10 Best Board Games That Use Apps

10 Best Board Games That Use Apps

Tabletop games have historically been made with cardboard, plastic, and paper. Games usually try to stand out by having unique components and good production to catch gamers’ eyes. However, many companies have found a new way to further expand what is possible with board games.

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In this modern age, it is only natural that technology would find its way into the gaming hobby. Many games now have dedicated apps or websites that are made specifically for that game. The game sometimes requires the app and cannot be played without it. These apps can control enemies, tell an ever-changing story, and much more.

10 Yummy Yummy Monster Tummy Is Great For Kids And Adults


Yummy Yummy Monster Tummy Board Game Components Cards Box Cover Art

In Yummy Yummy Monster Tummy, players are dealt colorful cards of strange items, candy, and vitamin-rich foods. Players use a free app to play the game, giving them a group of monsters they must feed. Each monster is a different color and the goal is to play a combination of cards that will make up the same color. Each card has a QR code on it and the app uses a phone’s front camera to scan the card and bring it into the digital world. Yummy Yummy Monster Tummy also features a story mode that lets players unlock new cards.

9 One Night Ultimate Werewolf Is Hidden Identity Done Quickly


One Night Ultimate Werewolf Board Game Components And Roles In The Box

In One Night Ultimate Werewolf, players are dealt tiles that show them what their role is which may be a villager, a werewolf, or something else entirely. The goal of the game is to have one team win either by eliminating the werewolf as villagers or staying hidden as werewolves.

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These types of games usually require a player to run the game as a host, telling each player what they need to do depending on the character they are. However, the optional free app does this for the players so everyone can focus on the game.


8 Lord Of The Rings: Journeys In Middle Earth Brings Players Into A Classic Fantasy


LOTR Journeys In Middle Earth Board Game Being Played Painted Minis

Journeys in Middle Earth is based on the extremely popular Lord of the Rings franchise. In the game, players pick a character to play as and journey through multiple scenarios in a large campaign. Throughout the campaign, players level up their character, gain new equipment, learn crucial information, and generally get stronger. The app shows players how to set up the different scenarios, controls enemy movement, gives random events, and changes the story based on players’ choices and actions. The app also allows for more replayability by changing how scenarios are set up and play out each time.


7 Alchemists Lets Players Mix Random Ingredients


Alchemists Board Game Being Played On The Table

In Alchemists, players attempt to deduce a logic puzzle and figure out the correct ingredients to use in their potions. By using the app, players combine ingredients and test them on different characters to find out what kind of potion those ingredients make. The game can be played without the app by having another player run the game as a host, but it is highly recommended that players use the app. The app greatly increases the flow and fun of Alchemists as each player is scanning ingredients secretly, finding out information that nobody else knows.


6 World Of Yo-Ho Turns Phones Into Pirate Ships


World of Yo-Ho Board Game Two Phones Ships In Battle On Board

In World of Yo-Ho, each player will place their phone on the board to act as their pirate ship. Throughout the game, players will buy items at ports, fight vicious sea monsters, and fire cannonballs at one another. World of Yo-Ho blows players’ minds when they first see it, especially when a player fires a cannonball from their phone and it appears on another player’s phone. The app also knows where each player’s phone is on the board and displays the area behind the phone, which makes the device disappear into the background.


5 Unlock! Brings Escape Rooms To The Screen


Unlock Heroic Adventures Board Game Box Cover

Unlock! is a popular series of escape room games where players work together to solve clues and riddles by using cards and mobile devices. The game utilizes the app in many different ways, sometimes having a complete mini-game in the app, while other times simply using it to input codes.

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The app has allowed the company to be very creative with each escape room, bringing new ideas and concepts. Unlike other escape room games, players do not destroy any components in Unlock!, so the games can easily be given to a friend afterward.


4 Destinies Is An Evolving Story


Destinies Board Game Components Miniatures In The Box

In Destinies, 1-3 players either play through single scenarios or a full-blown campaign. Each player chooses a character to play at the beginning of a scenario. Each character’s goal is to fulfill one of their two destinies by talking to NPCs, exploring the landscape, and successfully completing actions. The free app for the game controls all of the random events, the changing storylines, and more. It makes learning the game and playing it much easier and more immersive. Destinies has great twists and turns that keep players engaged the whole way through.




3 Chronicles Of Crime Turns A Phone Into An Investigative Tool


Chronicles of Crime Board Game Being Played On The Table

Chronicles of Crime is one of the most popular board games to use an app. 1-4 players investigate a criminal case by scanning QR codes on clues, evidence, suspects, and more. The game provides many rich and engaging cases for free, with others available as DLC. Chronicles of Crime also offers a lot of freedom as players choose to speak to the forensic scientist, interrogate a suspect, look around the crime scene in virtual reality, and more.


2 Detective Uses The Internet To Crack Cases Based On True Events


Detective A Modern Crime Board Game Components And Box

Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game is a very deep and involved game where players set out to solve a case based on real-life events. In the game, players use a website application to view the security camera footage, talk to witnesses, and more.

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Detective makes players feel as though they are true detectives by asking the players to take lots of notes as they play, draw mind maps connecting suspects to clues, and use the internet to search for information. The game has also spawned several sequels and spinoffs.


1 Mansions Of Madness Brings Horror To The Table And The Screen


Mansions of Madness Board Game Being Played On The Table

In its first edition, Mansions of Madness had players control characters with one player controlling all the monsters and perils of a given scenario. In Mansions of Madness: Second Edition, the evil player role is removed and replaced by a free web or mobile application. The game has been highly regarded by gamers for utilizing the app in a way that makes the game much easier to play and get into. Even players who are not familiar with modern board games have an easy time learning the game thanks to the app’s fantastic integration.

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