We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A 1967 edition of Battleship that'll have you and a friend storming the seas, blasting away at the enemy's (who is, coincidentally, that very friend) battleships.
Number of players: 2
Recommended age: 7+
Pieces: two ocean grids with barrier lids, ship storage, and peg holding placemat. Also included are two fleets of ships with one Carrier, Battleship, Cruiser, Submarine, and Destroyer each. Finally, two sets of marker pegs (in red and white).
Promising review: "I used to play this game with my grandkids. Now I have great-grandchildren and needed a new game. I was thrilled that I could get the retro series. It’s exactly what I had years ago." —Peggy C.
Get it from Amazon for $15.49.
2. A 1965 edition of Mystery Date (which I personally own and love so much) for folks who know that playing a date night game is much more fun than the games that get played on actual dates.
Number of players: 2 to 4
Recommended age: 8+
Pieces: one die, four cardboard players, a game book (with the OG artwork), 48 outfits cards, door (with photos of the dates inside), and instructions.
Promising review: "This is a silly, throwback game to 50s styles and attitudes, but fun to play with your besties — especially after a glass or two of wine!! Perfect for a night in." —Kindle Customer
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
3. A royal edition of Parcheesi — a classic board game that's been entertaining people for over a century. To play, roll the dice and move your pieces around the board, racing to get all your pieces to the center while blocking your opponents' moves. This simple, satisfying game is sure to be a hit at your next game night!
Number of players: 2 to 4
Recommended age: 8+
Pieces: game board, 16 plastic pawns (four sets of four colors), four dice cups, eight dice, and instructions.
Promising review: "This is an old favorite. I used to play this with my dad way back when. I saw and bought it to play with my kids. It has found its place in our 'favorites' rotation on game night." —Wycked
Get it from Amazon for $20.99.
4. A 1986 version of Clue, a beloved board game complete with a dark and foreboding mansion, sinister suspects, and hidden weapons. You're gonna need to use your powers of deduction to solve the mystery and be the first to identify the killer, the weapon, and the location.
Number of players: 3-6
Recommended age: 8+
Pieces: illustrated mansion board, pewter candlestick, knife, wrench, pipe, and gun, plastic rope, weapon cards, character cards, one case file, and six plastic character pawns.
Promising review: "We try to get the family one game every Christmas and we chose this one! This retro edition is so fun. My girls love the mystery of this game and we enjoy being brought back to our childhood. Great for family night or rainy day!" —GreenChile33
Get it from Amazon for $21.99.
5. The Blockbuster Game designed with multiple activities in one. Enjoy a hearty dose of nostalgia remembering all the times you roamed around the aisles of a movie rental store *while* brushing up on your knowledge of the cinema. This game is a race to see who can describe, quote, and act out three different movies the fastest. Play this once and I'm certain you'll want to hit "rewind."
Number of players: 4-12
Recommended age: 12+
Pieces: 260 cards, 1 electronic timer, 1 game board, 1 Blockbuster sign, and instructions.
Promising review: "This game is so much fun and absolutely hilarious. The rules are very simple and it really is true — if you have seen some movies, you can play this game. You don't need to be a movie aficionado. I played this once at a party and immediately bought it and took it to a game night where two more people also ended up buying it, it's just that fun!" —Jen
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
6. An old school version of Operation sure to ~zap~ you right back to your childhood! This is exactly the same board you played with in your pint-sized surgeon days. Show your kids how fun this ol' game is (and help them master the best strategy for removing that dang Adam's apple).
Number of players: 1+
Recommended age: 6+
Pieces: game board with "Cavity Sam" patient, tweezers, 26 cards, 12 plastic anatomy parts, play money, rubber band, and instructions.
Promising review: "This is an oldie but goodie game that I still love playing with my grandkids." —Joy L.
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
7. Dutch Blitz (created in 1937) is perfect for folks who love solitaire, but hate solitary games. It's the fast-paced card game you didn't know you needed! And fun fact: it's still popular among the Pennsylvania Amish and Dutch communities today!
Number of players: 2–4 (an expansion pack is available for more players).
Recommended age: 8+
Pieces: 160 cards and instructions
Promising review: I ADORE this game. My partner and I teach it to everyone who will let us, and we've yet to encounter someone who hasn't also fallen in love with this super engaging, fast-paced, and competitive game. It's really easy to teach; newbies usually have a handle on things after the first round, and rounds go by quick. And since it's just a deck of cards, it's so easy to travel with — I even have the carrying case! —Danielle Healy, BuzzFeed
Get it from Amazon for $10.84.
8. Bookshelf Scrabble complete with letter tiles and a board that matches the 1948 game board. This folds up into a secret book that'll blend into your bookshelf brilliantly.
Number of players: 2–4
Recommended age: 8+
Pieces: wood letter tiles and four tile racks, a drawstring pouch, score pad, and pencil.
Promising review: "Durable, cute, and space efficient! It’s everything you’d expect from Scrabble but it fits in a compact 'book' case that looks great too. Definitely love the aesthetic and ease of choosing a board game with these types of packages." —GoldnX
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
9. Mystery at Magnolia Gardens, for folks who never grew out of their Nancy Drew phase. This game from Hunt A Killer is pieced together with clues like notes, images, maps, and more. Dig through your set and solve the mystery...before it's too late!
Number of players: 1-6
Recommended age: 14+
Pieces: includes mini lockbox with resolution inside and an undisclosed amount of paper maps, facts, and clues.
Promising review: "This is a really fun family game that I played with my sister, since we both LOVE Nancy Drew and grew up reading the books. I’d buy this if you’re a Nancy Drew fan – we thought it was totally worth it. Remember that it's a one time play through, once you solve the mystery there’s no redoing it. We loved it and found it worth the money, we finished the game in an hour." —Michelle
Get it from Amazon for $22.49.
10. Or an Agatha Christie version, Mystery of Hunter's Lodge, that'll bring generations of your family together; including your Agatha Christie-loving parents and your true crime-loving children. This is another Hunt A Killer set, so you know it'll give your family hours of entertainment!
Number of players: 2-6
Recommended age: 14+
Pieces: inside you'll find a mini lock, locket, and several photos, letters, maps, and other paper clues.
Promising review: "Prepare to spend a good four to six hours playing this game! It is super fun and strangely addictive. By the end of the game, when we solved the case, I wished we had another mystery to solve. Loved it!" —Jelena
Get it from Amazon for $64.99.
11. A pocket-sized Power Rangers handheld video game sure to be a hit with gamers who miss the good ol' days. Our iPad toddlers have no idea how great simple graphics and a handful of buttons can be.
Number of players: 1
Recommended age: 8+
Pieces: one game console
Promising review: "This was a blast from the past! I got it for my 6-year-old for Christmas. It took him a little bit to get the concept of the game down, but he loves it. It’s exactly as I remember from when I was a kid. I highly recommend it! It was in original packaging and brand new." —Amy
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
12. A Barrel of Monkeys you can buy for your own little monkeys. This connection game is a great way for your kiddos to develop their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and creativity, all while monkeying around!
Number of players: 1+
Recommended age: 4+
Pieces: One plastic barrel and fifteen monkey pieces.
Promising review: "This is a nostalgic gift. My grandson really enjoys it and it brings back fond memories from my childhood." —Gerri Merida
Get it from Amazon for $8.95.
13. A 1978 edition of Chutes and Ladders is another great option for families with little ones around. The goal of this game is to do a "good deed" and climb the ladders all the way to the top. But there's a catch, if you do a "bad deed" you slide down the chutes! This silly game has been teaching kids about consequences for generations.
Number of players: 2+
Recommended age: 3+
Pieces: a collapsable board, spinner, and four character pieces.
Promising review: "This game is a perfect board game for a family with younger children. My husband has fond memories of this game from when he was little so I decided to add it to our game collection. We really enjoyed playing it this weekend. My kids are 8 and 4. They loved it and so did their parents. Spinning the spinner was the best part. Highly recommend." —Marci W.
Get it from Amazon for $20.99.
14. Hi-Ho! Cherry-O — this fun and educational game taught many of us how to count when we were kids (and, if you were anything like me, it also taught that plastic cherries aren't for eating...sigh). If you're looking to introduce math into your home, this game will be a hit!
Number of players: 2+
Recommended age: 3+
Pieces: this comes with a plastic game board featuring four trees and buckets, 44 plastic cherries, a spinner, and illustrated instructions.
Promising review: "I loved this game as a child (I’m now 65). I purchased this for my three year old granddaughter. She caught on to the game right away. Of course, she wanted to win every time and pretty much did. Great game for first timers and old timers!" —Renee
Get it from Amazon for $17.30.
15. A Cribbage set — bring this to your grandparent's house and watch their eyes light up when you suggest you all play a game. This is a card-and-board-game combo that's been around for ages! Sure, you may associate it with nursing homes, but just watch, one round of this and you're gonna be Cribbage's biggest fan!
Number of players: 2
Recommended age: 8+
Pieces: Wooden board, deck of cards, player pegs,
Promising review: "We love to play cribbage and bought this set to take when traveling. The board folds nicely in half, takes up very little room in your bag, and even came with a deck of cards. Great buy!" —Susan Galasso
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
16. A classic Tamagotchi for tech-savvy sweethearts who would love a blast from the past. Here's hoping you have better luck keeping this one alive than the, ahem, six you had as a child.
Number of players: 1
Recommended age: 5+
Pieces: one hand held gaming device.
Promising review: "This was such a nice gift to myself and it kept me entertained for a while. This was a nice throwback to my childhood. The battery life is amazing." —Jess
Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in 44 styles).
17. A game of Jacks is sure to be a fun option when game nights need a little more energy. The goal is to grab as many of your own jacks as possible before your bouncing ball hits the ground. This game is still a hit for a reason!
Number of players: 2+
Recommended age: 3+
Pieces: five gold jacks, five silver jacks, and two rubber balls.
Promising review: "Nostalgic. A trip down memory lane to play Jacks! I enjoyed showing my kids and grandkids." —Timothy Lux
Get it from Amazon for $10.99 (available in two colors).
18. A classic tin of marbles that'll have *endless* gaming opportunities. To play one marble game, draw a circle around the scattered marbles and keep one to yourself. Then flick that marble to (hopefully!) hit some outside of the circle, then claim them as your own! Honestly, just talking about this makes me want to start a marble collection again.
Number of players: 1+
Recommended age: 5+
Pieces: 160 glass marbles in classic storage tin.
Promising review: "My kids are 5 and 9. This is a simple and fun game that brings out a lot of memories from my own childhood. Keeps them off the electronics for hours. They can play by themselves, together, or as a family." —Marbles
Get it from Amazon for $10.04.
19. Or grab a 1989 version of Aggravation, for this game, you roll the dice and race your marbles around the board, trying to avoid getting sent back to the start while sending your opponents back to theirs. This game is fast, fun, and (I can't stress this enough) aggravating!
Number of players: 2-6
Recommended age: 5+
Pieces: This includes a game board, six dice, and 24 marbles.
Promising review: "My mom wanted this because she used to play it 20+ years ago. I absolutely loved getting her a retro version. The rest of us learned how to play pretty quickly. It's a fun, feisty game. This is exactly what we wanted." —TAC
Get it from Amazon for $21.99.
20. And finally, Pretty Pretty Princess (a game that'll spark the memory of every '90s baby) sure to be loved by families who believe dress up is an essential part of play. This fashion-forward game'll have you and your kids throwing on dozens of accessories at a time while making your way toward the greatest goal, the crown. Here's hoping *you* are the prettiest princess of them all.
Number of players: 2-4
Recommended age: 5+
Pieces: a game board, spinner, four plastic characters, one crown, 21 pieces of plastic jewelry, and illustrated instructions.
Promising review: "This is a childhood classic. My daughter loves this game, and if I can be honest, it was one of my favorites growing up also. A classic game." —Lts819
Get it from Amazon for $19.49.
Good luck, gamers!
