It’s that time of year ago again when the weather has picked up and we are getting ready to pack those suitcases and set off for a well deserved break.
Whether a caravan holiday in ‘sunny’ south Wales or a jet set trip to a hotter climate, the one thing that we all need, is a good game to bring us together when tucked away during a rainy day or to relax while sipping sangria on the balcony on a Spanish evening. But when travelling there are so many considerations when considering what games to take. You need something small enough to fit in the suitcase, light enough not to tip the scales at the airport, and entertaining enough to be played many days in a row. Well, here are thirteen games that are sure to fit the brief!
Bohnanza
I am lucky enough to travel a lot for my job and to work with lots of different types of people and there is one game that goes in my bag wherever I go. The 90s was a great decade for a lot of reasons, the Spice Girls, the Matrix and Uwe Rosenberg’s Bohnanza. This gem of a ‘classic’ comes in a small box and is made up of just cards. Perfect to slip into any bag or pocket but don’t be fooled by its simplicity. Players are going to be farming beans. Yes I said ‘farming beans’! Each player has a hand of cards that once dealt cannot change order and on your turn you will play one or two cards from the right side into one of two or three fields in front of you. You can only have one type of bean per field and so space gets tight, however when you have sets of different amounts in your field you can harvest for precious money which will equate points at the end of the game. But the sweet spot comes in the next step which is the bidding phase! Here the active player turns over two new bean cards and the bidding begins and the key element, is anything goes. It's frantic and fun and you can pretty much offer anything from your hand. At first, people are timid and tame but give one round and you will soon see people will give anything for that pair of spicy chilli beans!!
Tic Tac Trek by David Ireland
Sitting in the crows nest of Iona over the Christmas break of 2025, Tic Tac Trek really was the perfect little holiday sidekick whilst enjoying a coffee, sailing along on the Atlantic Ocean. Tic Tac Trek is the evolution of Tic Tac Toe or how I know it, Noughts and Crosses. Alley Cat Games have created a proper scoring mechanism into the game and a chance element meaning that the better player doesn’t always come out on top, I love it.
Each player is given their 6 campfire pieces. Then the map tiles (26 of them) are mixed into the draw bag in preparation for players to take turns drawing from. The tiles within this bag are of 5 types that create a small landscape. There are 4 different landscape types of tile (6 of each) and 2 lake tiles. These tiles have an X on one side and an O on the other. Players have to create 3 in a row as they always have but rather than being locked on a rigid 3x3 grid, there are no borders. Players have to match landscape types where possible playing drawn pieces orthogonally. The lake tiles are wild and can be played anywhere. When 3 in a row is completed, place one of the 6 campfire pieces on that 3rd piece. Get as many campfires out as you can! Game play ends when the final tile is drawn. Then the scoring commences. Each campfire tile with an open edge or corner will score the player that many points at the end for that campfire, score all the campfires you manage to place. It’s such a fun game as there is so much more thought and strategy needed compared to the original basic game.
Why is it the perfect travel companion? It’s tiny! All packed up in a neat tin about the size of a deck of cards and the game map when complete takes up the area of a couple of coasters. Effortless and still a quick play which is why it makes a lovely travelling companion on our cruise, but it will work on absolutely any holiday. Definitely check it out.
Skull by Greame Johnston
Saturday. What a day! My son invited us to his new flat for lunch, cocktails and games. Oh, and rugby…Scotland v France. And I had one job to do and I messed up. I forgot the games. However, the Gods of Glaswegian numpties were smiling on me - there is a small comics shop nearby and there, front and centre, was Skull! After polishing off the delicious roast chicken we broke the cellophane and moments later (time is an elusive concept) the day was over.
Skull is for almost everyone. It’s an easy to play, small box party/holiday game for up to 6 people. On your turn, place a disc or start the bidding. Pass when the bid is low, and you might be handing victory to the grinning, gobby nobby to your left. Be last to pass and you might be ‘skulled’, which is nearly as bad. Win two rounds or be ‘last person standing’ and you can beat your chest and enjoy the bragging rights, at least until the next game. A few hours of brinksmanship, bluffing, and banter later and what was the verdict? We all had fun. Great fun.
Cartographers by Elliot Bailey
Is there an object better associated with travel than the humble map? From explorers on the high seas, to sitting in the backseat of the car whilst a parent turns the map this way and that trying to get un-lost, maps are synonymous with travel. And what better way to unravel after a day of travelling, than a game about map making! Cartographers places you in the shoes of a map maker (unsurprisingly, given the title of the game!), mapping the territory on behalf of Queen Gimnax in order to reclaim the Northern lands.
Competing with other map makers, players draw on their map sheets and score against different unique conditions, flipping cards to determine each step along the way. This roll and write is one of my favourite travel companions, a great small box game (even smaller if you ditch the box itself and decant it), with almost unlimited replayability because of the combination of different maps, cards and additional optional expansions. It's versatile, with little to no tablespace needed, the ability to scale up or down from 1 to 4 players, and a game that can either be played as intense and competitive or cosy and leisurely. About the only thing that this paper based game can’t deal with is water- so perhaps make sure that your backpack is waterproof?
Courtisans by Sam de Smith
Now it can be a challenge to find something portable and satisfying for the more dedicated gamer. Whilst Courtisans isn’t heavy per se, it is utterly ruthless and cut-throat, as the different family suits vie for a seat at the Queen’s table. Each turn you must play 3 cards: 1 to yourself, 1 to an opponent, and 1 either above or below the table; at the end, the value of all the cards is either added (based on the number of a suit above) or subtracted (based on those below). However, different family members can do different things – Assassins strike to remove a card where they’re played, Spies are played facedown, Guards are safe from removal, and so on –
and each player will also have objectives they are secretly working towards (for example, scoring for disgraced rather than honoured families). The trick, of course, is to do enough to win without revealing your strategy, making this a savage little game indeed. With its beautiful card art, elegant cloth table-runner board, and slick gameplay, this is an absolute winner!
Splendor by Olivia Mackender
Splendor is a 2-4 player card game in which players collect and spend gems in order to build gem mines (which look suspiciously like a tableau of cards). A player wins when they become the first to earn 15 points from the cards in their tableau and from the nobles who offer bonus points when they “visit” players. Considering the fact that I first played Splendor whilst on holiday, it makes sense that it has become one of my travel staples. It’s been played on the train, in the living room, in cafes and in conference halls. With games lasting 20-60 minutes (including rules-learning), and with each turn being integral to your action economy, Splendor provides a meaty enough experience that even the most avid of board game fans can enjoy.
Meanwhile, it’s also incredibly fast to learn, with only three possible actions a person can take on their turn, meaning that it makes for a great game to play anywhere with anyone, whether they're highly competitive or just want to relax and pretend to be a rich medieval gem lord. The thing that makes Splendor particularly brilliant for travel is its surprisingly compact design (once you empty it out of the box!). The cards, gem chips and noble tokens all fit easily into a standard 100-card deck box, the gem chips have a tactile weight to them that makes them difficult to drop or lose when playing on the go, and the game itself doesn’t even demand much table space once you start playing. Put simply, Splendor is as easy to carry as it is to recommend!
Love Letter by Sean Franks
Speaking from experience I can safely say that Love Letter is a great game for traveling and holidays, as tradition I’ve played this on a caravan on the coast or flying away to the sunshine. A small footprint game consisting of just some cards and cubes, plus most copies come in a cloth draw-string bag, making it perfect to stow away in some luggage or slip into a deep pocket.
Love Letter requires minimal play space, just a central deck all players can draw from and a place in front of them to stack played cards and place victory cubes. Gameplay only requires you to hold one or two cards in hand at a time. Plus the game has been successful enough to get multiple rethemes. The original theme was trying to get your letter to the princess, the card you finished the round holding was how far the letter had gone, if it was the Princess then you win, otherwise victory goes to whoever is the closest. So some further editions play on this theme, there’s a Christmas version that sees you trying to get your letter to Santa, a Wedding edition for your special day, or even Munchkin Loot Letter. And then still more rethemes with similar or extended gameplay, although the travelling letter theme may have faded slightly when you consider versions such as Batman, Adventure Time, Marvel or even my go to version of The Hobbit. Some versions can play up to 6 or even 8 players meaning that even in larger groups nobody needs to get left out! Better get writing those Love Letters!
Hive by Ross Coulbeck
Hive, specifically Hive Pocket edition, is the perfect travel game for two people. It’s light to carry around, requires zero setup, and no two games you play will ever be exactly the same. It is an abstract game where each player has a number of hexagonal tiles with insects on them. You each have a queen (bee) and you take it in turns to move other insects with varying movement rules around to attempt to surround your opponent's queen before yours is.That’s literally all there is to it. It’s simple to learn, but extremely deep in its tactical depth. I enjoy a tactical game, so you would think I’d like things like Chess. Well you’d be partially right. I’ve played chess plenty, especially growing up, but do I really enjoy it? I’m on the fence. It’s such a tough game and isn’t fun when you are losing. Hive on the other hand, in my experience, is always fun. Sure, nobody likes to lose, but I can usually see WHY I lost in Hive, which makes it ok. In chess the reason is lost off in the ether 20 moves ago somewhere. Plus each game only lasts 10-20 minutes, so you can just move on to the next game. It’s addictive to keep playing as you learn more potential strategies around the different pieces, and that’s not even getting into the 3 expansion pieces you can add to it. If you want something that’s not going to take up much space, and that is quick to set up and play, and have fun with, then look no further.
Railroad Ink by Phil Follet-Laing
Railroad Ink is just one of those games I absolutely adore playing. One of the reasons I enjoy it so much is the quick setup. It can be prepared and packed away in as little as 15 minutes. Believe me, I've timed it. What I enjoy most about it is this tiny package of pure brilliance, filled with choices, fun, and the chance to see how you and your opponent differ throughout the game. Railroad Ink is a roll-and-write game where you have your little whiteboard of tracks and roads, ready to explore as you connect stations and score points for establishing connections beyond your little city.
For me, Railroad Ink really shines as a travel game. Every time we go away, I love to pack it in my backpack or suitcase. It takes up hardly any space, smaller than a book, roughly the thickness of two books stacked together if you were to measure it. It's just perfect for quick getaways, whether it's a weekend in the Cotswolds or a two-week beach holiday in Spain. It can really be taken anywhere with ease. It's not too burdensome, never too complex, and it never overstays its welcome. You can play a couple of games while waiting to go out for a meal, enjoy a quick game after your afternoon nap, in the morning, or by the pool by yourself, if you want a bit of peace and quiet. However you want to play it, Railroad Ink really has it all. With the expansion dice included, you can customise the experience further. My version of the Lush Green one is probably the best, offering options to add forestry trees to the map for extra points and more complex, thought-provoking trails. But they are no less fun and can add a bit more of a gamer element if you want that while on your holidays.
Chrononauts - Ian Paczek
On our way back from the south of France one time, our flights were cancelled and we had to switch to TGV. Fortunately, I had a few games with me, and in particular we played several games of Chrononauts as we travelled back. Chrononauts is another game from Looney Labs, who also publish Fluxx. You play as time-travelling agents manipulating history. Just like in Fluxx, the gameplay is draw a card, play a card and the cards that you play are actions that allow you to alter the timeline. Chrononauts is a card game with a tableau that can fit on the table between four seats in a train carriage. The box is about the size of two decks of cards side by side and the tableau, when laid out, is 32 cards in an 8 across by 4 high layout. The timeline starts in 1865 and extends to 1999.
There are expansions, such as The Gore Years, which add more time in the 21st century. There are two kinds of timeline card – purple Linchpins and blue Ripplepoints. Changing a Linchpin causes further changes to ripple out down the timeline, which can result in Paradoxes. Each player has a secret identity that defines their home timeline, because we are all from parallel timelines where different history happened! There are three ways to win, firstly you can restore the timeline to the one you came from.
Secondly, you can collect a shopping list of historical artifacts from your personal mission card.
Finally, if you have ten cards in your hand at the end of your turn, you immediately win. You can collectively lose the game if there are ever thirteen or more paradoxes. In this case, the timeline has become so fragmented that all of time and space is ripped asunder and reality ceases to exist. Chrononauts is a quick, easy game with a fun theme and lots of tongue-in-cheek comments and in-jokes on the cards. It can accommodate up to six players and it only takes 20-30 minutes to play.
You do need a minimum of space to lay the cards out, but the box fits in a pocket or backpack easily, so it’s one of my favourite travelling games.
Spots by Melissa King
Over the last few years, travelling with your furry friend has become more accessible, thanks to the increase in pet friendly eateries and accommodation. It makes sense that (in my opinion), one of the best dog themed games should also be travel friendly! Spots is a fantastic holiday game - it’s a light hearted, push you luck game that allows for a pack of up to 4 players. Easy to teach and quick to learn and play, this dice rolling, bone hoarding extravaganza is perfect for families with children and makes for a fun activity before bed or during those holiday downtimes.
These doggies don’t need a board to travel, making it easy to pack into a day bag or suitcase, and whilst the box it comes in isn’t much bigger than the average holiday romance novel, the
components can be removed and put into a small lunchbox or tote bag, allowing for off-lead
exploration, even with the smallest of baggage allowances! They say a leopard can’t change its spots… but can a Dalmatian? I’ll leave this one up for debate, but Spots has a wealth of “tricks”, allowing each game to be modified to make it different than the last. Even if your holiday ends up a bit repetitive, your evening game of Spots doesn’t have to be! Easy to pack, lightweight to carry and a different game every time you play, Spots deserves a treat for being such a brilliant travel companion - woof woof!
Flip 7 by Fred Cronin
When I was thinking about which games make the best travel companions, I was inundated with thoughts of countless card games. With their ability to neatly pack down into pocket-sized parcels, games like 6 nimmt! and Love Letter are practically begging to be taken in a carry-on bag. So, with so many contenders in the market for most compact, in my hunt for best travel game I had to think backwards: which game is the biggest, despite its tiny footprint. Of course, I don’t mean this literally. Rather, I thought about which of the myriad of tiny games packs the greatest punch, daring to go ‘big’beyond the confines of its diminutive outline. When thinking about it like this, there is one game that stands out from amongst the rest: Flip 7. With its incredibly simply push-your-luck premise mixed with its just-vindictive-enough action cards that
allow you to freeze other players or force them to draw, Flip 7 is punchy, fast paced, and a breeze to learn. Throughout a round, players will draw cards, trying to collect as many points as possible without drawing any two of the same number. Anyone who manages to collect seven cards gets a hefty set of bonus points, but the risk is a high one. Draw a duplicate and that marks the end for you, and you can say goodbye to all the points you collected that round. Overall, Flip 7 is one I will keep coming back to time and time again.
That’s Not A Hat by James Galloway
That’s Not A Hat is a 3 to 8 player memory and bluffing game created by Kasper Lapp and published by Ravensburger. The game comes with a large deck of cards, each with a sketch of a gift on the front and an arrow on the back. Players take turns passing gifts to each other and declaring what that gift is. Each gift starts face up, it’s shown around the table and then turned over before being gifted in the direction of the arrow with a cheery “Dave, I have a lovely radio for you”. Dave will then give his gift away in the direction of his arrow and so on. The longer the game goes on, the harder it is to keep track of which gifts are where. If you forget, then you can bluff and if the gift is accepted, you’ve gotten away with the bluff. If you are challenged then whoever is wrong (the gifter or the giftee) loses a life. When one player loses three lives, the other players score points for how many lives they have left. Why is this perfect for holidays? - The box is very small and easily transportable even in hand luggage or a pocket - It has a very small footprint on the table - It’s very cheap so no need to worry about ruining a card with Sangria - It’s super fast with games typically lasting 10-20 mins depending on player count - It’s very simple so all the family can get involved
So before zipping up your bags make sure you have pocketed a handful of games, when poolside, bar side or inside to add some guaranteed extra fun, this holiday season!
