The 10 Best Risk Board Games

Editor's Notes

April 08, 2020:

As one of the most popular board games of all time, Risk has been transformed into many variants over several decades. Difficulty scaling, different theming, and unique rulebook twists make each version of the game worth exploring. Core gameplay mechanics are almost always present as players battle each other to control territories. At a low level, rolling dice determines the outcome of individual battles. From an overarching view, strategy on where to move, who to attack, and what perks to deploy allows players to have a level of control over their ultimate fate. Each game of Risk on this list offers a great balance between luck and tactics, making it a blast to play with a full party.

While many editions of Risk in this ranking are based on popular franchises, they each bring a bit more to the table than just a reskin. For example, Lord of the Rings employs a vertical rectangular map as opposed to a traditional horizontal one. It also adds many new rules to supplement this alternate playing space. Star Wars Edition does something similar and utilizes a gameboard that hardly resembles Risk at all. Missions and factions add a welcome layer of complexity to the game and makes each session feel fresh.

I found Risk Legacy to be the most unique item on this list. In fact, it’s one of the most innovative board games in existence, as each playthrough impacts future ones. Players are encouraged to write on the gameboard with a pen and place stickers that last permanently to change the course of future games. I’ve personally never seen a tabletop game with this feature. The only downside is that the rules are quite complex to begin with and constantly morph as new games are played.