Puzzle board games and card games combine teamwork with the satisfaction of solving puzzles, making them great for people who enjoy traditional puzzles. Some puzzle games focus purely on problem-solving, while others integrate traditional puzzles within the gameplay.
I was excited to put a list of great cooperative puzzle board games together because it gave me a chance to highlight some of my group’s best co-op experiences that might not always make it into our other board game rankings.
Whether you’re looking for a quick puzzle challenge or something more intricate, you’ll find some games that will work for you on this page.
Okay, let’s get to it! Below are some of the best cooperative puzzle board games!
10. Deckscape
Players: 1-6 | Ages: 12+
Deckscape is a series of cooperative escape room card games where you and your teammates work together to solve puzzles and escape before time runs out. Using a deck of cards, you unravel clues, crack riddles, and make key decisions as you race against the clock.
I’m a fan of the Deckscape games because they’re quick to set up, easy to jump into, and they have some cool stories to play through. Plus, each one has a variety of puzzles, which is great when you have a group with different skills and strengths.
Deckscape is an excellent choice for fans of escape room experiences and puzzle enthusiasts. Behind the Curtain and The Mystery of Eldorado are my group’s favorites, but I’d just choose the ones that seem the most interesting to you.
Read our Deckscape review
9. Bandido
Players: 1-4 | Ages: 6+
Bandido is a co-op card game that has you work together to stop a bandit from escaping prison. You place cards with tunnels on the table to block the bandit’s escape route while strategically managing the cards in your hand. The challenge increases as more tunnels are placed, and teamwork becomes crucial to stop the bandit.
From experience, I can say that Bandido is a fantastic card game for kids and also works perfectly as a quick filler game for families and adult groups. The “puzzle” in this one is figuring out how to use your cards to close those tunnels, which isn’t easy to pull off.
Bandido is a great choice if you’re looking for a fun and light cooperative puzzle game with a lot of team strategy packed into a small box.
Read our Bandido review
8. Mansions of Madness
Players: 1-5 | Ages: 14+
Mansions of Madness is a cooperative horror board game set in the world of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. You and your teammates take on the roles of investigators exploring eerie mansions, solving puzzles, and battling nasty enemies.
The app integration makes this game unique, with the app controlling the story and tracking events as you progress. The puzzles range from simple to complex, often requiring creative thinking and teamwork to solve.
Mansions of Madness is a fantastic option for puzzle fans who enjoy atmospheric games with deep storytelling and a horror theme. It definitely helps if your group loves the Cthulhu theme.
Read our Mansions of Madness review
Get your copy of Mansions of Madness
7. Exit: The Game
Players: 1-6 | Ages: 12+
Exit: The Game is a series of co-op escape room games that immerse you in a variety of scenarios, from ancient tombs to mystical islands. Each game challenges your group to solve puzzles, codes, and riddles to escape.
The puzzles in Exit are often quite tough, requiring you to put your heads together and think outside the box. The system’s unique design, including items that are torn, cut, or folded, adds to the immersion, and that tactility makes these games feel closer to traditional puzzles than most other escape room board games.
Exit: The Game is perfect for puzzle and escape room fans. With so many options now available, you can easily find Exit: The Game themes that match your group’s interests.
Read our Exit: The Game review
Get your copy of Exit: The Game
6. Kingdom Rush
Players: 1-4 | Ages: 10+
Based on the very popular digital game, Kingdom Rush: Rift in Time is a cooperative tower defense game where you take on waves of enemies and portals. You need to strategically place towers and use your heroes’ abilities to defend your kingdom.
To me, Kingdom Rush feels like multiple puzzle games in one. Each map requires you to position your towers and heroes strategically, and then cover enemies with your Damage tiles. Most of the scenarios are very challenging and require solid teamwork to win.
Kingdom Rush is an excellent pick for people looking for a strategic puzzle game with a solid cooperative element. Fans of the mobile game or fantasy-themed board games will likely be big fans of this one.
Read our Kingdom Rush review
Check out our Top 10 Family Games!
5. Tesseract
Players: 1-4 | Ages: 14+
In Tesseract, your goal is to shut down a dangerous alien artifact before it destroys the planet. The game revolves around manipulating the Tesseract dice cube, removing and containing dice while using your unique abilities to deal with different threats.
Tesseract looks and plays like a unique puzzle game, where figuring out which dice to remove from the cube and how to use them effectively is both challenging and satisfying.
This one’s for fans of strategy games who also enjoy a bit of a puzzle-solving aspect. If you like games with a sci-fi theme, Tesseract is a great choice. It’s easily one of the best puzzle board games for adults and families with older kids.
Read our Tesseract review
4. Unlock!
Players: 1-6 | Ages: 10+
Unlock! is a series of escape room games that use cards and an app to create puzzles. You and your group look for clues, solve riddles, and figure out hidden objects to escape before time runs out. Each game in the series has a unique theme, with puzzles usually centered around that specific setting.
I think Unlock! is one of the best two-player co-op games out there, but it can work at higher player counts if you have a group that enjoys brainstorming together. The puzzles are challenging but fair, and these games do a great job of creating a sense of urgency and excitement throughout.
If you’re an escape room fan and want a fun, portable co-op puzzle game, you can’t do much better than Unlock!
Read our Unlock! review
3. Race to the Raft
Players: 1-4 | Ages: 8+
Race to the Raft, you and your teammates work together to move cats to safety before the island they’re on is consumed by fire. With a mix of path-building and fire placement, you’ll carefully manage cards to create safe routes, which is made tougher by the game’s communication restrictions.
Race to the Raft definitely feels like a true co-op puzzle game, especially once you move past the tutorial maps. It’s just a lot of fun trying to find ways to create paths for those cats.
Race to the Raft is perfect for players who enjoy puzzle board games and tile placement games, and it helps if you’re a fan of cats. Since the game offers multiple difficulty levels and a variety of scenarios, Race to the Raft is enjoyable for both casual players and experienced gamers.
Read our Race to the Raft review
Get your copy of Race to the Raft
2. The Initiative
Players: 1-4 | Ages: 8+
The Initiative is a co-op campaign game in which you take on the roles of teenagers who find a mysterious board game that requires them to find clues and complete missions. Each mission has a series of code-breaking challenges that you need to work through together.
I like how The Initiative combines excellent puzzles with a mystery storyline, which keeps you hooked from game to game. It’s a fun mix of codebreaking and storytelling.
Puzzle fans who also love mysteries will appreciate The Initiative’s unique style. It’s ideal for groups that enjoy a bit of narrative in their board games.
Read our The Initiative review
Get your copy of The Initiative
1. Dorfromantik
Players: 1-6 | Ages: 8+
Dorfromantik is a cooperative tile-laying puzzle game where you and your group work together to build a picturesque landscape. The goal is to place hexagonal tiles in a way that connects different types of terrain, such as forests, fields, and rivers, to score points. As you advance through the campaign, new components are unlocked that make the game feel like an evolving puzzle.
Dorfromantik is now the first game I think of when people ask me if any board games feel like traditional puzzles. It has a relaxing feel, with simple tile placement mechanics that still offer strategic depth. It’s satisfying to see your city evolve, and everyone seems to enjoy the gentle pace of the gameplay.
For fans of board games and puzzles, Dorfromantik is a must-try. It’s especially great if you’re looking for a more relaxed puzzle game that captures the vibe of assembling a jigsaw puzzle.
Read our Dorfromantik review
What are your favorite cooperative puzzle board games? Any that didn’t make this list?
Be sure to also take a look at our Best Cooperative Board Games list and our other board game rankings.
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