• Discover Board Games

• Find Board Games on eBay

• Buy Board Games With Confidence

Discover Board Games

Discover Board Games

As a popular form of entertainment, board games are as old as civilization. The Egyptians played a game called senet as far back as 3300 BC. The first marbles date from 3000 BC. Go, which is still played today, dates back to 200 B.C in China. More recently, in the 20th century, the rise of the American middle class led to the popularization of board games.

Today, the world of board games includes traditional games that have been played for centuries, children’s games that help children learn while they play, and a new breed of “designer” games that are meant to appeal to children and adults alike.

Traditional board games

Many of the following board games have been around for centuries, and they are still some of the most popular board games to date. These classic board games have stood the test of time.

• Chess

• Backgammon

• Go

• Checkers

• Chinese checkers

• Cribbage

• Mah jong

• Parcheesi

Children’s board games

Board games can do more than just entertain children; they can also help them improve their memory, as well as boost verbal and mathematical skills. Be sure to check Age Label warnings to make sure the game is appropriate for your children.

• Candyland

• Chutes and Ladders

• Hungry Hungry Hippos

• Sorry!

• Hi Ho! Cherry-O   

• Operation

• Mouse Trap

• Cariboo

• Hullabaloo

• Balloon Lagoon  

• Cadoo 

Party board games

Party board games are specially designed for larger groups or team play, typically for teens and adults.

• Scene It?

• Cranium

• Scattergories

• Trivial Pursuit

• Balderdash

• Ouija Boards

Classic and vintage board games

These classic board games are part of households across the nation. Released by companies like Hasbro and Milton Bradley, board games give you a feeling of nostalgia.

• Monopoly

• Clue

• Risk

• Scrabble

• Boggle

• The Game of Life

• Twister

• Trouble

• Bonkers

• Stratego

• Masterpiece

• Mystery Date

• Tiddly Winks

• Skunk

• Trivial Pursuit

TV board games

TV board games let you enjoy your favorite TV game shows in a new way.

• Family Feud

• Wheel of Fortune

• Jeopardy

“Designer” board games

Designer board games, also known as “German” board games, are a new breed of board games that have become very popular in recent years. Designer board games are characterized by simple rules, fairly elaborate game boards that revolve around a theme, moderate game play times, and plenty of opportunity for strategic thinking.

• Settlers of Catan

• Ticket to Ride

• Mystery of the Abbey

• Pirate’s Cove

• Tikal

• Ticket to Ride Europe

• Puerto Rico

Find Board Games on eBay

Find Board Games on eBay

Once you know what type of board game you want, go to the Toys & Hobbies portal, click Games, and start searching for item listings on eBay.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by item type. You'll find links for Traditional Board Games, Electronic Games, Role Playing Games, and more. As you dig deeper into the site you'll also be able to narrow down your choice by brand.

• Keyword search: Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find travel backgammon sets, type "travel backgammon set" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

eBay Toy Finder can also help you find hot and award-winning toys appropriate for kids of any age.

Buy Board Games With Confidence

Buy Board Games With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.