In April I read the excellent post by Pete Bartlam – 5 GREAT LITTLE GAMES TO TAKE ON HOLIDAY – which inspired both a couple of purchases and not a little jealousy as he contemplated a holiday in Bali… Now it is my turn to pack as I stare down a three week, four flight, five ferry and ten train holiday to Japan (lucky boy).
They might also make great stocking-fillers…
These are the games that I will shove into pockets, wrap in boxers or even clutch to my breast as I walk up the airplane staircase if I run out of room. Portable and tolerable for my board game agnostic but generally persuadable partner, I have a personal preference for games of all shapes and sizes that are quick to teach but offer enough depth and interaction to be replayable and while these games are being packed with two in mind Deep Sea Adventures will work with a larger group.
Mandala
This is the first one out of the box (literally, as I will be dispensing with the cardboard to create a more portable cloth and cards package). Mandala is one of those games that is surprisingly complex once you learn the basics but what I love most is simply the vibrant design and meditative theme.
The game is loosely based on the patterns used in some spiritual traditions and it is a beautiful geometric Google rabbit-hole worth going down even if the game itself is of no interest.
Mandala distilled is an area control game with pretty coloured cards. The rules are easy to learn, but the depth of strategy unfolds as you master when to build, sacrifice, or gather cards. The decisions feel like they matter, which makes it replayable and for my money it is one of the best 2-player games available. Ideal for a relaxed evening or a quick challenge. You can make plans but be prepared to see them blown away like sand in the wind when you discover your opponent has the exact card they need to spoil your scheme.
Whether you are a seasoned gamer or just looking for a relaxing (ish), two-player experience, Mandala delivers in spades. Its blend of strategic depth and aesthetic charm makes every playthrough enjoyable although I really, really hate losing this one.
Deep Sea Adventure
This little gem is a press-your-luck game that proves that big adventures can come in small packages. In Deep Sea Adventure, you and your fellow diver share a single oxygen tank while greedily trying to scoop up as much treasure as possible. But here is the catch, get too greedy, and you both risk coming back empty-handed, or worse, sinking to the bottom, glug glug glug.
The replayability is off the charts and I find it comes out time-and-time-again. With each dive, the dynamic shifts as you adapt strategies, attempt sneakier moves, and inevitably learn that teamwork might actually save everyone. Or maybe not. My partner always gets a little too greedy, dooming me to a watery grave.
This one can definitely scale up if you make a new friend or two (or four). Drag them along for the next dive! The rules are super simple making it easy to reel in fresh recruits and keep the adventure going and like all Oink Games it is a convenient little package with good quality components and so is ideal for a holiday.
Hive Pocket
Hive Pocket is our third proof that great things come in small packages. This portable version of the award-winning abstract game Hive is perfect for those who love strategic depth but do not want to lug around a board. With pieces like the Queen Bee, Grasshopper, and Spider, each with unique movement abilities, Hive Pocket popped up on my radar for people like me who like chess but frankly do not have the time or the ability to be any good at it.
The gameplay is simple. Using the movement of your pieces surround your opponent’s queen before they trap yours. But there are any number of opportunities and risks with each move (at least until the end game when one of you may feel there is naff all left for you to do and the other can enjoy that delicious sense of a trap well spring).
The portability of Hive Pocket makes it ideal for this list. No setup time and endless possible strategies, this game promises and delivers tactical bug-based fun – if you are into that – and the pieces make a delightful little clack and clink in the bag to boot. Another bonus is that the cloth bag can be squeezed into the small nooks in your suitcase. Who needs cardboard.
Radlands
Radlands is a card-driven duel that plunges you into a vibrant post-apocalyptic world where resources are scarce, but strategic opportunities are plenty. With its neon art style and entertainingly illustrated cards – think the wasteland with glow sticks – Mad Max in late noughties freshers week party – people will be peering over at your table with interest.
Each player has camps to protect while launching attacks to destroy their opponent’s. With just a handful of water (the playing resource) to spend on actions each turn, every choice counts. Do you invest in defences, unleash raiders, or prepare powerful events for later devastation? I would not overstate the depth of this game, that can be surprisingly fiddly to teach, the joy is in just doing silly things. This is not one that you have to win as long as you get to play Strafe a Repair Bot and a Rabble Rouser. Try the convoluted plan. Lose with style my friends.
It takes up slightly more table space than other games on this list and may not appeal to everybody but if you have someone in your life that is partial to an apocalyptic film give it a try.
Kiri-ai
Finally a nod to the Land of the Rising Sun itself.
Kiri-ai would claim to capture the elegant intensity of a samurai duel, where every move matters and a single strike can change everything. This two-player abstract strategy game invites you to step into the mind of a swordsman, anticipating your opponent’s actions and executing perfect timing for an unstoppable attack. I say claim, because it can be a little hard to bridge the mental divide from a plane tray table to a climatic cliff-edge-show-down but you know what, it CAN work.
With a minimalist aesthetic and simple components, Kiri-ai has a pocket-sized charm. But you do need the right opponent… the game itself can feel like it lacks depth but if you embrace the game and really try to outmanoeuvre each other you might find yourself swept along in the current. Each duel is short and tense, making it perfect for repeated plays and quick rematches in small spaces.
