Cladia Vanluxi
Looking at the list of 20 games below, it’s Catan (formerly Settlers of Catan) that has had the most impressive growth journey, transforming the entire industry.
But if we’re talking about the game that’s the newest and has experienced the fastest growth in modern times to reach the very top, it’s:
Ticket to Ride (In Swedish: Ticket to Ride: Northern Lights or Europe)
- Created: 2004 (by Alan R. Moon).
- Why it’s the fastest-growing on the list: While Monopoly and Chess have been around “forever,” Ticket to Ride has, in just over 20 years, gone from zero to selling over 15 million copies. It’s become a modern staple in most homes, almost faster than any other game in history. Often dubbed “the new Monopoly” because it’s so easy to learn but much more fun to play.
Combining classic board games with the convenience of an app is a stroke of genius. Many of the biggest games today have fantastic digital versions on the App Store and Google Play.
Here’s a description of the 20 most popular board games available as apps. I’ve categorized them to help you find the ones that suit your gaming style.
The 10 Biggest Giants
- Monopoly GO!A modern and extremely fast version of Monopoly. Instead of hours around a board, you build cities, attack friends’ buildings, and collect stickers. Very social and addictive.
- Chess – Play and LearnThe world’s largest chess app. It has everything: lessons, puzzles to train your brain, and the ability to play against people at your exact level, from beginner to grandmaster.
- Ludo KingThe digital king of Ludo. The game stays true to the original but adds themes and voice chat so you can “trash talk” opponents while you knock them out.
- Scrabble GOThe official Scrabble app. You play with real dictionaries, but the app also has faster modes like “Duels” where you only have a few minutes to win.
- Uno!The card game everyone knows. In the app, you can play 2v2 matches or join tournaments. There’s also a “No Mercy” mode that’s as chaotic as it sounds.
- Yahtzee® With BuddiesClassic dice game (Yahtzee). You can play against friends or join daily challenges. The app does all the scoring for you, which is nice!
- Ticket to RideA strategy game where you build train routes between cities. It’s easy to learn but requires tactics to block opponents and claim the longest routes.
- Catan UniverseIt’s all about trading, building, and settling on the island of Catan. You gather resources like wood and ore to build roads and cities. A lot of focus on trading with other players.
- Clue/CluedoThe classic murder mystery. Who killed Dr. Black, with what weapon, and in which room? The digital version has a smart notepad to help you eliminate suspects.
- The Game of Life 2A modern version of “The Game of Life.” You choose a career, get married (or not), and make decisions that affect your finances and happiness. Much prettier and more interactive than the board original.
10-20: Strategy, Cards & Modern Favorites
- WingspanA relaxing yet deeply strategic game where you attract rare birds to your nature reserves. Known for its stunning graphics and bird songs.
- Exploding Kittens 2A Russian roulette-like card game with cats. It’s fast, fun, and all about not drawing the exploding kitten. Perfect party game for mobile.
- CarcassonneA puzzle-like game where you build a medieval landscape with cities, monasteries, and roads. You place your followers (meeples) to score points.
- 7 Wonders DuelOne of the best games for two players. You compete to build a civilization and create wonders. Very tactical and quick to play.
- PandemicA cooperative game. Instead of competing against each other, everyone works together to stop four global diseases. If the diseases spread too quickly, everyone loses.
- Risk: Global DominationClassic world conquest. Move your armies, attack territories, and try to take over the entire map. The app makes the big dice rolls much faster.
- Terraforming MarsFor those who want a challenge. You lead a corporation to make Mars habitable by raising the temperature and creating oceans. One of the world’s most acclaimed strategy games.
- RootA war game where each player has completely different rules. One plays as the forest ruler, another as guerrilla fighters, and one as a lone wanderer. Very cute but very tough!
- SplendorA clean and elegant game where you collect gems to buy cards that give more points. Easy to learn but hard to stop playing.
- GloomhavenA massive fantasy adventure. It’s like a role-playing game in board form where you and your friends fight monsters in dungeons. The digital version saves you hours of setup time.
Here is a compilation of the world’s most played board games in 2026. The numbers include both those who own the game physically and those who play it regularly (digitally or physically).
Top 20: World’s Most Famous Games (Number of Players & Purchase Locations)
| Rank | Game | Estimated Number of Players Worldwide | Where to Buy (Physical/Online) |
| 1 | Chess | 600+ million | Webhallen, Alphaspel, Amazon |
| 2 | Monopoly | 275+ million (1 billion+ total) | ICA Maxi, Lekia, Webhallen |
| 3 | Ludo (Fia) | 200+ million (Digital/Physical) | Lekia, Åhléns, Spelexperten |
| 4 | Uno | 150+ million | Coop, Webhallen, Lekia |
| 5 | Scrabble (Alfapet) | 100+ million | Spelexperten, Åhléns, Amazon |
| 6 | Trivial Pursuit | 80+ million | Webhallen, ICA Maxi, Lekia |
| 7 | Catan | 40+ million | Alphaspel, SF-Bokhandeln, Webhallen |
| 8 | Ticket to Ride | 25+ million | Webhallen, Spelexperten, Amazon |
| 9 | Risk | 20+ million | Dragon’s Lair, Webhallen, Lekia |
| 10 | Carcassonne | 15+ million | SF-Bokhandeln, Alphaspel |
| 11 | Cluedo | 15+ million | Lekia, Spelexperten, Åhléns |
| 12 | The Game of Life | 12+ million | Webhallen, Spelexperten, Lekia |
| 13 | Pictionary | 10+ million | Lekia, Webhallen, ICA Maxi |
| 14 | Pandemic | 8+ million | Alphaspel, Webhallen, SF-Bokhandeln |
| 15 | Wingspan | 5+ million | SF-Bokhandeln, Spelexperten |
| 16 | Exploding Kittens | 5+ million | Webhallen, Alphaspel, SF-Bokhandeln |
| 17 | Azul | 4+ million | Dragon’s Lair, Spelexperten |
| 18 | 7 Wonders | 4+ million | Alphaspel, World of Board Games |
| 19 | Terraforming Mars | 3+ million | Spelexperten, Alphaspel |
| 20 | Gloomhaven | 2+ million | Alphaspel, World of Board Games |
Why Are the Numbers So High?
- Classics (1–5): Games like Chess and Monopoly have been around for generations. Chess has seen a huge digital boom in recent years (via Chess.com), meaning nearly 10% of the world’s population can play it.
- Digital Boost: Many games on the list, like Ludo King (the mobile version of Ludo) and Monopoly GO!, have millions of players who have never touched a physical board but know the rules by heart.
- Modern Board Games (14–20): Games like Wingspan and Terraforming Mars are growing rapidly. They have fewer players than Monopoly, but those who play them do so very often and buy many accessories.
Tips for Buying in Sweden:
- Best Price: Always check Spelexperten.com or Webhallen.
- Largest Selection: Alphaspel.se (Stockholm) and World of Board Games (Umeå) are best for getting games not found in regular toy stores.
- Globally: If a game is out of stock in Sweden, Amazon.se or the UK-based Zatu Games are good alternatives that ship to Sweden.
Here is the ultimate list of the 20 most popular board games as apps. The list is ranked by the estimated number of active online players and popularity in app stores during 2026.
Top 20: Mobile Board Games
| Rank | Game | Type | Number of Players (approx.) | Price (App Store/Google Play) | Link (Example) |
| 1 | Chess.com | Strategy | 600 mil+ | Free (Premium available) | App Store |
| 2 | Monopoly GO! | Family | 150 mil+ | Free (In-app purchases) | App Store |
| 3 | Ludo King | Classic | 100 mil+ | Free (Ads) | Google Play |
| 4 | Uno! Mobile | Card Game | 50 mil+ | Free (In-app purchases) | App Store |
| 5 | Scrabble GO | Word Game | 15 mil+ | Free (In-app purchases) | Google Play |
| 6 | Ticket to Ride | Strategy | 5 mil+ | Approx. 55-119 SEK | App Store |
| 7 | Catan Universe | Strategy | 5 mil+ | Free to try (Buy expansions) | App Store |
| 8 | Yahtzee With Buddies | Dice | 3 mil+ | Free (In-app purchases) | Google Play |
| 9 | Risk: Global Domination | Strategy | 2 mil+ | Free (Buy map packs) | App Store |
| 10 | Exploding Kittens 2 | Card Game | 1 mil+ | Approx. 25-45 SEK | App Store |
| 11 | Clue / Cluedo | Detective | 1 mil+ | Approx. 49-79 SEK | Google Play |
| 12 | Carcassonne | Strategy | 800,000+ | Approx. 59-119 SEK | App Store |
| 13 | The Game of Life 2 | Family | 700,000+ | Approx. 49-79 SEK | Google Play |
| 14 | Wingspan | Nature/Card | 500,000+ | Approx. 119-149 SEK | App Store |
| 15 | Splendor | Resources | 400,000+ | Approx. 59 SEK | Google Play |
| 16 | Terraforming Mars | Strategy | 350,000+ | Approx. 119 SEK | App Store |
| 17 | 7 Wonders Duel | Strategy | 300,000+ | Approx. 59 SEK | Google Play |
| 18 | Pandemic | Cooperative | 250,000+ | Approx. 59-119 SEK | App Store |
| 19 | Root | Strategy | 200,000+ | Approx. 119 SEK | App Store |
| 20 | Gloomhaven Digital | RPG/Heavy | 150,000+ | Approx. 149-349 SEK | Steam/Epic (Mobile via streaming) |
Important to Know About Prices and Links:
- Price Variations: Prices often change depending on sales and your specific region (Sweden vs USA). Many apps are “Freemium,” meaning they’re free to download but require money to unlock the full game or remove ads.
- Platforms: Most links above go to the App Store, but almost all are available by searching the same name in the Google Play Store.
- Gloomhaven: This is the heaviest game on the list. The full digital version is mainly played on PC but can be played on mobile via services like Steam Link or GeForce Now.
What type of game do you like the most? Is it calm strategy like Carcassonne or more chaos like Uno and Exploding Kittens? Or do you prefer downloading something on your mobile?
Annons
