Third wheel? Never again! We’ve compiled a list of the best 3-player board games that really shine with a group of three.
Our Top Picks for Best 3-Player Board Games
In a hurry? Take a peek at our favorite best 3-Player board games below before you dash off.
Frequently, for us, it seems like a 3-player group is the easiest to get together. For that reason, we decided to highlight our top 20 games that benefit from a group of three.
We chose this list from games that are fun to play, have special rules (that work) for 3 players, and games that we (honestly) just like. The games below are played best when they are played with a trio. Three is never a crowd when these games are on the table.
Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization
“Imagination governs the world.” ―Napoleon Bonaparte
Travel through time, relive and rewrite history. Rediscover the pyramids, recruit the great warlord Gandhi, or don’t. The choice is yours. Build your civilization from sticks and stones all the way up to the modern age.
Through the Ages takes on a massive scope of history, and to that end, there are a lot of moving parts (and colored cubes). This game plays best with 3 players. Three is enough players where the challenge and opponents provide enough variety that it isn’t a duel, but few enough not to bog down an already long game.
What we liked
This game has a brilliant design that involves a host of different mechanics, leading to endless strategic possibilities.
What could be better
There are a lot of moving parts to this game, including bookkeeping, as well as a steep learning curve… but it’s so worth it!
Pandemic
Paris has closed its borders, Algiers has reported increased outbreaks of a new virus, rumor has it that what everyone thought was just the flu has engulfed San Francisco and spread like wildfire throughout the American Southwest, and R.E.M’s It’s the End of the World as We Know It is blasting on the radio.
What we liked
Pandemic is one of the most recognizable cooperative games; designed by Mat Leacock and known for being highly cooperative and extremely challenging.
What could be better
This game can definitely fall prey to the Alpha Gamer syndrome where one player takes over and tells everyone what to do.
Check out our full review of Pandemic and our rundown of best Pandemic expansions for more on this fantastic game.
Lords of Waterdeep
The legendary city of Waterdeep is home to adventurers, scoundrels, cults, and the major trade hubs of the Sword Coast. It takes a lot to keep such a city afloat and the sewers free from rats and abominations.
As one of the Lords of Waterdeep, the typical RPG roles are reversed. The players will now be the ones doling out quests to adventurers, drafting teams of rogues, fighters, mages, and clerics to undertake quests in their name.
While you send off your teams, players can take part in intrigue to attack other players and gain resources, or do some civil engineering and build the city up for more bonuses.
What we liked
With a great theme, production value, and mechanics, Lords of Waterdeep is one of the best gateway games into the worker placement genre.
What could be better
There tends to be a bit of downtime and lack of player interaction, as most of the action ends up being in players’ heads as they strategize their next moves.
Check out our in-depth review of Lords of Waterdeep for more on this excellent worker placement game.
Stone Age
“Discover how to visit the past and bring yesterday’s stories into our lives today” ―Gillian Hovell, ‘Visiting the Past’
Travel back in time and become the leader of one of the earliest human tribes. Life is hard but peaceful. Tribes will need to feed all of their members and trade with other villages in order to prosper. Step back into the Stone Age and lead your tribe to glory.
What we liked
Z-Man Games’ Stone Age is a solid worker placement board game. It’s very well balanced with a slew of strategies and rule variants specifically for 3 players. This is one of the games we pull off the shelf most often for newbies and it’s always a hit!
What could be better
I absolutely love this game and have a hard time critiquing it, but I would say there is a definite luck element with the roll of the dice, which could be frustrating if the dice gods hate you.
Check out our full review of Stone Age before you dive in.
Dominion
The original deck-building rat-simulator makes another appearance in the Game Cows lists, and there’s a reason for it. Dominion is an excellent game for 3 players, the preferred number by many gaming groups.
With three players there are enough targets for attack cards without any feeling like you’re being ganged up on, the game moves along quickly, and doesn’t get bogged down like it sometimes might with 4 players.
What we liked
Dominion is very easy to teach and learn, making it a great gateway into deck-building games. Also, since there are so many decks and expansions, the replayability is nearly endless.
What could be better
The cards do get a bit worn over time, so it’s a good idea to sleeve them for posterity.
Check out our Dominion review for a complete assessment of the original deck-building board game. If you’re already a Dominion pro, take a gander at our rundown of Best Dominion Expansions for more deck-building fun!
Descent: Journeys in the Dark
It always seems like in a 3-player game, 2 players will form an alliance and gang up on the third player. Descent solves this problem by simply embracing it.
In a 3-player game, 2 players will team up as the heroic dungeon delvers and the third player, fueled with all the angst of a third wheel, will control all of the monsters in the dungeon to try to ruin the heroes’ day.
What we liked
Descent: Journeys in the Dark has topped the best fantasy and best dungeon-crawl board games lists for years and still delivers a delightful dungeon-delving gaming experience.
What could be better
This one might not be a winner if you don’t enjoy campaign-style games where you need a good DM for setup and to keep the same group for multiple sessions, otherwise, you have to start over with a new group.
Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
“From this moment I began to conclude in my mind that it was possible for me to be more happy in this forsaken, solitary condition that it was possible I should ever have been in any other particular state in the world.”
―Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
Shipwrecked on a deserted island, stranded, with no hope of rescue. Things could be worse, couldn’t they? I suppose there could be wild animals, cannibals, and dangerous weather patterns… well, at least you won’t face it alone.
The survivors will need to band together to gather resources and survive the perils of the island. It’s one for all and all for one. If one of you dies, nobody leaves the island alive.
Based on Daniel Defoe’s classic novel that pits man against nature, the board game pits players against the same forces.
What we liked
Robinson Crusoe is a challenging yet engaging adventured-themed strategy, threat-management, survival cooperative game that keeps players engaged and working together throughout.
The game has recently been updated with solid components and tiles, clearer rulebook, and the addition of the King Kong scenario.
What could be better
There are quite a few fiddly rules to remember, which can be tedious for new players to get the hang of.
Be sure to check out our full-review of Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island before you buy!
Ticket to Ride Map Collection: Volume 3 – The Heart of Africa
In case you haven’t built enough railroads around the globe, it’s time to build railroads throughout Africa. Ticket to Ride: The Heart of Africa is an expansion, so players will need at least one version of the base game.
The map is one of the more difficult ones that Days of Wonder has put out, transforming the happy little train track-laying game into a brutal brawl for supremacy. Unlike the other boards in the series, there are no double tracks in the center of the board. They’re only on the outer edges, making the game short on space for everyone involved.
What we liked
This map expansion has one of the best and most evenly spread distribution/collection of route tickets of any of the Ticket to Ride board games.
What could be better
With 4 players, you’ll probably not leave the table as friends. With 3 players, you’re in for a good game, and still likely to be friends afterward.
If you’ve never tried Ticket to Ride, make sure you read our in-depth review of the original before you dive in.
Agricola (Revised Edition)
Fun Fact: Agricola is the Latin word for farmer.
No monsters, dungeons, or duels here. Everyone has turned their swords into plows, traded their magical familiars for sheep, and inevitable thermonuclear war has been replaced by… corn. You get the idea. It’s back-to-nature and the life of a farmer in Agricola.
Agricola is a worker placement game where each player is in charge of their own farm. Players will need to develop their land, cultivate crops, and raise livestock. The more prosperous the farm, the more victory points.
What we liked
Don’t be fooled by the mundane theme, Agricola is an intense and highly-strategic Eurogame, and one of my favorites.
What could be better
There is very little player interaction so games tend to be a bit quiet. Players may also get frustrated at the sheer number of options and one missed opportunity could doom you from the beginning.
Smash Up
It’s the age-old question: Who would win in a fight: Pirates vs. Ninjas?
Clearly, it’s the pirates… but who would win in a fight: Robot Pirates vs. Zombie Ninjas?
Smash Up is a card battle of ridiculous proportions. Take 2 factions, smash them together, and compete to capture bases.
Almost everything you can think of has been shoved into the game and its expansions. Dinosaurs & Aliens, Wizards & Werewolves, Grannies & Kitty Cats, Cyborg Apes Riding Bears. If you can dream it, it’s probably here.
What we liked
Smash Up has nearly endless replayability due to the number of new decks and expansions available. It never gets old and is a great go-to game for almost any group.
What could be better
This game involves a lot of “take-that” as well as small-print card reading which can be stressful and frustrating, depending on your level of experience.
Honestly, they have an expansion simply called Sheep. Who does that?
Marvel Legendary
Have you ever wanted to be a superhero? To have superhuman strength, speed, flight, laser beams? Everyone has fantasized about it at least once. Legendary won’t give you superpowers, but you’ll feel super as you build your team together with other players to face off against Marvel’s most notorious villains.
What we liked
Legendary is a cooperative game system where players will build a deck from iconic Marvel heroes. Each version comes with a ton of characters to draft and several villains so each game is different.
If you don’t like the Marvel theme, no worries. The Legendary system comes in a variety of fandoms. It’s a solid deck-building game from any angle.
What could be better
The game can stagnate a bit early on, and sometimes certain villain-mastermind combos can be overpowered.
Puerto Rico
Welcome to Puerto Rico! The new world needs hard-working citizens to thrive – fearless settlers, industrious builders, benevolent mayors, master craftsmen, clever traders, stalwart captains, and opportunistic prospectors.
As the years progress, you will play each role, earning victory points for your successes. Each player strives to be the most adaptable to change, but only the shrewdest will capture the most victory points, and win the game.
Sometimes called the successor to Catan, Puerto Rico is a simple, yet strategic Eurogame of settlement, goods production, and colonization. Become the colonial governor of Puerto Rico and manage resources and exports headed for Europe.
In order to be successful, players will have to manage their workers to make sure goods are produced efficiently.
What we liked
Puerto Rico is a masterpiece of deep strategy and tactics. With almost zero downtime between turns, it’s incredibly balanced and has a great game length/game depth ratio.
What could be better
Unfortunately, despite the excellent mechanics of this game, Puerto Rico has a very problematic theme, with inaccurately represented history and even some racist undertones.
Gloomhaven
Gloomhaven isn’t so much a board game as a very extended D&D campaign without a Dungeon Master.
Gloomhaven offers a massive world for players to explore in a legacy-style board game that doesn’t get destroyed while playing it. As players progress, they’ll become part of the Gloomhaven world, advancing in skills and experience.
Although the entire Gloomhaven campaign can be run solo, it’s always more fun to have some friends join you. It scales fantastically with players and your combined character choices can really complement each other as you slay your way through bandits, zombies, and monsters.
What we liked
If you’re looking for a game that’ll keep 3-players busy for months at a time, Gloomhaven has a wealth of scenarios that’ll make an excellent addition to your board game collection.
What could be better
This game has a ton of components and a massive ruleset which makes the playtime nearly double (or even triple). It can be a bit overwhelming to get into initially.
Clank!
Dragons are notorious treasure hoarders. It’s totally unhealthy, and they probably need to let go of some of it. Luckily for Nicki the dragon, several volunteers have shown up to help her clear out treasure cluttering up her lair.
Unfortunately for our volunteers, Nicki doesn’t really want to let go of her loot, so they’ll have to sneak in quietly to steal it.
Clank! is a combination push-your-luck, deck-building, dungeon-delver board game. Players draft cards that allow for movement, lockpicking, fighting, and sneaking. Be careful, though. If you make too much noise they’ll attract Nicki the dragon and nothing will save you from her.
What we liked
Clank’s fun theme and easy ruleset make it a winner in our book. It feels like there is nearly endless replayability, especially with all of the new expansion content.
What could be better
There can be quite a bit of downtime between turns, especially with 4 players.
Ready to make some noise? Check out our full review of Clank! or its many expansions before you dive in.
Race for the Galaxy
Grand civilizations and space-faring empires weren’t built in a day. They can, however, be built in about an hour with a deck of cards. Build your own space civilization, expand to new planets, and ensure they’re stocked with trade goods and a thriving economy.
Race for the Galaxy is a card-based civilization builder. Each player will secretly play cards and resolve during the phases of the game to expand, gain resources, and develop their civilizations.
What we liked
An excellent tableau-building and hand management game with a clean design, interesting decisions, and multiple paths to victory, Race for the Galaxy is an all-around great game.
What could be better
There’s a fair bit of randomness involved here that can put off some players. Also… don’t fall victim to your own ambitions!
Blood Rage
Ragnarök has come, and it’s the end of the world! It’s the Vikings’ last chance to go down in a blaze of glory and secure their place in Valhalla at Odin’s side!
“Death comes to us all; we can only choose how to face it when it comes.” –Robert Jordan
Blood Rage, published by CMON (Cool Mini or Not) and created by legendary game designer Eric Lang, made waves on Kickstarter when it made close to a million dollars in pledges. It comes with gorgeous minis and each player will get clan-specific minis.
What we liked
Blood Rage combines its amazing components with a complex strategy system. The player swinging the biggest axe isn’t always going to win due to players receiving points for how gloriously they die in battle.
What could be better
The game is a bit chaotic and unpredictable with some overpowered cards that haven’t been nerfed yet.
Fury of Dracula (4th Edition)
“For the dead travel fast.” –Bram Stoker, Dracula
In one of the oldest stories of cat and mouse, Van Helsing and his cohort will be tracking and hunting down Dracula throughout the world.
No place is safe and no crypt will be left unturned, but in the end, the real question is “Who is the cat and who is the mouse?”. Will the hunters become the prey or will they succeed in their quest to rid the world of an ancient evil?
Fury of Dracula is an all-vs-1 game where one player will be hunted down by all other players. Dracula is by no means helpless, comes with a slew of abilities, remains hidden on the board, and gains powers and strength during the night.
The hunters will have to track down and follow Dracula’s trail to prepare for the ultimate showdown.
Dracula isn’t just on the run though, he’s building influence and sowing the seeds of vampirism throughout the region.
If the hunters take too long, they’ll find a region completely controlled by Dracula and a nest of fledgling vampires to contend with.
What we liked
Fury of Dracula is a cool game with high-quality production, a great atmosphere, and fun hide & seek elements. If you’re a fan of the novel, this game brings the final chapters of the book to life.
What could be better
It’s really difficult to win (unless you’re Dracula) and can involve quite a bit of downtime if you’re playing with 5 players.
Gaia Project
Galactic expansion is the pinnacle of progress for any civilization, but what’s a civilization to do when planets won’t support life for your species? The answer: terraform the galaxy, of course.
In Gaia Project, players will play a unique race with their own special abilities and life requirements. They’ll expand through the galaxy and terraform planets to support life by building satellites and stations throughout the universe.
Not all planets are created equal, and depending on the race, players will have an easier or more difficult time terraforming a planet… not to mention all of the dead planets scattered throughout the galaxy.
What we liked
Gaia Project is a thrilling game with low luck and lots of strategy. A well-made asymmetric faction with varied scoring tiles and board layout make this infinitely replayable.
What could be better
This is a pretty complex game with a long playing time that’s tricky to teach and hard to wrap your mind around initially.
Gaia Project is a sci-fi successor board game to Terra Mystica. Check out the original too!
Splendor
The Renaissance is all about cultural exchange, new ideas, and shiny things. The people have spoken and they want precious gems to adorn their elegant garb. Who are we to deny them? There’s a whole world of untouched land just begging to be strip-mined and master craftsmen just waiting to work the raw material.
What we liked
Splendor is a great 3-player game that has a low player-to-player conflict, making it a perfect choice for a friendly (and educational) game.
Players purchase cards representing the stages of production of the precious gemstone industry (mines, transportation, & artisans) during the Renaissance era. The game is quick, easy to learn, and has beautiful artwork and components.
What could be better
The theme is pretty pasted-on in my opinion and I’m not a huge fan of the lack of player interaction.
Clans of Caledonia
“O Caledonia! stern and wild, Meet nurse for a poetic child! Land of brown heath and shaggy wood, Land of the mountain and the flood, Land of my sires! what mortal hand Can e’er untie the filial band, That knits me to thy rugged strand!”
—Walter Scott The Lay of the Last Minstrel (1805)
Take a trip to the Scottish Highlands in Clans of Caledonia and don’t forget to try the whiskey.
Don’t be fooled by the small box. As they say, good things come in small packages.
Clans of Caledonia is packed to the gills and has plenty of strategic options. Each player controls a specific clan with a special ability that gives them a huge advantage in a particular aspect of the game. It could be trading, farming, or selling.
What we liked
One of the more interesting aspects is the simulated economy within the game. If one resource is flooding the market, the price will drop dramatically leaving an opening for another player to receive cheap goods. On the other hand, if everyone is buying a certain product, the price will skyrocket to meet demand.
What could be better
Clans of Caledonia has been called “Terra Mystica lite” and for good reason. In an attempt to simplify gameplay, it’s increased the random chance due to the unbalanced nature of the clan abilities.
Wrap-Up
The prime number 3 has always had a superstitious quality to it. Mystical qualities aside, 3 is usually a number many gaming groups find themselves with, which can quickly turn into a third-wheel situation.
It’s very common for players to find themselves naturally forming a coalition against a third… after all, two is company, and three’s a crowd. The games on this list look to minimize this dynamic and make the most of your gaming trio.
What are your favorite games to play with 3 players? Let us know in the comments and we’ll check them out!
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Before starting GameCows with his wife Kendra, he used to teach English Language Arts in the US. He combined his love of gaming with education to create fun game-based learning lessons until he eventually decided to run GameCows with Kendra full-time. He’s known for pouring over rulebooks in his spare time, being the rule master during game night, and as the perma DM in his DnD group. Bryan loves board games, writing, traveling, and above all his wife and partner in crime, Kendra.