WhenNintendounveiled theSwitch, it took a different approach than its competitors, sacrificing overall power for the dual home console and handheld component. One of the ways they sought to capitalize on the differential was with a greater investment in indie titles and mobile games, through things like theirIndie WorldShowcases.
That made app versions of board games a prime target for the system, and in recent years theNintendoeShophas built up a respectable library of titles for those looking for a console alternative to theSteamlibrary.Nintendounfortunately does a pretty good job of burying its board games category deep in theeShopand behind a wall ofHasbrotitles likeMonopolyandCluedo. But there are gems to be found for those willing to dig a little deeper and these are 10 of the best.
10Charterstone
Grow The Town
Stonemaier Games' sprawling legacy game,Charterstone, offers arguably the most interesting and unique board game experiences on the Switch. What starts out as a rather rudimentary worker placement game quickly evolves into a living, breathing world.
Designed to be played as a campaign rather than a standalone experience, new buildings, and features will populate the world after each playthrough. With the objectives slightly shifting with each subsequent game, the world ofCharterstonewill evolve before players, and it’s brought to life wonderfully with colorful sprites and animation in this digital version.
John D. Clair’s original card crafting system that the designer has iterated on several times with some more recent grandiose entries likeDead Reckoning. A spin on thepopular deckbuilding genre, players upgrade a deck of 20 cards, adding new abilities to them, circumventing a lot of the luck usually associated with the genre.
Mystic Valeis a very pared-back experience, new cards add either purchase power or points that are awarded when they are subsequently drawn and played. The interface on the app could be neater, there are a lot of submenus and screens for information that should be easily available. But it does save on all that sleeving and unsleeving each game, plus there are already a few expansions available on theeShopto add replayability.
8Overboss
16-Bit Dungeon World Builder
Overboss came out a short while before another similar game,Cascadia, which unfortunately quickly buried it in the myriad of releases each year. Set in the16-bit world of Boss Monster, players draft a tile and token combo and attempt to place it in a grid for scoring. It’s a little more restrictive and complex thanCascadiabut after getting to grips with the scoring, players will learn clever workarounds.
With 12 tile types, each with its own scoring rules and 11 character-specific scoring options, there are tons of combinations to mix and match in search of a high score. What’s more, solo games can be completed in 10 minutes, making it a great option on the go for theSwitch.
Sagrada
This won’t be the lastDire Wolf Digitalentry, as theClank!publisher’s digital division has become one of the go-to names for high-quality board game apps.Sagradawas an early benchmark for that brand.
Players take turns drafting colorful dice and placing them into their cathedral window. Each die must be placed adjacent to a previous die and each window comes with a number of restrictions for placement to further complicate the puzzle. Players will need to ply the Tools of the Trade to properly arrange their windows and best meet the scoring objectives.
6Istanbul
Race For Rubies
The other major name in board game app development, Acram Digital, with the Rudiger Dorn classicIstanbul. Players move a stack of workers around a preset grid, collecting and trading goods in the quest to be the first to five rubies. Each time one of the workers is dropped off, meaning a route must be carefully planned for maximum efficiency.
The digital version of Istanbul makes the variety of setup options for more experienced players a snap, actually improving on its tabletop counterpart. The compact nature also makes it one of the easiest interfaces for a larger game on the console, without the need for scrolling or screen swapping.
5Raiders Of The North Sea
Plunder, Raid and Pillage
The game that putGarphill Gameson the map and for many still the best in the critically acclaimed series. Shem Phillps burst into the board gaming zeitgeist with this innovative take on worker placement where players both place and take one worker each turn.
Workers are color-coded to certain spaces so players need to consider not just the action they want to take now but the action they’ll be able to take on their next turn. The digital edition is a fantastic translation of the game. The only downside is the expansions were never made available for this version, which most fans agree elevates the experience, so bear in mind, that it’ll only be the base experience.
Everdell
Now into the real cream of the crop, board games that are listed inside the top 40 of all time, according toBoard Game Geek.Everdellis a definitive worker placement and engine-building experience adorned with adorable woodland critters giving the game effortless charm.
Not to sound like a broken record, but it’s another fantastic digital implementation fromDire Wolf Digitalfor what could have been a tricky interface to navigate. With 8 meadow cards, up to another 8 cards in a player’s hand, and a tableau of up to 15 cards, there’s a lot of information to present at once outside the central worker placement, but the experience is seamless and intuitive.
The best-selling modern hobby board game,Wingspanis quickly becoming a juggernaut that transcendsboard game circles into the mass market. Whether a seasoned veteran or just starting out on a board gaming journey, Wingspan is a game that caters to all and is well worth a try for those who haven’t already.
In digital form, it does suffer a little from the interface, requiring a lot of scrolling, which makes it an all-around clunkier experience than its tabletop counterpart. But it has all the same award-winning gameplay and there are already two expansions available on theNintendo eShop.
2Root
Woodland Might and Right
The final two entries are not only the highest-rated board games on the list, but their respective digital versions help improve their accessibility.Rootis an incredible game but like all Cole Wehrle designs, it has the drawback of being complex in a way that makes it hard to get to the table.
All the factions inRootplay vastly differently. The key to success is maximizing a faction’s output whilst limiting all opponents' abilities to do the same. That means a player must be adept in not just a chosen faction but all other factions at the table. It’s a lot of rule sets to learn and even then to have a good game requires getting3-4 players together that can all do the same. The digital version features probably the best availableRoottutorial for all the factions, walking players through a step-by-step guide, making it not only easier to play but also easier to learn.
On any given day that it’s notBrass: Birmingham, Gloomhavencan usually be found in the number 1 spot of the best games of all time onBoard Game Geek, as the two fanbases tend to go head-to-head boosting their favorite to the top. That’s the kind of pedigree on show in what is a huge dungeon crawl more of thescope fans would be used to with video gamesthan board games.
Larger and larger games are a growing trend thanks toGloomhavenbut they all suffer from bloat, a ton of rules, a ton of components, and a ton of set-up. Without trying to draw too much ire the digital version improves on that by putting that glut of content into a digestible format and managing all the upkeep on a player’s behalf. The level of detail put into the digital version could easily see it mistaken as astandalone turn-based fantasy RPG. Even fans of games likeBaldurs Gate 3orDivinity: Original Sinwho have never seen a board game before could find dozens of hours of entertainment in the layered combat and rich narrative.
