Before touch screen devices, most party games are either games that are similar to charades, parlor games such as tailing the donkey or some good old fashion board games.
However, now that touch tablet computers such as the iPad are now available, who wants to dust off big, bulky, heavy stuff when you can play these board games through the iPad?
Friends got nothing to do? The order in the restaurant is taking too long? Whip out that tablet computer and play iPad games! Without further delay, here are the best iPad board games available!
1. Catan HD
Catan ($2.99) is a really popular board games that even non board game players know this. Catan is a resource management game where you would have to earn victory points in order to win.
In Catan, you build settlements along sides of hexes and when the hex’s number is called out by the dice, you gain resources from that hex. The resources are the in-game currency, where a combination is needed to build more settlements, cities and roads, as well as buying cards which can help you out in the game. Trading resources is inevitable in Catan, because it is most likely that you won’t control all types of resources.
The game comes in campaign and the custom play, where up to four people can play the game by passing around the device.
The problem you might encounter in the game is the way AI will treat you when you are winning. They will team you up, rob you and won’t trade much with you.
2. Game Room (free)
Game Room is a free iPad app with eight classic board games inside it, and each game’s look and feel can be customized:
- Checkers
- Reversi
- Halma
- Go
- Mancala
- Tafl
- Atari Go
- Cups
Some of these games are unknown to most, but the game does give you the rules to play each game.
One of the downsides of this app is that there is no way to play against the computer, and that means to use this, you have to have a companion with you, and it will not always be the case.
Download Game Room (it is free!)
3. Scrabble ($0.99)
I just love love love Scrabble, in fact I made a Scrabble guide two years back when I had no iPad yet. Now that I have an iPad, I finally let go of my Facebook Scrabble.
This iPad Scrabble ($0.99 via iTunes), however will let you play under various methods, like pass and play (up to four players), through your Facebook account, or just play with the computer AI.
4. Words with Friends (free)
Words with friends is a great substitute for Scrabble if you do not want (or unable) to pay for premium apps. One great function of this game is the ability to play multiple online games at the same time, and this can be done super easily by tapping the quick change menu.
One thing that bothers me with this app is that it is riddled with ads. And I do not mean just a banner on top, but a whole-screen pop out advert will be chucked down your throat every few turns. If you can handle this, though, then this is your app.
Download Words with Friends Free
Update: There is a version with no ads, for $.99. Thanks, Scott.
Download Words with Friends (no ads)
5. Small World ($6.99)
This iPad game is based on the board game of the same title, produced by Philippe Keyaerts, which sold over 65,000 copies. Small world is a point-system based territory game, similar to the first game I mentioned, Catan.
This game lets you choose a race from a HUGE list, such as Amazon, Ratmen, Ghouls and Humans and the race comes with a random power, such as flying, alchemist, dragon master, heroic, wealthy. giving you something like, Flying Humans or Heroic Ratmen. I only mentioned a few, but the replay value of this game is endless, because expansions for this game is just crazy!
Downside of this game is that it only supports two players, unlike the real board game that supports up to five.
Download Small World ($6.99 via iTunes)
6. Rush Hour ($2.99)
Rush Hour ($2.99 in iTunes) is a puzzle board game where you are given a get of cars and your objective is to slide the red one out. The cars that block the exit only move forward and backward and not sideways, so you have a bit of a challenge here. Honestly, I always grow frustrated of puzzle games like this (I threw a fit a Sokoban — really) but I see a lot of my friends play this one during breaks in our leadership seminar camps.
7. Ticket to Ride ($6.99)
Ticket to Ride ($6.99 via iTunes) is an iPad board game based on the same game designed by Alan R. Moon. Players are dealt with two or more destination cards and the players, in every turn, collect different set of colored railway cards and attempt to connect the destination cards using these. Players can choose more destination cards to gain more points, because the longer the router your railway cards create, the higher the point. However, unfinished routes are deducted to the final score at the end of the game.
8. Shadow Era (free)
Shadow Era takes a lot of cues from Magic: the Gathering and it is a really good thing. The game is really at par with Magic when it comes to the artwork and game play, however, both players must construct their own deck via the in-game merchant (the cards can be bought via in-game current or real cash) because the default deck you start with blows big time. Both players must be connected to the game’s server, where one must set up a game with password so no random player can connect. The game lets you play your deck through the iPad, iPhone or PC.
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There is a paid version, $0.99, of Words With Friends that eliminates the ads.
Thanks, Scott! I updated the post.
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