Board Games Featuring Time-Travel Mechanisms, Ranked
In this crazy world of ours, it's rare to find time travel games that don't just talk the talk - they make you live it!
Gone are the days of rolling the dice and hoping for a mind-blowing adventure. Here, we've hunted down the best time travel games that will genuinely make you feel like you've traveled through time itself! From games that'll make you sweat to those that'll make you laugh, we've got something for every time-hopping table.
1. Anachrony - The Time Travel Game for Strategists Anonymous
You know those folks who treat board games like their second job? Yeah, Anachrony is for them. In this masterpiece, you can borrow resources from your future self to deal with problems right here, right now. The catch? You gotta pay back those resources eventually, or you'll face a temporal catastrophe!
Add in colossal mechs, apocalyptic tension, and a tech tree that'll take your breath away, and you've got yourself a game that'll put your brain to the test! The time travel aspect isn't just fancy dressing; it's a core component that'll have you breaking out in a cold sweat with every round.
Best for: Bosses turned board gamers. It's complex, but the rewards are sweet as hell.
Timewarp: Borrow from the future and pay it back, if you survive…
2. Chrononauts - The Old School Time Travel Game That's Nothing But Chaos
Chrononauts is the game that happens when a bunch of history nerds with a wicked sense of humor decide to rewrite the past. Flip real historical events like the JFK assassination or the moon landing and manipulate the timeline to fulfill your secret objective.
It's wild, unpredictable, and hilarious. One moment you'll prevent WWII, the next, you'll invent rock and roll in 1933. It's not the deepest strategy game, but as old-school games go, this one's a gem of chaos.
Best for: Historians with a twisted sense of humor.
Timewarp: Change key moments in history to reshape the entire timeline.
3. Time Stories - The Time Travel Adventure Game like an Escape Room
Imagine being stuck in a time loop where you keep failing... until you don't. That's Time Stories. You play as temporal agents inhabiting hosts in different eras, trying to fix some anomaly before time runs out.
Each try gives you more knowledge, like a cooperative puzzle box with limited moves. It's a cooperative puzzle extravaganza that'll make you feel like you're in Groundhog Day meets X-Files. The original series might be a one-and-done, but the experience? Unforgettable.
Best for: Puzzle fanatics and escape room enthusiasts.
Timewarp: Restart loops and optimize decisions to get one step closer to success.
4. Tragedy Looper - The Time Travel Board Game with a Thrilling Twist
If Sherlock Holmes, Final Destination, and Memento had a baby, it'd be Tragedy Looper. One player is the Mastermind, orchestrating tragic events, while the others are detectives trying to figure out what's going wrong, how to stop it, and then loop back in time to fix it before it happens again.
Think of it as fighting a puzzle with hidden rules. You'll lose. A lot. But when you win, it'll feel like a giant middle finger to Chaos itself!
Best for: Gamers who love deduction and anime-style drama.
Timewarp: Use time loops to learn from failure and alter fate.
5. The Loop - The Time Travel Game for Combo-Happy Chaos Lovers
The Loop is a vibrant, modular time travel board game where you and your teammates must stop an evil clone doctor from exterminating the timeline. You'll loop powers, travel to different eras, and destroy time rifts, all while trying not to make things worse.
It's cheeky, strategic, and full of satisfying card combos. Think Pandemic meets Saturday morning cartoons but with more paradoxes…yeah, that sounds about right!
Best for: Combo junkies and lovers of mayhem.
Timewarp: Use looping powers to chain actions and repair the timeline.
6. This War of Mine: Days of the Siege - The Gritty Time Travel Game that Hits Different
Time travel doesn't always have to be about laser guns and paradoxes. In Days of the Siege, an expansion for This War of Mine, one scenario-The Last Broadcast-uses time shifts as a narrative tool. Your choices echo across different time periods, and glimpses of the future alter how you interpret the past.
It's less about mechanics and more about emotional impact. If you like games that'll make you cry (in a good way), this is the time travel game for you.
Best for: Story-driven gamers who want to feel something.
Timewarp: Narrative jumps that show the effects of your choices across moments in time.
7. Back to the Future: Dice Through Time - The Cozy Time Travel Game for the Nostalgic
Sure, it's based on the movie, but Dice Through Time does a solid job as a time travel game. You travel to 1955, 1985, 2015, and 1885 to fix timeline anomalies caused by one man-Biff.
It's a family-friendly game, light on rules, and great for BTTF fans. Think of it as a comforting bowl of time travel cereal: not too heavy, but it'll warm up your gaming nights.
Best for: Casual gamers, BTTF fans, and families.
Timewarp: Fix the disruptions across key years in Hill Valley's history.
8. PaleoVet - The Time Travel Game with Dinos and a Quick Play
You're a vet for dinosaurs who fell through time. You've got seven days to treat them before extinction! This game features different dinosaurs with their unique needs and limited resources. Each game offers many possible outcomes, making it an enjoyable, challenging experience.
Best for: Families, card game players, and dino lovers.
Timewarp: Treat dinosaurs across different time periods to save their species from extinction!
9. T.I.M.E Stories Revolution: The Hadal Project - A Smarter Time Travel Game Reboot
The Hadal Project offers a cleaner, faster reboot for everyone who loved the original Time Stories but loathed its repetitive aspects. It ditches dice rolling for a more streamlined experience that's focused, replayable, and paced better. But it's still full of mystery and narrative weight-just without the fiddly parts.
It's a time travel board game that doesn't hang around too long and still provides satisfying "ah-ha!" moments when everything Click here to view the full review and game information! comes together. It's like eating a chocolate chip cookie that's crunchy on the outside and soft inside. Delish!
Best for: Story gamers who want smarter mechanics.
Timewarp: Explore timelines when repetition doesn't plague the experience.
10. ChronoCops - The Print-at-Home Time Travel Game Hidden Gem
ChronoCops is a hidden gem that plays like a puzzle-packed solo adventure. You'll bounce through different time zones, trigger crazy events, and try not to unravel the space-time continuum. Your decisions in one era have immediate effects on your future.
It's smart, silly, and satisfying when you get it. The only downside? It's in German, but an English version supposedly exists. We just couldn't track it down.
Best for: Solo players, puzzle solvers.
Timewarp: Making choices that affect the future based on your past decisions.
Time Capsule - The Best Time Travel Games for every Time Traveler
Time travel can be messy, but that's exactly what makes it perfect for board games. Whether you're trips are focused on rewriting history, looping through mistakes, or borrowing resources from your future selves, these time travel games don't just sound cool-they make time part of the gameplay!
From old-school classics filled with chaos to modern masterpieces that'll make you feel like a time traveler, these games offer something for every time-jumping table. So grab your friends, grab your games, and get ready to bend time wherever (and however) you want!
Got a Favorite Time Travel Game?
Which game sent your mind spinning the most? Did we miss a must-play paradox in a box? Share your thoughts below!
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- An avid reader might find solace in science-fiction books that delve into intricate time travel narratives, such as 'The Time Traveler's Wife' by Audrey Niffenegger and 'Kindred' by Octavia Butler.
- Fashion enthusiasts might marvel at the evolution of style across different eras, as depicted in 'The Dressmaker's Secret' by Susan Meissner and 'The Paris Wife' by Paula McLain.
- Tech geeks can indulge in books exploring the history and future of technology, including 'Slington's The Code Book and Walter Isaacson's 'Steve Jobs'.
- Gadget lovers can appreciate gadgets with a historical significance or futuristic potential, like the Sony Walkman or the Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headset.
- Smartphone users can discover apps that cater to their various interests - from time management tools like Trello to AI assistants like Siri or Google Assistant.
- Entertainment seekers can watch movies and series that involve time travel, time loops, and alternate realities, like 'Predestination', 'Rick and Morty', and 'Doctor Who'.
- Gamers searching for more time travel games can explore other notable titles like 'Oxenfree', 'BioShock Infinite', and 'Majora's Mask' in the realm of video games.
