Games with real decisions in them, hand-picked by the UnboxBoardom team every month.
Keep every game. No cancellation fee. Flat $6 shipping across the continental US.
Board games for adults don't have to mean a three-hour rulebook, or a party game you play once and never again. Most grown-up tables want something simpler: a game with real decisions in it that you can learn at the table and finish in about an hour or less.
The UnboxBoardom team hand-picks games like that for the box. They're fun, well-rated and light to medium in weight, and they usually run 20 to 60 minutes.
Most adult game nights stall before they start. Somebody has to pick the game, somebody has to read the rules, and by then half the table is back on their phones.
A board game subscription box for adults takes that out of the evening. On the 1st of each delivery month, an email lists 3 games with descriptions, and you have 5 days to choose one.
Or choose Trust the Experts at sign-up and let the team pick for you. Either way, you keep every game, and no game repeats within 12 months.
Pick monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly. A box costs $29.99 to $33.99 depending on the plan, plus a flat $6 shipping anywhere in the continental US. The average retail value of a game is around $35.
Each month's 3 options change, so the games you pick from depend on the month you sign up. These are games the monthly list has offered, sorted by the kind of night you're having instead of ranked.
Good board games for adults reward a little nerve, and this one rewards lying with a straight face.
3 to 5 players, about 60 minutes, ages 14 and up
A bluffing game. Each round, one player is the sheriff, and everyone else tries to sneak goods past the sheriff by lying about what's in their bag.
Cool board games for adults can be as simple as fitting habitats together.
1 to 4 players, ages 10 and up, listed at about 45 minutes
A spatial puzzle about building habitats. It won the 2022 Spiel des Jahres, a yearly "game of the year" award picked by a panel of German-language game critics.
Fun board games for adults don't have to involve talking, and in this one you mostly can't.
1 to 8 players, about 15 minutes, ages 8 and up
A silent co-op game where everyone plays at once, as a team, against a sand timer.
2 to 4 players, ages 14 and up, about 15 to 30 minutes
A fast area-control game about a kingdom with no heir.
Our shop sells some of our past month's most popular choices as one-time options outside the subscription, so the list changes. A few on it right now:
2 to 4 players, 20 to 40 minutes, ages 12 and up, designed by Stefan Feld, PREMIUM, $49.99 plus $6 shipping
You start ceremonies, finish them for victory points, and play into your neighbors' spaces as well as your own. There are sixteen possible ceremonies, so it rarely plays the same way twice. It's a PREMIUM title, sold on its own and not part of the monthly subscription.
1 to 4 players, 20 to 30 minutes, ages 14 and up, $33.99
A calm game about walking through a garden. Take a step, pick up a flower or desire card, and score for the pairs you collect. It's low on conflict, so a quiet table stays quiet.
1 to 5 players, 10 to 40 minutes, ages 8 and up, designed by Uwe Rosenberg, $33.99
Everyone places city tiles at the same time, so nobody waits for a turn, and each round scores your largest rectangle. It plays solo when nobody else is around.
1 to 4 players, 20 to 30 minutes, ages 12 and up, $33.99
Draft tiles and pack a suitcase, cats included. It's a light puzzle that fits into a short evening.
3 to 12 players, 30 to 90 minutes, ages 8 and up, $33.99
Everyone answers the same question, and matching answers score points. There are no wrong answers, only how well you know your friends.
$15 one-time purchase, not a board game
An escape room in a box. A letter arrives, you work through the puzzles, and a code opens an online vault with the final message. It's a one-time case, so it can't be replayed.
Most of our games work great at 2 players, but not all of them. Playing as a couple? See our 2 player board games for adults →
"...being able to pick your game as well as a paragraph description of each have helped me to pick games I consistently enjoy and a few that I bring out almost every games night!"
Grant T., Cratejoy review
"A fantastic subscription for any board game fan! It's an excellent service to cater to new collectors and seasoned players alike."
Verified subscriber, Cratejoy review
"My wife and I have reached a point where during the winter months we hang close to the house. We are also realizing that TV can only be so entertaining. We picked up a game, thinking we'd play once or twice a month as a break from the TV, and it's been a great start."
Richard M., Cratejoy review
As featured in BuzzFeed ("19 Subscription Boxes For People Who Don't Want To Grow Up") and Business Insider ("Best Game Subscription Box").
Are these actually adult board games, or kids' games stretched to fit?
They're games with real decisions that grown-ups enjoy, picked by the UnboxBoardom team for being fun and well-rated. Most are light to medium in weight and run 20 to 60 minutes, so nobody needs a three-hour rulebook. Some, like Magic Maze, are for ages 8 and up, so they also work with older kids at the table.
What age range are these games for?
Games are for ages 8 and up on average, and each one lists its own age. The games above run from ages 8 and up (Magic Maze) to 14 and up (Sheriff of Nottingham and Fealty), and Cascadia is 10 and up. Check the age listed with each game before you choose.
Can I get PREMIUM titles every month, or are they separate purchases?
PREMIUM titles are separate purchases. Kokopelli, for example, is $49.99 plus $6 shipping, sold on its own and not part of the monthly subscription. So a PREMIUM game never replaces your monthly pick, and you keep every game you buy.
How do I choose my game each month?
On the 1st of each delivery month, an email lists 3 games with descriptions, and you have 5 days to pick one. If you forget, the team sends the one it thinks you'll like best. Trust the Experts at sign-up lets the team pick every time.
Do I keep the games, and can I cancel?
You keep every game. It's a purchase, not a rental, so nothing ships back if you cancel. With the pay-as-you-go plan you can cancel at anytime. Neither the pay-as-you-go plan nor a prepaid plan has a cancellation fee, and a prepaid plan will not be renewed if you cancel before the end of its term.
How does shipping work across the continental US?
Shipping is a flat $6 per box on top of your plan price, and we ship across the continental US. Your first box ships the month after you sign up, around the 15th, and you'll get an email with tracking information once it's on its way.
Is a subscription a good gift for an adult who already owns a lot of games?
Yes, because the person who gets a gift subscription picks the games, so you never guess what's already on their shelf. A gift ends when its term does, unless you tick the renewal box at checkout, and the person who gets it is never charged. You can also send a gift card from $10 to $100.
Your next game night is one email away. Pick 1 of 3 games each month, keep every game, and get it shipped anywhere in the continental US for a flat $6. Buying for someone else?