A family board game has to suit everyone at the table, from children to grandparents. We compared family board games and card games on Amazon Australia by rating, rating count, and the age, player count and play time each listing states. The eight picks come from eight brands, every one rated 4.7 or higher from at least 13,000 ratings. For heavier strategy games, our board game guide is the next step up.
Best family board game overall: Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
Best family board game overall: Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, because it is a quick and simple card game where everyone races to slap a match between the card and the spoken word, for three to eight players from age six.
The listing calls it a social card game and a power packed quick and simple party game: players race against each other to slap a match between a card and a spoken word, and your mind will play tricks on you. The product detail table gives age six years and up and three to eight players. It holds 4.8 stars from more than 52,000 ratings, the most on this page, pooled across every print of the game.
It suits families with a wide age spread and a table of cousins at Christmas. The honest catch: the listing gives an estimated play time of 10 minutes, so choose Azul or Pandemic for a longer game. This listing is the Version 1.0 print.
Best classic strategy game for the whole family: Jax Sequence
Best classic strategy game for the whole family: the Jax Sequence game, because the listing calls it easy enough for children and challenging for adults, with a folding board, Sequence cards and 135 chips in the box.
The listing describes a folding game board, Sequence playing cards, 135 Sequence playing chips and game instructions, and sums the game up as easy enough for children, challenging for adults. The product detail table gives age seven years and up and two to four players. It holds 4.8 stars from more than 44,000 ratings, a count that may pool editions.
It suits a family that wants a proper board on the table and some challenge for the adults. The honest catch: the box includes a folding board and 135 chips, so choose a card game if you prefer fewer components.
Best classic race game: Hasbro Sorry
Best classic race game: the Hasbro Gaming Sorry game, because it is listed for four players from age six and up, with 4.8 stars from more than 33,000 ratings.
The listing for this edition is thin: the title is simply Sorry Game, the brand is Hasbro Gaming, and the feature bullets are a placeholder, so this page does not describe the board or the pieces in the box. The product detail table gives age six years and up and four players, and the rating count may pool editions.
It suits a family of exactly four that wants a classic game on the table. The honest catch: the feature bullets do not describe the contents, while Sequence lists a folding board, cards and chips.
Best word game: Bananagrams Classic
Best word game: Bananagrams Classic, because everyone builds their own crossword grid at the same time with no turn taking, and the 144 tiles pack into a banana pouch.
The listing calls it the fruity word game: players race against each other to build crossword grids and use all their letter tiles, there is no turn taking, and it is a race to the finish. The title lists 144 tiles in a banana pouch and calls it a travel game. The product detail table gives ages 7 to 14 and six players. It holds 4.8 stars from more than 26,000 ratings, a count that may pool editions.
It suits keen readers, holiday tables and caravan trips, with 144 tiles in a banana pouch. The honest catch: players race without taking turns, so choose another game if your family prefers turns.
Best strategy game for families: Azul Tile Laying Game
Best strategy game for families: Azul, because the listing describes tile drafting and tile placement with high quality components and accessible gameplay, for two to four players from age eight, in 30 to 45 minutes.
The listing describes high quality components and fun, accessible gameplay, with tile drafting and tile placement mechanics, for two to four artisans aged eight and up. The title gives 30 to 45 minutes a game and the bullets 30 to 40. It holds 4.8 stars from more than 16,000 ratings, a count that may pool editions.
It suits families interested in tile drafting and placement. The honest catch: it tops out at four players, so choose Taco Cat or Blank Slate for a larger table.
Best cooperative family game: Pandemic Board Game
Best cooperative family game: Pandemic, because it is a cooperative game for two to four players with a listed duration of 45 minutes.
The listing calls this the updated version of the popular cooperative game, designed by Matt Leacock, perfect for two to four players, with a standard game duration of 45 minutes. The product detail table gives age eight years and up. It holds 4.7 stars from more than 18,000 ratings, a count that may pool editions.
It suits families who prefer cooperative play. The honest catch: it caps at four players, and its detail table gives age eight and up.
Best party game for family night: USAopoly Blank Slate
Best party game for family night: Blank Slate, because everyone writes the word they think completes the phrase and scores for matching another player, for three to eight people from age eight, and the listing calls it quick and easy to learn.
The listing describes an award winning party game where you try to predict what others are thinking: write a word that completes the phrase, match others and score points to win, quick and easy to learn. The box includes a dry erase score board, eight colourful dry erase slates, 250 double sided word cue cards, eight dry erase markers with erasers and the rules, for three to eight players aged eight and up, in 20 to 35 minutes. It holds 4.8 stars from more than 13,000 ratings.
It suits a big family gathering and teenagers who roll their eyes at board games. The honest catch: it needs at least three players, and the eight slates cap it at eight, so it is a party game rather than a two player one.
Best value card game: Mattel UNO Show 'Em No Mercy
Best value card game: UNO Show 'Em No Mercy, because it adds 56 more cards, tougher action cards and hand swaps, for two to six players from age seven.
The listing describes 56 more cards, special rules and super tough action cards for what it calls the most brutal edition of UNO ever: Skip Everyone, Wild Draw 6 and Wild Draw 10, a Stacking Rule that passes a draw penalty along the table until someone who cannot play takes the lot, hand swaps when a seven or a zero is played, and a Mercy Rule that puts anyone holding 25 or more cards out of the game. The title gives ages seven and up and two to six players. It holds 4.7 stars from more than 22,000 ratings, a count that may pool editions.
It suits a family that already owns classic UNO and wants more action cards, and it is the lowest cost pick on this page. The honest catch: the Mercy Rule puts players with 25 or more cards out of the game, which may not suit a family that wants everyone playing throughout.
How to choose a family board game
Start with the youngest player
Buy for the youngest person who will play, not the oldest. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza and Sorry are listed from six years, Sequence and UNO Show 'Em No Mercy from seven, Bananagrams for ages 7 to 14, and Azul, Pandemic and Blank Slate from eight. Check both ends where a listing gives an age range, rather than treating every age as a minimum.
Count the players before you buy
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza and Blank Slate take three to eight players, UNO Show 'Em No Mercy two to six, and Sequence, Azul and Pandemic two to four. Sorry is listed for four players and Bananagrams for six. If your table is often just two people, Sequence, Azul and Pandemic still work, and our 2 player board game guide covers games built for two. For a big family Christmas, reach for the three to eight player games.
Compare the listed play times
Seven listings state a play time: Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza 10 minutes, Bananagrams 15, Sequence 20, Blank Slate 20 to 35, Azul 30 to 45, Pandemic 45 and Sorry 120 minutes. Azul's title gives that range; its bullets say 30 to 40 minutes. The UNO Show 'Em No Mercy listing does not say. Choose a duration that fits your family game night.
Cooperative or competitive
Pandemic is the cooperative pick for two to four players. Choose it if the family wants to work together. For competition, Taco Cat has players racing to slap a match, Bananagrams has everyone racing to build crossword grids, and Blank Slate scores matching words. Pick the activity the group wants to try.
Board, cards or tiles
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza and UNO Show 'Em No Mercy are card games, and Blank Slate plays from word cue cards and dry erase slates. Sequence, Sorry and Pandemic are board games, and Azul and Bananagrams are tile games. Our card game guide compares more card games.
The picks side by side
Ages, player counts and play times are as each listing states them, and most rating counts pool more than one edition or print of the same game.
| Game | Type | Listed age | Players | Play time |
|---|
| Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza | Card game | 6 and up | 3 to 8 | 10 minutes |
| Sequence | Board game | 7 and up | 2 to 4 | 20 minutes |
| Sorry | Board game | 6 and up | 4 | 120 minutes |
| Bananagrams | Word tile game | 7 to 14 | 6 | 15 minutes |
| Azul | Tile laying game | 8 and up | 2 to 4 | 30 to 45 minutes in title; 30 to 40 in bullets |
| Pandemic | Cooperative board game | 8 and up | 2 to 4 | 45 minutes |
| Blank Slate | Party game | 8 and up | 3 to 8 | 20 to 35 minutes |
| UNO Show 'Em No Mercy | Card game | 7 and up | 2 to 6 | The listing does not say |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best family board game in Australia?
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is our pick for most families: a quick and simple card game where everyone races to slap a match, listed for three to eight players from age six, with 4.8 stars from more than 52,000 ratings. Sequence is the best classic board game, and Azul the best strategy game for families.
What are the top 10 family board games?
We rank eight rather than ten, because every pick must hold 4.7 stars or better from a large count. In order: Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, Sequence, Sorry, Bananagrams, Azul, Pandemic, Blank Slate and UNO Show 'Em No Mercy. Each covers a different job, from a quick card game to a 45 minute cooperative board game.
Which family board games suit all ages?
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza and Sorry carry the lowest listed age on this page, six years and up, and Taco Cat also seats three to eight players, so it covers the widest table. Sequence is listed from seven and the listing calls it easy enough for children, challenging for adults, which is the all ages brief.
Which family board games do adults enjoy too?
Azul and Pandemic are the two that adults would play without the kids: Azul is a tile drafting strategy game of 30 to 45 minutes, and Pandemic a cooperative game the listing times at 45 minutes. Blank Slate works for a mixed table of teenagers and parents, and Sequence is listed as challenging for adults.
Which family board games work with just two players?
Sequence, Azul and Pandemic are all listed for two to four players, so they work on a quiet night with one child or as a couple, and UNO Show 'Em No Mercy is listed for two to six. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza and Blank Slate need at least three players, and Sorry is listed for four.
What is a good family board game for Christmas?
Buy for the size of the table. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza and Blank Slate seat three to eight, which covers cousins and grandparents in one game, and both listings call them quick. For a present that lasts past the holidays, Azul or Pandemic gives a family something to come back to.
What is the best family board game for a six year old?
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza and Sorry are the two picks listed from six years and up. Taco Cat is a race to slap a match between a card and the spoken word, while Sorry is the classic board game for four players. Sequence and UNO Show 'Em No Mercy follow at seven.
Is a cooperative board game better for families than a competitive one?
Choose by whether the family wants to work together or compete. Pandemic is the cooperative pick for two to four players, with a listed duration of 45 minutes. Sequence and Azul offer other gameplay for the same player count: Sequence includes cards and chips, while Azul involves tile drafting and placement.
