12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
Tavern Talk Thursday: Must Play Board Games To Bring the Summer Vibes
Welcome to Tavern Talk Thursday! We are expanding! What started as a column dedicated to chatting with members of the TTRPG community is growing to talk about all things TTRPG. We aim to continue sharing all the things we love about the community and all the content within. So, consider this a little peek into our favorite worlds and creators as we explore everything we love.
The official start of summer is only a few weeks away, but the weather and vibes are all here. And with all that warm weather comes plenty of time spent outside. But that doesn't mean we have to give up our quality board game time. To help kick off the fun, we've selected four board games that we think are a perfect fit for the summer vibes.
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Kicking off the list is Bucket Race , a strategy board game created by friends Alex, Krista, and Ben. Players work against each other and against the clock to scramble across the United States and complete their bucket list first. Each persona in the game comes with their own list of items needed before hitting their final destination. Players only have so much cash to buy items, along with avoiding other players trying to get in their way. It's a fun game that offers tons of replayability and promises countless hours of entertainment this summer.
Learn more about Bucket Race on the official page. Summer Camp
Continuing the summer theme, we have Phil Walker-Harding's Summer Camp . In this competitive deck-building game, players will race to earn merit badges and collect experience points to take the winning spot. Each playthrough is uniquely set up by picking three major activities that range from adventure to friendship to water sports and more. Devise your plan early, build the best deck and firmly secure your title as the ultimate camper.
Learn more about Summer Camp on the Buffalo Games official page.
RELATED: 10 Hot Board Games for Summertime Tabletop Fun Forbidden Island
Would it be a summer vacation without a trip to an island? Matt Leacock's Forbidden Island isn't just a must-play board game in the summer, but a must-play all year long. This is a do-or-die mission where players will work together to capture four sacred treasures. It's a race against the clock as water slowly engulfs the island after every round. It is a great game if your group would rather work together than against each other.
Learn more about Forbidden Island on Gamewright's official page. Hive
Our final must-play game for this summer is Gen42's Hive . This two-person strategy game pits players against each other as they fight to capture the opposing queen bee. What we love most about this board game is that it doesn't have a board. During gameplay, the pieces themselves become the board as players strategically place them together. It is fast-paced and will keep players on their toes as they anticipate their opponents' next move. And the small packaging makes traveling with this one super convenient.
Learn more about Hive on the Gen42 official page.
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