Top 10 board games for Campervan or Travel

game drawer in our camper, lots of fun

It is no secret amongst my friends and family that I adore board games of all kinds, well maybe except the dreaded Monopoly… With that in mind I have compiled a list of my top 10 board games for campervan or travel. This includes card games too.

Small form factor but big on fun is the order of the day but they can be played by 2 or more players. In fact a few can even be played solo which is a nice bonus if you’re travelling alone. Some are quite strategic whilst others are simply silly and fun.

There is sure to be something here to appeal to adults as well as kids for use in the camper van. 

The Top 10 board games for campervan or travel, is in no particular order but some are marked as must buy’s in our opinion, other may be more down to personal taste.

 

 

 

Hive Pocket *Must buy*

Hive Pocket Edition

A great strategy game for 2 players, compelling and deep, easy to transport anywhere in it’s small bag. Hive can be used on any surface, even the ground as it has no board.

This came highly recommended and I see why now we have played it.

The pieces have a lovely feel to them and the artwork is simple but effective. The nice bag makes it easy to take with you. 

The goal is to surround your opponents queen so she can’t move and prevent your own queen from being surrounded. Sounds simple but the different abilities of each piece really makes the game a fascinating brain teaser.

It can be a little confusing the first time you play as you learn the various rules, as each piece moves in a different way but within no time you will grasp it and start forming strategies. However this game kind of ferments in your mind as you play and you will likely change how you play it after each time. I can see why it won a Mensa award.  The box below is an amazon affiliate link.

 

Cockroach Poker Royal (aka Kakerlaken Poker) *Must Buy*

There are no winners in Cockroach Poker only 1 loser. Playable for 2 or more but much better with 3+ players, this game is easy to learn, simple to play but has huge depth of strategy.

Misdirection and bluffing are the order of the day. Fun, silly and one of the best games out there today at this price point. Cheap as chips! I genuinely think there should be a copy in every campers equipment. There are two versions regular and Royal but I would say go with the Royal version as it has slightly more to offer.

 

Deep Sea Adventure

A push your luck game about scuba diving for treasure. Can be played on any surface as it hasn’t a board. May not be suitable for sandy or muddy conditions as the pieces are card and wood. Tiny box but big fun. 

a game of Deep Sea Adventure being played whilst camping

Each player is sharing the submarine and air supply, they take it in turns to roll the dice and dive down into the ocean to recover treasure. Once you pick up treasure your movement slows and the air supply begins to run out, the deeper you go the more valuable the treasure but the more risk you take in running out of air before you get back. The more you pick up the faster the air runs out! To make it even more interesting the air is communal.  Over 3 rounds each player tests their nerves. How far dare you push your luck, how deep do you dive in pursuit of glory and riches? 

We absolutely love this game, simple to learn but brilliant depth (bdum tish) as you play more. The dynamic changes with more players, for us 2 or 3 players offer the best experience. 

 

 

 

Jaipur

Work hard, earn more than your opponent and become the official merchant of the Maharaja. 2 players only.

You are one of the two powerful traders in the city of Jaipur.Only the merchant with two “seals of excellence” will have the privilege of being invited to the Maharaja’s court. You are therefore going to have to do better than your direct competitor by buying, exchanging, and selling at better prices, all while keeping an eye on your camel herd. Jaipur is a fast-paced card game, a blend of tactics, risk and luck.

Harbour

You play a shop owner with a unique ability, in a fantasy harbour, buying and selling wood, stone, fish and meat to make money and expand your array of shops to corner the market. The market price however changes with each deal made, keeping every player on their toes. A tiny fun economy simulator, will you manage to take over the Harbour?

Tiny Epic Galaxies

Tiny box but big concept of alien races colonising galaxies in a race to be the number 1 power. This is an interesting dice based resource allocation game, themed around space colonisation. 

Players compete to control the most planets and rule the galaxy, increasing their culture and power to give them to edge in a crowded universe. 

This is a resource allocation game and would suit those who like something a little more involved, can be played by 1 to 5 players.  It ideally needs a table as it can take up a lot of space so may not be suited for very tiny spaces or playing on the ground.

 

 

Railroad Ink (either the Blue or Red edition).

Railroad Ink in progress

A zen puzzle game of designing a travel network of road and rail based upon the special dice. Can be played solo or even up to 6 people. One version has lakes and rivers, the other meteors and volcanos but are fundamentally the same game.

A wonderfully engrossing puzzle that you can play anywhere but doesn’t have a lot of player interaction. One for quiet contemplative play. When you’ve all finished your networks you can compare and combine them into a giant network. 

 

Welcome to the Dungeon
Another game about how far you dare push your luck, each player equips themselves to enter a dungeon and fight monsters but will you make the right decisions or will it go hilariously wrong?

Sushi Go

2-5 players, super cute art with a sushi theme, you are at a sushi restaurant trying to grab the best combinations of dishes from the conveyor belt. 15 minute play time makes it ideal as a quick game taking only 20 minutes to play.

 

Love Letter, this is the quintessential go anywhere game. Tiny, tiny bag, lovely art, just 16 cards and yet deep game play. There is no reason not to just carry this around with you everywhere, I do.

Special Mentions:

Cockroach Salad (simple, silly and great fun for 2 or more). Ridiculous and super quick to play, great for kids or adults. Might be good with a few beers too. The game is simple players need to empty their hand of cards, taking turns to place down the card they reveal. Lettuce, Pepper, Cauliflower (who puts that in salad?) and Tomato, saying the correct name unless the previous card was of the same name as either spoken or the picture. Simple to learn but really funny for all involved. Suitable for all ages.

The Fox in the Forest a beautiful game but sadly hard to get hold of in the UK at a reasonable price. If you are in the US or Canada its recommended, in Europe just not worth the expense of importing at the time of this article.

So that is my Top 10 board games for Campervan or Travel, with a few special mentions at the end. We have included Amazon associate links in this article for ease of access and because the prices are quite competitive usually. However we don’t expect anyone to use them but any purchases made will make a tiny contribution towards the website and help us make future content. Thanks for your support.

Comments

comments

Posted on July 31, 2019 in Fun, Travel

Share the Story

About the Author

Matt loves campervans, the outdoors and photography. Combining the 3 is a recipe for happiness.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to Top