The Best Mini Board Games

Board games come in all shapes and sizes – some, the size of a small dog, and some able to fit in your pocket with room to spare. Don’t let the small size and compact design of mini board games fool you though, they manage to pack a whole lot of game into a tiny space, giving us some of the best games in the industry, and giving us every excuse to keep a board game with us at all times. We’ve compiled a list of the very best mini board games, considering which of the small packaged games pack the most punch, and where all will fit into a box the size of a shoebox. Let’s get the collection started!

What are Mini Board Games?

Mini board games are compact, portable versions of classic board games designed to be played on-the-go. These games are perfect for travel, as they take up minimal space and can easily be packed into a backpack or purse. Whether you’re on a plane, in a car, or just out and about, mini board games provide a convenient way to enjoy your favorite games anywhere. They are also great for kids, offering simple rules and engaging gameplay that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Despite their small size, these games pack a lot of fun and excitement, making them a fantastic addition to any game collection.

Benefits of Mini Games

Mini games offer a multitude of benefits for players of all ages. Their compact and lightweight design makes them ideal for travel, allowing you to bring your favorite games wherever you go. These games are perfect for kids, as they are easy to understand and can be played in short periods of time, making them great for keeping young minds engaged during trips. Additionally, mini games can be played in small spaces, such as on a plane or in a car, providing a fun way to pass the time. With a big variety of gameplay options, from strategic thinking to luck-based fun, mini games cater to a wide range of preferences and ensure that there’s something for everyone.

Types of Mini Games

There are many different types of mini games available, each offering unique gameplay experiences. Travel games are specifically designed for on-the-go play, making them perfect for long car rides or plane trips. Strategy games, such as mini versions of chess and checkers, challenge players to think critically and make calculated moves to win. Fun and interactive games, like Connect 4 and Tic-Tac-Toe, are great for kids and provide an engaging way to play. Other types of mini games include dice games, where luck plays a significant role, and opponent games, which pit players against each other in a battle of wits. Title games, which often come in small, portable boxes, offer a variety of gameplay options and challenges, ensuring that there’s always a new and exciting game to play.

Scout

By: Oink Games

Players: 2-5

Time: 15 minutes

The creators of Scout, Oink Games, do a phenomenal job creating full games out of tiny, mini board game boxes. And whilst Scout is the most popular of their games, they have a whole range of games that come in palm size boxes that could easily make this list – our favorite is DroPolter, a dexterity game of dropping tiny pieces from your hand on command, or Moving Wild, a reworking of an independent game named Zulii. The games are generally ones that can be explained in a very small amount of space (as there’s hardly any space for a rulebook!), made up of cards and/or small components, and must be a whole lot of fun. Winner!

Scout specifically is a card game of numbers and combinations – score as many points as you can by laying combinations based on their numerical run, or their number. That’s simple enough, but you’re not able to change the order of the cards in your hand – and when you do play, you’re going to need to exceed the combination of cards that were played before it, which you can do by scouting for cards from other combinations. It might start as being a pattern-making game, but it quickly turns strategic, and will have you plotting your future turns… and hoping no one sabotages them. 

It also made our list of the best family board games, so it’s a game that works for all ages. 

Pack O Games

By: Perplext

Players: 2-6, game dependent

Time: About 15 minutes

What if you could play a full mini board game, from a box the size of a pack of gum? That’s what Perplext sought to do, and frankly, has done incredibly well with every iteration they’ve made. Each tiny matchstick represents a fun game of all different kinds – set collection, betting, puzzle, abstract strategy, social deduction, and more, meaning there’s bound to be one (or many) to suit you. 

Let’s take WIN as an example. The fantastic thing about this one – and a reason it’s well earned its place on the list – is that it derives from art and logic from a popular board game also designed by Perplext, called Long Shot: The Dice Game. The game became immensely popular after board game reviewers Shut Up and Sit Down demonstrated it on their channel, giving you all of the same feelings without the same box (though it’s not a particularly large box to begin with). In it, players use cards to set out a race, where players will then bet and perform actions as the race unfolds. Those secret bets, and your decisions regarding horses, win you more cash, and of course, winning the most cash means you’ll win the game. It’s frankly staggering how much game emerges from such a tiny little pack. 

We’d recommend picking up the sets, which give you eight different games in one wallet-like pouch. Set three has been our favorite so far, but you wouldn’t go wrong with any of them!

Gloomhaven: Buttons and Bugs

By: Cephalofair Games

Players: 1

Time: 20-30 minutes

Picture the scene. One of the biggest, most successful board games ever is released, and it’s the size of a small to medium sized dog. It’s epic, but it’s a real shelf stealer. Its sequel is no smaller. Shelves are groaning under the weight. What’s a gamer to do? Well, one gamer decided to make an 18 card version of the game. A tiny collection of cards that emulated the feeling of the game in a pocket sized package. It was so popular that the creators of the original game worked with them to create their own. And that is how Gloomhaven was distilled down to Buttons and Bugs.

The game isn’t exactly the same as its card version, it comes with additional components and does a little more than the original project did, but fewer games manage to pack as much into it as Buttons and Bugs does. Each scenario is on a single card, which you’ll play through as a character that has been shrunk to a tiny size. The whole thing is a board game version of a roleplaying game, and Buttons and Bugs is if it was hit by a shrink ray. A perfect mini board game. 

Button Shy Wallet Travel Games

By: Button Shy

Players: 1-4

Time: 15 minutes

Some of the best mini board games are made with a tricky restriction, requiring designers to think differently about how they create their games. Button Shy Games are a mere 18 cards that are in printed vinyl wallets, and yet represent some truly fantastic games. Whilst you can buy print-at-home versions of many of the games, there’s something really lovely about the beautifully crafted wallets, especially when your collection inevitably expands from just one. Plus, every one of them is hand-assembled, which means whichever one you buy was assembled just for you.

We’d recommend Sprawlopolis. It’s one of the games that put Button Shy on the map and is considered within the top 500 board games of all time. All you’ll be trying to do is place the cards from your hand down to grow the city, maximizing your points with every placement. Certain placements might cost you at the end if not completed, and others are dictated by the plans of the city – all discussed across the table without revealing your hand if you’re playing multiplayer, or considered alone if playing solo. However, there are so many different options from different designers, including abstract strategy games, and given how small the games are, why choose when you could have a few?

Quoridor Mini

By: Gigamic

Players: 2-4

Time: 30m

Looking for a mini board game? Well, Quoridor Mini has it in the name and is a fantastic entry onto this list. Unlike some of the others we’ve listed, it doesn’t substitute pieces with cards in order to reduce the size, and instead you simply have a smaller version of the full Quoridor game – and is still made of wooden components, which makes it delightful to own. 

If you’re not familiar with Quoridor, it’s an abstract strategy game – akin to chess – that’s simple to pick up, but has a lot of depth in its gameplay and the potential decisions you can make. Ultimately, every turn, you have a decision. You either advance your pawn, with the goal of reaching the other side to which you started, which will make you the winner. Or, you place a wall down in the hope of slowing down the other player. These decisions are simple, but their implications, as well as your choice of where you’re placing the wall, can be deeply strategic. It’s a fun game for a wide range of ages, and as mini board games go, you won’t do much better. 

Sea Salt and Paper

By: Pandasaurus

Players: 2-4

Time: 20-40 minutes

Sea Salt and Paper comes up on many lists, and that’s because it’s such a versatile game. Made up of a set of cards contained in a robust box, it’s a quick to learn card game that took the heart of many a board gamer. Essentially, the game has you seeking combinations and sets in order to score the most points – but you’ll have to balance this with a bit of push your luck, as to whether you end the turn, believing you have the most points in your hand, or wait for the perfect moment. It’s been compared a little to Rummy, which has helped some reticent gamers to play their first game of it, but another captivating element of it is the origami shapes of the artwork. From sea creatures to waves, it’s full of beautiful illustrations that make you want to reach for it again and again. 

Tiny Epic Galaxies

By: Gamelyn Games

Players: 1-5

Time: 30-45 minutes

Everything you need to know about whether this game is a mini game or not, is in its title – it’s tiny, it’s epic, and we’re off to different galaxies! Much like the others on this list, the size is actually part of a series of games, in that you can find plenty of Tiny Epic games – such as Tiny Epic Dinosaurs, Tiny Epic Pirates, and many more. 

Of the series, we’ve picked out Tiny Epic Galaxies as our clear favorite – and the community agrees, making it the highest rated Tiny Epic game available – where each player controls their own galactic empire that they are seeking to expand. It’s a dice rolling jaunt through space, but don’t let its tiny size fool you into thinking it’s not a full board game. There are difficult decisions on every turn, plans you must make now so that you can gain bonuses or additional actions later turns, and every opportunity to swoop in with the win. 

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a mini board game, it’s great to know that there’s no mini when it comes to gameplay in these portable games. Each of the games on this list will fit into a small bag or a decent pocket, meaning you’ve always got the opportunity to get playing. Enjoy!

Mini Board Games FAQ