Top 25 best digital board games for iPhone and iPad (iOS)

Raiders of the North Sea is a viking-filled worker placement game that ticks all of the necessary boxes, with stunning artwork and brilliant mechanics. It's one of the finest iOS board games we've ever played. If you are eager to read more about this game and what you can expect from it, you should read our Raiders of the North Sea review.

Otherwise, you can just let yourself go with the flow because it's a game that will appeal not only to board game enthusiasts but to strategy masterminds alike. It's absolutely a must-play!

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Further down this list, you will find the classic Monopoly. However, Monopoly Go is a more recent title, that takes the board game concept and uses it to inspire an entire mobile-focused game out of it. You will get to do classic board-game things like rolling your dice and moving around the Monopoly board you have known from childhood, however, there is more to it. Specific cards can allow you to play matching games to steal from other players or destroy their own town, gaining bonuses. It feels more competitive and quite fun to play, especially as a digital version.

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Antihero has the snazzy presentation, the swift pace and a mandatory fully fleshed out campaign mode that make it such a good strategy game, without even giving away the fact that it's not a native mobile release. Of course, the beating heart is that of a board game. It's an absolutely brilliant creation that you should try especially if you love thievery, robbery and murder!

Don't believe us? Then you better read more about all that in our Antihero review!

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One of the masters of the digital board game, Playdek, tackles one of the contenders for 'best board game ever'. That's Twilight Struggle in a nutshell, and the result is an endlessly absorbing simulation of the cold war and a truly epic iOS board game.

While it's may not exactly what something that you'd expect when it comes to such a brilliant and underrated game, you should check out our interview with Playdek and GMT on Twilight Struggle. It will give you some unique intel about this game that'll probably raise an eyebrow or two....

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Award-winning in physical form and similarly awesome on mobile, Isle of Skye takes the tile-laying land-grab concept of the original and adds a decent tutorial and a suite of modes. We've played it and we wrote down an Isle of Skye review for you, so if you're eager to see how this game is, make sure to check it out.

If you haven't had a chance to learn to play the actual board game yet, but you'd like to try out the digital version, then we've got you covered! Make sure to read our Isle of Skye beginner tips because they'll give you a lot of useful information!

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A remarkably stunning board game that is all about birds, Wingspan looks beautiful and has a relaxing atmosphere. It's ideal for those who love bird watching and ornithology but not only. The beauty of Wingspan actually lies in the simple things - attracting birds and expanding your collection. Definitely worth a try!

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Despite the famous name, Warhammer Quest 2 isn't massively tethered to the board games that inspired it. On the flip side, this makes for a uniquely flavoured strategic RPG. You can read our Warhammer Quest 2 review, or you can dive straight into the game. Either way, this brilliant iPad strategy is one that you'll find it easy to get into.

Although it's a premium game, you can easily find reasons to purchase it. The graphics look clean (albeit a tad dark) and the gameplay is just what you'd expect from a Warhammer game.

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Through the Ages is another incredible digital board game where you have to develop your civilization. At the beginning of the game, you have a small tribe. Therefore, you need to collect various resources and create different buildings and institutions. The game has varied gameplay, and you should take into consideration that there are many different ways to win.

You can play with your friends on the same device or online in multiplayer mode. Also, there is a single-player mode where you can play against AI. If you are looking for more information about this game, then be sure to check out our Through The Ages review.

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Galaxy Trucker is a surprisingly frenetic boardgame adaptation that sees you rushing to build spaceships against the clock, then embarking on an event-filled sci-fi mission. We have a Galaxy Trucker review for you to check out, which will give you a very ample idea of what to expect from it.

Overall, we truly enjoyed the digital approach to this board game, and not only for the multiplayer gameplay that you can enjoy on the traditional board game but also for the single-player aspect. That's right, on iOS you can also play this by yourself!

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An enticingly verdant game that casts you as a deceptively cute creature, and tasks you with conquering your local forest. Featuring four distinct factions and deep strategic potential, Root gets appropriately deep.

We do not have a written review for it, because a Root video review and hands-on approach felt more appropriate. So if you would like to see some actual gameplay footage, make sure to check it out.

We still believe it's a worthy digital board game to add to your collection!

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This wonderful abstract strategy game has you taking turns with your rival to place the blocks in an ever-expanding tower. It's got that 'easy to learn, tough to master' thing going on, as well as a surprisingly involved single player campaign.

You can build and build and build some more, and eventually conquer the entire island - but just how well does it play in digital form, you may ask? Well, why don't you check our Santorini review? It will answer all your questions!

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Carcassonne remains as compelling a game in this updated version as it did in the initial port that launched back in 2011. Take turns laying tiles to build a map of medieval France, but pick your moment to launch a treacherous land grab. You have to use the right tiles in order to conquer as much land as possible, and that's no easy feat - especially if you go against seasoned players (who can also count the total amount of tiles and make decisions based on that). Pretty crazy, right?

Well, no matter which version you prefer, the physical board game or the digital one, we have a review to help you better understand it. We strongly believe that if you want a single-player adventure, the digital form triumphs over the original one! Just read our Carcassonne review.

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Dire Wolf Digital manages to make this port of a unique dice-drafting game feel suitably tactile on the small screen. Sagrada has you rolling dice to build the best stained glass window. Since it's mainly a game of dice and strategy, sprinkled with a little bit of strategy you can expect it to lure you right in with promises of big colourful numbers.

Well, that's pretty accurate, but it's also a game that you can just enjoy as a whole by completing various missions and crafting some unique dice. It's worth checking out if you love board game that rely on dice play.

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A brilliant asymmetrical multiplayer game of cat and mouse. One player is on the king's side, the other the would-be killers, and the result is an impossibly tense board game. You can read more about the gameplay in our Kings and Assassins review, but if that isn't enough to convince you to check it out, then you should also know that you've got pretty much every other aspect you might expect from a digital board game.

You have a 3D board with pieces to move around, you have to rely on strategy and Action Points, and you can play against another player in real-time. That's as close as it gets to any proper 1v1 board game, except in digital form. The replay potential is endless, and if you're still unsure how to play it, you can read some of our beginner tips!

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As the name suggests, Evolution is all about adapting to your environment in order to survive. You do this through a delightfully tactical card-driven game filled with countless agonizing decisions. You have beautiful artwork to enjoy while placing your cards and deciding your next move, and that's just part of the fun.

The Evolution digital board game is arguably better than the physical one because you can play in campaign mode and in multiplayer mode. That's something that you simply cannot do otherwise, so we strongly suggest you should give it a try if you haven't yet.

Did you know we also have an Evolution Board Game review? You can dive into that for more details about the gameplay!

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Though it's set in the classic Dungeons and Dragons tabletop RPG universe, Lords of Waterdeep is actually a worker-placement game that sees you strategically occupying spaces and resources on a board. It's a very attractive and accessible example of the form, too.

You can check our Lords of Waterdeep review if you want to learn more about how it actually feels playing this D&D game, and if you think it's something you'd like to try, you should also know that it's got some expansions to buy (if you really want to get into it)!

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This port of a 2016 physical board game is a classy slice of interactive sci-fi, as players co-operate to make Mars habitable. As you skip along its hex-shaped board, though, you must also vie for corporate supremacy. It feels like every other Asmodee game - and that is truly well-done.

Just like Carcassonne, Terraforming Mars will deliver on every aspect of the beloved board game, but enhance it tenfold through the digital medium. You won't regret purchasing it, as it's still one of the best digital board games on iOS even in 2023.

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The digital board game comes full circle, as One Deck Dungeon simulates a physical board game inspired by the RPG video game genre. When your head has stopped spinning, check out this engrossing card-based dungeon crawler, whether you're playing solo or in a group.

We have to admit that the digital One Deck Dungeon makes us think that once you start playing it, you probably won't enjoy the physical board game as much. However, that's just us - since it's such a fun and well-adapted game, we tend to go back to playing it every once in a while. It's one of the few dungeon-crawling board games that stays true to its original board game release.

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This conversion of a highly regarded co-operative board game for iOS sees you taking on the role of an elemental god and strategically defending your island home from colonial invaders. In a very weird way, it reminds us of 7 Wonders. It probably is because of the land and map approach, since everything else is rather unique to Spirit Island.

However, if you want to play a fun co-op game with plenty of challenges ahead, it's worth checking out. It's free to play at the start, but you can unlock the full game for a premium price!

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Here we have a stripped down card-based version of the popular tabletop role-playing game Pathfinder, and it feels perfectly suited to mobile. Pick your team, kit them out, and embark on a series of combat-filled quests. That's to say the least.

With some later updates, the game has received a massive number of DLCs that make it a lot more enjoyable (not that it wasn't already in the first place). Now, you can grab a pretty quirky goblin update and many more, and try out your deck-building strategies from scratch. Just read our Pathfinder Adventures review if you're curious to learn more about it.

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This sequel to Hasbro's casual family favourite updates the formula of wanton materialism with a rather more varied spread of goals and events. In a further nod to its fresh Generation Z audience, you can also unlock a bunch of cosmetic customisation items.

We were not super keen on the fact that you still needed real-life friends to play with, or some digital friends to join you, because the waiting timers were really rather long, but you can read more about that in The Game of Life 2 review we've prepared. Maybe that's changed now (at least we hope so!) because otherwise, the game is quite fun.

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This is arguably where the whole digital board game scene started - a conversion of The Settlers of Catan, one of the biggest board games around. It remains an irresistibly strategic game of trading and acquisition, with just the right hint of randomness stirred in.

We believe that if you know and love board games, you're already fairly familiar with Catan. So, we'll skip straight to the point and direct you towards our Catan HD review. As players who have played this board game in every shape and form, it should give you an idea of what to expect.

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Agricola All Creatures is an engaging and beautifully presented board game all about running a farm. It takes a little longer to click than some of the other games on this list, but it's well worth the effort. You essentially have the digital adaptation to the famous two-player board game.

You can play online or offline, and you'll be happy to hear that the online community for the game is pretty active so you won't end up waiting for hours to find another player. The only downside would be the graphics, but hey - it's still a charming game worth adding to your list!

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The most famous board game in the world is bound to make an appearance on our iOS board games list, don't you think? Monopoly is not only the best game to play during quarantine but also a titan of a title that has been in the top charts when it comes to board games.

It's a game where you have to purchase property, build hotels and houses, and make lots of money, trying to be the last one standing (without going bankrupt). It's a challenging game that can take a while to complete, but it's also tons of fun! Easily one of the best board games to see the light of day, both in physical and digital form.

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Proving that modern iOS board games needn't require a three-week intensive course to learn, Trivia Crack Adventure is a bright and breezy quiz-based dice roller with an online multiplayer focus. You can enjoy quick ones or longer ones, depending on the time you have at your disposal since this is one of the most lighthearted games on this list.

Since it's a clever combination of trivia and board game, you'll probably find a lot of players to go against in some of your favourite topics. Oh, and it's completely free-to-play, with daily login rewards and all the free goodies. Check it out if you haven't yet, or take a look at the Trivia Crack Adventure trailer below!

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