The Best Board and Card Games for Travel

Heading off on vacation with family or friends? Don't want to give up your favorite pastime, but tired of lugging around heavy board game boxes? Looking for some easy-going fun for the pub or for the evening once the kids are asleep?

I've put together a selection of compact, portable games that still pack a lot of fun. These games fit right into your backpack and you can play them practically anywhere. And as you'll soon find out, they aren't just quick, mindless fillers. Some will surprise you with their tactical depth, others with their wit or unconventional ideas. You'll find something here whether you're looking for cooperation, a trivia challenge, or just chilled-out fun with the kids.

Toss one of these into your bag – and you'll always have a great gaming companion for the evening, a rainy afternoon, or a long wait for the train.

The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth

Middle-earth is calling – and this time, it's strictly a two-player affair! In this tense card game, you take on the role of either the heroes of the Fellowship or the forces of Darkness. Your goal? Gain influence, expand your power… and if possible, claim the Ring! The game uses the system known from 7 Wonders Duel, but adds a healthy dose of Tolkien's magic. Every card and every decision can tip the scales. Will you win through military might, by dominating races, or by sneaking the Ring to Mount Doom? The game is fast-paced, fits into a smaller backpack, yet is clever enough to keep you coming back for more.

Mozkožrout

Enter a crazy duel full of mutants and brain-munching action – that’s a short but accurate description of this quick-fire game from the creator of Magic: The Gathering! This card game hooks you from the very first card: you play monsters, but your opponent can steal them instantly thanks to the "brain-eaters." In one turn, you either play a card or attack – no unnecessary complications, no mana, just pure tactics and bluffing. The game has a snappy pace; 15–25 minutes is all you need, and you'll be itching for another round – it's slightly addictive! The rules are simple, yet the game still offers a solid dose of strategic thinking: when to play an ace, when to hold back… Plus, it can even be played with 4 players. Learn more in our review.

Tiny Epic Dungeons

Small box, big adventure! In this cooperative game, you head into dungeons full of traps, monsters, and treasure. Exploration, combat, and an epic boss fight await you at the end. It plays quickly, both in a group and solo, and every session is different thanks to the variable map and a ton of characters. If you're looking for a pocket-sized dungeon crawler with the soul of a big game, you're in the right place! This game really knows how to surprise. It's amazing how much they managed to fit into such a small box. It's definitely something even experienced players looking for a challenge will appreciate. More in our review.

EXIT series: Escape games that will pull you in

The EXIT series brings the tension of an escape room right to your home or cabin. In every box, you'll find clever puzzles, a decoder disk, and a story that will suck you in. The solutions aren't always easy, but the feeling of victory is totally worth it. While the games are one-time use (you'll be cutting, folding, and tearing things), every EXIT installment provides a unique experience. Whether you play with friends or solo, you'll enjoy an hour or two of suspense and the joy of cracking codes.

EXIT: The Abandoned Cabin – Remember that eerie cabin in the middle of the woods? Well, you're going back. This time not by choice – a criminal has escaped and left behind new ciphers and traps. A sequel to one of the most popular EXIT titles awaits, this time with a new set of puzzles and a serious dose of tension. The game is ideal for experienced solvers and works perfectly for 2 to 4 players.

Forest Shuffle

Create your own forest ecosystem – using cards of trees, mushrooms, plants, and animals! This card game for 2 to 5 players (recommended age 10+) is all about thoughtfully arranging cards so your forest functions as well as possible and scores the most points. On each turn, you can either draw two cards or play a selected card and pay the cost – but watch out! Discarded cards end up in the "clearing," where your opponent can use them – a great source of interaction.

It plays fast, around 50 to 60 minutes, with a natural balance between simple rules and various strategic paths to victory. The box is compact, the rules are easy to grasp, but building a strong ecosystem requires thinking about synergies and timing your moves – which is fun for both families with older kids and advanced players.

Trails

Clip on your carabiner, pull out the map, and let's build some trails! In this clever card game, you try to create hiking, cycling, and kayaking loops from cards that start and end at the same campsite. In each round, you choose two cards and pass the rest along – so you're not just building, you're also watching what everyone else is doing. You can place trails side-by-side or on top of each other, creating some pretty tangled expeditions. But be careful – only closed loops count! You collect extra points for completed milestones, and at the end (after 4 rounds), the player with the highest score wins. Trails is small in packaging, but cleverly designed and ideal for travel or an evening for two.

Let's Play Outside

A small box full of big fun! Inside, you'll find over 50 cards, each describing a traditional or unconventional outdoor game – including simple instructions and tips on how to win. Whether it's leapfrog, tag, cops and robbers, or some international classics, this box is exactly that nostalgic "parents' game" you can now introduce to the next generation. Ideal for the garden, summer camp, or a school trip – for kids and adults alike – simply outdoor experiences at your fingertips.

Shit Happens: Parenting Troubles

How bad is your day when your kid pees on your keyboard, spills pasta all over the kitchen, or tells you they stuck a bead up their nose? In this party game, you try to correctly rank parenting disasters based on how much they hurt – from mildly embarrassing to total apocalypse. A fast, fun, and ideal game for blowing off steam – especially for parents who have been through it all. It plays with 2 to 8 players and laughter is guaranteed!

Ten

A fast, fun, and clever trivia game for up to 8 players that's the perfect choice for evenings with a group of friends! Everyone plays at the same time, so there's no waiting around. Each turn follows a simple yet tense principle: players get a category with 10 questions and 10 possible answers – a correct answer means a token earned, but trying again risks losing all points from the current round. Over 200 rounds, a massive mix of 2000 questions awaits you – so these "few cards" in a compact smartbox are truly worth it.

Thanks to the smart compact packaging, the so-called smartbox, with point counters and tokens, the game is great for travel – just pull it out and play.

Cartographers

A modest box, a serious dose of mapping! Each player simultaneously draws a fantasy map on their sheet – forests, villages, farms, and water – based on cards or dice. The game runs over four seasons, in each of which you fulfill different scoring tasks, and opponents can make things a bit difficult for you by drawing monsters into your plan. A session lasts about 30–45 minutes, the game is easy to learn, and ideal for two or even a really large number of players (we list 2–99), because everyone draws in parallel. The game has excellent ratings and is one of the best representatives of the "draw & write" genre.

Werewolves of Dark Forest

Werewolves of Dark Forest is a variant (or rather a modern remake) of the popular game Mafia. The village of Dark Forest is in danger – werewolves are lurking in the shadows, waiting for night to fall! One player takes on the role of moderator and deals secret identities to the others. The game involves 3 teams: simple villagers, mysterious characters (seer, witch), and the werewolves themselves. Debates, accusations, and raids take place in the shadows after dark – in each round, someone falls until one winning team remains. A game for 8–18 players, ideal for camps and evenings with friends, it lasts only 15–30 minutes and reliably creates a slightly spooky atmosphere.

author Karel Krajča