The 8 board games with the longest playing time

Whatever your taste, there is a board game there for you. The most successful mix elegant games with strategic depth, which enables accessibility and repetition without sacrificing a satisfactory challenge. Then of course there are the games for the real hardcore.

Board games have a little reputation such as being a bit of a time cuts, especially if drinks or conversation are involved, but these special titles – made by and for the most dedicated by hobbyists – can eat up a whole day or more. If you have one of these in your collection, plan far ahead if you want to see a game through.

What is the longest board game you've played? Tell us in the comments below!

8

Diplomacy

6+ hours

Without dice, short or variance of any kind, Diplomacy is about negotiations, alliances and back stabbing. Much of the game simply consists of doing business with other players, often Pull them into the side room for private calls Before everyone is locked in their features and see who held the word.

Everything that leads to a tense game where movements on the board take quite a while. Add everything, and the game's printed estimate of 6 hours can actually be a generous guess.

7

Twilight empire

8+ hours

Sci-fi epic Twilight empire Has a little reputation for their long playing time, and it is the first game that many people think of when endless board games are mentioned. Its Strategic game, fraction -specific abilities and huge sets of components Make it scary for newcomers, but also make it the lasting classic that Hardcore Board players have loved for decades.

Theoretically, a game with Twilight Empire, with only three players who all know what they are doing, can go as “fast” as four hours, but let's be honest; If you gather the gang for a game of Ti, you set aside a weekend so that everyone can learn the rules and give plenty of time for breaks.

6

Harders

8+ hours

GMT -Games are known for Deep historical strategy gamesFocusing on complex, complicated rules over spotted production values. HardersAs originally published in 1999, a table top is resale of the First World War.

With its full map showing the western and eastern fronts, and then, Paths of Glory challenges to deal with the entire war effort for their chosen fraction. Like the actual war, the game forces players to long, prolonged deadlock until you get the upper hand and take the advantage.

5

Europe universalis

60+ hours

Now best known as Paradox's Grand Strategy Magnum Opus, PC title was Originally based on a board gamereleased in 1993. As its digital successor, Europe universalis followed the world out of the Middle Ages up to the enlightenment.

While its lecture is listed as about 60 hours, everything we have seen from people who have actually played this Behemoth suggests that it is actually more. As one Returned review from 1997 Notes, “Turns take several hours to complete and the game has 60 turns.” Given that each turn is divided into five complex phases, including a combat phase that simulates each campaign season, it is not surprising.

Europe Universalis has dozens of scenarios included, if (as likely) the entire 300-year campaign does not fit into your schedule.

4

Terribly fast sword

70+ hours

TSR, the company that originally published Dungeons and dragonsStarted as a Wargames company, and they were still in that business during D & D's increase to fame in the 70s. Their American civil war title Terribly fast swordWho recreated the Battle of Gettysburg, won an award for its tactical game in 1976, but if you can get a copy today and want to try it yourself, you would have a lot of time on your hands.

Terribly Swift Sword has some shorter scenarios, but it's designed to be played as a Full 60-70 hours of battle Represents the entire battle at Gettysburg. That is true, if you play the whole game, you will spend about as much time recreating Gettysburg as the soldiers fought it in 1863.

3

The longest day

90+ hours

Have you ever played a board game that included a tutorial? The longest dayAvalon Hills 1979 Recreation of the Allied Invasion of Normandy, five scenarios designed to teach players the rules, Just to make them ready to dive into the huge campaign.

With seven boards and over 2600 counters, just set up the longest day Earns the game its name. If you and your friends are brave enough to storm the beaches with this retro -war game, challenges its board shoulder and allied pages to fight for control of The entire Norman CoastlineWith period-unkind unit types on a huge hex-based map.

2

World in flames

100+ hours

Of course, if only Normandy is not a large enough scale for you, you can always fight the whole World War II on global levelAnd no, I'm not talking about Axel and Allies. Originally published in 1985 and received a collector's edition 2000, World in flames is a military history nerd's dream … or nightmare. Maybe both at once.

It does not have Qutie as many components as the longest day, but the world in flames has strategic depth and complexity to give even the most dedicated board players a run for their money. Even if you do not win, just do it until the end of a full world in the Flames campaign itself.

1

The campaign for North Africa

1000+ hours

If you know your board game Trivia, you are probably not at all surprised to find the North Africa campaign which is comfortable in the top list on this list. This incredibly granular simulation of the African theater during the Second World War is notorious for its eye -catching playing time, which requires a full -time setting for months to be completed.

What is it about WW2 games that make designers want to pull them out like this?

The campaign for North Africa recommends a group of ten playersWith five players per page and divide tasks to make sure each turn goes smoothly. The game suggests to have one player per page just to handle the Air Forceand another to solve battle. Logistics and delivery must all be tracked and reported. You can argue that this is not a board game, but a deconstruction of board games – a work of art.

An extremely long, extended artwork.