5 Awesome Fictional Board Games We Want to Play

Fictional board games don’t have to play by our real-life rules. As such, they can be magical, they can utilize nonexistent technology, or they can simply have bizarre rules. Many of us wish that we could play some of the board games we see in books and movies. Here are five fictional board games that we want to play in real life.

1. Jumanji

Of all the fictional board games out there, this one is probably the most iconic. Both the book by Chris Van Allsburg and the 1995 movie show us a game that literally sucks you into its world. Of course, the jungle board game is full of dangers, but that’s what makes it so enticing. Would you survive if you played Jumanji? It can be fun to just wonder.

2. Zathura

Image of Zathura Board Game replica, Coutresy of Twitter

The spiritual sequel to Jumanji was also made into a fanciful movie. This time, the board game is sci-fi themed, launching its players into space. You might have a better chance of surviving Zathura than Jumanji, which means that you might have a better time playing it. Every card drawn and every space rolled unveils a new galactic adventure.

3. Wizard Chess

Do you think chess can get a little boring? Maybe you’d like Wizard Chess from the Harry Potter universe better. It’s like regular chess, except the pieces are magical and they whack captured pieces apart. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, there’s even a giant Wizard Chess set with larger-than-life-size pieces. While J.K. Rowling may have tainted Harry Potter’s good image with her anti-trans views, that doesn’t change how Wizard Chess is amazing.

4. Dejarik

Image of Dejarik board, Courtesy of The Disney Store

Speaking of chess, here’s another version of chess, this one from a galaxy far, far away. Dejarik, also known as holochess, is played on a circular board with holographic creature pieces. It also might put Chewie in arm-ripping mode when he loses. While versions of this fictional board game do exist with plastic pieces, we want to play with holograms!

5. Christmas: The Board Game

Not to be confused with The Christmas Game, Christmas: The Board Game is from the highly underrated Aardman film, Arthur Christmas. The movie doesn’t tell us all the rules, but it has metal pieces shaped like Santa, a sleigh, a candle, and a turkey, cards that challenge the players to perform stunts like singing “Silent Night” backwards, and a bright, colorful board. Unlike the other fictional board games on this list, this one could actually be manufactured in real life, so maybe Aardman should consider putting it out.

Conclusion

Fictional board games can go beyond what’s possible in real life. Although most of these games couldn’t be played in real life without removing the things that make them extraordinary, that doesn’t stop us from imagining what it would be like to play them and how good we would be at them. So, do you think you could survive Jumanji? You may never find out for sure, but you can imagine to your heart’s content.