The 5 Most Popular Modern Board Games… in ONE VIDEO!

Catan, Ticket to Ride, Pandemic, Wingspan, and Everdell — these are the games that every board gamer should know. They’re the modern classics that shaped today’s hobby, introducing millions of players to the depth, beauty, and community of board gaming. In this video, I explore why these five titles continue to define the modern era of tabletop gaming—what makes them so influential, what they do differently, and why they still belong on your shelf today. 🏝️ Catan – The trading and negotiation pioneer that started it all 🚂 Ticket to Ride – Route-building elegance with mass appeal 🦠 Pandemic – Cooperative teamwork under pressure 🕊️ Wingspan – Stunning design meets engine-building perfection 🌲 Everdell – A lush, strategic world of woodland wonder Whether you’ve played them all or are discovering them for the first time, these are the foundation of modern board gaming. ⸻ 🎲 I’m Ben from Board Game Dad, and I review games through the lens of design, interaction, artistry, strategy, and complexity—helping you find your perfect board game. 👉 Explore more at ThePerfectBoardGame.com HOW DID I PICK THIS LIST? When I say “the most popular board games,” I’m referring to games that consistently rise to the top across several key indicators. These five titles were chosen based on their popularity within The Perfect Board Game web app, available sales data from publishers and retailers, their long-term reputation in the board game community, and their ongoing support through expansions and wide availability. Together, those factors create a balanced picture of which modern classics have had the biggest and most lasting impact on the hobby. I did try to limit this selection to “modern, family euro board games” - in short: games that appeal to my audience. For example, although Exploding Kittens has sold more copies than Wingspan, I don’t cover mass-market games like Exploding Kittens. Root is another game with a fantastic reputation, but it is too complex to be considered a family game. Catan is the oldest game, but while it has had lasting appeal, games like Dominion, 7 Wonders or Carcassonne seem to be fading in relevance today, even though they have probably sold more copies than other, more recent games on this list. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Introduction 0:25 - Catan - Why is it popular? 1:07 - Catan - How do you play? 1:28 - Catan - Why would you like it? 2:50 - Catan - Why WOULDN’T you like it? 3:41 - Ticket to Ride - How do you play? 5:08 - Ticket to Ride - Why is it popular? 5:29 - Ticket to Ride - Why WOULDN’T you like it? 6:06 - Pandemic - Why is it popular? 6:19 - Pandemic - How do youm play? 8:17 - Pandemic - Why would you like it? 9:28 - Pandemic - Why WOULDN’T you like it? 10:54 - Wingspan - Why is it popular? 11:22 - Wingspan - How is it played? 12:05 - Wingspan - Why would you like it? 12:34 - Wingspan - Why WOULDN’T you like it? 14:11 - Everdell - Why is it popular? 15:18 - Everdell - How do you play? 16:09 - Everdell - Why would you like it? 17:44 - Everdell - Why WOULDN’T you like it? 18:28 - Conclusion