As a gamer who loves to travel and spends a ton of time on the road to conventions, I’m always finding ways to bring games with me even when I’m packing light. A perfect travel game takes up minimal room in your backpack, is highly replayable, and doesn’t require tons of table space. If you’re anything like me and are looking for some awesome games that will brighten the downtime on your trip or to keep in reserve for a rainy day, look no further; any of these games are bound to be a hit with your travel buddies!
Skull King - A Trick Taking Game that's great for up to eight!
I’m a sucker for trick taking games, but Skull King brings an element of joy to the genre that I haven’t found anywhere else! The unique round and scoring system alongside the strategic bidding makes every game feel different while also providing the feel of a true trick taking battle. Its box fits in the palm of your hand, and it could easily fit into a standard TCG-style deck box in a pinch! Buy it here.
Whale to Look (and the rest of the Oink Games small games collection) - Big fun in a small package!
Oink games packs a ton into a tiny box. Despite the amount of unique components, Whale to Look packs down into the smallest board game box out there, and I’ve found it to be a lovely game of deduction that is easy to learn, teach and play with a fair bit of variety. What more could you ask for? While I haven’t played their other games yet, I fully intend to (and imagine they’ll quickly make their way onto this list)! Check out their full collection here.
Love Letter - Light, fast, and easy
Love Letter brings a lot to the table despite being a set of only 16 cards. It’s a great deduction game that’s quick to learn and play while also bringing enough strategy to play over and over. It’s quick, it’s guaranteed to cause some laughs, and I haven’t played with a person who didn’t love Love Letter. Buy Love Letter here.
Worn Wanderers - A game you can wear and play on the go
Worn Wanderers is the only game on this list that you don’t need to pack and don’t need a table to play. Attach the different characters’ enamel pins to your jacket or backpack and you can play with a friend whether you’re waiting for your train, plane or boat or actually in transit. Worn Wanderers is a trading card game you can pin onto anything you’d like, and it‘s perfect if you’re looking for a game with minimal luck and deep deck building! It’s
especially good for conventions, where you’re more likely to stumble into another player or have downtime waiting for an upcoming event. There are tons of cool characters that you can have tag along with you wherever you go, from Leaf the most auspicious raccoon to the Serial Quiller, a journalist gone rogue. With Worn Wanderers, you get not only mobility but also a permanent new traveling companion! Buy it here!
A Standard Deck of Playing Cards - The classic option
No travel game list is complete without mentioning a deck of playing cards. With unmatched versatility, countless games can be adapted to any group size or mood. From classics like Poker, Rummy, and Euchre, to some of my favorite high school cafeteria games like Hearts, President and Egyptian Ratscrew, a deck of cards is a must-have for any trip. I personally love a well deck-orated deck and am very excited about my new Mistborn deck (great books to travel with, but that’s for a different article). That’s part of the beauty of cards…you can find them in nearly any theme you like!
Leave a comment below if you give any of these a go, or have a suggestion for this list. Happy traveling (and gaming)!