10 Best Dungeon Crawler Board Games
In recent years, the popularity of dungeon crawler board games has been on a steady rise. It seems as if every other day on Kickstarter, there will be a new campaign for dungeon crawlers.
A game where players explore dark caves looking to loot valuable treasure or vanquish foes with their wits? Sounds like our kind of thing.
The desire for exploration is a natural feeling, and the dungeon crawler board game capitalizes on this by allowing players to venture into dangerous wastes or search through ancient ruins.
You’ll be able to explore both while trying desperately to defend yourself against monsters that inhabit these places- it’s not an easy task. So today, we’re to mention The Top 10 dungeon crawler board games. Are you excited?
Gloomhaven Board Game
Players : 1-4
Ages: 14+
Game Time: 60-120 minutes
Complexity: High
Release Year: 2018
Gloomhaven is one of the best Dungeon Crawl Board Games. It is a challenging and cooperative game with a heavy storyline that consists of 95 scenarios.
You can play it with 2-4 players. And you will need all sorts of skills, from repairing broken bridges or collecting clues left behind for your team members and yourself to succeed at completing quests like rescuing children taken hostage by scheming overlords and killing smuggler captains.
Gloomhaven Dungeon Crawl Board Game is unlike any other game because of its characters. Every single one has been thoughtfully created to be multi-dimensional, fully realized, and lovable or hateable, as they want you to do with your own opinions on people in real life.
Being able to play through their lives gives an unparalleled feeling that immersion into this world isn’t possible without – it really feels like you have special abilities that make you stand out in your way to becoming obstacles for The villains in this game during gameplay.
Gloomhaven board game is a game of smart decisions and difficult choices. It is all about strategy and tactics. You play two cards every turn, which will then be discarded or even removed permanently from the game. But it’s not enough just to have a good card. To preserve your deck, you need to make intelligent decisions based on what cards are left in front of you.
Pros
Interesting hero storyline
An exciting card battle board game
Consists of 95 scenarios
Feel like you live in adventure
Cons
It needs a long setup time.
Final Thoughts
Gloomhaven board game is the perfect choice for those who love to live an adventure and work with your team to take down monsters.
It is a deep, complex game with an incredible amount of strategy that will leave you strategizing for hours.
It may seem difficult at first, but once you get used to it, there’s no way you can stop yourself from getting lost in 95 adventurous scenarios to clear out menacing dungeons and forgotten ruins.
Arcadia Quest Board Game
Players: 2-4
Ages: 14+
Game Time: 60 minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2019
In the Arcadia Quest dungeon crawler board games, you will take over the world of Arcadia, where you will explore dungeons and fight powerful enemies. But remember: only one person can be the winner.
The game is a cute, colorful mix of strategy and luck. You can learn how to play in just three minutes.
Although gameplay mechanics are pretty standard for this type, you have to check the attack and defense to see who is the winner.
You will find yourself really enjoying your time with Kingdom Death: Monster molten core update because it’s not often that we get such attractive artwork coupled with an intuitive interface that makes playing easy.
Keep in mind that every player controls a rival guild, and they are all targets for killing a specific monster in order to win, but if another player can get there before you.
Nothing will stop that person from sneaking up behind or bopping on the head. In fact, it’s encouraged because it helps decide who wins in this competitive world. It is the perfect choice for those looking for an awesome game.
Pros
Encourage the challenging spirit of the players
Improve tactical thinking skills
Has high replayability
Cons
It may be a little hard for small kids to learn
It is based on a little Luck
Final Thoughts
In Arcadia Quest board games, each player puts his hand on a rival guild and tries to kill the monsters first. It encourages the challenging spirit of the players. Anyway, who does not want to be a winner?
Descent: Journeys in the Dark 2nd Edition Board Game
Players: 2-5
Ages: 12+
Game Time: 120 minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2012
Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition is an immersive, cooperative card game. You and up to four other brave adventurers will travel through dark and dangerous caves and try your best not only to win but also to survive against an ancient evil that has taken over the kingdom. Players will fight through monsters with their unique skills to reach their goals.
The Descent game is like playing an action-packed story that’s always evolving. With every turn, you’ll be absorbed into beautiful, immersive stories with surprising turns. Sounds exciting, right?
The coolest thing about this game is that there are no two plays alike. You’ll spend energy to cover more ground or ram through a guarded door. When fighting enemies, this adds injury points. The damage can be healed with items found throughout the level – but not before it’s too late!.
In Descent, players start only by having 15 card decks to use. Because these are limited items, the creativity of how to use those cards comes naturally, and it plays a big role in winning this game. But notice that this is a rolling dice game meaning that a bit of good luck will help as well too.
Pros
Beautiful map tiles and detailed miniatures
Encourage creativity
chance for a new adventure
Cons
Winning depends a little on luck.
Final Thoughts
Descent: Journeys in the Dark 2nd Edition is for players who love to depend on both strategic and tactical thinking and their luck to win the game.
Star Wars Imperial Assault Board Game
Players: 1-5
Ages: 14+
Game Time: 60-120 Minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2014
Star Wars: Imperial Assault brings board games to life like never before. You can explore immersive battlegrounds, find rare items on Explore Mode or challenge friends in Bidder Game modes.
This game is perfect for both players who want more than just melodrama with their Star War experience or those who did not even see the movies.
Join the resistance as a Rebel hero against an Imperial player who has taken on the role of the dungeon master. The combat is dynamic and strategic, but it relies heavily upon rolling dice to see how well your team does during battles!
Rebel heroes will become too powerful as the campaign progresses, able to pull off extensive moves while the imperial player is given access to an ever-increasing tide of Minions. Sometimes Darth Vader appears, making the game more challenging.
Pros
Challenging and exciting game
Improve strategic thinking
Teamwork and interactive game
Cons
It may be a little hard for one player.
Final Thoughts
Star Wars: Imperial Assault Board Game is for those who are fans of star wars films. It will take you to the galaxy and take a hero role-playing to fight evil and have a lot of adventures in the fantasy world.
Mice & Mystics Board Game
Players: 2-4
Ages: 7+
Game Time: 90 minutes
Complexity: Low
Release Year: 2018
The Mice & Mystics Board Game is a storytelling fantasy; players take on the roles of mice who are prisoners in the castle. They must escape from their cells.
They can escape by having Maginos, the court wizard, turn them into mice and run away. They can use objects as weapons or solve puzzles to help them in their mission. With its smaller size and comical appearance, this game is perfect for younger gamers as the board has mice instead of nightmare spiders like other boards. So, are you ready to transform into mice?
Pros
Funny and nice games
Ideal for small kids
Teamwork game
Cons
An impressively complex rulebook for a simple game
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a good game with lots of fun. This Mice & Mystics Board Game
is for you; this game has 90 minutes of playing time. Gather your kids around your tabletop and start playing with your little kids, and will have them laughing all the way through.
Shadows of Brimstone: City of the Ancients Board Game
Players: 1-4
Ages: 12+
Game Time: 120 minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2014
In the Shadows of Brimstone: City of the Ancients Board Game, you and your teammates have been sent to explore the dark mines for valuable treasures. What you will find there isn’t just a few lost items, but rather an abandoned mining town that was once rich with life. But now it’s mostly ruined.
You’ll fight dangerous monsters and demons from beyond human understanding. Seems like a great adventure, right?
You are an Old West archetype, like Saloon Girl or Rancher. You have to end your mission to win. Enter a challenging mine to seek adventure and defeat monsters. You’ll find that every time you enter the dungeon, there’s something new for you.
Every encounter token tells how many enemies are waiting inside; they come at random. When you defeat a monster, you will get experience points that will raise your level.
You can go to frontier towns if you want a quick drink or spend some money. However, these places aren’t safe.
You might think that you are safe after winning a battle in the mines, but there’s always another enemy who wants your treasure. So are you ready for your fantasy flight?
Pros
Strategic and tactical combat game
Adventures gameplay
Well-developed world and ambiance
Cons
Poorly-made miniatures
Final Thoughts
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The gameplay of Shadows of Brimstone: City in the Ancients is highly immersive and thematic. You will be immediately absorbed into the world of Brimstone, where I fought against monsters to save my best friend.
During this adventure, you will explore new things and improve your problem-solving skills. It is a good choice for an exciting family night game.
Thunderstone Quest Board Game
Players: 2-4
Ages: 14+
Game Time: 90 minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2018
In the Thunderstone Quest, board game players explore an immersive campaign mode and win by collecting as many victory points by terrifying monsters.
In this game of strategy, you need to build a good strategy to win. It starts with 12 cards, but you should play 6 every turn.
The goal of the dungeon crawler is to get stronger deck-building options and recruit more heroes, buy upgrades or heal your heroes so they can fight and get new abilities to help you win.
The Dungeons board game is a challenging place. You’ll need plenty of torches and healing pots to take down these monsters without being overwhelmed. Get ready and think well; you can’t just hope that things go well – put together a strategy before going into any dungeon depths.
Lastly, It is better to discard the monster cards in a separate pile. This prevents your deck from getting too bulky and helps prevent drawing monsters during gameplay which can be annoying if they’re not what’s needed for that turn.
Pros
Deck-building champion
Beautiful artwork and high-quality miniatures
Nicely balanced gameplay
Cons
A slow pace in the beginning
Final Thoughts
If you want to play the hero role and take down some monsters, the Thunderstone Quest board game will be a good choice. This game depends only on strategy; no chance for luck here.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shadows of the Past Board Game
Players: 2-5
Ages: 14+
Game Time: 60-90 minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2016
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles board game is back in this new adventure. You can choose to take the role of your favorite characters like Leonardo, Donatello, or Michelangelo and have their unique abilities to fight enemies and explore strange worlds.
The game mechanics stay true. You will feel like a part of the TV series with cool battles against bad guys and monsters.
Whether you’re a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or if this is your first time to play, TMNT: Shadows Of The Past will offer an immersive experience with its unique dice rolling system. It will keep everyone entertained.
Mikey and Donnie are in a race against time to save their friends. They can only use three dice per round, but that’s not all.
After each end of your arrangement, you get two extra action points which could raise it up to 5 moves. This means victory is possible if they play efficiently together as teammates.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles board game is all about personality. As with five dice at your disposal, no need to rely on other turtles.
Every player begins with having his personal item that awards them special abilities along their journey, but what makes this game so great? Besides personality, this game takes the best parts of teamwork and turns them into an unforgettable experience. If you want to play an entertaining game with your children, this game is the best choice.
Pros
Based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ story
Easy to pick up
Co-op game
Cons
Gameplay may need time to get used to
Final Thoughts
TMNT: Shadows of the Past is an adventure game that recreates the look and feels of one of America’s most popular comic book series. This game is the best choice for your children to work on their personalities and learn the importance of teamwork at the same time.
Warhammer Quest: Silver Tower Board Game
Players: 2-4
Ages: 14+
Game Time: 60-120 minutes
Complexity: Low
Release Year: 2016
The Silver Tower is a dark and dangerous place where you, as the hero of this story, must go in order to foil an evil plan. You will have many adventures along your journey there and combating monsters that dwell within The silver tower’s walls. You and your band of heroes must work together as one if you hope to gain victory.
The story in Warhammer Quest: Silver Tower is so deep that you’ll be playing it for hours. The gameplay, on the other hand? Simple enough to understand but with endless strategy possibilities!
When you bring your own character to life by painting it and sticking together different parts of its beard or even just admiring how beautifully done they are in general, at that moment, there is a personal connection, unlike any other board game. As if taking on an adventure with these characters wasn’t already exciting enough!
Pros
Well made miniatures
Simple rules
Great storytelling experience
Fun minigames
Cons
Flimsy tiles and cards
Final Thoughts
The story in Warhammer Quest: Silver Tower is a storytelling game that inspires the imagination as well, making for an unforgettable experience unlike any other!
Take on the role of your heroes as they explore a strange, adventurous world. It is for those who find the balance between strategy.
Doom Board Game 2nd Edition Board Game
Players: 2-5
Ages: 14+
Game Time: 90 minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2016
Doom dungeon crawler board games are different from other games. They are fast-paced, cooperative dungeon crawler games in which you and your friends will fight against each other.
Some will control demonic monsters, and others will create a marine team to run while shooting demons in the head and save mars. To defeat all those demons, you and your team have to collect some objects to help in your missions.
On the other hand, Demons can spawn from portals and are able to use various strategies and try to kill the marines.
The Doom gameplay follows the original game to a certain degree. The marine player characters are named Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta, respectively. This has come with a lot of tactics that make the two sides excited. Finally, the Doom board game is perfect for a party game or to have an exciting night game with your family.
Pros
Improve strategy skills
Include both competition and teamwork
Perfect for Doom fans
Cons
It may be a little difficult for a beginner board gamer.
Final Thoughts
If you are a Doom fan, you will love the Doom board game. In this sci-fi game, you go and save Mars from being overrun by Hell’s most merciless demons or fight to crush each marine and conquer the planet for good. So gather your friends, choose your sides, and fight each other to see who will win, marines or demons.
