Enjoy board games? Check out these hits for car lovers!
Some automotive enthusiasts crave the authentic experience of being behind the wheel in a race car, while others prefer the limitless possibilities of racing in the virtual world. Then, there are people who enjoy the strategy and community that come with playing old-fashioned tabletop games.
We’ve reviewed over 70 car-themed board games on our website, and these are our 10 favorites we think are the best. Have you played any of them? Share your favorites with us!
Any easy-to-learn racing game with a creative bidding aspect
Re-implementing the clever auction features of Wolfgang Kramer’s racing games (like Daytona 500), Downforce is easy to teach, very interactive, and has enough strategy for even non-car-lovers to enjoy. Can you predict which car will cross the finish line first?
Restoration Games; 2-6 players
Read our review of Downforce…
A revered F1 game that dares you to push your luck
Although not the most technically accurate motorsports game created, Formula D (or its predecessor, Formula De) is definitely one of the most exciting. The risk of using a higher-numbered dice to travel faster on your turn but potentially spin out is thrilling.
Asmondee; 2-10 players
Read our review of Formula De…
The best game about stock car racing ever designed
Racing fans know that NASCAR racing is very different from Formula One or Indy racing, so it deserves to be simulated differently in a board game. Thunder Alley is a meatier, more complex racing game than the others on this list, but it’s thoughtfully developed and very rewarding.
GMT Games; 2-7 players
Read our review of Thunder Alley…
An easy-to-learn car racing game for young children
Roll the dice and pick which colored spaces to move your car to. Can you pick them in an order that moves your car the furthest possible on your turn? Monza is a simple game for young children first learning to play games, but it injects enough strategizing into the gameplay to be more than a simple roll-and-move game.
HABA; 2-6 players
Read our review of Monza…
A lightning-fast team game you can play with large groups
Divide up into teams and match your cards faster than the other teams to get your car out of pit row soonest. This fast-paced card game relies on quick reactions, number-crunching, and cooperation — and it’s a real riot.
Stronghold Games; 2-9 players
Read our review of Pit Crew…
A pocket-sized two-player race
This is a great game to take on the go that you can fit in your pocket and play with anyone anywhere. It only uses a couple cards but requires planning and memory to win.
Famous Games Co.; 2 players
Read our review of Famous 500…
Can you figure out who the saboteur in your garage is?
In the vein of secret identity games like The Resistance and Werewolf, Traitor Mechanic tasks your group with repairing vehicles that arrive at your garage–but someone among you is sabotaging your efforts by secretly playing the wrong cards. Can you figure out who it is before your business loses customers?
Dice Hate Me Games/Greater Than Games; 4-10 players
Read our review of Traitor Mechanic…
Relive the early history of the auto industry
Do you create a cheap car and get it on the market faster than your opponents to make a quick buck, or do you take your time building a high-end model that could pocket you more profit but no one might buy? These are the situations you’ll encounter in this vehicle-building economic simulation set in the early 20th century.
Stronghold Games; 2-4 players
Read our review of Kraftwagen: V6 Edition…
Will you have the most successful car-building factory?
Another great car production and business simulation — this time set in present-day — Automania has you oversee your own factory where you train your workers and hone your production to make the most desired and profitable vehicles on the market.
Aporta Games; 2-4 players
Read our review of Automania…
Photo: The News Wheel
Stage a Hollywood-worthy car chase avoiding the police
This two-player cat-and-mouse chase feels like a car chase from a blockbuster movie. One player is the criminal flipping tiles over to maneuver their car around town gathering bags of stolen cash, while the other player controls the police vehicles trying to trap the thief before he escapes.
Uproarious Games; 2 players
Read our review of Getaway Driver…
Aaron is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo (which recently replaced his 1995 Saturn SC-2). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing… See more articles by Aaron.
