As the saying goes, one is lonely, two is company, three is a crowd. That must mean six is a riot! Now let’s be honest for a second. Managing a rowdy group of six people is one thing.
Making them sit down quietly to play through an entire board game is another level of difficulty but don’t worry, there are tons of solid options out there in terms of board games that are guaranteed to keep any large group entertained.
So, if you feel that this applies to you, do read on to check out our list of the best 6 player board games out there.
Contents
Best 6 Player Board Games
Twilight Imperium – 4th Edition
Twilight Imperium will throw up to six players in the deep end in its rich, detailed galactic space opera of a universe that contains well over 1000 individual components.
With 17 unique factions (all with their own unique features) to choose from and a board setup that guarantees total randomness, no two games like chess will ever be entirely similar. It goes without saying that this is the sort of board game that can remain fresh even after decades of play.
Make no mistake though, this game will require each and every player to use all of their brain when it comes to strategy and navigating through the socio-economic nuances of the cosmos.
And where necessary, resorting to military supremacy. With your friends, you will be able to forge alliances, trade agreements, and declare galactic war in your pursuit to gather all 10 victory points.
Do note, however, that for a game that boasts a scale of galactic warfare on this level, the average round of Twilight Imperium can last anywhere from four to eight hours! Brew the coffee and bring out the snacks, it’s going to be a long night.
Asmodee Jamaica
While taking a far more humble stance when it comes to setting, Asmodee’s Jamaica still boasts a highly entertaining and memorable experience to any group of six.
You players take on the role of pirates in a game of tactical prowess and speed where through piracy and navigation all players compete to reach the finishing line – in this case, completing an entire circuit around Jamaica – and to gather the most amount of gold along the way.
Each round can last up to an entire hour and throughout each round, players will be able to engage in trade, battles, side missions, and more through rolling the dice and gathering various cards.
7 Wonders
Players here will be teleported instantly back into the days of classical antiquity, each taking the role of one of the great cities of the ancient world from Rome to Egypt to Greece.
As the rounds progress in a rapid fashion, players will be forced to expand their empire and militaries across three ages where they can decide (or be forced to) engage in battles, forge political alliances, and negotiate trade deals.
And at the end of the third age all players compare their points by their deck of cards and the military conflicts they had engaged in whereby the victor is he with the highest amount of points.
Though we do stress that this game isn’t exactly a textbook when it comes to historical accuracy, it truly is a fun, faced paced game for any group of 6 to enjoy!
Mission: Red Planet
Fasten your seatbelts and hold on tight as with Mission: Red Planet, you will be going on a one-way voyage to Mars along with 5 of your friends.
Players here will be able to fulfill all their planetary exploration fantasies by taking on the role of astronautical miners in this Victorian-era steampunk themed board game.
You will need to use your wits and cunning to occupy as much territory on Mars in order to secure its rich mineral resources by using the skillsets of nine unique characters to either dominate or sabotage.
This game if we had to describe it is not only fun but is utter organized chaos in the best possible way of phrasing it that blends together elements of card games, strategy, area domination, and luck.
It also is fairly straightforward to learn and unlike the likes of Twilight Imperium, each game only lasts for half an hour (or an hour at most depending on your skill level), making this the ideal option for the more casual of board gamers.
A Game of Thrones Boardgame Second Edition
Probably standing as the dream board game for those among you who are diehard fans of HBO’s Game of Thrones, this board game will allow players to take full control of any of the great houses in Westeros.
Whether you’re a Stark, Lannister, or Tyrell, Westeros will be waiting for you to dominate. Robert Baratheon in this world is dead, causing a huge power vacuum that forces players to enter this war-torn world with the goal of both surviving and conquering either through political cunning or plain war.
Over its ten rounds, each player will strive to capture the greatest number of castles and strongholds while building their armies and resources and making key alliances.
Best yet, detailed craftmanship in terms of its models and artwork has been poured into designing this beautiful board game so even during times of waiting and rest, you will be able to appreciate the fine details.
Do note though that a game like this takes time: on average, we’ve seen games go from 3 hours to 5 hours.
Eclipse
Another great entry into the niche of epic interstellar board games is Eclipse. Here the galaxy here is enjoying the false lull of peace after undergoing a violent war that once decimated the entire cosmos.
Regardless, as one man once put it, peace is just the time to prepare for another war. This is where players step in as leaders of one of 7 major races where they will forge secretive diplomatic treaties and trade routes while expanding their armies and dominion over the galaxy.
Power and influence are the only means to secure victory in this universe and the main goal is plain: across its 8 rounds, players must aim to gain the most victory points while ensuring the opposite for everyone else.
Peace, science, or war? The choice is yours.
IELLO King of Tokyo: New Edition Board Game
So, if you’re looking for a high quality and entertaining game but cannot understand why anyone would spend the entire evening on a single round, IELLO’s King of Tokyo will be the pick for you thanks to its rapid, fast-paced design.
With rounds that average out at 30 minutes, this light-hearted dice-rolling game will offer a fantastic gateway product to just about anybody while making sure things don’t drag on for too long. Players here take on the role of one of 6 unique monsters and through gathering cards and rolling the dice, battle it out amongst each other.
It does go deeper however when you have to decide whether to attack, defend, or upgrade. Every decision matters.
Rio Grande Games Power Grid Recharged
A classic mainstay in any board game enthusiast’s collection is Power Grid, a German-styled board game that places heavy emphasis on resource planning and logical action.
Across its 90 minutes of play time, each player must strive to create the largest power network in the nation while ensuring its smooth running and operation. This may sound simple, but the competition comes when you realize resources are limited.
More confusingly, you can choose different ways to power your network: will you go the old way by opting for coal and oil or take the risk and strive for nuclear energy?
This is the sort of game that rewards both your ability to manage your resources, accounting for risks, and keeping a keen eye on the movements of your rivals.
Colt Express
Lovers of the American wild west will feel right at home with Colt Express. Taking on the role of a bandit, players here will be competing to become the richest, meanest outlaw the wild west has ever seen by robbing the Colt Express, a train with 47 passengers that has just departed from Folsom.
With a fantastic looking 3D painted train, players can shift from passenger car to car from roof to floor as they attempt to steal as much as possible before the law arrives.
This is where things get interesting: each outlaw has their own sets of advantages over others and across each round players can either scheme or steal, adding a layer that rewards long-term planning and a dash of cunning.
Czech Games Codenames: Pictures
Here players will find themselves divided into two teams of three where they will attempt to retrieve as many spies out of the hot zone before the other team.
Across the map, players will come across nonsensical symbols that deliver encrypted messages that contain locations of where each spy is currently situated. One player from each team will gain the role of spymaster, he who knows the identities of all 25 agents while the rest, only by their codenames.
Spymasters by providing single-worded hints allude to the map while their teammates must attempt to match these clues to the correct color to ensure that they extract their spy, not the opposing teams spy. It’s not a stretch to consider this game Charades but with additional steps!
This is a game that rewards quick-thinking, teamwork, and smarts. It honestly can be a bit heavy but once you get used to it, there’s no going back.
A Buying Guide to 6 Player Board Games
Time
The general when it comes to board games is that more players equates to longer play time. While we don’t expect those of you to care much about this if you’re looking at options like Eclipse, for those of you looking for something quick and fun, always remember that the time each round takes depends on the number of people you have.
More players will make it such that each round takes longer to complete. So, if you’re looking for a game that isn’t too time-consuming, simpler options such as Jamaica would do well.
Complexity
Not all board games are made equal. Some require more learning and patience on part of the player. This really comes to down to one’s personal preference and how willing players are to sit down and learn.
If you have a particularly patient audience who doesn’t mind spending time to learn, ambitious games like Eclipse will be perfect for you.
However, if not (which we totally understand especially after a long day at work), simpler games such as Power Grid and King of Tokyo will do just fine if you are looking to dive immediately into a good game.
Price
Make sure you know how much you are willing to fork out before going further. Board games can vary hugely in price depending on the number of components, the size of the board, and countless other factors.
Games like Twilight Imperium will set you back well over a hundred dollars due to its grand scale whereas games of humbler scopes such as Power Grid will be far more forgiving on your wallet.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are all these board games intended for 6 player groups?
While not all the games in our list are intended for and only for groups of 6, they will work perfectly for any sextet. That being said, there are some options on our list that will do especially well with 6 people and no less.
This includes Game of Thrones, Eclipse, and Codenames: Pictures where we personally believe that 6 is the ideal number to ensure the highest quality of gameplay possible.
Which of these is the best among the rest?
There really is no one-size-fits-all answer to this but rest assured, all the games we’ve picked are absolutely up there in terms of fun and quality and are produced by companies that are well-known in the market.
Everything else is just down to subjective preferences!
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