Love to play games at home? Wish you had something out of the ordinary to play while on the road? Of course, there are the more classic games to play while traveling, like Uno, Skip-Bo, Yahtzee, 5 Crowns, or the many games you can play with a standard deck of cards. But we want to share with you some of our favorite hidden gem games we take on our endeavors that you may not yet know about.
Let me first share with you the criteria we used to determine our list. Aside from the obvious criteria of being some of our favorite games to begin with, or being hidden gems, we also chose these games based on:
- Quick set up (around 5 minutes or less)
- Small set up (2′ x 2′ square space or less)
- Short game play (around 30 minutes or less)
- Easy to teach, and easy to learn
- Minimum 2 players
- Small storage space
So without further ado, our Top Ten Off the Beaten Path Road Trip Games:
01. Love Letter
Made by: AEG (our version; currently owned by Z-Man Games)
Game Length: 15-20 minutes
AEG describes this game as a “game of risk, deduction, and luck.” There are only 16 cards in the game total, and there are groups of cards that do different things. Each card’s objective gives you a specific objective that helps you win against the other player’s.
We love this game because of how fun it is, whether you play with two people or four. The rounds are super quick also, even with all four players. This is one game we consistently bring on every. single. trip. regardless of where we go. It comes in a cute, 4″x3″ little velvet pouch that fits anywhere in our bag.
Image from Amazon
02. Jaipur
Made by: Gameworks
Game Length: 30 minutes
Gameworks’s website describes this game as a “fast-paced card game blend of tactics, risk, and luck.” You either take or sell cards on your turn, which are your currency and are used to purchase tokens that help you win the game.
We love this game because it has a quick play time and is quick to set up. We like that you don’t necessarily need an intense strategy to win, and you don’t have to put as much thought into playing. We also like how, at 8″x4″, this slim the box is great for storage.
Image from Amazon
03. No Thanks
Made by: Mayfair Games
Game Length: 20 minutes
Mayfair’s website describes No Thanks as a “card game designed to be as simple as it is engaging.” The cards in the deck are numbered from 3-35, and each card is worth its number in points. You want to get the lowest score, and you do this by placing your limited number of chits on to a card to say “No Thanks” to pass on a card, or by taking that card without laying a chit, thus re-supplying as you then take all of the chits left from other’s saying “no thanks.” You win by having the lowest possible amount of numbers and runs (you only count points for the lowest number in a run you have).
We love this game because it’s a fast-paced, light, press your luck type of game. It’s simple to play and does not take much strategy. Plus, the small 5″x4″ box it comes in can fit in nearly every bag to pack easily.
Photo from Amazon
04. Sushi Go
Made by: Gamewright
Game Length: 15 minutes
Gamewright’s website describes Sushi Go as a “super fast card game where you’re trying to grab the best combination of sushi dishes as they whiz by.” You draft cards, then pass them on to the next player. Each turn is different from the last as each player has a different objective. Players are also able to deduce what cards are left in the game as less and less cards are available to pick from as the round goes on, which makes it fun, yet more difficult as time goes on.
We love Sushi Go because it takes some strategy and planning ahead to win. This small-boxed game packs a similar amount of strategy as a big-box game. We like how it’s easy to teach due to not having many rules, and it gets a lot of laughs as the game goes on. Plus, who doesn’t love yelling “SUSHI, GO!!!” before every turn? This game comes in a small, sturdy 5.5″x4″ tin that makes it great for traveling in any bag.
Image from Amazon
05. Ganz Schon Clever
Made by: Schmidt Games
Game Length: 30 minutes
Ganz Schon Clever is a German game, which translates to “That’s Pretty Clever.” Similar to Yahtzee, you roll dice to create dice combinations for points. Your score is better if your combinations are better. There are different categories in which you can score points, along with score multipliers along the way.
We love Ganz Schon Clever because it seems like a more advanced version of Yahtzee. You’re needing to plan ahead and think about each move in order to maximize your points. We also like how this game doesn’t take up much space on a table as you only need a spot to roll dice and write on your scorecard. The box is maybe 5″x7″ and small enough to fit in a backpack.
Photo from Wikipedia
06. Tunhell
Made by: Pixie Games
Game Length: 30 minutes
Set up as a game themed around Snow White, the characters are dwarves working in a mine. You either recruit or play a dwarf, depending on what you want your next move to be. Each dwarf card has different abilities that will help you reach the end objective, which is to find the monster at the end of the tunnel and defeat it while collecting the most treasure and defeating smaller monsters along the way.
We love this game because of the fun theme and unique game play. While you’re playing against each other, each player’s objective could be different or the same: defeat monsters for points and/or gather treasure for points. It’s fun because you don’t have to state your objective and it could switch as you play. This game doesn’t take a lot of strategy, but it’s favored to plan at least a few steps ahead. This game also comes in a 6.5″x4.5″ size box, easy enough to fit in a bag.
Photo from Miniature Market
07. The Oregon Trail
(card game version)
Made by: Pressman
Game Length: 30 minutes
Storage Size: 5″ x 7″
Pressman’s website describes The Oregon Trail as a game of survival. “Players work together to move along the trail, fording rivers, and playing supply cards to overcome calamities” to work your way to the end of the trail. This game is co-op, so you work together to win; however, even if you’re dead, you win because as long as one player survives until the end of the trail, you all win!
We love this game because, well, we both played it when we were younger on the PC, so we were super pumped when this game came out to begin with. We also like how it has big surprise moments where you may all need suddenly to shift focus to save a family member or livestock. While this game has a lot of luck, you also need to have a small strategy to survive until your next turn. The box size is only 5″x7″, making it small enough to fit in almost any bag or backpack.
Photo from Pressman
08. Spot it!
Made by: Asmodee
Game Length: 5 minutes, or as long as you’d like it to be!
The absolute best way to describe this game is mentioned on the back of the tin it comes in: “A sharp eye and a little bit of speed is all it takes to play the 5 quick party games included in this tin.” “There is always one, and only one, matching symbol between any 2 cards in this game. Spot it and you win!”
We love Spot it! because you can play one game in less than 5 minutes, or you can play in multiple rounds and make the game last as long as you would like! It’s a simple concept that exercises a different part of your brain. It’s hard to try to remember what’s on the card you have in your hand to be able to match with the card on the table. The game speed is determined by which player spots their match the fastest. We also love how this game comes in a round, 4″x4″ sturdy tin, making it durable enough to be packed in any type of bag.
Photo from Amazon
09. Anomia
Made by: Everest
Game Length: 30 minutes
Anomia is described as a game “where common knowledge becomes uncommonly fun.” It’s a game of speed and quick-wit, where players lay cards until they get a match. Once a player sees a symbol match, they yell out a word that fits into the category of the other player’s card.
We love this game because it makes everyone who is playing or watching it laugh. The longer you play, the harder it gets. This is an easy game to learn that really makes you use your noggin. It also comes in a small 4″x5.5″ box that makes it easy to carry in any bag.
Photo from Amazon
10. Fugitive
Made by: Fowers Games
Game Length: 20 minutes
Fugitive is described by Fowers Games as a “quick, two player game, where one player is the fugitive moving from hideout to hideout on his escape route, and the other player is the marshal trying to catch him.” Using a deck of cards numbered 0 through 42, the fugitive player will secretly move to higher numbered hideouts, trying to outsmart the marshal. The marshal, on the other hand, uses information available to him to determine at what number hideout the fugitive is hiding.
We like this game because it is deceptively simple, quick game that offers many ways to strategize. It’s fun because each player is a different character, which makes the game different for each person. You can play twice, once as the fugitive and once as the Marshall, and it’s as if you’re playing two different games. Because of this, it’s highly replayable and versatile enough to play while on the road. Fugitive also comes in a compact, 4.5″x6.5″ size box.
Photo from Fowers Games
What are some of your favorite games to bring on a trip?
As game enthusiasts, we are always looking to add more awesome games to our ever-growing collection!
