titles or artists, offering an interactive and nostalgic experience.

Qwixx

By: Gamewright

Players: 2-5

Time: 15 minutes

If it’s the numbers you enjoy in Bingo, there are plenty of number led board games to take your interest. We’ve picked Qwixx, which feels a little like a mixture of Bingo, Yahtzee, and a modern roll-and-write game, mostly due to how easy it is to understand for gamers of all experience levels and ages. That means that if Grandma loves her Bingo, she’ll probably like Yahtzee too, meaning Qwixx could be a win-win for the family to play together!

In Qwixx, you have a personal scoresheet with four rows of colors that have numbers included – two ascending numbers, two descending. The active player will roll the six dice, which are one for each color, and then two in white. They’ll then add together the sum of the white dice and announce this to the players, who can then mark off that number on their sheet (like in Bingo)– white for any color. However, you cannot then mark off a number that is to the left, so you’ll need to choose wisely which one you’re going to mark, lest better numbers come up later (like in Yahtzee). There are additional rules, which let you add the white die to others, penalties, and combination bonuses (like modern roll-and-writes), making it a good all-rounder game. 

Related Article: find more in our Board Games Like… feature

NMBR 9

By: ABACUSSPIELE

Players: 1-4

Time: 20 minutes

Sticking with the numbers theme of Bingo, NMBR 9 is another tile placement game, where you’ll have pieces you’ll need to place in the best possible way in order to score points to win. It’s been described in places as a solitaire multiplayer – which means that although you play with other people, you’re actually playing independently with your own pieces, with no interaction. Whilst that sounds like a negative, equally – so is Bingo! Plus, it means it translates well to playing with different copies over things like video chat.

To play, cards are revealed from a deck one at a time. Calling them as if they were Bingo numbers is our optional recommendation. Players then find the corresponding piece from the group of polyomino shapes (think Tetris shapes) that are kind of designed to look like the numbers they’re representing. You simply place these on your bingo card, where they must be touching another piece. Whilst that sounds simple, that won’t get you points – you only begin to get points when you create additional levels. You can place a tile on top of previous ones if it is touching two tiles when you do, and the higher the level, the higher the score. The element of randomness, the solo play with others, makes it a great alternative to Bingo.

Dingo’s Dreams

By: Red Raven Games

Players: 2-4

Time: 20-30 minutes

Dingo’s Dreams comes from Red Raven Games, who are renowned for gorgeously illustrated, fantastic games, and Dingo’s Dream is no different. In it, animals have got lost on walkabout, and each player will need to guide their animal home through the dreamscape, with the fastest to do so becoming the winner. The game scales really well to the experience of the player, offering more advanced rules for the regular gamer, or simple options for younger or first-time players. The latter leans even more so into the Bingo element, but we’ll come to that in a moment.

Dingo’s Dreams asks you to set out a 5×5 grid of 25 tiles, and to take an animal of your own. Each turn, a card is drawn, which will tell you which of your randomly laid tiles on your bingo card you need to turn over – hence the bingo element. However, if you have multiple options, you can choose which to turn, and equally, grids are set out independently and randomly, so you won’t know what you’ll find. Turning the tiles over is representative of traveling, and in order to match your tiles to the winning formation, you’ll need to move them. You do this by inserting your animal token into the column or row, sliding the rest, and picking up the animal tile that is forced out of the grid with this action, to use on the next round.

It’s a puzzle-y game that relies on you acting upon tiles called out – and though there are specific formations you need to reach in order to win the game, the rules offer a variation that is simply to use the Bingo rule of managing to get a row in any direction to win. Although it draws on some of the same elements, it’s a lot more strategic than Bingo – and much prettier to look at, too!

Dodo

By: Kosmos

Players: 2-4

Time: 10 minutes

Dodo may seem like an unusual addition to this list, but it’s included based on the audience of Bingo. Mini at-home Bingo games crop up frequently around gifting season, aimed at younger family members who enjoy the tactile element of spinning the cage and a ball descending from it, as well as having a game they can join in on with the adults. When looking for a tactile game of falling balls and child engagement, Dodo is an obvious choice as an alternative – which arguably offers more fun!

In Dodo, you’re tasked with rescuing the Dodo’s egg. Creating a tower structure to be the game board, the egg (ball) when released, makes its way down the tower slowly but surely. Each turn, players must roll the dice and try to find the matching symbol on their bingo card. Matching those and successfully building bridges are the only way to keep the egg safe, and if you don’t manage it in time, it’s game over. Whilst that sounds like a recipe for disaster, the ball does move surprisingly slowly, and the game is surprisingly addictive, meaning you’ll want to play this family board game again and again to be sure you rescue the egg!

Related article: The designer of Dodo also designed My First Carcassonne, another fantastic game to try!

Educational and Themed Bingo Games

Educational Bingo Games

Educational bingo games are a fantastic way to combine learning with the fun and excitement of playing bingo. These games use educational content, such as math problems, historical facts, or scientific concepts, to create an engaging and interactive experience. Players mark off the correct answers on their bingo cards, and the first to complete a full card wins. This format not only makes learning enjoyable but also reinforces knowledge in a playful setting.

Educational bingo games are perfect for teachers and parents looking to make education more interactive and enjoyable for students. Popular themes include math bingo, where players solve equations to mark their cards, science bingo, which might involve identifying elements or answering trivia, and history bingo, focusing on significant dates and events. These games transform traditional learning into a dynamic and competitive activity, making them a valuable tool in any educational setting.

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