35 Unique Board Games to Get Your 12 Year Old

“Roll for It” is one of many 12 year old games that encourage strategy while also allowing for a good bit of luck. Like most games, it is a fun way to spend time with family and friends and helps develop decision-making and critical thinking skills. Its compact design makes it perfect for travel.$26.64

Dragonwood is a game of dice and daring as players collect sets of adventurer cards to challenge their foes. This game develops critical thinking skills because the landscape of Dragonwood is forever changing. What might have worked last time has changed. The 20 minute playing time makes it perfect for a quick game.$14.70

Lords of Waterdeep, the greatest city and jewel of the Forgotten Realms, immerses players in a fantasy, Euro-style game. Players are cast as rulers of the city who must hire adventurers to complete their quests. This magical game is for 2-5 players and takes about an hour to play.$33.36

Betrayal of Baldur’s Gate casts players into a fantastic story of epic tales of mystery, murder, and mayhem. With fifty different scenarios, kids will want to play this game again and again because it is never the same game twice. Set your little adventurer on a quest for fun with this mystical game.$34.99

As a merchant at the Bazaar of Istanbul, you will need to use your assistants wisely to collect precious gemstones faster than your opponents. From the hunt for precious rubies to the mystic intrigue of a beautiful old city, this fantasy game is fun to play again and again.$32.50

The Manhattan Project is a game about just what it sounds like – the winner is the one who builds the most bombs. Easy-to-learn and surprisingly fun to play, this game is for 2-5 players with an intense 2 hour playing time. Let the global power struggle begin!$40.69

This version of the legendary Dungeons and Dragons game is designed for 1-5 players and features multiple scenarios, challenging quests, and cooperative game play. It comes with 42 heroes and monsters, a cool 20-sided die, and other fun elements. Young gamers will love this one.PRICES VARY

In this fantasy board game, Pandemic Iberia, you play through infected cities, building infrastructure, treating the sick, and trying to survive. Believe it or not, it’s fun! For 2-5 players and with a quick 45 minute playing time, this game is fun to play over and over again.$22.50

PicWits is a card game where every picture is worth a thousand laughs. Players match their photo cards with the judge’s caption card, and each round uses a wide range of people, places, things, and events and a new judge is selected each time to make the game fun to play over and over again.$25.99

Decide the fate of a nation and the destiny of the world in this dramatic game – Axis and Allies: Europe. This game can be joined with the Axis and Allies: Pacific game to create a six player war map that is nearly 6 feet long. The 3.5 hour game play is best for older kids. $70.98

This expansion pack, Istanbul: Mocha and Baksheesh, adds new elements to the base game, sold separately. If your child already loves the game, they will definitely want this expansion set that adds so many new possibilities to game play. Otherwise, be sure to include this as a companion piece to the actual game. $23.99

This is an expansion pack to the full board game, “Smash Up.” In the base game, you already have pirates, ninjas, and zombies, and now you can add to the fun with this pack that includes killer plants, ghosts, cavalry, and more. You can already tell that this game is jam packed with silly fun. $17.47

This is a character expansion pack for the stand-alone game, The Red Dragon Inn. Add “Pooky” to the game for some additional fun, but don’t make him angry! You won’t like him if you do. Kids love this fun, easy-to-learn game and it makes a great addition to Family Game Night!$10.49

In Imhotep: Builder of Egypt, players compete to be the master builder of Egyptian monuments by transporting stone blocks to various building sites, but others will try to send your cargo ships off course to win the game. Only with strategy and a little luck will you succeed at collecting the most stone resources. $25.49

Castles of Burgundy is one of several great world-building 12 year old games that have great replay value. Players collect game-deciding victory points by trading, livestock farming, city building, or scientific research. The average playing time for this fantasy game is 30-90 minutes and is for 2-4 players. $27.49

Tokaido Deluxe Edition will quickly become one of your child’s favorite games. Easy to learn with unlimited strategic choices, every game is unique so your gamer can enjoy it over and over again. The gorgeous artwork and design transports you back to an ancient world. $83.99

This ocean-themed game is based on Labyrinth, the hugely popular board game for kids and adults alike. Players race to collect underwater treasures while battling an ever-moving maze. Opponents can insert or move tiles to change the paths. This game also has two new game variations to keep things exciting for hours of replay.$26.49

Here Kitty, Kitty is the perfect game for cat lovers. This crazy collecting game features 40 custom cat figurines in three different poses. This game is easy-to-learn and an average game is a quick 30 minutes. This game is for 3-6 players and is fun for the whole family. $20.39

Gloomhaven is a Euro-style tactical combat board game that your little gamer will love. Whether played alone or with a group, everyone will love this game of strategy. The 60-120 minute playing time makes it more appealing to older kids with longer attention spans. A great addition for Family Game Night.$154.46

Monopoly is one of the best known, most played games in the world. For decades, kids and families have played spirited games, buying properties, collecting rents, all in an effort to bankrupt their opponent and win the game. This version comes with the new “cat” token and a fast-play “speed” die for a quicker game.$20.45

In this fun board game, players must battle it out to be “King of New York.” No monster is safe when you enter the city to take them down. This game is easy-to-learn which makes it fun for the whole family to play. It is for 2-6 players and has a 60 minute playing time.$39.59

Wits and Wagers takes the fun of a trivia game and combines it with the nerves-of-steel required to gamble it all on a single question! The whole family will love this “guts and guesses” game where you can choose the dramatic “all-in” question in the thrilling hope of winning more chips. $30.14

This game doubles as a teaching tool about ecology and green science. The goal is to plant and shape the ever-changing forest as you cultivate your seeds and strategy. Take your trees from seedling to full bloom to rebirth to earn points. This is a unique game for 2-4 players.$33.00

Saddle up your horse to ride, Cowboy, and head out to settle the Great American West in this game of thrilling adventure. From riding the trails to making camp at sunset, your little rough rider will enjoy this game. For 2-4 players, each game takes about 75-150 minutes to play.$64.95

“Marrying Mr. Darcy” is the fun card game based on “Pride and Prejudice.” Game play is divided into two stages, the initial courtship and the concluding proposal stage. For 2-6 payers, the average playing time is 60 minutes. Great for Family Game Night and the perfect gift for Jane Austen fans.$25.73

Nothing says family fun like Taco Night. Serve real tacos and then play “Taco Takeover” to see who the best taco-maker is in the whole clan. It comes with 4 plastic taco shells, 75 topping cards, and 20 order tickets. Players race to see who can fill their orders first.$14.99

Telestrations is the “telephone game” in sketch form. Players will sketch, pass, guess, and then laugh out loud. The game comes with 1,700 words so you won’t repeat play for a long time and comes with 8 erasable sketch books, erasable markers, and cleaning cloths. Only a sense of humor is required to play.$29.99

The Magic Labyrinth is an award winning game that both kids and adults will love playing together. Players become magicians trying to successfully work their way through a unique hidden maze while challenging their memory to win. This beloved game has stood the test of time.$27.98

Isle of Skye is a clever fantasy game that is fun and easy to play. Each round is a bit different based on players’ choices, so there is high replay value without repetition. For 2-5 players, it takes about 45 minutes to complete a game. Go from Chieftain to King in this world-building game!$46.99

Look no further for the best 12 year old games for Harry Potter fans. This deck building game lets players become their favorite character to defend the Wizarding World from evil. Learn powerful spells, recruit allies, and uncover magical items in an effort to save Hogwarts! Be a magical hero with this fantasy game.$44.42

Patchwork is an abstract strategy game that only requires 2 players and takes an amazingly quick 15 minutes to play. While the game is designed around quilts, you don’t have to be interested in sewing to enjoy this game. It is perfect pick-me-up on a rainy afternoon.PRICES VARY

In the game of Monarch, players are cast as sisters vying for the crown. In order to win, they will need to engage in fierce and competitive leadership styles to take care of their subjects and secure the loyalty of their people. In this game of both competitive and collaborative play, there are only female protagonists.$29.72

In Labyrinth, the hugely popular board game for kids and adults alike, players are in a race to collect treasures while battling an ever-moving maze. Players can insert extra tiles into the game to move walls or open passages. There is lots of replay value in a game with so many combinations of play.$21.24

This expansion pack is for the board game, Mage Knight. You will need to purchase the stand-alone game and then add this expansion set to add depth and complexity to the base game. It supports up to 5 players and your little gamer will appreciate the additional elements for more exciting play.$41.34

7 Wonders: Duel is an exciting game designed specifically for two players to engage in head-to-head battle. Players are cast in the roles of Roman rulers who must build a civilization that will crush the competition and flourish for centuries. The beautiful artwork of this game adds to the world-building fantasy.$23.99

Why buy expensive, factory-made party games when you can DIY your own clever activities for a fraction of the cost? This “Truth or Dare” game for tweens is perfect for a sleepover. With silly and “G” rated questions and dares, this is the perfect ice-breaker to get them laughing and having fun.

This DIY cardboard, money-operated pinball machine which doles out tiny gumballs is an amazing feat of ingenuity. These are so fun every kid you know will want one so you should go ahead and start an assembly line and get ready to make lots of these adorable “machines.”

Your little game fan will absolutely love this LEGO foosball table that really works. A perfect miniature version of the real thing, your kid and his friends will love playing with this for hours. Just follow this easy tutorial and make sure you have some of the specialty bricks that you will need on-hand.