We get asked for game recommendations all year, but they really ramp up around the holiday season. If you’re still struggling to find a gift for someone (or a game to bring to your winter gatherings), scroll on for some of our all-time, classic recommendations from Rook Room fun expert Annelise!
PS: You may also notice that all of these games are available on our store. If you can, please consider supporting our small business with a purchase! We only stock games that we really believe in, so even if they aren’t mentioned here, you know they’ll be great!
On to the goods!
Best Local Game: boop.
A little thinky. Two Player. Chess-ish. Cute. Cats. Iowa Designer.
Don’t let the cute kitties and comfy quilt fool you. This clever game is thinkier than it leads on! Place kittens on the bed to “boop” others away. Try to line up three kittens to graduate them into cats. Get three cats in a row to win—but watch out, your opponent is “booping” too! Quick to learn and purrfect for cat lovers and strategy enthusiasts alike. Plus, this game is locally designed by Scott Brady of Bettendorf, Iowa.
Buy it from The Rook Room here. Check it out on Board Game Geek here.
Best All-Ages Game: Tenzi
Luck. Chaos. Competition. Kids and adults. Dice. So many dice.
I’ve never seen this game played without at least a few joyous shouts and flying dice. This is one of the few games that I can wholeheartedly recommend for players of every age. every player starts with ten dice. When someone says “Go,” it’s a race to roll and match—all your dice to the same number. The first to shout “Tenzi” wins! With endless variations and ways to play, this fast-paced, family-friendly game guarantees nonstop fun and excitement.
Buy it from The Rook Room here. Check it out on Board Game Geek here.
Best Big Party Game: Wavelength
Mind-reading. Being VERY wrong. Getting super-specific. Way fun.
This is a game that brings the things we take for granted to the forefront, like: “what does it mean for something to be cold, REALLY?” and “Is the Star Wars franchise more sci-fi or fantasy?” In Wavelength, players attempt to pinpoint a hidden bullseye on a spectrum. One player, the Psychic, knows the bullseye’s location and gives a clue based on a binary pair (e.g., Rough-Smooth). Their team debates and places the dial where they think the clue fits on the spectrum. Score points by guessing as close to the bullseye as possible! Can be played as a big group or as two teams.
Buy it from The Rook Room here. Check it out on Board Game Geek here.
Best Small Party Game: Just One
Wacky clues. Word association. Co-op. “I was gonna write that!”
This is a staple game among our friends and we frequently recommend it. It’s simple, and rewards being able to think-outside-the-box-but-not-too-far-outside. Players work together to guess as many mystery words as possible. Give unique clues to help your teammate, as identical clues are canceled. The goal is to score as close to 13 points as possible over 13 rounds. Correct answers earn points, while incorrect or missed answers cost points. Make every clue count! If you ever forget a rule, the answer is always “Just One” (that will make sense once you play, promise!).
Buy it from The Rook Room here. Check it out on Board Game Geek here.
Best Strategy Game: Wingspan
Beautiful birds. Thinky. Engine-building. Tasty-looking components.
I always have a great time playing Wingspan and that’s not just because of the beautiful bird illustrations (of which there are many!). This game does require more thinking and planning than some others on this list. It’s an engine-builder, meaning that your early-game actions are weak, but build on your middle- and late-game actions to make some powerful overall moves. Collect food, lay eggs, and play bird cards to build powerful combos across three habitats.
Buy it from The Rook Room here. Check it out on Board Game Geek here.
Best Kids Game: King of Tokyo
Roll dice. Smash up monsters. Become the king. Watch your back.
This game is like Yahtzee if Yahtzee had 100% more monsters. This game is great for kids and adults because it isn’t too long, is pretty simple and the rules can grow as your family does (by adding cards and checking out expansions). Players will roll dice to earn victory points, gain energy, heal, or attack other players. Occupy Tokyo to get extra points but just know: you’ll face tougher challenges and you can’t heal.
Buy it from The Rook Room here. Check it out on Board Game Geek here.
Best Quick Game: Kingdomino
So smart and so simple. Domino kingdom. Can we play again?
It took me a few rounds to understand the choosing mechanic, but once I got it, I realized how genius and simple this game is. Kingdomino is a tile-placement game where you expand your kingdom by claiming and connecting terrains like fields, lakes, and mountains. Each turn, players select and place domino-style tiles, ensuring at least one side matches their existing kingdom. The order of tile selection depends on previous choices, with stronger tiles pushing players later in the next round. Build a 5×5 grid and score points based on connected terrain and crown symbols. Compete to create the most valuable kingdom!
Buy it from The Rook Room here. Check it out on Board Game Geek here.
Best Session Co-op Game: Pandemic
Work together. Prevent outbreaks. Actually came out in 2008.
When I first learned this game over ten years ago, I never thought I would live through a pandemic. This game taught me more about geography and teamwork than it did about respiratory viruses, and I still enjoy playing it today! Players use actions to travel across the world, treat infections, build research stations, and find cures. However, Epidemic! cards intensify the diseases, while another deck controls their spread. Cure all four diseases to win, but let the infections spread too far, and the team loses!
Buy it from The Rook Room here. Check it out on Board Game Geek here.
Best Gateway Game: Carcassonne
Draw a tile. Place a tile. Place your meeple. That’s basically it!
This game plays pretty quickly and has a nice and simple flow. It’s pretty re-playable and has options for variety and expansion as you go. It’s a great game for folks who want to graduate from the classics, but don’t want to play the same game for more than 30 minutes. Players place tiles and strategically position their meeples to score points and outsmart opponents. A modern classic, Carcassonne is easy to learn, quick to play, and perfect for family and friends.
Buy it from The Rook Room here. Check it out on Board Game Geek here.
Best Re-Playable Game: Betrayal at House on the Hill
Build the house. Survive the haunt. Don’t get stuck in the basement.
Every game of Betrayal is different which makes it the ultimate re-playable game. You build a different floorplan each time, different items and events reveal themselves, you can play as a different character with different starting stats, and you’ll play one of 50 different scenarios. You and the other players start out as a team, and just as the house is growing to a good size, the haunt will begin and one of you becomes a traitor. The traitor has one goal and the heroes have another. Who will win out?
Buy it from The Rook Room here. Check it out on Board Game Geek here.