Video games may be far more popular today, but board games still have their place! They’re great to bring family and friends together. And they’re a great source of togetherness, competition, and laughs, too!
Of course, there are many games around that feature animals. Some are educational; some are just fun. But they’re a great way to bring together a passion for fauna and enjoyment.
Of course, most of these games are for children. But many are classics so you might look for an excuse to play them again as an adult!
Here are our favorites – what additions would you make to our list?
Evolution
Evolution is a hit strategy game for ages 12 and up. It’s already spawned multiple new versions and continues to be a hit.
Two to six players face off to survive. Ok, that sounds brutal. To survive in game, that is. But life can be brutal for species seeking to survive.
Players start off with three species and have to look for adaptive traits that will help them survive. As time goes on, their species can both grow stronger and reproduce. You can choose to be a predator or focus on self-protection, but the adaptations are much more specific than those.
It’s a bit complex but the idea is to develop the animals that are most likely to survive. It’s a fun game that’s also educational, and is sophisticated enough for adults and teens to enjoy together.
The original game focused on dinosaurs. But new versions include one that focuses on ocean life and another that revolves around climate issues.
Animal Upon Animal
Age recommendation: 3 to 8 years old.
This was a new one for us; our children were older when it came out. But if you’re looking for something to do with your preschoolers (and maybe even 6-8-year-olds), Animal Upon Animal is a great stacking game that will help develop motor skills and a little bit of critical thinking.
There isn’t an actual “board” to this game. The object is to stack animals on the back of a an alligator without the tower collapsing. it uses a dice-based system to determine how many animals you have to stack each turn.
The pieces are big enough for young fingers to easily manipulate. And the “win-lose” dynamic is very forgiving; you don’t lose just because your tower collapsing. You simply start again, so it’s a great way for children to learn the importance of learning and starting over.
There’s even a special Christmas edition of this game that comes in a fancy tin and changes up the animals that are used.
Once children reach second grade or so, they’ll likely lose interest. But it’s tons of fun for the younger set – and parents could really get into it with them, too!
Snakes and Ladders
Never hear of this? You’ve probably played it, though! In the US, it’s more commonly known as “Chutes and Ladders”, but the original name was Snakes and Ladders!
It’s a turned-based dice game where you advance the number of spaces you roll. But if you land on a ladder, you get to climb up the board. If you land on a snake (or chute), you slide back down. It’s mainly a game of luck but can also help very young children with their counting skills.
Two to four players can participate. It’s recommended for ages 6 and up.
Hungry Hungry Hippos
If you want a fast-paced – even frantic – game for kids, Hungry Hungry Hippos is one of the best!
Up to four players compete to have their hippo gobble up the marbles that are in the middle of the gameplay area. A simple lever opens the hippo’s mouth to try to swallow the marbles.
It’s not an educational game, but it’s tons of fun as everyone is trying to act as quickly as possible as the marbles roll across the board!
Doggie Doo
We had to look twice when we first saw this game in the store. Did they really make a game about a dog’s “business”? Yes, they did – and it’s more fun than you would have thought!
This is actually the 2nd version of this game, and it’s slightly improved over the first. There are now pellets (instead of slime) that you “feed” to the dachshund toy. The goal of the game is to collect the results “poop” pellets.
It’s a spinner–based game, and even the indicator on the spinner is dog-shaped. You squeeze an air pump the number of times the spinner indicates, and this moves the pellet through the dog’s insides. When it finally comes out the butt, you pick it up with the included plastic shovel – and score!
It’s a novel idea but is great for young children ages 4 and up. Two to four can play. We just hope they never come up with a version that includes smells!
There’s also now a corgi version of Doggie Doo.
Wrapping It Up
There are so many great games for all ages that involve animals! Some are just pure mindless fun while other require careful thought and strategy. But there’s a place in life for all of that! What are YOUR favorite animal-themed board games?
