Best Adventure Board Games
Journeys, discoveries, and decisions that become stories.
The complete ranking
20 games to consider
Top adventure board games built around exploration, characters, missions, and escalating challenges.
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01
2017
Gloomhaven
Why it made the listChoose cards for tactical dungeon fights and long-term character growth.
8.6 rating 1–4 players 60–120 min 3.9/5 weightView game details -
02
2020
Gloomhaven: Jaws Of The Lion
Why it made the listLearn a streamlined campaign through tactical card combat and scenario choices.
8.5 rating 1–4 players 30–120 min 3.6/5 weightView game details -
03
2011
War Of The Ring: Second Edition
Why it made the listDirect asymmetric armies and fellowship choices across Middle-earth.
8.5 rating 2–4 players 150–180 min 4.2/5 weightView game details -
04
2018
Nemesis
Why it made the listSurvive hidden objectives, ship failures, and alien threats with uncertain allies.
8.3 rating 1–5 players 90–180 min 3.5/5 weightView game details -
05
2019
Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated
Why it made the listBuild a deck through dungeon runs that permanently alter the campaign.
8.6 rating 2–4 players 90–120 min 2.7/5 weightView game details -
06
2016
Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Why it made the listBuild investigator decks and resolve branching Lovecraftian scenarios.
8.1 rating 1–2 players 60–120 min 3.5/5 weightView game details -
07
2020
Lost Ruins Of Arnak
Why it made the listBlend deck-building and worker placement to uncover temples and artifacts.
8.1 rating 1–4 players 30–120 min 2.9/5 weightView game details -
08
2011
Mage Knight Board Game
Why it made the listBuild a hand of actions to explore, battle, and conquer a fantasy map.
8.1 rating 1–4 players 60–240 min 4.4/5 weightView game details -
09
2017
Too Many Bones
Why it made the listBuild dice-driven characters through tactical encounters and branching adventures.
8.4 rating 1–4 players 60–120 min 3.9/5 weightView game details -
10
2022
Frosthaven
Why it made the listFight scenarios and develop an outpost in a persistent tactical campaign.
8.9 rating 1–4 players 30–120 min 4.3/5 weightView game details -
11
2021
Sleeping Gods
Why it made the listExplore an open story map through quests, combat, and crew choices.
8.3 rating 1–4 players 60–1200 min 3.2/5 weightView game details -
12
2016
Mansions Of Madness: Second Edition
Why it made the listInvestigate app-driven mysteries while rooms, clues, and horrors unfold.
8.0 rating 1–5 players 120–180 min 2.7/5 weightView game details -
13
2014
Star Wars: Imperial Assault
Why it made the listPlay tactical missions where heroes and imperial forces trade objectives.
8.0 rating 1–5 players 60–120 min 3.3/5 weightView game details -
14
2015
Kingdom Death: Monster
Why it made the listHunt monsters and develop a settlement through brutal campaign choices.
8.5 rating 1–4 players 60–180 min 4.3/5 weightView game details -
15
2016
Clank!: A Deck-building Adventure
Why it made the listBuild a deck, grab treasure, and escape before noise catches up.
7.8 rating 2–4 players 30–60 min 2.2/5 weightView game details -
16
2012
Robinson Crusoe: Adventures On The Cursed Island
Why it made the listManage survival plans through events, shelter, exploration, and looming threats.
7.8 rating 1–4 players 60–120 min 3.8/5 weightView game details -
17
2019
Tainted Grail: The Fall Of Avalon
Why it made the listExplore a dark story campaign through encounters, choices, and survival pressure.
8.1 rating 1–4 players 60–120 min 3.3/5 weightView game details -
18
2022
Oathsworn: Into The Deepwood
Why it made the listFace cinematic boss battles after branching story chapters and party decisions.
9.1 rating 1–4 players 30–90 min 3.6/5 weightView game details -
19
2017
The 7th Continent
Why it made the listExplore a survival map through numbered cards, clues, and exhausting choices.
7.8 rating 1–4 players 5–1000 min 2.9/5 weightView game details -
20
2013
Eldritch Horror
Why it made the listTravel the globe, gather clues, and hold back ancient horrors.
7.8 rating 1–8 players 120–240 min 3.3/5 weightView game details
Buying advice
What makes a strong pick?
Adventure games turn rules into a journey. A strong one gives players enough agency to own the outcome while still producing surprises worth retelling afterward.
Who this list is for
Players who value discovery, characterful moments, exploration, and a sense of progression during play.
What stands out
The list balances narrative experiences with mechanically focused games that still create a clear arc.
What to consider
Adventure designs can trade predictability for drama; review campaign length, resetability, and luck before choosing.
Our methodology
How this guide is built
Games must carry Adventure category taxonomy. Ranking uses catalog rank, Bayesian rating, and rating depth.
Ratings and rank are useful signals, not the whole recommendation. ABG keeps the URL stable and refreshes the ordering as its catalog evidence improves.
Questions, answered
About this list
How were the games on this list chosen?
Games must carry Adventure category taxonomy. Ranking uses catalog rank, Bayesian rating, and rating depth.
Who is this list most useful for?
Players who value discovery, characterful moments, exploration, and a sense of progression during play.
How often is this list updated?
ABG refreshes official lists as catalog rankings, ratings, specifications, and classifications improve. The URL stays stable when the order changes.