Level Up: 7 Board Games Primed for Epic Video Game Adventures

With an abundance of board games being released and various video game adaptations announced every few months, like Dead Cells and Call of Duty, it begs the question: how many board games could also thrive as video games if given the necessary resources? While some games, such as Everdell, Gloomhaven, and Root, have successfully made the transition to digital formats, what about adaptations that transform board game mechanics into video game mechanics? Let's explore some board games that have the potential to excel as video games.

7 Kingdom Death: Monster

Introducing Kingdom Death: Monster, a tabletop/board game that falls into a niche category, known mainly to avid model-builders or enthusiasts with a penchant for investing in their tabletop hobbies. Set in a dark and chilling world, this game brims with eerie creatures, unsolved mysteries, and unsettling themes. Players embark on a treacherous journey, assuming the roles of four survivors who awaken to confront a colossal lion-like monster with eerily human hands.

Beyond the initial confrontation, these survivors gradually construct a settlement, generate new allies, and pioneer innovations such as the concept of homes and even language. Their ultimate objective is to triumph over increasingly daunting adversaries that haunt this ominous realm. Translated into a video game, Kingdom Death: Monster would seamlessly resemble a From Software-esque title, incorporating the familiar aspects of progression while placing a greater emphasis on the incremental development of a central hub, unlike other Soulsborne titles previously released.

6 Betrayal At House On The Hill

Betrayal at House on the Hill already has numerous video game counterparts like Dead by Daylight, Friday the 13th, and Hello Neighbor. It functions as a collaborative board game where players navigate a haunted house, encountering various creatures and killers controlled by one of the players. If adapted into a video game, the developers would need time to introduce all 50 playable 'haunts' from the board game. However, if the video game captures the essence of exploring a randomly generated haunted house, brimming with diverse events, items, and omens, players would likely remain devoted to the game as more content is released. Additionally, compared to other games in this sub-genre, Betrayal at House on the Hill as a video game offers distinct moment-to-moment mechanics, enhancing the overall gaming experience.

5 5-Minute Dungeon

This board game combines elements from various other board games into a unique and fast-paced experience known as 5-Minute Dungeon. It incorporates mechanics similar to Munchkin and Speed, while also offering its own distinct features. Players team up to conquer five different dungeons within a time limit of five minutes. Each player has their own character, passive abilities, and cards to contribute towards a shared objective.

Translating this game into a video game format would pose challenges, particularly in implementing the five-minute timer. However, if successfully executed, it would create a memorable gaming experience. Few games dare to constantly impose a time constraint on players, except perhaps the Dead Rising series. Hypothetically, 5-Minute Dungeon could thrive in various genres as a video game. It could be an exciting cooperative Beat 'Em Up, a captivating single-player RPG/roguelike, or even a simplified party game reminiscent of Mario Party.

4 Cthulhu: Death May Die

Cthulhu: Death May Die incorporates the 'old gods' mythology from H. P. Lovecraft's works. Unlike most other media, this game focuses on defeating these powerful beings instead of just surviving encounters with them. Typically, characters in such stories are driven to madness, unable to cope with the sight of these ancient gods like Cthulhu or Azathoth.

If Cthulhu: Death May Die were turned into a video game, it would be one of the first to include a 'madness' or 'insanity' meter that players can strategically use to their advantage. Unlike other games where increasing sanity is detrimental, this board game strikes a balance between harnessing the benefits of madness without succumbing entirely. It has the potential to work as a Soulslike game, an RPG, or a horror-themed roguelike board game with integrated tabletop elements. Developers could draw inspiration from Eternal Darkness, a game renowned for its mastery of the eldritch horror atmosphere.

3 Townsfolk Tussle

Similar to Cuphead being a condensed boss battle experience reminiscent of Dark Souls, Townsfolk Tussle takes inspiration from Kingdom Death: Monster but focuses more on the core gameplay without extra elements. While a KDM campaign can last as long as a standard Dungeons and Dragons campaign, Townsfolk Tussle is typically played in a single session.

If Townsfolk Tussle were turned into a video game, it could easily be seen as Cuphead DLC due to their shared homage to classic 'rubber hose' style cartoons and animation. However, it's important to note that Townsfolk Tussle offers more depth in terms of game mechanics, including cooperative elements, secret objectives, upgradable cards/items, and more.

2 Vagrantsong

Introducing Vagrantsong, yet another captivating board game that combines dungeon-crawling and boss battles. Like many games of its kind, Vagrantsong has the potential to be adapted into a thrilling video game. Interestingly, it seems that this board game may have originally been conceived as a dungeon-crawling RPG or roguelike before its transformation into a board game.

In the game, players embark on a gripping journey through the train cars of the chilling Silver Ferryman. Armed with three coins, which serve as their Action Points, players can choose to move, investigate, or interact with the various ghosts known as Haints that inhabit the train. What sets Vagrantsong apart is that players primarily advance not by defeating the Haints, but by unraveling the enigma surrounding the Silver Ferryman and by using actions and words to rekindle the humanity forgotten by these spirits. While occasional encounters may involve combat, the game's focus lies primarily on other aspects beyond fighting.

1 Sleeping Gods

Let's discuss another campaign-based board game called Sleeping Gods for our final inclusion. Sleeping Gods is designed for players to enjoy over multiple sessions and gradually discover the most 'optimal' gameplay strategy. In this game, players assume control of 9 characters (divided among a maximum of 4 players), each with unique specialties and statistics, as they navigate uncharted waters in their ship named the Manticore, reminiscent of the Grand Line.

What sets this board game apart, besides its literal title (where the objective is to awaken sleeping gods), is that all 9 characters are utilized in every campaign. This means that everyone will be managing multiple characters. It would be interesting to see how this aspect of the physical game would be integrated if it were ever adapted into a video game. Overall, the game could be seen as a combination of cooperative ship management akin to Faster than Light or Barotrauma, or as an RPG where players control multiple small 'parties' of characters to explore each island in search of Totems.