Gameplay: There's something satisfying about collecting resources so that you can buy more stuff and thus get even more resources. And while probability-based dice rolls introduce an element of chance, foresight is rewarded. Because the board (and the locations that give you those resources) is randomized, this makes clever placement crucial. Players win points by building towns, and you'll have to round up a variety of resources to do that.

How it works: The premise may sound simple, but you'll need plenty of cunning to achieve victory.

If you're hunting down good board games for adults, this is a solid contender. A resource-management extravaganza where you're tasked with constructing a civilization from scratch, it sees players trading and building settlements to get the upper hand. What you need to know: Seeing as it was first published in 1995, Catan is a fresh-faced addition to the best classic board games… but it absolutely deserves to lead the pack. ❌ You want to play with five or six players: The game only accommodates up to four people, so you'll need to buy an expansion to increase the headcount. ❌ You don't like randomness in games: The resources that pay out each turn are decided by probability and dice rolls, so keep that in mind if randomness annoys you in games. We've yet to find something that can match its (slightly bonkers) creativity, so we suspect it'll still be running rings around its peers in another 50 years. The bottom line: You may think of Monopoly or Sorry when someone mentions 'classic' board games, but this one should get your attention instead. There are more than half a dozen add-ons to choose from right now, so you can always mix things up if the base game loses its shine. Naturally, you can add to that chaos with many, many expansions packs. It's energizing in a way few classic board games are. Each match is very unpredictable as a result, and you're always given wild new strategies to overcome. Gameplay: Because there are 51 alien species on offer (all with their own unique power), it's rare for two games to play out the same way. Most break established rules in some way, whether it's winning by losing or reversing attack card numbers so weaker ones overpower your opponents. However, things screech into the left-field thanks to the species you'll be using.

playing a larger number from the cards in your hand) or through diplomacy. How it works: On paper, Cosmic Encounter is straightforward - you have to establish colonies on planets owned by your rivals.

Old fashioned bingo game