8 of the Best Board Games Based on Video Games

Doom: The Board Game

Doom: The Board Game comes in a couple of flavors. There’s the original that Fantasy FLight Games released back in 2004, and then there’s the new version that Fantasy Flight released last year. For purposes of this discussion (and because it’s the only one in stores anymore), we’ll talk about last year’s version. The game casts one player as the hellish hordes and up to four players as the marines trying to survive. You’ll play on double sided map tiles using custom dice as you tackle two missions, Black Bishop and Exodus.

BioShock Infinite: The Siege of Columbia

If you’re expecting a board game that lets you rampage around Columbia as Booker DeWitt, you may be disappointed. Instead, you’ll take control of either the Founders of the Vox Populi as you compete for control of Columbia. You’ll need to capture objectives, take out leaders of the opposition, and deal with Booker and Elizabeth running around causing trouble if you want to win. You can play this one head to head with a friend, or as a 2v2 team game.

Batman: Arkham City Escape

A wise man once said “Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman. Then always be Batman.” In Batman: Arkham City Escape, two players go head to head – one as the Caped Crusader, and the other in the role of 20 different villains trying to make their way out of Arkham. Batman earns points for stopping the villains and saving his allies, while the villains earn points by escaping.

XCOM: The Board Game

The XCOM board game requiures you to download an app to your device that will randomly choose an invasion strategy. It will also choose which intel is given to the players, who each assume a different role, choosing from Commander, Chief Scientist, Central Officer and Squad Leader. The app keeps each game unique, and changing up roles with your friends will change your responsibilities as well.

StarCraft: The Board Game

StarCraft: The Board Game lets players build the galaxy, placing two planets each, up to a maximum of 12. The game uses a card-based combat system, but you can add and improve cards by researching technologies. You’ll also have to control your air and ground units, and plan your moves carefully. You can win by gaining enough victory points, or by fulfilling your faction’s special victory condition. It’s a fairly complicated, but when you get the hang of things, it’s plenty rewarding. It can be tough to find a copy of this one, but it’s worth keeping an eye out.

Portal: The Uncooperative Cake Acquisition Game

If you’ve ever wanted to control the Apeture Science testing facility, you can – just pick up Portal: The Uncooperative Cake Acquisition Game. You’ll move and portal your test subjects around the facility, but at the end of each turn, one testing chamber will dump everything inside into oblivion. You’ll earn cake if you lost the most test subjects, but you then have to protect the cake to the end of the game. Whoever finishes with the most cake, wins!

Sid Meier’s Civilization: The Board Game

If you’ve played any of the Civilization video games, you’ll know exactly what to expect from Sid Meier’s Civilization: The Board Game. You and up to three friends assume the roles of famous leaders, just like in the video game. You’ll explore the map, build cities. As your civlization grows and researches new technology, you can choose one of four paths to victory. The best news is that you can finish this game in two to four hours, so you don’t have to stay up all night whispering the words, “one more turn.”

The Witcher: Adventure Game

Fantasy Flight Games’ take on The Witcher is a great encapsulation of the tale of Geralt and his friends. Playing as Geralt, Triss, Yarpen, or Dendelion, you and up to three friends can go adventuring together or separately. Each has a special die that allows them to use their personal strengths to progress, but just as in the video games, the world of The Witcher is not all that forgiving. A variety of cards and die rolls mean that the game changes in many ways each time you play. If you’re a fan of The Witcher, it’s certainly worth your time.