Browse Board Games by Occasion
Not sure where to start? Choose by the kind of evening you’re
planning rather than scrolling a catalogue. Below are eight
rentals matched to common occasions, followed by quick tips
for narrowing things down.
The rentals
Jaipur
A brisk two-player trading duel where
you buy, sell, and time the market to
out-earn your opponent across three
quick rounds.
CATEGORY
Two-player card game
PLAYERS
2
TIME
30 minutes
COMPLEXITY
Light to medium
Ticket to Ride
Claim railway routes across a map and
link your cities before rivals block the
line. Simple rules, gentle tension, and
easy for mixed ages.
CATEGORY
Family strategy
PLAYERS
2–5
TIME
45–60 minutes
COMPLEXITY
Light to medium
Azul
Draft colourful tiles and arrange them
to score patterns, without
overcommitting and wasting your picks.
Elegant, quick to teach, and satisfying.
CATEGORY
Abstract strategy
PLAYERS
2–4
TIME
40 minutes
COMPLEXITY
Light
Codenames
Two teams race to identify their agents
from single-word clues while dodging
the assassin. Scales happily to a crowd
and fills a room with debate.
CATEGORY
Party / word game
PLAYERS
2–8+
TIME
20 minutes
COMPLEXITY
Light
Pandemic
Everyone plays on the same side,
pooling special roles to treat outbreaks
and find cures before four diseases
overwhelm the board. You win or lose
together.
CATEGORY
Cooperative strategy
PLAYERS
2–4
TIME
45 minutes
COMPLEXITY
Medium
Wingspan
Build a personal wildlife reserve by
playing bird cards that trigger chains of
useful actions. Calm on the surface,
deep once the engine gets going.
CATEGORY
Strategy / engine-building
PLAYERS
1–5
TIME
40–70 minutes
COMPLEXITY
Medium
Sushi Go!
Pass a hand of dishes around the table,
keeping the best combinations for
yourself. Light, fast, and easy to squeeze
into a spare half hour.
CATEGORY
Card / quick play
PLAYERS
2–5
TIME
20 minutes
COMPLEXITY
Light
Scythe
A meaty strategy game of production,
area control, and careful timing set in
an alternate history. Best saved for an
unhurried afternoon.
CATEGORY
Strategy / area control
PLAYERS
1–5
TIME
90–120 minutes
COMPLEXITY
Medium to high
Choosing by player count
Two players: Jaipur, Azul, Wingspan.
Three to five: Ticket to Ride, Pandemic, Scythe, Sushi Go!.
Six or more: Codenames and other party titles scale best.
Three to five: Ticket to Ride, Pandemic, Scythe, Sushi Go!.
Six or more: Codenames and other party titles scale best.
Choosing by available time
Under 45 minutes: Sushi Go!, Codenames,
Jaipur, Azul.
Around an hour: Ticket to Ride, Pandemic, Wingspan.
A long session: Scythe.
Around an hour: Ticket to Ride, Pandemic, Wingspan.
A long session: Scythe.
Choosing by experience level
New players: Azul, Sushi Go!, Ticket to Ride.
Comfortable players: Pandemic, Wingspan, Jaipur.
Seasoned players: Scythe.
Comfortable players: Pandemic, Wingspan, Jaipur.
Seasoned players: Scythe.
Games for mixed-experience groups
When some players are new and others aren’t, cooperative games
like Pandemic let experienced players guide without dominating.
Ticket to Ride and Azul also work well because the rules are quick
to explain but leave room for cleverer play.
Renting several games for one occasion
Hosting a full evening? You can rent more than
one title on the same order — for example a
quick warm-up and a longer main game. Each
game keeps its own rental price and deposit,
and everything can be collected or delivered
together.
Recommendations for first-time customers
If it’s your first rental, start with a 1-week period on a light game such as Azul or Sushi Go!. It’s low cost, easy to teach, and a gentle way to see how renting works before trying a bigger box.