Small Board Games For Your Collection
Collecting board games requires space, all those minis, components, instructions - our shelves fill quickly! These three games are small but mighty! Close to pocket-sized but brilliant for easy storage and portable too!
3 small board games that deliver big experiences
1
Next Station: Tokyo
A very easy to learn, but tactical game that delivers a cosy ASMR experience.
15-30 minutes
9/10
Easy
In Next Station: Tokyo, players are trying to build railway lines for the Tokyo metro. Using coloured pencils and an easy-to-follow scrawl pad, players turn over cards and then draw lines across their station sheet. Points are awarded for station connections and for train station stamps. The game comes in a small magnetic box and takes up so little playing space that it could easily be played on trains or planes, too.
Why we love Next Station: Tokyo
A small, compact game that fits easily on a shelf or in your holiday luggage
Very playable, and likely to result in multiple plays in one session
Gameplay is very cosy, it's easy to sit quietly and enjoy drawing railway lines across Tokyo
The game has a solid solo mode so can be played by 1-4 people without needing any space
It's a very affordable game, less than £15 in most retailers
Where to buy:
2
Bananagrams
Portable, competitive and super simple to learn - a must have for any collection
15-30 minutes
9/10
Easy
In Bananagrams, players compete to be the first to play all their word tiles. Arranging words in a setup reminiscent of Scrabble or crosswords, each player keeps playing tiles and forcing opponents to draw new ones from the central pool. It's fast, frantic and cerebrally challenging at the same time. As a small game, it comes in a soft banana-shaped bag that will fit in any cupboard or travel bag. An absolute essential game for those who love word games.
Why we love Bananagrams:
Super small game, in a soft fabric bag that will fit in any travel kit or large pocket
A quick competitive game with lots of player interactivity
A really affordable game with lots of variants
A good game for kids as well as adults
A very easy game to introduce to non-gamers
Where to buy:
3
Habitats
Drive your jeeple through the wild and help animals find their habitats in your preserve.
20 - 40 minutes
8/10
Easy
A delightfully cosy game, with a very simple premise. In Habitats you drive your jeep/land rover through a "market" of animals, collecting them to add to your preserve. You score points by locating animals next to the right habitats and scoring bonus tiles such as camps or watchtowers. It's fun, light, and super easy to teach and play.
Why we love Habitats:
A small box, a small area of play needed and a tiny instruction manual
The artwork and the finish on the pieces are excellent
A lovely, cosy theme
Fast gameplay that will appeal to a lot of different age groups
Another very affordable game
Where to buy:
Our guide to small board games summary
These games are all super small and easy to tuck away in small cupboards as well as take on a commute. But their gameplay is anything but small, whether you're after a cosy play on the way home with Next Station: Tokyo, an evening wandering the savannah after lions and monkeys in Habitats or a frenetic word session with Bananagrams, all three games pack a punch much larger than their packaging.
Our Recommendation
This is a really tough one! All three are excellent, but we are very enamoured with Habitats since it landed. Bananagrams is brilliant for a group, but if you want a cosy night in, Habitats all the way!
Where to Buy:
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