Want to become a master of business while having fun? Families, teams and groups of individuals have been entertaining themselves with business board games for decades, learning to be a business owner and invest in the stock market while laughing, competing and enjoying fellowship. With so many business strategy games available for all ages, how does a budding entrepreneur choose the best one?
What is a Business Board Game?
What are business board games? Also known as tycoon games and business simulation games, business board games are educational tools designed to teach players business concepts and strategies through an entertaining competition.
While playing business board games, players often without even realizing it learn about topics like management, finance, investment, organizational behavior and human resources. Business board games also come in a variety of forms, from card games to farming games to escape room team building games.
Why You Should be Playing Business Board Games
Why should you play business board games? A variety of benefits can be obtained by playing many board games that teach about different aspects of the business world, including:
Teamwork – Business strategy games like resource management games can be an excellent team-building exercise. Business board game players often must work together to compete, learning teamwork in the process.
Strategy – Being able to think on your feet and quickly develop better strategies are important skills to succeed in the business world. Business board games teach players to think and act strategically, as they plan ahead to win.
Financial literacy – Too many people lack skills to manage their money, which is an obvious and pivotal skill to succeed in business. When playing many business board games, players must learn to account for their earnings, budget their bank accounts and calculate their expenses.
Recreation – Business board games are fun. Whether a team is learning to work together or a student is learning to invest, the lessons accompany entertainment relaxing games.
Best Business Board Games
What are the best business board games for learning money management and strategy in real-life situations? Some of the best board games have been around for decades, while others are newcomers with plenty of expansion packs. Is there one game that bests all the other business board games?
1. Monopoly
The classic board game might be the most popular business board game in the world. The classic game features a game board with properties that players can purchase, upgrade and charge rent to others. The winner is who has the most money and real estate at the end of the game. For over a century, millions have fond memories of playing Monopoly with their families and friends.
2. Bulls and Bears
Players can learn to be financially free with Bulls and Bears, a business board game that teaches how to build a fruitful stock portfolio. The popular game also teaches financial management as players learn skills for saving and investing their money. If there’s a better way to learn how to trade stocks and manage assets, it’s certainly not going to be as much fun.
3. Ice Cream Empire
When they compete to win at Ice Cream Empire, players learn valuable skills needed to build a successful business. To get ahead in this game, it’s necessary to showcase skills in math, geography and money management, but you’ll be having too much fun to realize how much you’re learning about entrepreneurship. The winner is the first player to build 8 ice cream stores.
4. Moonpreneur
Learn to buy and trade in Moonpreneur, a real-life simulation business game for teams and families. While having fun with fellow players of all ages buying properties on the moon, you’ll be learning about many aspects of business and finance. In fact, this game is so educational and entertaining, that is impossible to lose at it.
5. Startup
A business board game that’s challenging for children and adults, Startup takes players through the process of establishing a successful company. While having fun and building camaraderie, players learn plenty of business and math skills, in addition to navigating price wars, lawsuits, networking opportunities and other business challenges.
6. Nine to Five
The popular What Do You Meme? series of games features a business board game in its Nine to Five version. Called the Business Buzzword Game, Nine to Five challenges players to successfully use a specific series of phrases. Designed for mature players, Nine to Five might be a fun ice breaker at an office party, but probably isn’t the best choice to teach the kids about money.
7. Free Market NYC
A competitive and strategic business board game, Free Market NYC is based on the principles of a free-market economy. Players must manage groups of people across different assignments to achieve their vision for the city. Game activities might include anything from purchasing merchandise at an auction to establishing partnerships in shops and factories or even taking over competitors’ business and capital.
8. The Entrepreneur Game
In one of the most popular strategy games, players of the Entrepreneur Game learn valuable skills in subjects like math, budgeting, critical thinking, investing, branding, marketing and negotiating. The Entrepreneur Game is a great choice for team-builders, and kids who play it will be ready to successfully launch their own businesses.
9. Acquire
Acquire is a business board game that teaches players how to manage their own hotel chains as they play the game. But players don’t have to stop with building a hotel chain or selling real estate. Through this fun game, they can plan, build and own the next super city. As they build their business, they must buy, trade and sell stocks, and the entrepreneur with the most money wins against the other players.
10. Power Grid
A strategy game with tons of replay value, Power Grid players must bid against each other to buy fictional power plants. When more efficient and profitable power plants become available, players must decide whether or not to purchase better equipment to support their business strategies. The challenging game is not only entertaining, it teaches skills in efficiency and resource management.
11. GoVenture
A fun and educational board game, GoVenture requires players to test their skills in a variety of areas. With different activities assigned to recreate the challenges of entrepreneurship, GoVenture offers a fun and engaging way to build teamwork while learning how to start and run a successful business. It’s also a great game for impatient players as everyone plays on every turn.
12. Steam: Rails to Riches
Want to know what it was like to be a railroad tycoon? Find out by playing the popular business board game Steam: Rails to Riches. In Steam, players are granted an initial investment to build a track. Then they must establish their railway, manage the business and expand their empires. While having fun playing this unique business board game, families and teams learn about geography, business, shipping, and European transportation.
13. Brass: Lancashire
An economic strategy game, Brass: Lancashire takes place during the Industrial Revolution. Players must create, build and secure their industries, then sell their goods for a profit. Brass can be played by 3 or 4 players, and it is suited for players aged 14 and older. Some Brass fans, however, even enjoy playing solo as they sharpen their business skills.
14. Pay Day
Another classic board game with a colorful and engaging game board, Pay Day has been entertaining kids and adults since its introduction in 1975. The object is simple: The winner is the player holding the most money after two laps around the board. Players can earn money and even make deals on property as they progress, earning a salary and paying bills.
Best Business Card Games
Of course, many of the world’s most popular business board games don’t feature a board at all. Card games have been teaching people skills in strategy for centuries, and some even were designed specifically with business objectives.
15. SideHustle
A great card game for both kids and adults, teams and families, SideHustle is the perfect business strategy game for those who enjoy watching the television show Shark Tank or playing the popular game Apples to Apples. A party game for entrepreneurs, SideHustle is an ideal team-building activity as players laugh and have fun pitching hilarious ideas to one another.
16. Silicon Valley Startups
Another hilarious party game for adults, Silicon Valley Startups challenges players to pitch the most ridiculous company. The business card game is a perfect team-building activity for any group, as players pull random cards to build their business concepts. No matter how crazy the combination, players must then build their pitching skills with the group.
17. Business Walrus Party Game
Party games like Business Walrus are great team-building activities and sources of fun. Cards pose an objective and players must scramble to come up with products that meet the requirements. This card game – for adults only – will leave players rolling on the floor laughing as they cycle through the 500 laughable and replayable cards.
18. Just Business
A card game designed for 2-5 players, Just Business places players in a crime-ridden urban setting where they vie to control illicit businesses. To succeed, players must use their cards to control their turf, their stash and their dropoff locations. What will the next deal bring?
19. Forbidden Island
When they play Forbidden Island, entrepreneurs of all skill levels join a team of fearless adventurers on missions to capture sacred treasures from the ruins of this perilous paradise. Named a 2010 Mensa Favorite Brainy Games winner, Forbidden Island teaches players aged 10 and older better strategic thinking, problem-solving and cooperation skills.
20. Monopoly Deal
Love the classic game Monopoly but looking for a card game for your next team builder? Monopoly Deal challenges players to collect complete sets of properties while avoiding debt collectors, forced deals and deal breakers. The card game is a great choice for those who want to buy and sell real estate with Monopoly but want a game that can be completed in less than an hour.
21. Chunky Monkey Business
Just because it’s geared toward business, that doesn’t mean a business strategy came can’t also be fun and silly. Chunky Money Business is a fast-paced, fill-in-the-blank party game that makes a great teambuilding exercise. Players must match wits in this game to solve riddles. While there is only one right answer, there are plenty of hilarious wrong ones.
What is the best business board game?
What is the best business board game? With so many great games, it can be hard to choose. Monopoly is one of the most popular board games in the world, and it has been enjoyed by millions of players for more than a century. While playing Monopoly, people learn about buying and selling real estate and the hazards of business, while building their financial literacy and having fun.
What is the best business board game to learn money management skills?
What is the best business board game to learn money management skills? While a variety of business strategy games involve managing money, the best game for learning money management is Pay Day. Players must manage their budgets as they earn a salary and pay bills in addition to making plenty of other financial business transactions.
Qualify for discounts, special offers and more with a Business Prime account from Amazon. You can create a FREE account to get started today.
Image: Depositphotos
This article, “Best Business Board Games for Entrepreneurs of All Ages” was first published on Small Business Trends
