My Top 10 Travel Games with Rapid Replayability

[@franktitzler2689]

The card game you were trying to remember was “Regicide” I think! Great timing on this video as I’m planning a family vacation now and your parameters are a perfect fit!

[@kevindelord]

Regicide is perfect if you want a co-op!

[@jameystegmaier]

Thank you! :)

[@The_Wampy]

This is my favorite type of game. I play games on lunch at work and I always bring games like these. Scout, Love Letter, and playing cards are usually my go-to games.

[@tbahr123]

Scout, the Crew, and For Sale have been probably the top 3 travel games for us. My strategy is usually to try to pack a dozen or so tiny games in a large plastic bag for lots of variety

[@gravecac9522]

What a great list. You gave me several ideas for Holiday gifts. One game that is good for traveling that was not mentioned is Trio. It was hit at our last trip. Forest Shuffle has been a mainstay of our gaming group for the past year. We like its ease of play and varying strategies. Got me thinking, I wonder if you could do a legacy variant where some sort of scores carry over from game to game….maybe you get a random card with three different items and you pick one to carry over…

[@keithk888]

Great list! I've only played with 2 players but Mind Bug takes up very little space and has endless replayability. There is a 4 person variant in the rulebook that looks easy enough. Just editing to add Port Royal as well. Just cards and plays well at 4.

[@GlennVergoossen]

For our last trip I’ve used the Endless Winter: Ancestors expansions box to fit the games: - Clever 4 Ever - 7 Wonders Duel - Sushi Go - Love Letter - Machiavelli - Port Royal: Make Sail! - Lost Cities Was quite satisfied with the package of games in such a small box. 🤩

[@andysiegel725]

My friend and I have brought Air Land and Sea on hut-to-hut fastpacking trips in Europe. Can play on bus, train or huts, since doesn’t take much space. Generally a two player game, but when we were in Norway we got a couple other folks at a hut to join us for the 2 vs 2 mode. Lots of fun and replay value, especially with the expansion.

[@kwaaii7730]

Nice ones! Some more: Sea Salt & Paper, Pixies (both Bombyx), Grachtenpand (new one), Coloretto (classic) and Harvest (asian and classic)

[@maranto15]

I traveled last summer with a friend in Denmark and Norway and we played a lot of Fantasy Realms, So Clover and Similo, which all work pretty well on trains as well, so we played there a lot and even got other travelers interested in So Clover 😄

[@flowjan2335]

I love the idea of a small box with just a few components and so much replayability and fun. Great List for me especially the honourable mentions. I'm surprised that you not mentioned Sea, Salt & Paper. It's my number one. Short, easy but deep and different enough for a lot of games. 1. Sea, Salt & Paper 2. Scout 3. Fantasy Realms 4. Coup 5. High Society 6. Love Letter 7. Port Royal 8. Faraway 9. Trio 10. Hanabi

[@jameystegmaier]

That's a great list!

[@vwilliams9365]

Our favorites for travel with more than two people would be Point Salad, The Crew, A Fistful of Penguins, Codenames, and Bohnanza. For only two people, we like Canopy, the Crew, Cat in the Box, Bohnanza Duel, Targi, and unless there’s just not enough room, we also like Parks. We also have a travel Scrabble game that takes up very little space. I just got Forest Shuffle recently, and we haven’t played it yet. It could possibly go on the list, but I can’t speak from experience yet about it..

[@ludwigmises]

Love this topic. I always like to grab a small game for travel. I’ve found that Button Shy games are always good options.

[@chillionaire7114]

Going to toss Innovation into the mix. Best at 2 but can go up to 4. Grab an expansion as well, and lots of replayability there. Im liking Railroad Ink and Love Letter for games that would work on a train.

[@skyelarsen8172]

Spots would definitely be in my top 3 as well. Haven't tried So Clover yet, but I really want to try it.

[@JL-ku7wo]

Monopoly Deal with the HK expansion cards. Simple to play, so much fun, 2 to 5 players…our family go-to on trips.

[@andrewimpellezzeri3886]

I played 7 wonders on a trip recently. just copied the boards on to pieces of paper,and fits in a box similar to your realms travel box. 7 players/20 minutes or less. Saw it on your honorable mentions but wanted to mention my experience.

[@jamessherman7797]

Thanks for your review and ideas for travel games. Skull King might fit the bill as I discovered Skull King from one of your videos. I was going to mention Azul mini (travel) edition and then I saw they’ve also released Azul Summer Pavilion mini edition. Great stocking stuffers too!

[@lukedubec5005]

Great video Jamey! Thank you for the recommendations :) safe travels on your trip!

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks! We just got back from Japan. :)

[@SigynsHope]

Port Royal is great. I also made a Regicide tin with a regular deck of cards and paper printed playmat, along with The Mind. Mostly to protect The Mind, which came in a flimsy tuck box. That tin gets thrown into my bag a lot for day trips because I'm not worried about damaging game boxes. Both games are quick to teach and fun, if there's an occasion to play. And Regicide plays solo. My other solo travel pouch has a compacted version of Heading Forward, with a magnetic turn counter. I'm still figuring out how best to play it one handed like Palm Island, but it's a great game for when i fear boredom. I always fear boredom 😅

[@jameystegmaier]

That's a clever way to protect games while traveling!

[@leesweeney8879]

Star Realms, Hero Realms, Cartographers, Draft and Write Records, and Raww and Write and Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'n Write are all great choices as well as the ones you listed.

[@kevindelord]

We played the full My City on vacation, it’s indeed an amazing way to add a story to the story!!! I would add Regicide and Schadenfreude as options when you bring a deck of cards. Either co-op or competitive, pick and play! Both terrific

[@sherd7234]

Hopefully this helps someone: I didn't like to play My City Roll and Write UNTIL I played with a select a color pen. It made the whole game just come together, black x, blue full boxes, red stripes, and green for the churches. I'm now on my third playthrough of it! It's easier to see where the different buildings are and easier to score, less chaotic in my brain!

[@jameystegmaier]

That's a great tip!

[@Mysmi]

I agree with Rolling Realms being a great variety travel game. I keep it with me along with Silver and Gold when I go to work and they are super slim and easy to carry. Fliptown is my game that I would suggest. A deck of cards and a dry erase board. Enjoy your trip!

[@davebelcher3307]

My wife and I go on a couple of cruises each year. Some of our favorite games to take are Splendor Duel, the mini version of Azul, Lost Cities (just the cards without the box and game board) and The Game. Now that we own Harmonies and River Valley Glassworks, they will be going on our next cruise. Also looking forward to getting Castle Combo to take with us on vacations.

[@jameystegmaier]

Do you have a favorite place to cruise?

[@davebelcher3307]

@@jameystegmaier We really cruising to New England and Canada in the fall.

[@Poiuytrew.Q]

Perfect! I’m traveling shortly!

[@bexserver]

I made a travel version of Wyrmspan that uses some cards and components from the game, but fits into a small box - it’s quick to setup and start playing, gives the same feel of playing Wyrmspan. Would definitely take that! LLAMA is a great one, quick and easy. Deep Sea Adventure is another good one that gives more variety than most card games. Those three would be enough I think. Star Realms Legacy sounds interesting, I hope they bring it to hero realms too.

[@jameystegmaier]

Very clever about Wyrmspan! Have you played the campaign version of Hero Realms? I really enjoyed it.

[@tylerpoe8628]

Love letter (the small version from target) is one of my favorites! Also plays great as a 2 player

[@Breyfunk]

I commented on Instagram, but I’ll say it here as well, The Gang is truly an amazing game! Even people that don’t love poker have fallen in love with this game. I’m going to acquire a poker mat for my “The Gang Deluxe” 😉. I have Fleet the Dice game, it packs so much game jnto such a little box, it’s one that typically goes with us on trips.

[@jameystegmaier]

I love The Gang! It was a big hit on the trip.

[@Ian-R-Wilz]

Great list. I don't think there is any shame in putting Rolling Realms in at #1. I completely agree. It's okay to put one of your games on a list once in awhile. I understand why you choose not to put SM games on your lists but it makes 100% sense on this one and it would be weird to not have it on the lsit.

[@martinlauzon]

I would bring, on trip like that, Scout Odin Castle Combo and Knarr

[@alexandrosvezyropoulos2344]

i started with the crew and we love it

[@AndreasBolor]

For us its Cabo, Scout, Fantasy Realms (repacked), Codenames, 6 nimmt (with more people) and Faraway. Im trying to get No Thanks and Coup into the rotation but have to try it with my sisters in law first.

[@Table.Fables]

Great list, though I would put Coup on mine aswell!

[@HeyBob2006]

We (6 of us) just spent 19 days touring from Tokyo south to Fukuoka, over 19 days (Sept 2024) and there was no time for gaming! Too much to see and do and we felt we barley scratched the surface of Japan. I did make it to the main Yellow Submarine store in Tokyo and since we only did carry-on, we bought luggage on our last day to bring home souvenirs, including a bunch of Japanese games. You'll have a great time!

[@jameystegmaier]

That's wonderful! You went quite the distance!

[@HeyBob2006]

@@jameystegmaier We went with high-school friends, one who is Japanese, so we were able to get off the beaten path a lot - it was a trip of a lifetime and can't wait to go back! Enjoy (or, I hoped you enjoyed it!)

[@jameystegmaier]

@@HeyBob2006 That's great! I'm back from my trip, and we had a great time.

[@a-c-m]

I would highly recommend „Castle Combo“. Awesome game, much better than Fantasy Realms. Also: given that you travel to Japan, “The White Castle” HAS to be your pick for this particular trip (and not just be an honorable mention…).

[@jameystegmaier]

I love Fantasy Realms, but I'm also enjoying Castle Combo and The White Castle. The games I ended up taking on the trip were Flip 7, The Gang, and Tranquility: The Ascent.

[@glayher]

Flip 7 is an incredible game and travels well

[@jameystegmaier]

That's one I took on the trip! :)

[@dansioui9819]

We go on a cruise every year. Always bring some small games for sea days. Here is what we plan on bringing in January: Sea Salt and Paper Long Shot: The Dice Game LOTR: Duel for Middle Earth Castle Combo I will check out Spots. I think my family would love it!

[@brennansmith8085]

Fantasy realms Rolling Realms Deck of cards Those would be mine probably

[@luisfilipecaldeira]

My favourite small and replayable game is Mindbug. Also Jamie, not related to this video, but could you do a video recommending board games that do not relly on victory points to find the winner. For me a board game can be amazing, but if at the end we have to end up counting victory points its a huge turn off for me and my family. Thank you!

[@jameystegmaier]

Consider it done! Here's my video on that topic: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aISqaGV_m7NqpLMsi=SZKiPma0wMil3ob7

[@Alfaddur]

@@jameystegmaier this one dates back to 2019... i think it needs an update ;) thank you !

[@jameystegmaier]

@@Alfaddur It's still relevant today.

[@anthonywestbrook2155]

No shade on the deck of cards. Spades or Hearts are games I've played every night for months at a time, and they only got better as everyone learned the game and each other. Idiot (aka Palace) and Spades are my favorites, but I've found that there are a ton of rule variations for Idiot, and I don't know which ruleset is the best.

[@marccote8544]

Trailblazers Scout That’s not a hat

[@Brad4083]

The Tiny Epic games have been notably absent in this discussion. Does anybody like them in this context?

[@jameystegmaier]

I'd like to like them in this context, though I haven't found one yet that I really wanted to get to the table frequently. Perhaps the closest was Tiny Epic Galaxy for me.

[@srpad]

Port Royal is great for trips and checks all your boxes.

[@John-f3e9x]

Faraway

[@rudilator2178]

Backgammon. Dungeon Mayhem with add-ons. The Lost Expedition. Exploding Kittens. Hanamikoji.

[@simonmcg23]

OMG where’s Knarr! Just come back from 2 weeks in Bali and can report from the trenches it satisfies all of these conditions and was barely noticed in the suitcase. Didn’t even need to take it out of its OG box. 😊

[@jameystegmaier]

I've only played Knarr on BGA. :)

[@simonmcg23]

@ there’s a lot of game in that little box. I guess the only downside is that at 4 players it might be a bit of a (beautiful looking) table hog in some travel scenarios…