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Co-operative board games: win or lose together

In a co-operative game you play together against the game. How they work, and well-known co-op games for families, pairs and experienced players.

Short answer: In a co-operative game you win or lose together, against the game. Good first picks are The Crew, Bomb Busters and Just One. For two players, Sky Team is a well-known choice, and for an evening of puzzling try an EXIT game or Pandemic.

Not everyone enjoys beating the people around the table. In a co-operative game everyone is on the same team and plays against the game itself. That makes them great for families, new players and groups where nobody wants to lose.

How does a co-operative game work?

The game is the opponent. Something threatens you, such as a spreading disease, a bomb about to go off or a plane that has to land, and you solve it together. All players win together or lose together.

A familiar risk is the alpha player: one person who makes every decision for the group. Good co-operative games prevent that with hidden information. In The Crew and Hanabi, for example, you do not know what the others hold, and you may only talk about it in limited ways.

Easy starters for the whole family

  • Just One: a word game where everyone writes a clue for one guesser, and duplicate clues are cancelled. Spiel des Jahres winner in 2019, for 3 to 7 players.
  • Dorfromantik: place tiles together to build a landscape and complete tasks. Spiel des Jahres winner in 2023.
  • Similo: a short card game in which you work out one secret card together from clues.
  • EXIT Kids: puzzle solving with younger children.

Start together

Card games where you cooperate in silence

  • The Crew by Thomas Sing: a trick-taking game with missions, in which you may say very little about your hand. Winner of the 2020 Kennerspiel des Jahres. A follow-up is The Crew: Mission Deep Sea.
  • Bomb Busters by Hisashi Hayashi: defuse bombs together by cutting numbered wires without seeing each other's wires. Spiel des Jahres winner in 2025.
  • Hanabi by Antoine Bauza: you hold your cards facing away from you, so only the others see them, and together you build a firework display. Spiel des Jahres winner in 2013.
  • The Gang: a co-operative game with poker hands, in which you work out without talking who holds the strongest hand.

Cooperating with cards

For two players

Sky Team by Luc Rémond is made for exactly two players: together you land a plane, without discussing your dice. It won the 2024 Spiel des Jahres. The Crew and Bomb Busters also work with two. More ideas in two-player games.

Escape rooms and adventures

  • EXIT games by Inka and Markus Brand are escape rooms in a box. You solve puzzles with cards and materials you sometimes have to cut or write on, so each one is played once. EXIT won the 2017 Kennerspiel des Jahres.
  • Legends of Andor by Michael Menzel: an adventure game with story cards in which heroes defend a castle together. Winner of the 2013 Kennerspiel des Jahres.
  • Pandemic by Matt Leacock: together you keep four diseases in check and look for cures. A classic that many players name as their first co-operative game.
  • Spirit Island by R. Eric Reuss: a heavy strategy game in which spirits defend an island against colonists. Best once you have some experience.

Adventures and puzzles

How to choose

You wantTry
something for a big groupJust One
a short card gameThe Crew, Bomb Busters, Hanabi
a game for the two of youSky Team
an evening of puzzlesEXIT
an adventure with a storyLegends of Andor
something with real depthPandemic, Spirit Island

All co-operative games are together under co-operative games.

Frequently asked questions

What is a co-operative board game?

A game in which all players work together against the game. You all win or lose at the same time.

Can you play an EXIT game more than once?

Usually not. In EXIT games you write on, fold or cut materials, and once you know the puzzles the surprise is gone. You can pass the box on to someone who has not played it, as long as the materials are intact.

Which co-operative games suit children?

Check the age on the box. EXIT Kids and Similo are short and easy to explain. You will find more games for younger players under ages 8 and up.

What if one player takes over?

Pick a game with hidden information, such as The Crew, Hanabi or Bomb Busters. Nobody can see everything, so everyone has to decide for themselves.

Can you play co-operative games solo?

Some, yes. According to the box, Spirit Island and Dorfromantik can be played solo too. Games for one player are under solo.

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