5 Board Games Based on Popular Video Games That Shouldn’t Have Worked, But Did

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Some games make more sense as a board game than others. Many, like Slay the Spire, are even inspired by board games to begin with. That makes a translation to a physical tabletop feel natural. And then, there are the games that sound like they have no place on the tabletop at all. Yet surprisingly, even some of those crazy video game to board game adaptations have actually worked incredibly well. Here are 5 video games that sound like they shouldn’t make good board games, but actually did.

5. Gears of War

This board game is a translation of the original Gears of War video game. And if you’re wondering how a shooter can be a good board game, it’s a great question. Somehow, this one pulls it off, and it’s become a fan favorite among those lucky enough to snag a copy. The game is now out of print, so it can be tricky to hunt down.

The Gears of War board game is punishingly difficult, broken up into different missions you’ll need to tackle. You can play solo or with up to 3 other players as you work to destroy the Locust horde. With cards, tiles, and minis, the game can be complicated to set up, but satisfying to experience if you love Gears of War.

4. Bloodborne

FromSoftware’s games are notoriously difficult, and it’s hard to imagine translating those fast-paced battles to board game format. And yet, Bloodborne: The Board Game isn’t even the first attempt to translate one of these intense RPGs to the tabletop arena. Most fans agree that Bloodborne makes for a better translation than the previous Dark Souls board game.

This game, first released in 2021, puts players into the role of Hunters investigating what’s going on in the town. It has a cooperative, campaign-style focus and pretty in-depth mechanics that can take some time to work out. Like a FromSoft video game, it can be unforgiving and easy to lose, but it’s still a fun translation of a game that doesn’t seem like it’d work on paper.

3. Deep Rock Galactic

Space mining co-op shooter game Deep Rock Galactic is wildly popular as a video game, but translating that to a board game could be tricky. And yet, the Deep Rock Galactic board game manages it, bringing the game to life with tokens, cards, dice, and more. It’s more casual than many games on this list, making it popular for less involved game nights.

Designed for 1-4 players, this board game brings the cave-crawling adventure to a tabletop format. There are different character classes to choose from and several scenarios to work through, making this fun to replay. It relies heavily on a dice mechanic, with custom dice to make it math light. If you want a more casual video game to board game adaptation with solid production, Deep Rock Galactic is the way to go.

2. Sniper Elite

Turn a stealth-based tactical shooter into a satisfying board game? It’s a tall order, yet most fans agree that Sniper Elite: The Board Game pulls it off. Players say this one is well-paced and uses simple but engaging hidden movement mechanics that capture the stealthy vibes of the video games.

Sniper Elite: The Board Game is set up for 1-4 players and has a nice, quick pace at around an hour per play session. In it, one player is the sniper, while the others play German soldiers. The sniper’s goal is to take out the soldiers, and their goal is to stop him before he does. It’s straightforward but engaging, and many board game enthusiasts cite this one as a top video game to board game translation.

1. Stardew Valley

Given the fact that this thing simply will not stay in stock, it’s clear that the Stardew Valley board game works. Something as repetitive and solo-driven as a farming sim doesn’t seem like it’d translate all that well to tabletop format. And yet, this game manages to adapt the fun of Stardew Valley to a physical game playable for 1-4 players.

As you might expect, Stardew Valley: The Board Game is cooperative, not competitive. Players work together to restore the Valley much as you do in the video game, complete with earning hearts to befriend villagers. The game brings in all the core farming sim mechanics, but in board game form, with cards representing seasons, villagers, crops, and more. And somehow, it just works, to the point that it has sold through 4 printings and is currently once again sold out on the Stardew Valley website.

What is your favorite board game based on a video game?