Popular Science Fiction Board Games

The popular science fiction board games on this list are suggested for anyone who’s ever dreamed of flying through space, battling alien races, or surviving in a post-apocalyptic landscape. Whether you’re searching for a quick game to amuse your kids or something more in-depth for your weekly gaming group, these popular science fiction board games are among the most beloved.

Starfarers of Catan - Released in 1999 and inspired by the wildly popular Settlers of Catan, players compete to establish colonies and trade routes in the distant future. While not designed by Klaus Teuber, its popularity still resulted in Starfarers of Catan being made an official part of the Catan family. In order to win, players must achieve a set number of victory points, which are gained by building spaceports or colonies, gaining fame, or removing pirate lairs.

Star Fleet Battles - For those who’ve fantasized about taking part in ship-to-ship combat in the Star Trek universe, this tactical board game will be like a dream come true. Various modules allow for combat in different eras, and the following are just some of the forces that can be taken into battle: Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Hydran, Gorn, Tholian, Seltorian, and Lyran.

Car Wars - Developed by Steve Jackson Games in 1980, this sci-fi game is set in a crumbling future where men and women get behind the wheels of everything from cars to boats and battle to the death with a variety of weapons. A completely new version was released in 2002, known as Car Wars 5.0.

StarCraft: The Board Game - Inspired by the hit computer game, this massive board game allows players to control one of three different races (Zerg, Terrans, Protoss) in a battle for space supremacy. Bases can be built, troops can be trained, and each race has their own unique playing style.

Frag - Inspired by first-person shooters, this popular science fiction board game allows players to engage is swift and lethal combat with one another. Created by Steve Jackson Games.

Ogre - While one player controls a mixture of infantry, artillery, and tanks, the other player gets to take charge of the Ogre, a massive robot tank capable of taking on an entire army by itself. Another example of the popular science fiction board games from Steve Jackson Games.

Risk 2210 A.D. - An updated version of the classic game of conquest, Risk 2210 A.D. lets players battle for control of the Earth and the Moon by using conventional military tactics, diplomacy, and nuclear firepower.

Doom: The Board Game - Players can choose to control either Invaders or Marines in this popular board game based on the classic first-person shooters. The inclusion of multiple scenarios guarantees that gameplay will stay fresh and exciting.

Space Hulk - Pitting a force of Space Marines against a brood of malevolent Genestealers, this board game from Games Workshop is set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe and draws a great deal of inspiration from the Alien franchise. A mobile phone version of the game was released in 2005.

Twilight Imperium - Produced by Fantasy Flight Games, this beautifully designed game allows players to choose from a number of alien races intent on uniting the galaxy under a single banner. Combat is played out much like Axis & Allies.

All of the above popular scifi boardgames offer high quality designs and detailed but playable rules.