The Best Cooperative Board Games
Board games where everyone wins or loses together. The best cooperative games for families, couples and groups, from light to properly challenging.
Not everyone loves competition. Some people hate the feeling of beating their partner. Others hate losing so much that game night ends in silence. And some groups just have more fun when they’re all on the same side, yelling at the board instead of at each other.
That’s what cooperative board games are for. Everyone plays together against the game itself, and you all win or lose as a team. Here are the best co-op games we know, from quick family fillers to campaigns that take months.
Our group still talks about a game of Pandemic that came down to the very last card. Three diseases cured, the fourth one cube away from an outbreak, and Rook drew exactly the city card we needed. Nobody spoke for a second, then everyone was on their feet.
Before you start: the “quarterback” problem
Every co-op game has the same weak spot. One experienced player starts telling everyone else what to do, and suddenly it’s a solo game with an audience. The fix is simple: let each player make the final call on their own turn, even if it’s not the best move. Several games on this list also use hidden information or limited talking, which solves the problem by design.
1. Pandemic
Players: 2 to 4 · Time: 45 minutes · Age: 8+
The game that made co-op mainstream. You’re a team of specialists (medic, scientist, dispatcher and more) travelling the world to treat outbreaks of four diseases and find cures before they spread out of control. Every turn the infection deck flips new cities, and every so often an epidemic makes everything worse.
The tension builds beautifully, and every role has a unique power, so working out how to combine them is the heart of the game. It’s still the best place to start.
Where to get it: Z-Man Games
2. The Crew
Players: 2 to 5 · Time: 20 minutes · Age: 10+
A trick-taking card game (think of classic card games where you play one card each and the highest wins) except you’re all working together to complete missions, like “player 2 must win the pink 3”. The catch: you can barely communicate. The game includes 50 missions that get steadily harder, framed as a space voyage.
The Crew won the Kennerspiel des Jahres, the award for more experienced players, in 2020, and it’s addictive. It’s also one of the few great co-op games that works with two.
Where to get it: Thames & Kosmos
3. Sky Team
Players: 2 · Time: 15 to 20 minutes · Age: 12+
Strictly two players: pilot and co-pilot landing a plane. You place dice to control speed, angle, flaps and landing gear, and you can’t discuss your dice once the round begins. It won the Spiel des Jahres in 2024 and it’s the best co-op game for couples we’ve played. More two-player picks in Best Board Games for Two Players.
Where to get it: Le Scorpion Masqué
4. Hanabi
Players: 2 to 5 · Time: 25 minutes · Age: 8+
A tiny card game that turns everything around: you hold your cards facing away from you, so everyone can see your hand except you. The team has to play the cards in order to put on a fireworks show, giving each other limited hints like “these two are red” or “this one is a 4”. It’s a puzzle about memory, trust and reading your friends. Hanabi won the Spiel des Jahres in 2013 and costs very little.
Where to get it: R&R Games
5. Forbidden Island
Players: 2 to 4 · Time: 30 minutes · Age: 10+
From the designer of Pandemic, a lighter, family-friendly version of the same ideas. A team of adventurers has to grab four treasures from an island that’s sinking tile by tile, then escape by helicopter. It’s easy to learn, short and exciting, and it’s perfect for introducing kids to co-op games. Once you’ve mastered it, its sequel, Forbidden Desert, is a bit trickier.
Where to get it: Gamewright
6. Mysterium
Players: 2 to 7 · Time: 45 minutes · Age: 10+
One player is a ghost who can’t speak, the others are psychics trying to solve the ghost’s murder. The ghost communicates only by handing out strange, dreamy illustrated cards as clues. If you like Dixit, you’ll love this. It’s atmospheric, creative and perfect for a spooky evening.
Where to get it: Libellud
7. Horrified
Players: 1 to 5 · Time: 60 minutes · Age: 10+
Dracula, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein’s monster and other classic movie monsters are terrorising a village, and you have to stop them. Each monster has to be defeated in a different way, which gives the game a lot of variety. It’s very approachable for a game with this much going on, and it looks great on the table.
8. Just One
Players: 3 to 7 · Time: 20 minutes · Age: 8+
The co-op party game. Everyone writes a one-word clue to help a single player guess a secret word, but any clues that match are cancelled. It won the Spiel des Jahres in 2019 and it’s the best co-op game for big groups. We also recommend it in Best Party Board Games for Big Groups.
Where to get it: Repos Production
9. Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
Players: 1 to 4 · Time: 30 to 120 minutes · Age: 14+
Gloomhaven is one of the most acclaimed board games ever made, but the original box is enormous. Jaws of the Lion is the smaller, more affordable starter version, with a campaign of about 25 scenarios and a built-in tutorial. You play mercenaries fighting through dungeons using cards instead of dice, and your characters grow over the campaign. It’s a big commitment, best for a regular group, and incredibly rewarding.
Where to get it: Cephalofair
10. Spirit Island
Players: 1 to 4 · Time: 90 to 120 minutes · Age: 13+
The heavyweight of the list. You play powerful spirits of an island defending it against colonising invaders, working with the native Dahan people. Every spirit plays completely differently, and the puzzle of combining your powers is deep and satisfying. It’s not a beginner game, but for experienced players it’s one of the best co-op designs of all time.
Where to get it: Greater Than Games
Quick picks
- First co-op game: Pandemic or Forbidden Island.
- For two: Sky Team or The Crew.
- For a big group: Just One or Mysterium.
- For kids: Forbidden Island.
- For a long campaign: Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion.
- For a real challenge: Spirit Island.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest cooperative board game?
Forbidden Island and Just One are the easiest on this list. Both can be explained in a few minutes.
Can you play cooperative games solo?
Many of them, yes. Spirit Island, Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion and Horrified all have solo modes. We cover more in Best Solo Board Games.
Are cooperative games good for kids?
Very. Nobody gets knocked out or ends up the loser, and adults can help without it feeling like cheating. See Best Board Games for Kids, by Age for more ideas.
