The Best Cooperative Board Games

Board games come in all shapes and sizes, and when you want to play with your friends rather than against them, there are certainly some phenomenal co-op games you should try. We’ve curated the ultimate list of these board games, for a full mix of player counts, whether you love adventuring, deckbuilding, playing with the family, are looking for cooperative competition, or everything beyond and in between. From Pandemic to Slay the Spire, you’re bound to find your next favorite board game on this list.

What is a Cooperative Game?

A cooperative game is a type of board game where players work together to achieve a common goal. Unlike competitive games, where players vie against each other for victory, cooperative games encourage teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. In these games, players share a common objective and must collaborate to succeed, often relying on each other’s strengths and expertise to overcome challenges.

Cooperative games come in various forms, including board games, card games, and even video games. They are designed to promote social interaction, critical thinking, and creativity, making them an excellent choice for families, friends, and colleagues looking for a fun and engaging way to spend time together. Whether you’re navigating a treacherous island, solving a complex mystery, or battling mythical creatures, cooperative games offer a unique and rewarding experience that brings players closer together.

Benefits of Cooperative Board Games

Cooperative board games offer numerous benefits for players of all ages. Here are some of the most significant advantages:

• Improved teamwork and communication: Cooperative games encourage players to work together, share ideas, and communicate effectively to achieve a common goal. This fosters a sense of unity and collaboration.

• Enhanced problem-solving skills: Players must think critically and creatively to overcome challenges and obstacles, developing their problem-solving skills in the process. This can be particularly beneficial for younger players as they learn to approach problems from different angles.

• Boosted social skills: Cooperative games promote social interaction, empathy, and cooperation, helping players develop essential social skills. These games often require players to listen to each other and consider different perspectives.

• Increased empathy and trust: Players learn to rely on each other, building trust and empathy as they work together to achieve a common goal. This can strengthen relationships and create a supportive gaming environment.

• Reduced stress and anxiety: Cooperative games can be a fun and relaxing way to spend time with others, reducing stress and anxiety. The shared experience of working towards a common goal can be both comforting and rewarding.

Types of Cooperative Board Games

Cooperative board games come in various forms, catering to different interests, ages, and play styles. Here are some popular types of cooperative board games:

• Adventure games: Players embark on thrilling adventures, exploring new worlds, solving puzzles, and overcoming challenges. These games often feature rich narratives and immersive settings.

• Strategy games: Players work together to develop and implement strategies, manage resources, and make tactical decisions. These games require careful planning and coordination.

• Puzzle games: Players collaborate to solve complex puzzles, decode clues, and unlock secrets. These games challenge players’ logical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

• Role-playing games: Players take on roles, develop characters, and work together to achieve a common goal. These games often involve storytelling and character development.

• Word games: Players work together to solve word-based puzzles, create words, and complete challenges. These games can be both educational and entertaining, making them a great choice for family game nights.

Slay the Spire 

By: Contention Games

Players: 1-4

Time: 45 minutes per player

There are many video games that have become board games, and in some instances, there are board games that have become video games, but the level of success from both varies greatly. Some are incredible versions, making you wonder how you never played it this way before, but many fall short, cashing in on recognizable characters or licenses rather than creating something interesting in its own right. Thankfully, Slay the Spire is a fascinating example of the former.

The game itself began as a digital game that took inspiration from card games, evolving into a challenging cooperative card game that requires strategic teamwork and complexity. A player will begin with a limited pool of cards and some special skills and will attempt to ascend the levels by defeating the monsters at each of them, gaining or buying cards along the way to improve their deck to subsequently defeat more monsters.

It was a smash hit of a game, and one that was easy to sink hours into, and with its deckbuilding roots, it seemed a likely candidate for a board game port, which was released relatively recently. The tabletop version cleverly manages to avoid increasing the admin time of players, whilst capturing the same element of satisfaction at both defeating more monsters and crafting a perfect deck. The game is best known as a solo game, but the board game shines in its scaled cooperative mode, which we just can’t recommend enough.

Mansions of Madness 

By: Fantasy Flight Games

Players: 1-5

Time: 120-180 minutes

Mansions of Madness – specifically the second edition – is one of the ultimate cooperative games, that’s brilliant for gamers of all kinds. The game is set in the world of Cthulhu, and you’re heading back to the 1920’s America and embracing the tropes of the time. The difference is that there is some monster of the mythos lurking around the corner, and the mystery you’ve come to the house to investigate might take a sinister and terrifying turn at any moment. Physically, the game forces you to work as a team to investigate and uncover leads in the story it’s telling, which means that you input your information and responses into an app, which takes you someplace else in the story.

Mansions of Madness is also a campaign game, offering a thematic and cohesive experience over multiple sessions with a loose narrative structure. If you open a door for example, you’ll not only uncover a new area, but you’ll be prompted to lay down a map tile to show physically what you’ve discovered and what’s inside it. That means that even if you know how the story will end, you may not always have the same path to get there. Investigations such as this are fantastic foundations for cooperative play, and Mansions of Madness has you fearing and challenging the unknown together in equal parts like nothing else.

Horrified

By: Ravensburger

Players: 1-5

Time: 60 minutes

From horrors unknown to horrors well known – Horrified, despite its dramatic name, is a light family game that embraces popular monsters and sees the whole family working as a team to defeat them. Whilst it may sound like its particularly horror-based, really it only leans into the monsters of common culture, which across different versions, might be the Universal Monsters (for example, the Mummy), or Greek monsters (like Medusa), rather than a new and terrifying invention.

The game carefully balances the perfect amount of challenge for all players, being not too simple to defeat every time, but without feeling boring or patronizing for the adults – which is rare in games such as this. It’s not often you can pull out a game that amuses all ages, and Horrified does it well. Horrified is also suitable for younger kids, making it a great choice for family game nights where older players can assist the younger ones.

Pandemic 

By: Z-Man Games

Players: 2-4

Time: 45 minutes

Pandemic is one of the best-known cooperative games, where you and your fellow players are trying to save the world from deadly outbreaks by discovering cures and preventing further spread. Its base game includes all the essential components and characters needed to enjoy the full experience. Of course, it predated the actual pandemic that occurred in 2019 but remains a pivotal game for its intriguing game play and cooperative elements.

Although there are now additional versions of it, whereby its legacy version is particularly well received (and could warrant their own inclusion within this list), we’re choosing to go with the original here. Within it, you’re essentially trying to keep four new deadly diseases from spreading catastrophically. You’ll need to head around the globe in order to find the cards you need to combat the disease, which requires you to communicate clearly with your fellow players to achieve the best outcome and prevent global disaster. With different roles come different specialisms, adding not only additional complexity but feeding into how cleverly replayable this game has been made. It’s a popular game for a reason.

Sky Team 

By: Scorpion Masque

Players: 2

Time: 15 minutes

If you’ve ever wanted to fly a – or frankly, even if you haven’t – you should consider picking up Sky Team. Winner of one of the biggest awards in board games, Sky Team sees you piloting a plane with your copilot, landing safely at your destination… at least that’s the goal! The game offers you plenty to think about, letting you discuss a plan initially, but then having you roll your dice behind a cover. Your placement of them then is important, but you can’t bargain or communicate with the other player at the time.

Hopefully, you’ll have ended up with the perfect situation, balancing each other neatly and considering the other factors at play too – because the alternative is an almighty crash! Sky Team is a game that falls in the lighter end of gaming, easy to learn, quick to teach, and doesn’t take long to play, whilst also being a rare one specifically for two players. Regardless, it remains one that you’ll want to play over and over again. It’s also available on Board Game Arena, so you can always try it out digitally before adding it to your collection!

In Sky Team, both players work towards the same goal of landing the plane safely, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and collaboration.

Gloomhaven 

By: Cephalofair Games

Players: 1-4

Time: 60-120 minutes

Gloomhaven is a modern board gaming legend, smashing Kickstarter records and taking over dining room tables for huge periods of time ever since it launched. Described by some as an RPG in a box, and others as a Euro-inspired roleplaying game (eurogames being a distinct genre of usually non combative competitive games where you create something that will benefit you later in the game), it’s a fantastic cooperative adventure for board gamers.

Essentially, it’s taken all of the fun of an RPG – being able to form an adventuring party together to head off out on quests that you may or may not succeed on, growing your skills within your character as you go and making choices that feel unique and open ended – and made a board game version, that somehow still allows it to be as expansive as a narrative story. Ultimately, that does mean it has a lot of components within it, but equally it removes the need for a Games Master to be the narrator of the game and lets everyone be a part of the action. Huge reveals of plot are revealed as you approach them, making for exciting moments, and the vast storyline means your playthrough of Gloomhaven may be vastly different to someone else’s.

If you’ve played Gloomhaven before and are looking for more, there was also a highly successful follow up game in Frosthaven, or on the other hand, if you’ve never played before but want to, you can always start with Jaws of the Lion, which is a smaller, more introductory version of Gloomhaven to start you off. If you’re a huge fan of Gloomhaven, you’ll be pleased to know there was also a highly successful follow-up game in Frosthaven.

Spirit Island 

By: Greater Than Games

Players: 1-4

Time: 90-120 minutes

Spirit Island is another fantastic cooperative board game that no list would be complete without. Each player assumes the role of a spirit, defending the island from colonizing invaders, but using their different elemental abilities to do so. For every turn, the invaders – of which there are three different groups – will attempt to explore, build, and then ultimately destroy areas of the island, and it’s your job to prevent them from doing so. You do this through cards that you play using energy you’ve earned, to remove them or scare them away, but must be careful not to have your presence destroyed as you play, else the invaders have won.

Spirit Island is thematic and robust, there’s plenty of strategy and opportunity at play in every turn you take, and it’s unlikely to suit someone new to board gaming – as there are a lot of options, a lot of things to keep track of, and a fair amount that can go wrong if you’re not keeping on top of it, but it truly is worth the admin if you’re a confident gamer. Spirit Island offers a rich experience with its two games: the standard mode and a more challenging variant, providing a dynamic gaming experience.

Detective Charlie

By: LOKI

Players: 1-5

Time: 25 minutes

Another fantastic cooperative game for the family, though this time perfect for a much younger audience, is Detective Charlie. Detective Charlie is another investigation game, but one which is aimed at children aged around 7+. The designer of the game has created a number of really engaging modern board games, from Sea Salt and Paper to The LOOP, yet despite a more limited audience, Detective Charlie really shines.

Ultimately, there are some happenings in the little world of the game, filled with talking animal friends, and you’re going to be tasked with assuming the role of Detective Charlie together, and investigating through cards who the culprit is of the drama that has occurred. It’s a very cozy kind of game, with mysteries designed to make you smile rather than cause any true suspense, with lovely components that are vivid enough to catch and keep kids’ attention. Although it has limited opportunity to replay it, it’s great fun while it lasts. Detective Charlie is perfect for younger kids, with its cozy mysteries and engaging components designed to capture their attention.

The Crew: Mission Deep Sea

By: KOSMOS

Players: 2-5

Time: 20 minutes

The Crew: Mission Deep Sea, and indeed its predecessor, The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine, is a cooperative game that unlike the others on this list, is a trick-taking game. Full of missions, you’ll descend under the sea, where success is dependent on every single player completing their missions, meaning you’ll need to work together to achieve the win. Players lay down cards from their hand, but are unable to communicate with each other in these moments.

The highest card of the suit color played will subsequently win the trick, but the right person needs to win it in order to complete their mission – which you’ll be trying figure out, all whilst trying to complete your own. It’s a game that you can learn within a round or two of playing, but can replay endlessly. Working together without verbal communication is tough – could you and your players survive the deep sea together? The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is a challenging cooperative card game that requires strategic teamwork and complexity, making it highly replayable.

Cooperative Board Games for Large Groups

Cooperative board games can be an excellent choice for large groups, promoting teamwork, communication, and social interaction. Here are some popular cooperative board games for large groups:

• Forbidden Island/Forbidden Desert: Players work together to retrieve four treasures from an island or desert before it sinks or gets buried in sand. The game requires strategic planning and quick decision-making to succeed.

• Pandemic: Players take on roles, working together to stop the spread of diseases and save the world. The game’s cooperative nature and challenging gameplay make it a favorite for large groups.

• Ghost Stories: Players work together to defend a village from invading ghosts, using unique abilities and strategies. The game’s cooperative mechanics and thematic elements create an engaging experience for all players.

• Mysterium: Players take on roles, working together to solve a murder mystery, with one player acting as a ghost trying to communicate with the others. The game’s unique communication mechanics and immersive storyline make it perfect for large groups.

Cooperative Board Games for Solo Players

While cooperative games are often designed for multiple players, many games offer solo modes or variants, allowing players to enjoy the game alone. Here are some popular cooperative board games for solo players:

• Gloomhaven: A campaign-based game where players explore a fantasy world, battle monsters, and make decisions that impact the game world and their character. The solo mode allows players to experience the game’s rich narrative and challenging gameplay on their own.

• Pandemic: A solo mode where players take on multiple roles, working to stop the spread of diseases and save the world. The game’s strategic elements and cooperative mechanics make it a rewarding solo experience.

• Spirit Island: A solo mode where players take on the role of a spirit, working to defend their island home from invading colonizers. The game’s complex mechanics and strategic depth make it a favorite among solo players.

• Onirim: A solo card game where players work to unlock doors, find hidden paths, and escape a mysterious labyrinth. The game’s unique mechanics and engaging gameplay make it a great choice for solo play.

Also Read: The Best Cooperative Board Games For Kids

Conclusion

Co-op games have gone from strength to strength over the years, leaving us with a truly fantastic roster of potential games. These games fully understand that not every group playing together wants the same thing, whether that’s a style of board game, or the goals. Some prefer to go on wild adventures (Gloomhaven), some prefer to work towards a common goal (Sky Team), some prefer to play with the family (Horrified) and some just love a good old-fashioned investigation of a mystery (Mansions of Madness, Detective Charlie, etc.). However you like to play, there’s plenty for you to enjoy on this list.

Cooperative Board Games FAQ