The 25 Best Dungeon Crawl Board Games of 2021 for Hours of Entertainment
Find the Best Dungeon Crawler Board Games and Dungeon Adventures for Game Night
Dungeon crawl board games are immensely popular and can provide your gaming group with many hours of great fun. For new players wanting to get into the genre, however, the sheer number of games and play styles can be overwhelming to say the least. Even for veterans of the dungeon crawler, there are so many choices out there that it’s often difficult to decide what to play next.
I’m here to help you out and make your decision much easier with my top 25 best dungeon crawler board games. Any of the games on this list make excellent choices to start with your gaming group, no matter what you’re looking for or how many players you have.
If you like to play 2 player dungeon crawl board games with a friend you’ll find great options here. For a larger group that wants fully cooperative dungeon adventures, you’ll find top quality games to pique your interest. If you’re a gamer who likes to pit yourself against your friends, sending your forces against the combined might of the other players, then you’ll find plenty of overlord or dungeon master roles in games to test your abilities.
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Best Dungeon Crawl Board Game: Gloomhaven
- Playing through a scenario is a cooperative affair where players will fight against automated monsters using an innovative card system to determine the order of play and what a player does on their turn
- This is a game with a persistent and changing world that is ideally played over many game sessions
- For 1-4 Players. Ages 14+
- 60-120 minute playing time
- Euro-inspired tactical combat in an evolving campaign
More than 100 hours of gameplay await you with this heavyweight dungeon crawl board game. Several classes to choose from and legacy style changes play out over many scenarios in an epic cooperative campaign. It’s a must buy for any true fan of a dungeon crawl adventure.
Best 2 Player Dungeon Crawl Board Game: One Deck Dungeon
- One Deck Dungeon is a 1-2 player cooperative game
- 30-45 minute playing time
- With multiple sets, you can add more players
- he game is very easy to learn, featuring intuitive dice mechanics and thematic skills and abilities.
- Polish (Publication Language)
This dungeon crawler sets up in minutes and gets you playing with a lightweight, simple gameplay that’s immersive and entertaining. Upgrade and customize your character between each game to better prepare to delve deeper into the dungeon on your next playthrough.
Best Dungeon Adventure Board Game: Mansions of Madness, 2nd Edition
- FULLY COOPERATIVE HORROR: Embark on a terrifying journey in Mansions of Madness Second Edition, a cooperative board game of horror and mystery for one to five players.
- IMMERSIVE COMPANION APP: Let the immersive companion app guide you step by step through each scenario, enhancing the storytelling and gameplay experience.
- HAUNTING CAMPAIGNS: Explore four campaigns of varying length and difficulty, as you navigate through the veiled streets of Innsmouth and the cursed mansions of Arkham.
- DETAILED COMPONENTS: Immerse yourself in over 500 intricately designed components, including 32 plastic figures, as you unravel complex puzzles and confront unspeakable evils.
- SEAMLESS INTEGRATION: Includes a conversion kit for integrating first edition game components, ensuring a seamless transition to this enhanced edition.
Setup the game and let an app drive gameplay in this epic dungeon crawl board game set in a spooky mansion inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Work together to overcome the terrors that await you in this Mansion of Madness.
Best Sci-Fi Dungeon Crawl Board Game: The World of SMOG: Rise of Moloch
- The World of SMOG, Rise of Moloch is an epic, steampunk, Victorian adventure board game
- 63 Highly Detailed Miniatures (5 Different Gentlemen; 6 Bobby Minions; 4 Special Chapter Characters; 13 Agents of the Nemesis; 10 Killer Clowns; 25 Zombies (10 Regular; 5 Zombies in Flames; 5 Royal Guard Zombies; 5 Dismembered Corpse Zombies)
A cooperative dungeon crawl board game adventure set in alternate-reality steampunk Victorian England, The World of SMOG pits one player as the Nemesis against the remaining players as the Unicorn Club, an elite group of heroes fighting to save England and the world.
Table of Contents
1. Gloomhaven
- Playing through a scenario is a cooperative affair where players will fight against automated monsters using an innovative card system to determine the order of play and what a player does on their turn
- This is a game with a persistent and changing world that is ideally played over many game sessions
- For 1-4 Players. Ages 14+
- 60-120 minute playing time
- Euro-inspired tactical combat in an evolving campaign
Buy this game if: You want an in-depth dungeon crawl adventure spanning more than 100 hours that changes and evolves as you play, one that keeps you coming back again and again.
Company: Cephalofair Games
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 60-120 minutes
Gameplay: Players start out Gloomhaven by choosing a character class to play, each with their own set of abilities, skills, and traits. Characters perform actions through the use of cards that are unique to that class. Players must work together to have success; scenarios are won or lost by the whole party, not just an individual.
The game difficulty scales with more players, so invite your friends over and get ready for battle. Games play out on modular boards and with high quality miniatures for a truly spectacular gaming experience. As the game progresses players will level up their characters, making them stronger and unlocking additional abilities.
Gloomhaven is a legacy dungeon crawl board game, meaning that choices you and your party make throughout the game will change, shape, and influence how the game plays out over the many game sessions. The game box has 75 scenarios with it, but as the game is influenced by decisions made, you will likely not play anywhere close to all 75 of them.
The legacy style also means that you could play all the way through Gloomhaven multiple times and experience different scenarios, a different overall story, and have a totally unique experience each time.
If you know anything about the dungeon crawler board game genre, then you’ve likely heard of Gloomhaven, and for good reason. It was a big deal and a wild success when it came out on Kickstarter, raising millions of dollars. It continues to be extremely popular, and their launch of the long-awaited expansion Frosthaven went down even better than the base game.
If you enjoy this genre, pick this game up today; you won’t be sorry. It’s one of the best RPG dungeon crawl board games on the market and you can’t go wrong starting this one as long as you don’t mind a more complex game experience. It also is one of the best single player dungeon crawl board games, so you can set it up on play on your own as well. With friends, it’s especially stellar as a 3 player gaming adventure.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Epic adventure with many hours of content | 🅧 Each game session can last multiple hours |
| ✅ Unique character classes that get stronger and level up throughout the game | 🅧 Game is heavy and complex to learn at first |
| ✅ 75 scenarios for vast replayability | 🅧 Set up and clean up is time-consuming |
| ✅ Legacy style adventure that changes based on choices you make | 🅧 If your group is more than 4 players, this game doesn’t have a good way to accommodate everyone |
| ✅Add-ons and Expansion Packs for even more adventure |
2. The World of SMOG: Rise of Moloch
- The World of SMOG, Rise of Moloch is an epic, steampunk, Victorian adventure board game
- 63 Highly Detailed Miniatures (5 Different Gentlemen; 6 Bobby Minions; 4 Special Chapter Characters; 13 Agents of the Nemesis; 10 Killer Clowns; 25 Zombies (10 Regular; 5 Zombies in Flames; 5 Royal Guard Zombies; 5 Dismembered Corpse Zombies)
Buy this game if: You want a semi-cooperative game of one player versus the rest set in an alternate reality England featuring magic, steam-powered weapons, and more.
Company: CMON Games
Players: 2-5
Playtime: 45-90 minutes
Gameplay: It’s one versus the rest in the World of SMOG: Rise of Moloch. One player takes control of the Nemesis, working to bring Moloch to London. The rest of the players make up the Unicorn Club, tasked with facing off against the forces of evil and protecting humanity at all costs.
Set in an alternate steampunk version of Victorian England, players will move across the board and fight to complete objectives, all while trying to stop their opponent from completing their own goals.
Campaigns are broken down into 6 chapters, each of them lasting up to 90 minutes. Choices the players make and the outcome of the chapter alters the story and will affect how the remaining chapters play out, so make your choices carefully.
The Unicorn Club can gain access to powerful weaponry, but this weaponry requires ETHER to use. Beware, though, as once the ETHER has been used, the Nemesis can also use it, becoming more powerful. Are you willing to use these powerful weapons at the cost of strengthening your opponent?
CMON games has a history of putting quality games out, and this one is no exception. Solid game mechanics, rich stories told through their campaigns, top quality miniatures, and a unique steampunk England theme make The World of SMOG: Rise of Moloch a top choice to add to your dungeon crawling adventure collection, especially if you want to branch out from the traditional fantasy settings.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ CMON Games makes another top quality game in the dungeon crawl genre | 🅧 If you’re gaming group isn’t a fan of semi-cooperative games, this isn’t for you |
| ✅ Most chapters are finished in under 90 minutes, making for a cooperative game that is on the shorter side | 🅧 The steampunk style may not be for everyone |
| ✅ Steampunk Victorian England presents a truly unique dungeon crawl adventure |
3. Zombicide: Invader
- SPACE SURVIVAL: Join forces to survive the murderous alien threat on the distant planet PK-L7.
- XENIUM REVOLUTION: Humanity's quest for energy leads to a desperate battle against fierce Xenos.
- HIGHLY DETAILED MINIATURES: Immersive gameplay with intricately crafted miniatures for Survivors, Xenos, Bots, and Sentry Guns.
- UNIQUE HEROES: Each Survivor evolves with special skills, and Soldiers and Civilians offer distinct gameplay dynamics.
- LINKED CAMPAIGN: Navigate interlocked missions across PK-L7's surface and tunnels in a fight for survival.
Buy this game if: You’ve already enjoyed other Zombicide games or if you want a fully cooperative zombie space themed dungeon crawl board game adventure.
Company: CMON Games
Players: 1-6
Playtime: 60 minutes
Gameplay: Zombicide Invader presents another installment in the popular Zombicide series from CMON games, but this time features a fully cooperative game set in space. You and your friends will face off against the Xenos, a hostile alien race in this sci-fi adventure.
Work together, plan your moves, gear up to fight aliens, and complete objectives on your way to victory. As you progress your character will gain experience and level up, gaining new abilities. But, beware, as you level up the Xenos will also gain power.
A simple turn structure and a straightforward enemy phase driven by a deck makes for exciting and in-depth but relatively simple gameplay mechanics. The game comes with several map tiles and pre-made scenarios to get started killing aliens. Once you’ve mastered all the base game content, there are plenty of expansions and add-ons to fuel all your Zombicide needs.
The Zombicide games are well-made, in-depth games that will appeal to players new to the dungeon crawl genre and seasoned veterans alike. This particular iteration had a significant Kickstarter backing, raising millions of dollars on its way to publication. If you’ve played other Zombicide games this is a must-buy, or if you are looking for a unique take on the classic fantasy adventure, this sci fi dungeon crawl board game will provide you hours of excellent entertainment.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Zombie theme meets space theme in this dungeon crawl adventure | 🅧 Setup for each scenario is time-consuming and involved |
| ✅ Simple enough gameplay to get you started, but enough depth to keep you coming back | 🅧 Make sure to have the rulebook handy, as many skills and abilities will need clarification or reminders until you are really comfortable with the game |
| ✅ This game is full of gorgeous, detailed miniatures for an immersive experience | 🅧 Character customization is relatively basic compared to a lot of other dungeon crawlers |
| ✅ Several expansions and add-ons to fuel all your needs |
4. Folklore: The Affliction
- A cooperative or solo campaign requiring no game master.
- Six stories with multiple paths and endings - over 13 hours of replayable story content!progression paths.Discover over a 100 unique items, equipment, and ancient artifacts to aid in your Quest.Unlock abilities, Prayers, and rituals for defeating challenges both in and out of combat.
- Customize your character with an archetype, focus, and Branching
- English (Publication Language)
Buy this game if: You want a dungeon adventure board game with incredibly detailed character customization and the ability to play as a ghost if your character dies.
Company: Greenbrier Games
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 90-120 minutes
Gameplay: A fully cooperative game for up to 5 players, Folklore: The Affliction will give you plenty of mystery, terror, and intrigue throughout its many quests. Choose which story you will embark upon, select your character, and begin your adventure.
As you progress you will be able to level up, upgrade, and customize your hero through Folklore’s extremely in-depth character customization system, featuring more than 100 different skills and abilities, so you can truly tailor your character to meet any need or playstyle.
Folklore: The Affliction features a unique mechanic where if you die in the game, you can play on as your ghost and continue your journey, helping out your fellow adventurers. It even gives you the ability to unlock ghost abilities as you upgrade your character, so you can be prepared just in case you meet your demise.
This is a game that boasts an incredible amount of miniatures that all look fantastic. However, the most recent edition of the game ships without miniatures and uses cardboard standees instead. The miniatures are still available as an extra purchase, which I highly recommend, but make sure you know going in that the base game likely won’t come with the miniatures.
That being said, this game features in-depth quests grouped into an intricate campaign, gorgeous detail and artwork on the map, cards, and figures, and features perhaps the most detailed character customization I’ve ever seen in a dungeon crawler. This game really is a must-buy for a well-made, in-depth dungeon crawler.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ More than a hundred miniatures (as an add-on purchase), all exquisitely crafted to provide a top-level gaming experience | 🅧 The newest edition comes with standees instead of miniatures and requires you to buy the miniatures separately |
| ✅ More than 100 unique skills and abilities to customize your character however you want as you progress | 🅧 The sheer level of customization available may be overwhelming for some |
| ✅ Play on in the quest as your ghost if you should die during the game | 🅧 Be prepared for lengthy setup and a longer game time |
| ✅ Plenty of content to keep you playing through many game sessions |
5. Mansions of Madness: 2nd Edition
- FULLY COOPERATIVE HORROR: Embark on a terrifying journey in Mansions of Madness Second Edition, a cooperative board game of horror and mystery for one to five players.
- IMMERSIVE COMPANION APP: Let the immersive companion app guide you step by step through each scenario, enhancing the storytelling and gameplay experience.
- HAUNTING CAMPAIGNS: Explore four campaigns of varying length and difficulty, as you navigate through the veiled streets of Innsmouth and the cursed mansions of Arkham.
- DETAILED COMPONENTS: Immerse yourself in over 500 intricately designed components, including 32 plastic figures, as you unravel complex puzzles and confront unspeakable evils.
- SEAMLESS INTEGRATION: Includes a conversion kit for integrating first edition game components, ensuring a seamless transition to this enhanced edition.
Buy this game if: You want a fully cooperative, app-driven game heavily inspired by Lovecraft where you and friends explore Arkham, encountering mysteries, monsters, and more.
Company: Fantasy Flight Games
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 120-180 minutes
Gameplay: Inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft, you and up to 4 friends will embark on an app-driven adventure through a mansion in Arkham. There’s no need for a dungeon master or overlord since the app controls the game for you, leaving you and your friends all to work together. Modular map tiles, investigator cards, monster figures, and dice rolling all come together to present a dark and unexpected twist on the cooperative dungeon crawl board game.
Games are played out through scenarios, which dictate the initial setup and what objectives the players must complete to win. Investigators each will take a turn, followed by a mythos turn where the app will move monsters and put other effects into play, all in an effort to stop you from reaching your goals.
Players must take care around monsters and effects as they can suffer wounds, which can eventually lead to that investigator being eliminated, or horror, which will eventually make the player go insane.
Once one player has been eliminated, the remaining members of the party will have one final turn to complete their objectives or they will lose the game.
If you like H.P. Lovecraft and/or want to experience a tabletop gaming experience controlled by an app, this is a must buy. Fantasy Flight made a lot of fixes and improvements from the 1st edition version of the game, including the introduction of the app to control the enemy and gameplay, so the 2nd edition is much better and I recommend it over the 1st edition. Pick this game up today for one of the best sci fi dungeon crawl board games out there. Just be prepared to invest in additional content to really take the game to the next level.
If you’re looking for more great games you can play with you and 4 friends then check out our list of The Best 5 Player Board Games.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Monster miniatures and map tiles are all wonderfully done in the Lovecraftian style | 🅧 Be prepared for a longer game session, as scenarios can easily take 3 hours to complete |
| ✅ The game is controlled by an app, allowing you and your friends to work together | 🅧 Some people may not be excited about the prospect of the enemy being controlled by an app |
| ✅ Multiple expansions allow for additional scenarios and expanded gameplay | 🅧 Only 4 scenarios in the base game |
6. Zombicide: Black Plague
- INTENSE COOPERATIVE ACTION: Join forces with up to 6 players in a relentless battle against hordes of medieval zombies.
- UNIQUE SURVIVORS: Play as diverse heroes from medieval times and fantasy races like dwarves and elves, each with their own special abilities.
- ARMOR AND STRATEGY: Experience new gameplay with armor that can block zombie attacks and strategic item specialization.
- FEARSOME ADVERSARIES: Face powerful Necromancers and the dreaded Abomination in a fight for survival.
- ENHANCED ORGANIZATION: Quality plastic dashboards, experience tracking, and inventory slots streamline your gameplay.
Buy this game if: You want a fully cooperative dungeon crawler board game that forces you and your friends to work together to fend off hordes of zombie terrors.
Company: CMON Games
Players: 1-6
Playtime: 60-180 minutes
Gameplay: Get some friends together and get ready to fight back hordes of zombies all ready to eat your brain in Zombicide: Black Plague. Set in medieval times, you and up to 5 other friends will take control of heroes, each with their own unique skills and abilities, moving around the board, picking up gear and working to complete objectives.
As you defeat zombies you will gain experience that can be used to level up your character and gain new abilities. Beware, though, as leveling up your characters in the game also takes the zombies to a higher threat level, resulting in more powerful and/or larger hordes of enemies.
You’ll face many threats during your gameplay, including your basic walker zombies, zombie runners with increased movement, fatties that can take extra damage, necromancers that spawn in additional zombies with them as their cabal, and the terrifying abomination. You’ll have to plan your strategies carefully and lean on each character’s strengths in order to survive wave after wave of undead.
Zombicide Black Plague is another fantastic miniatures dungeon adventure board game from CMON games. The combination of medieval theme and zombies makes for a unique twist on the genre, while still bringing you plenty of great gameplay. And the fact that the game controls the zombies through a deck of cards means that you can all focus on working together to win. Pick this one up today, invite your friends over, and prepare for hours upon hours of entertaining zombie slaying.
Zombicide: Black Plague is a favorite in our group and plays really well with 5 players. For more perfect games for a 5 player group check out The Best 5 Player Board Games.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ The game controls the enemies through a simple deck of cards, allowing you to focus on your own gameplay and not complicated mechanics | 🅧 Big fans of continuous campaigns will find this game’s one-off scenarios perhaps a bit lacking |
| ✅ CMON brings you another game with detailed miniatures for a truly enjoyable experience | 🅧 Games can take up to 3 hours, which is longer than some want to spend on one game |
| ✅ Dungeon crawler meets zombies in this epic adventure | 🅧 Game setup can take awhile |
| ✅ Pick up Zombicide: Wolfsburg to continue the action, as well as a the stand-alone (but can be combined) Zombicide: Green Horde, as well as several NPC packs and add ons |
7. Sword and Sorcery: Immortal Souls
- Sword & Sorcery is an epic-fantasy cooperative board game in which 1-5 players fight together against the forces of evil, which are controlled by the game system itself
- Designed by Gremlin Project (the same team who created Galaxy Defenders), the game system in Sword & Sorcery represents the perfect evolution of its forerunner
- Key features of Galaxy Defenders have been carried over, such as the advanced AI system for monsters, a high degree of character customization, and the multiple tactical options during battles
- 60 to 90 Minutes Playing Time
- Ages 13+
Buy this game if: You want a fully cooperative epic fantasy adventure with advanced AI, detailed miniatures, and detailed character customization.
Company: Ares Games
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 60-90 minutes
Gameplay: Team up with some friends, choose your hero, and embark on an epic fantasy dungeon crawl board game to fight the forces of evil. Will you and your party emerge victorious? Or will you perish along the way and be forgotten?
Sword and Sorcery boasts a detailed and expansive character customization system, allowing you to level your hero and tailor it to fit your playstyle. The game is designed to play out over multiple acts and several scenarios. Players can accumulate soul points during their quests, which can be used to rank up their heroes, making them more powerful and unlocking additional abilities.
The base game includes seven quests to get through act I, giving you a decent amount of play to start out. If you want to continue your quest and continue to level up your heroes, you can buy act 2 and additional quests through expansions and add-ons. Give some thought to which class you begin your campaign with, as it will likely be who you stick with for the entire campaign.
Sword and Sorcery takes the classic fantasy dungeon crawl board game theme and does it really well. If you want a well-made game for your dedicated gaming group and don’t mind a heavier, more complex game, then pick this one up today.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ This game has an in-depth campaign, taking you and your friends on a lengthy adventure that will put your skills to the test | 🅧 Sword and Sorcery is a heavy and complex game to learn and get started with. |
| ✅ If you enjoy character customization, this game has a very detailed system for leveling your hero | 🅧 Setup and cleanup of the game will take awhile |
| ✅ Most quests are completed in under 90 minutes | 🅧 Some people feel like they should get more quests in the base game than the 7 that are included |
| ✅ 3 big expansions to add even more content and questing for your party |
8. Massive Darkness
- For 1 to 6 players
- Full campaign : the story mode Comes with 10 unique quests in the Campaign
- Incredible figures : massive Darkness comes with six detailed hero miniatures and 69 enemy miniatures
- Shadow mode : by using shadow mode players can gain a stealthy advantage over the agents of darkness
- English (Publication Language)
Buy this game if: you want a rich, fully cooperative, fantasy RPG dungeon crawl board game with hero and class customization marked by CMON Game’s exquisite miniatures and detailed components.
Company: CMON Games
Players: 1-6
Playtime: 120 minutes
Gameplay: Massive Darkness takes the traditional fantasy theme of classic dungeon crawlers and makes it it’s own with unique hero and class combinations, the ability to upgrade your characters as you gain experience, and a very interesting shadow mechanic built into the game. You and your friends must all work together to fight back the constant onslaught of monsters as you set off to complete objectives as a team.
You and your team are Lightbringers, tasked with fighting the darkness and the evil that is always lurking there. During the game heroes can choose to enter Shadow mode, which makes them much more difficult for enemies to detect. You can then choose to either sneak away to safety or lie in wait for a powerful ambush against your defenseless enemies. Enemies can spawn anywhere on the map in this game, making this ability very helpful at times to avoid being overwhelmed.
CMON has taken the game system from their popular Zombicide franchise and has tweaked and evolved it for Massive Darkness. Your heroes have unique abilities and then each class has its own set powers, allowing you to custom tailor your character to your liking. Shadow mode brings a fun and exciting mechanic to the game that can be very powerful if used correctly. If you want an extremely well-made fantasy dungeon crawler, or have enjoyed playing any of the Zombicide games and want something a bit different, pick this game up today.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Another great dungeon crawl adventure from CMON games | 🅧 Massive Darkness features a story mode, but it is fairly basic |
| ✅ This game brings you a wonderfully rich cooperative experience without being overly complicated or difficult to learn | 🅧 Setup is a lengthy process |
| ✅ Unique shadow mode brings a fresh take on the more traditional fighting mechanics in dungeon crawler | 🅧 Many scenarios take longer than 2 hours to play |
9. Clank!
- For 2-4 Players
- A fast and intense dungeon delving experience!
- Push your luck to collect more treasure but watch out for the Dragon!
- A perfect melding of map exploration and deck-building in one game!
Buy this game if: You’re looking for a deck-building dungeon adventure board game where you work to steal loot from a dragon’s lair.
Company: Renegade Game Studios
Players: 2-4 players
Playtime: 30-60 minutes
Gameplay: Sneak in, steal some loot, and get back out again without being caught. Seems easy enough, right? But if you want the really valuable treasure and artifacts you must delve deeper and deeper into the mountain and risk being caught by the dragon. The more loot that is stolen, the angrier the dragon gets, so you must plan carefully and balance risk against reward.
Clank! is a dungeon crawler that is all about successfully stealing more stuff than your opponents. Build your deck and acquire skill which helps you add cards to your deck, swords that will help you fight off the other monsters in the dungeon, and boots which help you move around. Your deck will grow as you add cards to it and will be regularly shuffled, increasing your abilities and in turn giving you more strength, movement, and skill.
Your goal is to make it out with the best value loot by the end of the game. Will you focus on lower value items that you can steal faster and safer? Or do you venture deep into the caverns for the truly valuable loot, knowing that it will be more challenging to get in and out with it?
Clank! Is a great cross between the deck building genre and the dungeon crawl genre, and Renegade Game Studios has done a marvelous job putting this unique game together. If you enjoy dungeon crawl board games but also enjoy the competitive aspect instead of a cooperative game, then Clank! Is the perfect game for you.
If you enjoy deck builders then be sure to check out our compilation of The 20 Best Deck Building Games.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Deck Building meets Dungeon Crawler in this fantastically fun game | 🅧 Steer clear of this game if you don’t enjoy deck builders |
| ✅ Games can easily be completed in under an hour | 🅧 This game is everyone for themselves, which will feel very different from the more traditional cooperative dungeon crawls |
| ✅ The whole concept of pressing your luck and weighing risk-reward creates a game experience that is great fun with your friends (made our best 3 player game list too!) | 🅧 Pushing your luck too much and getting caught may make it feel like you’re quickly out of the game |
| ✅ Multiple Expansions and a stand-alone Clank! In Space! Make for lots of additional content |
10. Arcadia Quest
- EPIC ADVENTURES AWAIT: Enter the city of Arcadia, a bastion of peace for centuries, now threatened by the evil Lord Fang and his unholy alliance of trolls, orcs, and goblins.
- HEROES UNITED: Take control of a Guild of Heroes, embarking on quests, battling Fang's minions, and upgrading your team in pursuit of an epic showdown with Lord Fang himself.
- HIGHLY-DETAILED FIGURES: Featuring twelve incredibly detailed Hero figures and a horde of fearsome monsters, including Orcs, Beastmen, and Trolls, your adventures will come to life like never before.
- EASY-TO-UNDERSTAND COMBAT: Engage in fast-paced and intuitive dice combat, where attackers strive to score hits, and defenders roll for crucial blocks in dynamic confrontations.
- CUSTOMIZE AND DOMINATE: Acquire items and equipment upgrades that allow you to tailor your Guild Heroes, transforming them into formidable opponents throughout your campaign.
Buy this game if: You want a competitive dungeon crawler where you can fight the monsters of the game but also fight against the other players across an evolving campaign system.
Company: CMON Games
Players: 2-4
Playtime: 60 minutes
Gameplay: Choose your guild, name your champions, and set off to defend against the evil Vampire Lord Fang. Beware, though, as you’ll not only be fighting him but will also be competing against rival guilds for glory. Use your 3 chosen heroes to move, scheme, and fight your way to victory.
Arcadia Quest is set up to play out over a campaign consisting of 6 scenarios. The games unfold across 3 phases: the outer circle, the inner circle, and the final showdown. Only one guild can win each scenario, and that guild will get bonuses that will help in the games to come.
All guilds will have a chance to upgrade after each scenario, based on how they do and what they might find along the way. Heroes who are slain during battle will come back for future games, but may be afflicted with death curses, so beware.
Players will move their heroes around the board, squaring off against the rival guilds and against monsters that the Vampire Lord Fang will be sending at you. There are quests that can be completed along the way to help you as well. Monsters will potentially spawn and move after the player turns as well, all working to further the goals of the vampire lord.
CMON games brings you another great miniatures game (it is in their name, after all) with a unique twist on the dungeon crawl board game genre. The ability to and the need to fight both other players and the monsters the game controls creates a need to carefully balance your decisions over the course of the game, and even throughout the campaign.
They offer more scenarios than you’ll get through in a single campaign for replayability and also have several expansions and add-ons to continue the questing. For a unique mix of PVP and PVE in one of the best RPG dungeon crawler board games, pick up Arcadia Quest today.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ A wonderful combination of fighting the game enemies and fighting against other players | 🅧 If you are wanting a fully cooperative adventure then this game isn’t for you |
| ✅ Games finish in around an hour, making for an enjoyable game that doesn’t take forever | 🅧 Some people wish the base game came with more than 11 scenarios |
| ✅ Intricate miniatures with a playful twist on them bring you a pleasing aesthetic | 🅧 There is no way to play more than 4 players if you have a bigger group |
| ✅ CMON games has several expansions for the game and also Arcadia Quest Inferno, a standalone game that can also be combined with the base set for more replayability |
11. Shadows of Brimstone: City of the Ancients
- Load up yer' six shooter, throw on yer' hat and poncho, and gather the posse - the darkness is coming, and all hell's about to break loose in the Shadows of Brimstone!
Buy this game if: You’ve ever wanted to play a dungeon crawler set in a horror-filled Old West setting.
Company: Flying Frog Productions
Players: 1-4 (can combine 2 base sets to play up to 6 players)
Playtime: 120 minutes
Gameplay: Epic tabletop adventure meets the Old West with Shadows of Brimstone: City of the Ancients. Grab some friends, choose a character from typical western roles like the gunslinger or the saloon girl, and prepare yourself to encounter monsters, demons, and otherworldly creatures. Make sure you’re prepared for anything, as you might even find a portal to another world in your travels!
Shadows of Brimstone plays out over many adventures throughout a connected campaign. The game controls your enemies, so you’ll be working cooperatively to defeat the forces of evil. Heroes can visit the towns between quests, using their loot they found along the way to level up and gear themselves out. Each class has its own unique upgrades and abilities that are unlocked as you progress.
City of the Ancients comes with 34 missions spread out over two chapters, giving you and your allies plenty of content to shoot your way through. If you need even more content there is a host of expansions and add-ons, so there will always be plenty of missions waiting for you.
To expand your gameplay even more you can pick up Shadows of Brimstone: Forbidden Fortress, which is set in Feudal Japan. You can play it as a standalone game or combine it with City of the Ancients and see samurai warriors teaming up with gunslingers! The unique setting of the story coupled with an extremely large number of missions in the base game make this one of the best dungeon crawl board game adventures on the market.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Old West theme is a unique take on the dungeon crawler genre | 🅧 Depending on the size of your group, you may need to buy 2 base sets, or to add Swamps of Death to increase the player count up to 6 |
| ✅ 34 missions gives plenty of content with the base game | 🅧 Games can run a long time, depending on number of players and which mission you’re playing |
| ✅ Multiple expansions and add-ons to keep your questing going as long as you want | 🅧 This is a more complex game to setup and learn initially |
| ✅ Miniatures are well-crafted and very detailed to really add to the overall gaming experience | 🅧 Miniatures must be assembled for this game before you can play |
12. Eldritch Horror
- EPIC COOPERATIVE ADVENTURE: Join forces with one to eight players to unravel mysteries, gather clues, and thwart the Ancient Ones' sinister plans in this heart-pounding cooperative game.
- GLOBETROTTING INVESTIGATORS: Assume the roles of intrepid investigators, each with unique skills and abilities, as you embark on a perilous journey to protect humanity from impending doom.
- ANCIENT EVIL AWAITS: Face off against dreaded Ancient Ones, eldritch beings with their own sinister agendas, and engage in heart-pounding encounters, battling the horrors that lurk in the shadows.
- IMMERSIVE LORE: Immerse yourself in the rich narrative with unique decks of Mystery and Research cards for each Ancient One, delving deeper into the eldritch lore with every game.
- EPIC COMPONENTS: With twelve diverse investigators, over three hundred cards, and two hundred-fifty tokens, Eldritch Horror delivers an expansive and immersive world-spanning adventure that will test your courage and wits.
Buy this game if: You want a Lovecraftian dungeon crawl adventure where you, on your own or with up to 7 friends, travel the world trying to save it from ancient horrors.
Company: Fantasy Flight Games
Players: 1-8
Playtime: 120-240 minutes
Gameplay: Team up with your colleagues and travel the world working to defeat the Ancient Ones before they can destroy our world. Pick one of 12 unique characters and face off against one of four of these terrifying monsters, each with their own unique mysteries and challenges.
Investigators each can take two actions in their action phase, and then each must resolve an encounter. No matter where you are in the world, there may be challenges or terrors waiting for you. Once each encounter is resolved, a mythos phase occurs that will progress the Ancient One’s mystery along and will give your enemies more power. Work together as a group and utilize each investigator’s strengths to the fullest, or the world may be lost to the Ancient One’s powers.
Fantasy Flight Games brings you another great dungeon crawl board game here with Eldritch Horror. This game was inspired by Arkham Horror, but focuses more on movement around a board and resolving encounters as opposed to the more card-driven Arkham Horror.
Still, if you are looking for a cooperative game with plenty of that trademark H.P. Lovecraft flair, then this game is a must buy. This game is a great pickup if you have a gaming group that may change week to week; it plays as a great single player dungeon crawler but can also support up to 8 players for an entertaining cooperative adventure for the whole group.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Another great Lovecraftian dungeon crawl from Fantasy Flight Games | 🅧 Prepare for long games of 2-4 hours each |
| ✅ With 1-8 Players able to play together, this game should work no matter what your group is like | 🅧 Playing with up to 8 players means time between turns can stretch long |
| ✅ 12 unique characters, 4 different Ancient Ones, and over 300 cards make for almost endlessly unique replayability | 🅧 Game setup is more involved and game is complex to learn at first |
| ✅ Lots of expansions and add-ons for further content |
13. Descent: Journeys in the Dark, 2nd Edition
- It is a board game in which one player takes on the role of the treacherous overlord, and up to four other players take on the roles of courageous heroes
- During each game, the heroes embark on quests and venture into dangerous caves, ancient ruins, dark dungeons, and cursed forests to battle monsters, earn riches, and attempt to stop the overlord from carrying out his vile plot
- Featuring double-sided modular board pieces, countless hero and skill combinations, and an immersive story-driven campaign, Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition transports heroes to a vibrant fantasy realm where they must stand together against an ancient evil
- Play time : 1 to 2 hours
- 2 to 5 Players.The revised edition of one of the most popular dungeon delving board games in the world.Pits one overlord player against up to four hero players, who cooperate to complete a range of scenario-specific objectives.Based in the fantasy realm of terrinoth, the setting of runewars, rune age, and runebound.Includes nearly 50 detailed plastic figures, 9 custom dice, 48 double sided map tiles, over 150 tokens, and nearly 250 cards.Features engaging story driven scenarios, as well as included campaign rules
Buy this game if: You want an overlord vs. players experience played out over a campaign with character customization and detailed miniatures.
Company: Fantasy Flight Games
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 120 minutes
Gameplay: Descent: Journeys in the Dark is a great dungeon crawl board game if you’ve ever wanted to take on the role of the evil overlord and send hordes of monsters to defeat your fellow players. The heroes must work together, taking advantage of their unique abilities and powers, in an effort to stop the overlord from any nefarious deeds, while the overlord is tasked with defeating the team of adventurers.
Heroes will have the opportunity to level up and customize their characters as they play across the campaign, opening up new and unique powers to stop the overlord. They will also be able to spend gold they earn along the way to buy improved equipment and items.
The overlord, meanwhile, will be deploying and advancing monsters and playing overlord cards to surprise the heroes, all in an effort to stop the adventurers from completing their objectives. Just as the heroes can spend experience points to level up, so can the overlord make themselves more powerful by spending experience to purchase new abilities.
Descent: Journeys in the Dark takes the quintessential dungeon crawler mechanics and tries to streamline them into a much more approachable board game. The 2nd edition definitely improves much from the 1st edition, making it easier to learn and play. If you like Dungeons and Dragons and are looking for board games that play similarly, be sure to pick this one up for a very enjoyable RPG dungeon crawl board game experience.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ A great take on the classic dungeon crawler genre | 🅧 This game can seem complex and take some time to really learn it, especially if you are fairly new to these types of board games |
| ✅ Descent brings you a wonderful campaign experience and gives not only the heroes the ability to level up and grow, but the overlord as well | 🅧 The line of sight and range mechanics for the game can be difficult to grasp at first |
| ✅ This game ships with 8 heroes to choose from and a ton of map pieces and interactives for an immersive gaming experience and great replayability | 🅧 Steer clear of this game if you are wanting fully cooperative gameplay |
| ✅ If you can’t get enough of this game, there are plenty of expansions and add-ons to buy! |
14. Star Wars: Imperial Assault
- DIVE INTO THE STAR WARS UNIVERSE: Immerse yourself in the Star Wars saga with the Imperial Assault Core Set, featuring thrilling gameplay experiences.
- CAMPAIGN AND SKIRMISH: Enjoy two full game modes – embark on narrative missions with friends in the campaign game, or engage in head-to-head battles over conflicting objectives in the skirmish game.
- ICONIC CHARACTERS: Play as heroes of the Rebellion alongside iconic characters like Luke Skywalker and Han Solo or command the vast armies of the Galactic Empire.
- EXPANSION FIGURE PACKS: Includes the Darth Vader Villain Pack and the Luke Skywalker Ally Pack, providing sculpted plastic figures and new missions for added excitement.
- EXTENSIVE CONTENT: This set contains 34 detailed plastic figures, 59 double-sided map tiles, custom dice, over 250 cards, and more than 150 assorted tokens for a comprehensive Star Wars gaming experience.
Buy this game if: You want a Star Wars miniatures board game where you can fight as the Rebellion or the Empire, working with or squaring off against your favorite Star Wars characters.
Company: Fantasy Flight Games
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 60-120 minutes
Gameplay: Star Wars Imperial Assault offers two distinct gameplay versions: a campaign and a skirmish. In the campaign mode one player controls the Galactic Empire and faces off against the rest of the players, who all work together controlling the Rebel Alliance. The game pits you in a battle of Empire vs. Rebellion, and you get to help decide who prevails. The skirmish mode offers a 2 player variant where you face off against each other in epic battle.
The base game includes 18 missions, which group together into 5-mission campaigns. The game plays out over many map tiles with a unique map setup for each mission. Player actions are taken with the use of cards and dice, allowing for a lot of strategy but still relying on at least some luck.
Imperial Assault is a miniatures game, and these pieces really stand out from a lot of other tabletop games. They are detailed and intricate, and the sheer number of them you can get through the base game and all the expansions/add-ons really leaves a lot of room for replayability in this game.
There’s also an app you can get to add even more content to your gameplay. If you like Star Wars and are interested in a tabletop game full of miniatures, this is the best sci fi dungeon crawl board game you’ll find. Pick it up today!
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ If you’re a Star Wars fan, this game is for you | 🅧 You get a decent amount of content with the base game, but be prepared to buy expansions and add-ons to really get the full experience |
| ✅ Detailed miniatures and gorgeous artwork on cards and map tiles make for an immersive gaming experience | 🅧 Some of the miniatures must be assembled before you can play with them |
| ✅ 2 separate game modes to meet the needs of most any gaming group | 🅧 Depending on preference, you may not enjoy the semi-cooperative style of 1 player versus the rest |
| ✅ Some missions can be completed in about an hour, making for an in-depth dungeon crawl experience in a relatively short time period |
15. Mice and Mystics
- COOPERATIVE ADVENTURE: Join forces with your friends in Mice & Mystics, a thrilling cooperative board game where players work together to rescue an imperiled kingdom from menacing foes.
- EPIC BATTLES AWAIT: Face countless adversaries, including rats, cockroaches, spiders, and the formidable castle's housecat, Brodie, in an epic quest to save the realm.
- IMMERSIVE STORYTELLING: Dive into an enchanting narrative-driven game as you page through the chapters of a Mice and Mystics storybook, stepping into the roles of brave mouse adventurers.
- COMPLETE ADVENTURE SET: This box set includes everything you need to embark on the first adventure with Prince Collin and his valiant allies, making it perfect for both beginners and seasoned gamers.
- FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN: Gather your loved ones for an unforgettable gaming experience that combines strategy, cooperation, and storytelling, suitable for players of all ages.
Buy this game if: You want to take control of a mouse hero and set off on an epic adventure, collecting cheese along the way to help upgrade your character.
Company: Z-man Games
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 60-90 minutes
Gameplay: Take control of one of six mice, team up, and set off on an adventure through a humongous castle. Be prepared to face off against rats, spiders, and other creatures, as well as the terrible house cat, Brodie. Each mouse has unique abilities that must be mastered to have any chance at success.
Mice and Mystics gives its own mousy twist on the traditional experience system with their cheese system. Collect crumbs of cheesy goodness throughout your quests and use them to level up your hero, adding new abilities and powers to help you against your enemies. You and your companions will play across multiple chapters; will you emerge victorious?
Z-man games brings another interesting twist to the dungeon crawler, and does it really well. A much more light-hearted, almost playful theme to this game is a nice change of pace from the darker, hack-and-slash adventures out there, but this game is intricate and fun enough to pique the interest of even more-seasoned veterans of the genre.
Pick this game up today and set off on your very own epic mouse adventures. It plays great with friends but is also one of the best single player dungeon crawl board games out there, so you can play it on your own, too!
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Light-hearted mouse themed dungeon crawler brings a fun and interesting theme | 🅧 Adventures can seem unbalanced with some being extremely difficult and others too easy |
| ✅ Many games can be completed in around an hour, making for in-depth gameplay that doesn’t take forever | 🅧 Mice and Mystics features a character upgrade system but it not anywhere near as detailed as many others in the genre |
| ✅ Plenty of add-on content to keep you and your fellow mouse adventurers busy | 🅧 If you have a bigger gaming group, this game might not accommodate all of you |
16. Galaxy Defenders
- Cooperative sci-fi tactical battle game
- Number of Players: 1-5
- Playing Time: 60-180 minutes
Buy this game if: You want a cult sci-fi themed fully cooperative adventure where you face off against aliens using tactical combat and custom-made 10-sided-dice.
Company: Ares Games
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 120 minutes
Gameplay: Galaxy Defenders drops you and your friends into a story-driven campaign where you must defend the planet from a hostile alien invasion. Choose your heroes and get ready to fight it out over multiple rounds, working together and relying on the strengths and abilities of your chosen characters.
The game is designed around a sophisticated AI system that controls the aliens, so you can let the game control the enemy moves while you focus on defeating them. Players move across modular board pieces with their miniatures, looting for gear and items, killing enemies and gaining experience that they can use to level up, gaining new, more powerful abilities.
The game difficulty naturally scales as you add more players, meaning that whatever your game group size, the game should prove challenging but not impossible.
Galaxy Defenders puts a lot of emphasis on strategy and tactics, forcing you and your party members to work together and plan carefully to avoid defeat at the hands of the enemy. Modular pieces, custom 10-sided dice, detailed miniatures, and more all come together for a wonderful sci-fi dungeon crawl board game. Pick up this game to take your adventures to space or to enjoy some nostalgia with it’s cult sci-fi theme; you’ll surely enjoy every minute of it.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ The miniatures and components in this game look amazing and really add to the feel and immersion of this game | 🅧 Be prepared for a more complex game, both to setup and to learn |
| ✅ Many missions are finished in under 2 hours, for an enjoyable medium weight game | 🅧 Only 5 characters come with the base game, giving you a more limited number of hero choices |
| ✅ Galaxy Defenders can play with up to 5 players, but it adjusts and scales really well for any group from 1-5 players | |
| ✅ Add-ons and expansions to add additional content |
17. Nemesis
- SURVIVAL BOARD GAME: The crew wakes up from hibernation to find a critical system failure that they must find and repair to safely return to Earth. The problem? One crew member is dead. Somebody ripped open his hibernation pod and pulled his body out. To make matters worse, you can hear noises in the vast corridors of the ship that sound unlike anything you have heard before.
- STRATEGY GAME: Choose your character wisely because each one comes with a unique set of skills and weaknesses. Players work together but watch out because each of them has their own agenda on this infested ship. When faced with ultimate horror, will you trust your crewmates? Nemesis is the ultimate cooperative board game.
- DETAILED MINIATURES: Game includes 26 high quality miniature figures and over 500 detailed game components that fully immerse you into the sci-fi horror.
- UNIQUE GAME EXPERIENCE EACH PLAY: Clever immersive rules include cooperation, bluffing and back-stabbing making each game an exciting science fiction horror adventure. Randomized setup of room layouts, objectives, enemies, combat, infection, and more ensure that no two games are ever the same.
- NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This thrilling survival game is designed for 1 to 5 players. Making it the perfect two player board game for ages 14+. Average playtime is approximately 1 to 2 hours.
Buy this game if: You want a survival horror sci-fi dungeon crawl adventure where you work to complete both group objectives and solo objectives, some of which will come in direct conflict with other players.
Company: Awaken Realms
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 90-180 minutes
Gameplay: Nemesis presents a unique take on the typical dungeon crawler board game by placing the setting in space and emphasizing survival more than the customary kill, loot, level up model a lot of adventures follow.
Take control of one member of a crew, each with their own abilities and actions as you all try to survive aboard a spaceship. Make decisions and take actions throughout the game using your unique player deck. Control your miniature as you move through modular ship tiles working to complete your goals and defeating or avoiding monsters.
The crew will be given objectives they need to complete in order to win the game, but each player will also be working on private objectives as well. These private objectives will often be in conflict with the rest of the crew, forcing you to make decisions between furthering yourself or the team as a whole.
Nemesis brings a dark and intriguing look at the typical dungeon crawler board game as you adventure through dark passages of your spacecraft, working to complete objectives and fighting or avoiding aliens. The inclusion of both group objectives and personal objectives, many of which might be in conflict with each other, throws in a challenging and unexpected twist. Grab this one for a chance to back stab your friends in space.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Beautifully crafted intricate miniatures for characters and monsters | 🅧 Games can take 3 hours or longer to complete |
| ✅ Unique take on dungeon crawler focusing on survival to complete objectives instead of killing monsters | 🅧 Can be a heavier game to set up and put away |
| ✅ Semi-cooperative game style allows players to work together but also to work against each other, all in the pursuit of objectives | 🅧 Semi-cooperative play style may not be everyone’s favorite |
| 🅧 Be prepared for a lengthy first session as you learn how to setup the game and how to play |
18. One Deck Dungeon
- One Deck Dungeon is a 1-2 player cooperative game
- 30-45 minute playing time
- With multiple sets, you can add more players
- he game is very easy to learn, featuring intuitive dice mechanics and thematic skills and abilities.
- Polish (Publication Language)
Buy this game if: You want a dungeon crawl adventure that is easy to set up and get playing, but still allows for challenging gameplay and character progression.
Company: Handelabra Games
Players: 1-2 (can add more with an additional base set)
Playtime: 30-45 minutes
Gameplay: One Deck Dungeon takes a step away from the more traditional dungeon crawl board games and tries to simplify the setup and gameplay. Focus less on the mechanics and more time playing the game. One deck of cards and some dice are all the pieces you need to get playing this rogue-like adventure.
Players will choose one of 5 characters and will face off against one of 5 challenging enemies. Heroes must work together to overcome the dangers they will encounter from the deck as they work their way through the dungeon. Each card shows you a monster or obstacle you must conquer, as well as rewards (experience, items, or skills) for doing so. You can choose to delve deeper into the dungeon, but be ready for more powerful foes the further you venture.
After each game you can spend experience upgrading your characters, making them more powerful and unlocking new abilities for future games. One Deck Dungeon isn’t designed around a linear campaign but your character progression will carry on, giving you some of that typical adventure campaign feel.
Handelabra brings a refreshing change of scenery to the dungeon crawl genre here with One Deck Dungeon. If your gaming group is looking to keep the dungeon crawl feel but wants to mix in a lighter weight, faster game, then this game is a perfect one to pick up.
This game packs in a great amount of content for a small footprint game with simple setup. Both novices and seasoned veterans alike will enjoy this game. For an easy yet fun 2 player dungeon crawl board game, pick up One Deck Dungeon Today.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Intriguing cooperative dungeon crawl action packed into a lightweight game | 🅧 Players looking for a very in-depth story or complex gameplay should look elsewhere |
| ✅ You can pick up this great game for a very affordable price | 🅧 There is no linear story or campaign mode |
| ✅ One Deck Dungeon is set up in a matter of minutes and easily plays in under an hour | 🅧 You can only play 2 player with the base game, and must buy another set to increase the player count |
19. Arkham Horror: The Card Game
- A LIVING CARD GAME OF ELDRITCH MYSTERY: Something evil stirs in Arkham, and only you can stop it. Blurring the traditional lines between roleplaying and card game experiences, Arkham Horror: The Card Game is the Living Card Game of Lovecraftian mystery, monsters and madness!
- HORROR GAME: As the Ancient Ones seek entry to our world, investigators work to unravel arcane mysteries and conspiracies. Their efforts determine not only the course of your game, but carry forward throughout whole campaigns, challenging them to overcome their personal demons.
- COOPERATIVE GAME: You and your friends become investigators within the quiet New England town of Arkham, Massachusetts. No matter what compels you or haunts you, you'll find both your strengths and weaknesses reflected in your custom deck of cards. These cards will be your resources as you work with your friends to unravel the world's most terrifying mysteries.
- HIGHLY VARIABLE: Each of your adventures in Arkham Horror: The Card Game carries you deeper into mystery. You'll find cultists, foul rituals, haunted houses, strange creatures and signs of the Ancient Ones straining against the barriers to our world. The basic mode of play in Arkham LCG is not the adventure, but the campaign.
- NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: These scary games are designed for 1 to 2 players (or up to 4 with 2 Core Sets) and are suitable for ages 14 and older. Average game time is approximately 1 to 2 hours.
Buy this game if: You want a 2-player dungeon crawler card game exploring the Lovecraftian terrors and mysteries awaiting you in Arkham.
Company: Fantasy Flight Games
Players: 1-2 (up to 4 players with 2 core sets)
Playtime: 60-120 minutes
Gameplay: Team up with a friend (or with up to 3 friends if you combine two base sets) and set off into a world of mystery and intrigue in Arkham. Use both strengths and weaknesses from your deck as you work your way through each game, connected together through a larger campaign. Choices you make during each game will influence the campaign; you’ll also level up your hero between games.
Grab the base game to get your adventure started and then expand your journey through the many and varied expansion packs offered through Fantasy Flight Game’s Living Card System, which allows you to expand and customize your playing experience without the randomness or chance of more traditional booster packs in other card games.
A dungeon crawler built around a deck of cards, Arkham Horror: The Card Game presents a complex yet enjoyable game, one of the best 2-player dungeon crawlers. Buy this game today, get a friend, and set off on a mystery-filled adventure. Just be prepared to regularly buy additional content to continue the addictive story you’ve started.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Journey through a world heavily influenced by H.P. Lovecraft | 🅧 2 hours for a 2 player game may seem like a large time investment for some |
| ✅ Experience a dungeon crawl game specifically designed for 2 players, or combine 2 base sets to play up to 4 players | 🅧 Card game style is not for everyone |
| ✅ Several expansion packs available to increase your gameplay and add depth and variety | 🅧 Card system is specifically designed for you to need to regularly buy additional content |
20. Lord of the Rings: The Card Game
- IMMERSIVE COOPERATIVE GAME: Join forces with 1-2 players (or expand to 4 with two Core Sets) to control Middle-earth's heroes and artifacts.
- EPIC QUESTS: Embark on heroic quests, gather allies, and acquire powerful artifacts to confront the most dangerous foes of Middle-earth.
- VAST CUSTOMIZATION: Build your own unique decks from the Core Set's 226 cards and choose from 12 hero cards, each aligned with four distinct spheres of influence.
- LIMITLESS REPLAYABILITY: Explore three perilous quests with countless encounter combinations, ensuring a fresh and challenging experience every time.
- EXPAND YOUR ADVENTURE: Enhance your game with monthly Adventure Packs, introducing new quests, heroes, allies, and encounters to continue your journey against the Dark Lord.
Buy this game if: You want a cooperative dungeon crawler for 2 players set in the world of the Lord of the Rings.
Company: Fantasy Flight Games
Players: 1-2 (up to 4 if you combine two sets)
Playtime: 30-60 minutes
Gameplay: Grab a friend or a family member and set off to the world of Tolkien in the LOTR Card game. Each of you selects 3 heroes along with a deck of allies to aid you in your fight against Lord Sauron and his forces.
Players send their heroes and allies against many different monsters throughout the game while simultaneously trying to complete objectives for each scenario. You may not always be able to defeat all the enemies and to progress on your goals, so you must choose wisely each and every round.
Fantasy Flight Game’s Living Card System starts you with a base game that features everything you need to get started on your adventures. Use one of the 4 starter decks that are included with the base game, but once you are comfortable with the game there are plenty of expansions, add-ons, additional adventures, and more to add to your collection. As you delve into the more challenging parts of the game, you may want to make your own custom deck to prepare for specific scenarios.
Another great dungeon crawl board game from Fantasy Flight Games, but this time it’s presented in a card game format. If you are looking for a great 2 player adventure board game with a fabulous fantasy theme, this game is a must buy. Don’t worry if you have more players in your group, though, as you can combine two base sets to play as many as 4 players in this game. The sheer amount of content they’ve put out for this game is enough to keep you playing for many game sessions. Pick up this stellar RPG dungeon crawl board game today.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ A wonderful card game dungeon crawl set in Tolkien’s beloved Middle Earth | 🅧 Some people don’t like the game being only 2 player or having to buy multiple games to play with more people |
| ✅ Games are fun and challenging, forcing you to balance progress towards your goals against fighting back the forces of evil | 🅧 Base game only comes with 4 scenarios, which isn’t a lot for a full base game. You’ll need to buy expansions for more content. |
| ✅ So many expansions and add on content to keep you forever playing in this world | 🅧 Creating your own custom decks can seem overwhelming, especially if you have purchased a lot of content for the game |
21. Street Masters
- ENTER A WORLD OF STREET BRAWLING ACTION: Street Masters is a cooperative miniatures board game inspired by classic beat 'em up and fighting video games. Street Masters lets players match up powerful fighters against villainous organizations in a wide array of exciting stages.
- TABLETOP MINIATURES GAME: Street Fighters combines the concept of a tactical combat board game with the flexibility of an intricate card game and features highly detailed miniatures, unique decks for fighters and enemies, custom dice and lightning-fast gameplay.
- COMBAT STRATEGY GAME: The game features a streamlined system that focuses on modularity and action, with fighters, bosses, rivals, allies and stages forming a "sandbox" for players to mix-and-match, creating their own epic showdowns.
- HIGHLY VARIABLE: The game offers both an action-packed "Arcade Mode" where players completely customize their experience with any combination of fighters, bosses and stages, as well as narrative campaign "Story Mode" where the fighters' victories, defeats and choices help unravel the lore of the game.
- NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This action-packed tabletop miniature fighting game is designed for 1 to 4 players and is suitable for ages 14 and older. Average playtime is approximately 45 to 120 minutes.
Buy this game if: You like playing classic fighter video games and also enjoy dungeon crawler games.
Company: Blacklist Games
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 45-120 minutes
Gameplay: Team up with up to 3 players, pick your fighter, and work together to defeat a host of enemies. Play just a single game with Arcade Mode, or play several sessions linked together in the Story Mode.
Players move across the stage on their turn and can perform actions as they work towards completing objectives. Attacks and Defense against the enemies are determined by dice roll. Cards help determine what the enemies do on their turn and the stage has a deck that also can influence gameplay.
If you choose to play the Story Mode, you play as your same fighter for the whole story, so choose wisely. Individual players and the group as a whole can earn perks that aid them in their story or can be given penalties that make things more difficult.
Classic fighter games have been very popular through the years, so it’s no surprise that a tabletop adventure game was created to go along with them. If you’re a fan of Street Fighter, Tekken, and other mainstays in the fighter genre, pick this game up for a dungeon crawl board game that will keep you invested and enjoying it through many gaming sessions.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Detailed miniatures help bring game to life in this dungeon crawl board game | 🅧 Dice Rolling component means luck is a bigger factor in battle outcomes |
| ✅ Many games can be completed in under an hour | 🅧 Less comprehensive campaign than many other dungeon crawlers |
| ✅ Play stand alone games or team up for a Story Mode over several plays | 🅧 Only 4 map pieces in base game give fewer options for stage setup |
| ✅ Many expansions and add-ons to add gameplay and depth |
22. Battlelore: 2nd Edition
- A board game of tense, squad-based battles for two players
- Command armies in the heat of battle
- Create new scenarios in every game, or engage in a narrative campaign
- Players can muster new armies to suit their play styles
- Harness the military intelligence of the Daqan Lords or the brutality of the Uthuk Y'llan
Buy this game if: You want a 2 player dungeon crawl board game fantasy battle focusing on squad-based fights and in-depth military strategy.
Company: Fantasy Flight Games
Players: 2
Playtime: 45-90 minutes
Gameplay: Battlelore pits the forces of the Daqan Lords Garrison against the armies of the Uthuk Y’llan in a fierce, strategic battle. You and your opponent each choose a side and fight off against the other; there can only be one victor. Utilize your troops wisely and capitalize on the advantages your lore may give you, all in an effort to eliminate enemy units and complete objectives to gain victory points and emerge as the winner.
Battlelore is a board game that comes with detailed miniatures, custom dice, and more than 40 map pieces, giving you a great deal of customization each time you set up the game. As each battle is different, you must strategically use your units, your abilities, and the map itself to win the war.
Fantasy Flight Games has put together a great 2 player battle game here with Battlelore. This game has a lot of replayability and customization, so you can continue to play it many times without it getting old. Battles can be completed in under an hour, making this a very enjoyable game that won’t take forever. Pick this one up if you enjoy strategic war games with a friend or a significant other.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Map tiles allow for a lot of customization each time you set up the game | 🅧 If you don’t enjoy 2 player games or have a larger group, this one isn’t for you |
| ✅ Many battles are finished in under an hour | 🅧 This game is heavier on military strategy, which isn’t for everyone |
| ✅ More armies and other content to add to the base game for even more fun |
23. Stuffed Fables
- IMMERSIVE STORYTELLING: Dive into a world of wonder and danger in Stuffed Fables, an exciting narrative adventure game. Protect a little girl from the menacing Lord of Nightmares as you embark on a thrilling journey driven by player choices.
- TOYS WITH A MISSION: Take on the roles of six brave stuffed toys, each sworn to protect the child who loves them. Use color-coded dice to perform a wide range of actions, from daring melee attacks to heart-pounding leaps across treacherous chasms.
- INTERACTIVE STORYBOOK: The unique storybook serves as your rules reference, story guide, and game board all in one. Explore the pages of this captivating book as you make unique discoveries and interact with the unfolding story.
- FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN: Stuffed Fables is perfect for families and anyone who hasn't forgotten the magic of childhood wonder. Share the excitement and adventure with loved ones as you navigate a daunting world of nightmares together.
- DETAILED COMPONENTS: Experience the game with beautifully detailed components, including twenty-three plastic figures that bring the story and characters to life.
Buy this game if: You want to play through an dungeon crawl adventure book as stuffed animals seeking to protect the girl who loves them.
Company: Z-man Games
Players: 2-4
Playtime: 60-90 minutes
Gameplay: Take control of one of 6 unique stuffies characters and set off into the fantastic world of the Fall where you and your party fight to protect the girl who loves you. The game plays out in the Adventure book, which serves as your game board, your rule book, and your story guide all in one. Many quests await you throughout the adventure book, so you and your friends better be prepared.
On a player’s turn, Stuffed Fables has you draw dice from a bag to determine what actions you have available to you that round, like healing, attacking, and searching. Your group has some flexibility in that you can store some dice away for later, allowing you to hold back some dice for when you really need them or to have more options on your turn.
Z-man Games brings a much lighter side to the dungeon crawl board game genre here with Stuffed Fables. You play through an adventure book as a stuffed animal fighting to protect the girl you love in an adventure that is likely unlike anything you’ve experienced before. Pick this game up for a light and fun introduction to dungeon crawl board games or to just give your gaming group a nice change of pace.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Detailed miniatures, colorful artwork, and more come together for a very pleasing aesthetic | 🅧 Hardcore dungeon crawl fans may not be interested in the overall style of this game |
| ✅ Plenty to see and do on each board throughout each tale | 🅧 Stuffed fables features only 7 scenarios in the base game, and you start over fresh with gear and experience each tale |
| ✅ The adventure book is a unique combination of rule book, story book, and board all in one | 🅧 If your group has more than 4 players, you won’t all be able to play this together. |
| ✅ This game is quick and easy to pick up and learn, and setup is not overly complicated |
24. Space Cadets: Away Missions
- It's you and your friends against the Little Green Men from Space!
- Over 100 high-quality plastic figures
- Map tiles reconfigure to create endless varieties of missions
- English (Publication Language)
Buy this game if: You want a fully cooperative space-themed adventure where you fight aliens across an incredibly detailed campaign.
Company: Stronghold Games
Players: 1-6
Playtime: 60-120 minutes
Gameplay: Prepare yourself as you and your team set off into space to fight aliens, explore UFOs, and discover amazing and terrifying things. Each character brings unique strengths and abilities to the party, so you must work together to defeat your enemies and to complete your goals.
Each turn players have three action points to spend on a number of different choices. You might be searching for weapons, fighting off aliens, or exploring new areas. Choose wisely as once each of the heroes has taken their turn the hostiles get their chance to move and attack.
The game comes with 20 scenarios full of adventures and danger; each scenario is linked together into an epic campaign that will put you through a number of different tricky situations. Only by working together can you hope to defeat your opposition.
Space Cadets: Away Missions is actually the third game Stronghold has put out in the Space Cadets franchise, with each game being a unique standalone experience. Away Missions will keep you on the edge of your seat, never knowing what you might find around a corner or in the next spaceship. Intricate miniatures and hexagonal map tiles allow for an immersive experience with plenty of replayability. Pick this one up today an epic sci-fi dungeon crawl board game.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Away Missions is a thrilling medium-weight adventure through space | 🅧 While this game does feature some character customization, players looking for a high level of customization should look elsewhere |
| ✅ This game boasts an epic campaign of 20 scenarios linked together, so it’s sure to keep you and your friends invested for awhile | 🅧 Many of these scenarios will be quite difficult and will require a high level of strategy and planning |
| ✅ Several of the scenarios can be finished in around an hour, making for a quality game that doesn’t take forever |
25. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shadows of the Past
- For 2-5 players, ages 14 & up
- Plays in 60-90 minutes
- Artwork by Mateus Santo Louca & Tony Vargas
- English (Publication Language)
Buy this game if: You want an entertaining dungeon crawl board game set in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles world that allows one player to play as Shredder against the rest of the players as the Ninja Turtles
Company: IDW Games
Players: 2-5
Playtime: 60-90 minutes
Gameplay: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles star in their very own semi-cooperative tabletop dungeon crawler in Shadows of the Past. One player takes on the role of Shredder, leading his forces against the rest of the players, who take on the roles of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It’s good vs. evil in this miniatures-based battle adventure.
The turtles must work together to defeat Shredder and his minions, but they can rely on each other during battle for assistance. All players start their round by rolling their action dice, which determine their action choices for that round. The turtles can use one dice from the player on each side of them to aid them in their round, allowing for more flexibility in each player’s turn.
The villain gets a turn between each player’s turn, where Shredder can advance his forces and attack the turtles. Players and Shredder alternate turns until one side has met their victory conditions.
TMNT: Shadows of the Past is designed to play out as a campaign over several missions, with the winning side from the previous battle getting bonuses for the next game.
IDW Games brings you a very well-done adventure board game here with TMNT: Shadows of the Past. Detailed miniatures and well-designed stories that play out over a linked campaign come together for a supremely enjoyable gaming experience set in the world of the Ninja Turtles.
Whether you’re on the side of good or with Shredder, pick this one up for a fun and interesting semi-cooperative dungeon crawler with many hours of entertainment.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ A brilliant semi-cooperative adventure starring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 🅧 Avoid this one if you don’t enjoy one player playing against the rest of the group |
| ✅ Most games are done in around an hour, for an enjoyable game that doesn’t take forever | 🅧 The game is designed around a story-driven campaign, but very little carries over from game to game |
| ✅ This game features an interesting team-up mechanic in that the turtles can use one dice from the player to their left and right when taking their turn |
What is a Dungeon Crawl Board game?
Dungeon crawlers are an ever-expanding genre in board games, and have seemed to explode in popularity recently. A dungeon crawl board game is typically an adventure, usually cooperative in nature, where players move or explore their way through dungeons, ruins, forests, and other areas throughout the course of the game.
Typically players can search and loot for better equipment and items that they can use over the course of their quest. Often players must also fight against monsters or other enemies during their journey.
Many dungeon crawl board games feature linear stories or campaigns, where decisions you make throughout the game will have lasting effects on future games in the campaign. Players usually will be able to level up or upgrade their character between scenarios, outfitting them with better equipment for future quests as well as making them stronger and unlocking new abilities for them to use.
Most dungeon crawlers are classified as either fully cooperative or semi-cooperative. In a fully cooperative game, all members of the gaming group work together towards a common goal, fighting against an enemy that is controlled by the game itself. Semi-cooperative games typically have one player controlling a dungeon master or overlord competing against the rest of the players, who are teamed up against the overlord.
There are a few dungeon crawl board games out there that are competitive, but this is not the norm.
Why You Should Play Dungeon Crawler Board Games
Dungeon crawlers can be a lot of fun, and can be a nice change of pace from a lot of other board games you might play more regularly. If your gaming group is highly competitive and you like to play games where you fight it out ruthlessly and only one player can emerge victorious (much like the gaming group I regularly play with), then co-op board games offer an opportunity to instead work together towards a common goal. Pick up a game like Zombicide: Black Plague or Sword and Sorcery and put your teamwork skills to the test.
If you enjoy board games that feature rich, detailed stories and a high attention to detail with pieces and components, then you’ll love dungeon crawl board games. With the emergence of Kickstarter as a way to fund and start board games we are seeing an explosion of dungeon crawl adventures coming out, many of them with incredibly detailed miniatures, pieces, components, map tiles, and more.
Games like Massive Darkness, Nemesis, and Gloomhaven all had incredibly successful campaigns to help them come to life, and were able to pull out all the stops for content, detail, and immersion because of this.
For those of you who are fans of legacy board games and other games where your decisions and the outcomes of your playing affect future plays, then dungeon crawl board games are a perfect fit for you. So many of the games in the genre are designed to play out over several scenarios in a linear campaign story. You choose a character and stay with that character throughout the whole campaign, leveling them up and customizing them with gear and abilities as you go.
Decisions you make, quests you complete or fail, and outcomes of battles can even change the course of the campaign. Grab a copy of Folklore: The Affliction, Gloomhaven, or Sword and Sorcery and enjoy intense character customization that plays out over a rich and detailed campaign.
Some of you may have one member of your gaming group who is way more competitive than the rest of you, or never wants to team up with anybody else. If this sounds like someone in your group, then pick up a semi-cooperative game like Descent: Journeys in the Dark or World of SMOG: Rise of Moloch and give them the chance to face off against the rest of you. It’s a great opportunity for the rest of you to team up and take them down! You can also play these games and take turns as the overlord; it’s perfect for highly competitive gaming groups.
How Many Players Do I Need To Play a Dungeon Crawler?
With the growing popularity of dungeon crawl board games, there are plenty of options out there for any size playing group, so no matter how many friends you invite over for game night, you’re likely to find a game that will accommodate your group.
The group size that will give you the greatest flexibility in what games you can play, however, is a group of 4. This size is large enough to be able to play semi-cooperative games where one player competes against a team of the rest of the players. It’s also a good sized group to play fully co-op games as you all work together. You can pick up some competitive dungeon crawler board games, too, like Arcadia Quest or Clank! If you enjoy more of an everyone-for-themselves playstyle.
That being said, though, there are still plenty of options for 2 players as well, or even for larger groups of 5 players even up to 8 players. Games like Zombicide: Invader and Massive Darkness can be played with a wider variety of players, as one player can control more than one hero if needed, and several of the scenarios are designed to support more than 6 players. Eldritch Horror is made to support up to 8 players, so it’s a great choice for a large group.
Many of the games are designed to be able to scale if you combine multiple base sets or if you purchase expansion sets for them, so you can play these games easily with many different gaming groups, even if they aren’t all the same size.
If you’re a gamer who likes playing solo adventures, there are still plenty of choices for you. One Deck Dungeon scales with player count, so you can easily play on your own without fear of being overwhelmed. LOTR: The Card Game and Arkham horror have solo modes, as well.
No matter what group size you like to play with, there are dungeon crawl board games to meet your needs and to keep you questing all day or late into the evening.
Honorable Mention Dungeon Crawl Board Games
There were way too many quality games to include them all in this guide. All told I reviewed more than 50 dungeon crawlers to pick my top 25. If you’re a true fanatic of the genre, here’s a few more enjoyable games that didn’t quite make the cut.
Aeon’s End
Aeon’s End is an enjoyable cooperative deck building adventure for 1-4 players where you must work together and manage your deck of cards carefully in order to survive against the hordes of the Nameless. This may be an honorable mention here, but it’s way up there on our best co-op board game list (and is truly stellar for 2 players!).
Batman Gotham City Chronicles
is a semi-cooperative adventure playing out over multiple scenarios for 1-4 players set in the iconic Gotham City.
Warhammer Quest: The Adventure Card Game
Pick up Warhammer Quest for a cooperative adventure for up to 4 heroes. Cards and dice rolling come together in this dungeon crawl board game where you must face off against hordes of monsters if you have any hope of surviving.
Welcome to the Dungeon
This entertaining dungeon crawl board game pits you against your fellow adventures. The game plays out over multiple rounds, where each of you are challenging your opponents to be able to enter and survive the dungeon with less equipment than you did. Emerge as the victor by winning two rounds or be eliminated if you lose two rounds.
Final Thoughts on Dungeon Crawler Board Games
Dungeon crawlers bring an immersive board game experience, full of strategy, tactics, battle, and exploration. They are characterized by detailed stories, often playing out over multiple game sessions. You can often customize your character to suit your playstyle and to make them stronger over the course of the campaign.
Whether you’re looking for fully cooperative adventures or more enjoy a semi-cooperative playstyle, you’re sure to find your perfect game here. Grab one today, invite your friends over, and get gaming!
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