25 Best 3 Player Board Games for 2021

You might wonder why I’m on the hunt for the best 3 player board games. Surely any board game that can have two players or more is fine? Don’t I know that two’s company, three’s a crowd? (Ouch!)

Well, I’m sure there’s plenty of us in the same boat, so let me share: like many of us, I started playing board games with my parents. When I was a teen, my parents started playing Scrabble on the regular. I joined in, and thus formed my first board game group. I wanted to play more than just Scrabble, though, so I began to search for the best board games for 3 players.

Nowadays, I still often find myself playing in a group of three. The friend I regularly play board games with is married, and so our tabletop group consists of me, her, and her hubby. What game did we find to be the best three player board game? Our top pick is an age old classic: Settlers of Catan!

For the uninitiated, Settlers of Catan (or Catan for short) is a resource management game in which players collect resources to build settlements, cities, and roads. Resources are dispensed with the roll of the die, and players may trade with one another to get the resources they need.

What’s so special about playing board games in groups of three? Honestly, there’s some consideration that goes into finding good 3-player board games. Most tabletop games are for groups of two and above, but if you’ve played board games before, you’ll know that a lot of games have an optimal group size.

3 Player Board Game Criteria

What are the criteria that make for good 3 player games? There are two questions I ask:

Does the game play smoothly with 3 players?

Some games just don’t translate well when you form odd-numbered groups. For example, a game like Codenames does have a 3-player variant, but after trying it out, I found it awkward – and boring – to play.

Does the game provide sufficient competition?

Some games feel too easy when played in a group of two while others feel too crowded when played in groups of four or more. This is where Catan shines. If only two are playing, you can basically stay out of each other’s hair. However, if four are playing, your settlements and cities feel like they’re packed as tightly as sardines in a can.

The 5 Top Rated 3 Player Board Games

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Top Pick: Settlers of Catan

Catan is a resource collection and management game. Players place their settlements on hex tiles that are numbered from 2 to 12. Dice are rolled and the resulting number is matched with the appropriate tile, and the resources on said tile are then given to the players.

These resources can be used to build settlements, upgrade to cities, lay down roads, and buy development cards, all with the object of attaining 10 victory points first.

Because of the element of luck in this game, it’s not always possible to have all the resources you need – and in comes in the trading aspect!

As I’d mentioned earlier, Catan is an ideal 3 player board game because you have just enough elbow room – your opponents are close enough to cut off your roads, but far enough that you’re able to expand your domain. Trading can also get boring when there are just two players and way too chaotic when there are four, so a group of three is ideal.

I have a soft spot for Scrabble. However, if I’d wanted to play something similar at a younger age, I think my best bet would’ve been Qwirkle!

Qwirkle is a tile placement game in which tiles are stamped with different shapes in different colors. Players must build lines that consist of either the same shape or the same color.

Lines containing the same shape must be made of different colors, and lines consisting of only one color must be built with different shapes. Points are earned through each line a player is able to create when they position their tiles on the board.

If a player is able to form a line made up of six tiles, that is the ultimate power move – the “qwirkle”, which earns a bonus of 6 points. The player with the most points wins!

Sounds easy, right? Yes, but I assure you that this game is immensely fun for everyone. Kids can play this game while picking up the basics of strategy… by learning how to steal and block their opponents’ moves!

Some people enjoy a good scare, and I’m one of them. I don’t get my fix through movies and books, though – my favorite way to freak myself out is through tabletop RPG’s, and Betrayal at House on the Hill really scratches that itch.

Betrayal at House on the Hill is a game where players explore an expansive haunted house. Players must take on the roles of pre-generated characters and must move together through the fog of war to uncover new areas in the mansion. As players explore, they must draw tiles at random to build new sections of the mansion.

The game is divided into two phases: the Exploration phase and the Haunt. During the Exploration phase, party members can build alliances, find awesome items, and trigger multiple events.

The Haunt phase begins with an unlucky roll of the die, and suddenly one player will be chosen at random to be the traitor. The game is then abruptly plunged into a nightmarish race against the sudden villain!

“Elementary, my dear Watson.” Imagine being brilliant enough to say that to a decorated soldier and medical doctor! Many of us have put ourselves in Sherlock Holmes’ shoes, thinking that perhaps we could be as sharp as he is. Well, if you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at playing detective, then Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective is perfect for you.

Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective was first published in 1981 and continues to mystify players to this day. Along with the cases, you’ve given a map of London, the equivalent of an old-timey phone book, newspapers published around the time of the crime, and a clue booklet describing what can be found at the locations you choose to visit.

Putting all of this information together, your aim is to score higher than the esteemed Detective Holmes. Once you’re satisfied with all the clues you’ve gathered, you can pick up the quiz booklet and answer the questions posited therein. You can then check your answers and tally your score accordingly.

If you’ve ever wanted to see how astute you are, give this game a try – you’ll be sure to spend hours poring over every single detail, trying to see if it all adds up!

Not all superheroes wear capes – sometimes they wear hazmat suits, scrubs, and lab coats.

In Pandemic, you and your party members take on the role of CDC specialists who are caught in a heart-stopping race to halt the spread of four diseases. Each member of the group has unique abilities and everyone must work together to try and determine the best course of action per turn. In one turn, players may travel, share location cards, treat patients, build research facilities, and finally, discover the cure. However, it’s not that simple; the disease is active too, and it spreads and grows more virulent with each turn as well!

Nowadays, people are more and more aware of the hardships that workers in the medical industry face. They are our literal superheroes, risking their lives on the front lines.

So let’s salute our medical industry heroes, and those of us who aren’t in the medical field can at least catch a small glimpse of what it’s like to flatten the curve – one turn at a time.

Why You Should Buy 3 Player Board Games

• Groups of three provide the ideal level of competition. A lot of tabletop games feel too relaxed when there are only two players; it feels much easier to secure a win, especially in Euro-style games. However, a 4-player game might like players are jostling for control at all times, making for stiff competition.
• A duel might be entertaining for a while, but it does get repetitive because you grow accustomed to your opponent’s playstyle. On the other hand, in a group of 4, it makes it harder to strategize when there are so many unpredictable variables in the game.
• Groups of three are easier to manage. Duels may get quiet and dull, whereas 4 players might be chaotic and overwhelming.
• Board games tend to progress more slowly with more members, so if you’re unable to dedicate several hours to one game, a smaller party may be better.

Important Features to Consider for 3 Player Board Games

Aside from the criteria I mentioned above, there are a couple of other things I like to consider:

1. A fantastic 3 player board game is one that everyone can equally participate in.
2. It feels neither clunky nor boring when played in a group of three.
3. Most importantly – everyone has a good time playing it!  

Frequently Asked Questions

For Settlers of Catan Board Game:

Q: We’d like to play this with our kid. Is this game suitable for children?

A: For younger children, the game may be too complex or too dull for them. Catan Junior is a better option for young children since it simplifies the rules and uses a smaller game board.

For Qwirkle Game:

Q: Is this similar to dominoes?

A: Yes, it’s a matching game. However, playstyle and scoring are more similar to Scrabble.

For Betrayal at House on the Hill Board Game:

Q: How long does gameplay usually take with 3 players?

A: Depending on when the Haunt is triggered, it takes roughly 50 minutes to 2 hours.

For Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective Board Game:

Q: Since this game is very dependent on understanding the language, does it have translations?

A: Yes! The game has German, Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, Russian, and Greek translations.

For Pandemic Board Game:

Q: Why can’t we win? The game is too difficult!

You can always try playing the game in Easy Mode (with less epidemic cards). However, the game is designed to be challenging, as eradicating a disease is not easy at all!

Additional 3 Player Board Games to Consider

Looking for more options? Here are some more of the best 3 player board games:

Eye-Catching Visuals Games

Family Board Games

Deduction Board Games

Economic Board Games

Real Time Board Games

Cooperative Board Games

Wordplay Board Games