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Top 10 Best Star Trek Board Games (That You’ll Love to Play)

Star Trek has been a beloved sci-fi franchise since 1966. It’s reached far and wide, securing millions of fans over the course of its existence.

Whether you consider yourself more of a Star Trek or Star Wars fan, the prevalence of the former is undeniable. If it’s been around for over 50 years, you can safely expect it to be culturally significant into the future.

Not only has it served as an inspiration to cosplayers and fans around the world, but it has spawned the existence of many board games. These games are the perfect way to bring your love of the franchise to your tabletop.

But where do you begin? Given the options that are out there, that’s a valid question to ask. That’s why we’ve gathered ten of the best Star Trek board games available here.

Best Star Trek Board Games

Star trek catan.

The greatest thing about Star Trek Catan is that it takes the best of two popular worlds, Star Trek and Settlers of Catan. If you’re a fan of both those things, you’ll love how this one board game combines both of them, allowing you to indulge in two fandoms at once.

Requiring three or four players, you won’t need to struggle to find enough people to play it, either. This is something you’ll be able to break out and play with just a small handful of people. And once it’s all set up, you’ll be able to admire the well-designed board and figurines.

• Does not require a lot of players.
• Includes aspects of two great IPs, Star Trek and Settlers of Catan.
• Beautiful pieces and board.
• The included character cards add a new element to the game.
• Duration of the game isn’t too long.
• A few players felt it was little confusing learning how to play initially.

Star Trek Ascendancy

In Star Trek Ascendancy, you can choose to play as one of three popular races from the series: the Federation, Klingon, or Romulans. This is perfect for those fans of the franchise who want to share their love of the lore with someone new.

One of the most interesting aspects of this game is its board. It expands as you play, which makes each game different from each other.

This isn’t the kind of game you’re going to get bored of, because it will be different every time. Plus, just like the spirit of the show, you’ll be given the opportunity to explore the universe and meet other cultures.

• Perfect for old fans and introducing new people to Star Trek lore.
• No two games will be exactly the same.
• Allows you to choose from three different beloved factions, each with their own specialties.
• The pieces and cards are gorgeously detailed.
• It can take a longer amount of time to learn and complete one game.

Star Trek Panic

Are you trying to find a game that will tone down the competition a bit? Star Trek Panic is a fantastic choice, especially if you’ve got a few people in your friend group that tend to take competition a little too seriously.

In Star Trek Panic, you and your friends play as crew members on the U.S.S. Enterprise. Rather than compete to win, you must work together to protect the ship from various obstacles. If one of you fails, all of you might fail – and the same goes for winning.

The players lose the game if the ship is destroyed. We know we’ve experienced a few people who like to flip tables when competition gets too intense, so a game like this could be perfect.

• Cooperative gameplay.
• Includes a miniature model of the U.S.S. Enterprise.
• You can play by yourself.
• Can support up to six players.
• Games take a modest hour and a half on average to complete.
• Some owners felt this game was a bit too simple.

Star Trek TNG FLuxx

Okay, so we might be cheating a little bit by adding a FLuxx game, because it’s more of a card game than it is a board game. However, we couldn’t resist adding it to the list because we think it deserved to be mentioned.

Star Trek TNG FLuxx is a game you’ll never be able to predict. The outcome and even the rules change with every single session.

Furthermore, since the pieces are cards, there’s no complicated setup here. You won’t need to spend hours setting it up beforehand and putting it away once the game is finished.

• Every game will be different from the last.
• Suitable for kids and adults alike.
• No lengthy setup or breakdown.
• Light and easy to store.
• Has an expansion pack if you love it and want to add to it.
• Not the game to pick if you’re looking for something to spend hours doing, as it can be completed in as little as ten minutes.

Star Trek Fleet Captains

This game focuses more on the ships from the series. So if you’re a spaceship fan, this is the game for you, as it puts you squarely in control of the Federation or Klingon fleet.

Once you choose your fleet, you’ll have 12 different ships to choose from during play. The game also supports a range of play styles. You can either take your opponent on directly or focus more on completing missions around the board in order to win the game.

• Focuses on ships from the show.
• Allows you to play confrontationally or non-confrontationally.
• Includes exquisitely detailed ship models.
• You don’t need a lot of people to play it, as it needs only two to four players.
• A few players felt the cards were a little thin and flimsy.
• It can take some time to read through the rules at first.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Chess Set

Here is a futuristic twist on an otherwise classic game! Just as you might have guessed from the name, this is a chess set in which the pieces are modeled to look like characters and ships from the series.

The detailed little pieces come stored in a durable package. In between games, you won’t need to worry about the pieces or board being damaged.

• Classic, strategic gameplay.
• The pieces are detailed.
• Convenient storage slots for each piece.
• The board is designed to look like outer space.
• It doesn’t bring anything new to the game – it’s just chess.
• Only allows for up to two players.

Star Trek Frontiers

Sometimes, you just want to sit down and play a board game without having to coordinate with a group of friends. When you’re looking for something you can play without getting a bunch of people to agree on it, Star Trek Frontiers is a fantastic choice.

Because 1-4 people can play it, you can easily run a session by yourself. If you’re bored by yourself or can’t get everyone to agree on it, then you can still play it.

Perhaps best of all, it comes with different scenarios. You can play it competitively or cooperatively depending on what mood your friends are in.

• You can play it by yourself or with a small group of people.
• It’s possible to play competitively or cooperatively.
• Lightweight for easy storage.
• Colorful and beautiful pieces.
• Has both deck-building and board game components.
• It can take some time to set up and learn.

WizKids Star Trek: Galactic Enterprise

This is the perfect game for anyone with a business sense. In WizKids Star Trek: Galactic Enterprise, you play as a Ferengi shopkeeper trying to peddle your wares on Deep Space 9.

Your goal is to purchase supplies to sell, then turn around and make a profit on those supplies. Other players will try to purchase the same supplies and undercut you.

• Allows for a wide range of players – 3-8 people.
• Interesting bargain and competition gameplay.
• A session can be completed in 45 minutes.
• Needs a minimum of three people.
• Some people felt a few of the pieces were hard to read.

Star Trek: Five-Year Mission

Need a game that can support a larger group of people? Star Trek: Five-Year Mission could be the game for you, as it can support up to seven players. That means you can bring it out for a medium-sized gathering without leaving anyone out.

Because the duration of each game lasts anywhere from 30-45 minutes, you’ll be able to fit more than one session in a night. Or, you can swap it up and play another game right after. You won’t need to stay up all night, falling asleep over the board after several hours of play with this one.

• The box is a compact size, making it easy to store in between games.
• Supports up to seven players.
• Has gorgeous full-color cards.
• Can be pretty affordable.
• Encourages cooperation between players.
• It relies on dice rolls and random shuffles, so a lot of it is left up to chance rather than skill.

Monopoly Klingon Collector’s Edition

Say you want to turn up the heat of your game night while giving it a sci-fi twist. The Klingon Collector’s Edition of Monopoly is exactly what you’re looking for.

We’re all familiar with the game. Monopoly is great for families and people of all age groups, and allows you to dominate the board as a businessman. The difference here is that the Klingon Collector’s Edition takes this classic game and turns it into an intergalactic adventure.

• Easy-to-understand rules.
• Colorful and detailed board.
• Intricate character pieces.
• Looking for a shorter game? You can play the hour-long speed-play version.
• The corner pieces of the board are not Star Trek-themed, which seems a little out of place.

What to Consider When Buying a Star Trek Board Game

Number of players.

Before you purchase any board game, you should think about how many people are needed to play it. If you’re planning to play it more than occasionally, you might want to look for something that doesn’t require as many players. After all, it’s surprisingly difficult to get a large group of people to agree to play one game.

On the other hand, there’s something really fun about playing with more than a few people. Games get more intriguing, because you have more types of players around the table.

One thing to keep in mind, too, is that some games allow you to play solo. These types of games are perfect for people who live alone or those who want to be able to play a board game at any time.

Complex games can be great…once you get the hang of them. However, beginning players might not have the patience to spend hours exasperatedly leafing through a rulebook the size of a dictionary.

For that reason, consider your and other players’ levels of expertise. Are you familiar with the game already, or is it new to you?

If it’s new to you, you can find gameplay reviews or videos online to give you an idea of what you’re in for in regards to the learning curve.

Game Duration

Sometimes, you get together with your family or friends for a whole night of gaming. Snacks, drinks, and fun are had over the course of an evening.

But at other times, you might want something you can set up, play, and put away quickly. You might not necessarily want something that will take the better part of an afternoon to sink into.

Make sure you take a look at the estimated game time for each option. Determine how long you’re willing to sit down and play a game at one time.

Pieces/Parts

Some board games have an exhausting setup. With hundreds (sometimes even thousands!) of pieces, you can spend the greater part of an hour just putting everything together.

For some people, this isn’t really a drawback. Some legitimately enjoy sophisticated boards with designs that can be changed or customized for each game.

However, other people might prefer something that can be set up quickly. This might be the case if you don’t have a lot of time or if you’re looking to purchase a game for children.

Most board games will have pictures of the setup. You can review this before purchasing to determine if it looks like it would take a lot of time or if it looks simple.

Clearly, one of the most crucial parts of any Star Trek board game is the theme. You’ll find many sci-fi board games out there, but not as many that are centered around the Star Trek universe specifically.

Even some purporting to be Star Trek games aren’t entirely consistent. Like with the Monopoly Klingon Collector’s Edition , a few of the pieces or components might not fit the theme.

Many players note that certain characters or pieces don’t behave like they would in the show, such as Federation pieces being aggressive. This may not be important to you if all you want is a board game with a shallow Star Trek makeover. If you’re really into the universe, though, it could make a huge difference.

If you’re looking to dive into the universe of Star Trek outside of the show, a board game can be the perfect way to do so. We hope you’ve shown you some intriguing options you can bring to your own tabletop sometime soon.

Our personal recommendation from the list is Star Trek Catan. This is because we’ve played Settlers of Catan ourselves before, and we know this strategic game is popular for a reason. We think the format is a good fit for the Star Trek universe.

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Published Dec 13, 2022

The 10 Best Star Trek Table Top Games

From Risk to Panic, we're diving into Star Trek's storied board game history.

StarTrek.com / Rob DeHart

Table top games are a great way of gathering together as a family or group of friends, and enjoying a communal experience away from screens. Thanks to their reliance on strategy and thinking over fast, impulse reactions, they're particularly great when you need something that appeals to a wide range of age groups.

If you all happen to be massive Star Trek fans, what could be better than getting involved in some Star Trek table top gaming? There are some great Star Trek themed board games out there that are sure to make you feel part of the Star Trek universe, while also giving you all a great challenge.

Here's a look at ten of the best table top games for capturing the Star Trek spirit.

Risk: Star Trek

StarTrek.com

There are plenty of Star Trek themed tie-ins of popular games but they don't always do a fantastic job of making you feel part of Star Trek . Risk: Star Trek bucks that trend. Released for the 50th anniversary, it brings together Captain Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Janeway, and Archer with each player getting to choose their favorite era.

The rules are similar to regular Risk with some key tweaks that it's borrowed from other Risk games. It's a shrewd strategy meaning that it's far from imposing for those not used to table top gaming, but it's also reasonably complex too. You assemble a crew before taking them on away missions with each character providing a specific skillset. There are quests to complete too as you aim to control all the territories.

It's a good bet for a challenging family gaming experience, but it also works well as a two-player title.

Star Trek : Fleet Captains

Designed for two or four players, Star Trek: Fleet Captains is a more adversarial table top game than most. You choose to take the role of either Klingons or the Federation before competing for dominance. While that sounds aggressive, success can also be gained through completing various missions and the decisions you choose to make.

Various decks of cards play an important role here, with each deck offering unique bonuses such as the Klingons' ability to have larger ships while the Federation is more shrewd. Each ship also has strengths and weaknesses which tie into their ability to complete missions and become stronger over time.

Some of the Fleet Captains can be quite complex but it's consistently entertaining because every session is different from the last. That's helped massively by random encounters which typically correspond to a single episode of the show, such as one encounter centered on Tribbles. It's been described as a game that's like playing out an entire season of Star Trek due to its story arc and varied missions. Who could resist that kind of experience?

Star Trek : Five-Year Mission

Star Trek: Five-Year Mission is a co-operative dice game for three to seven players. You take on the role of crew members on either the U.S.S. Enterprise or U.S.S. Enterprise-D . Together you have to solve a series of alerts in order to score points before the Enterprise is eventually destroyed.

Each crew member has a different ability so you have to work together in order to complete the tasks. It's important to adhere to the prime directive, avoid injuries as well as ship damage, and (of course) fix the alerts.

It's the kind of game that takes minutes to learn so it's ideal if you're not experienced in tabletop gaming. Being able to work together as a team feels perfectly in keeping with the Star Trek ethos too, so it's a lot of fun with family or friends.

Star Trek Panic

Based on the family game Castle Panic , Star Trek Panic is a light cooperative tower defense board game. While the original game had you working together to defend a castle, this time round, you must defend the U.S.S. Enterprise from enemy attacks.

It's a fairly simple game to learn and ideal for all the family to gather around, no matter what the age range. Based in The Original Series , games can take between 45 and 90 minutes depending on what you choose but it's a fun ride throughout.

Star Trek Panic includes some exclusive mission cards and unique challenges based on the original series, as well as character cards so you can assume the role of all your favorites from TOS. Best of all, it won't take too long to learn so it's a good introduction to table top gaming.

Star Trek Frontiers

If you're keen for a highly involved and complex Star Trek table top experience, then Star Trek Frontiers is the game for you. The average playing time is a couple of hours with that easily extending to three or four hours depending on how things unfold. It's pretty complex stuff too but highly rewarding.

Like many table top games, you command your own ship, recruit new crew members, and use your skills and experience to confront a series of challenges. The space map is randomly built using a tile system so each session is different from the last.

Designed for one to four players, there are numerous different competitive, cooperative, as well as solo scenarios to work through. Also in keeping with the Star Trek nature, not all require aggression. Expanding your knowledge and using leadership skills is often just as crucial to your success. Star Trek Frontiers isn't a great option for newbies or young players, but for those who know what they're doing, it's a rich universe out there.

Star Trek Adventures

A roleplaying adventure, Star Trek Adventures is a lot like Dungeons and Dragons - Star Trek style. It's hard to resist anything that's packaged up in a Borg type cube. Inside that cube is a wealth of dice, figurines, maps, and other things that are sure to excite you the moment you unpack it.

And it's a pretty great experience. It feels like you're living through scenes from actual episodes, while crossing the generations so you can be part of whichever Star Trek lore you prefer. It's a really enjoyable way to work together to seek out new worlds, while being exactly what you want to be courtesy of the extensive character creation made available to you.

Don't expect this to be a brief experience as there's so much going on, but do expect to enjoy many fun evenings gathered around seeing where you can go next. A fine way to share winter night in particular.

Star Trek Ascendancy

Another weighty game, Star Trek Ascendancy works best with four players. Capturing the spirit well, it's all about exploration as well as expansion and some conflict. That conflict is varied given that Star Trek Ascendancy involves the Federation, Klingon Empire, and Romulan Empire. The game comes with more than 200 miniatures so you get the idea of just how far reaching expansion can be.

There's the option for peace and exploration but few will be able to resist challenging opposing players too. After all, there are 30 different star systems to check out, and each represents some of Star Trek 's most memorable locations.

With a chunky rule book, and a plethora of decisions to make, Star Trek Ascendancy is a bit intimidating at first but it feels suitably in key with the theme. You'll enjoy mastering it.

Federation Commander: Klingon Border

Combat is everything in Federation Commander: Klingon Border which explains why it's a fast-paced game that typically takes under an hour to complete. Loosely based on Starfleet Battles, a much longer experience, Federation Commander: Klingon Border is a more welcoming time.

Via a mixture of using cards well and rolling dice just so, destroying competing starships is all you're aiming for here. Planning out your power distribution well, however, is where strategy becomes a crucial part of the game. Your ship needs to be moving fast while still steadily producing energy and, of course, firing at enemies effectively. If you've ever wanted to feel a key part of Starfleet's tactical wing, this is the game for you.

It can be a little tricky to juggle all the different elements of ship management at first, but you'll soon find yourself embroiled in massive fights that feel like the climatic scene in a war. If you're keen on war-gaming, this is a good route to pursue.

Star Fleet Battles

One of the older Star Trek- themed board games out there, Star Fleet Battles is a little unruly for newbies. Expect for it to take a few hours to play through, and much longer still if you're figuring out the rulebook.

At its heart though, it's a ship-to-ship warfare simulation game and a lot of fun. A hexagonal map guides you around with cardboard counters to place where you are, as you choose to work as a fleet or work against each other. Ships represented include the Federation, Romulan Empire, Klingon Empire, as well as a few Star Fleet Battles exclusives such as the Hydran Kingdom.

Interestingly, while its focus is squarely on The Original Series, it also includes some elements from The Animated Series , which is a great coup for anyone who loved that much underrated show. Just don't be surprised if it takes a long time for Star Fleet Battles to truly gel. It's not for the casual board game player.

Star Trek : Expeditions

Star Trek : Expeditions is based in the Kelvin Universe that we've seen in the 2009 movie and onwards. It's a cooperative four player game where you work together to beat the game effectively.

Players take the role of Kirk, Spock, Bones, and Uhura, as they attempt to defuse the threat of civil war, deal with a Klingon threat, as well as help a planet join the Federation. It's peak Star Trek with a suitable mixture of diplomacy and strategy.

It's also a fairly speedy game as all of this has to be achieved in roughly 30 turns, meaning you won't be stuck for hours on end. A scoresheet tracks your progress with the decisions you make vastly affecting how well you're doing. The only downside is that replay-ability is a little limited but it's great to see a game based on the Kelvin Universe.

This article was originally published on September 24, 2019.

Jennifer Allen (she/her) is a freelance journalist who has written for Playboy, Mashable, and Eurogamer amongst others. She lives in South Wales with her three guinea pigs and cat. Find her on Twitter @jenjeahaly.

Stay tuned to StarTrek.com for more details! And be sure to follow @StarTrek on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

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Best Star Trek Board Games

By: Author Bryan Truong

Categories Board Games , Round-Ups

In a galaxy far, far away…

Just kidding, we’re boldly going where one franchise has gone before. We’re heading to the vastness of all things Star Trek, specifically we’re looking at the best Star Trek board games this side of the Milky Way. 

Engage warp drives and let’s jump in. Check out the 14 Best Star Trek board games below.

Our Top Picks for Best Star Trek Board Games

In a hurry? Check out our favorites below.

#1. Star Trek: Frontiers

Mage Knight was one of my favorite board games and probably the most fun I’ve ever had playing a solo-game . 

Star Trek: Frontiers takes the Mage Knight system and ruleset and transports it to the Star Trek universe. 

Star Trek: Frontiers uses a streamlined version of the ruleset so it’s easier to jump into the game. It includes solo, competitive, and cooperative scenarios as well as a host of fan-made content that will keep any Trekkie busy exploring the universe.  

Although Frontiers is a simpler version of Mage Knight, that’s not to say it’s not a massive world to explore. On top of that, there’s the Return of Khan expansion that adds Khan’s ship and a lot more content to the mix.

#2. Star Trek: Ascendancy

Star Trek: Ascendancy takes players out of the roles of their favorite captains and instead puts them at the helm of 3 iconic factions in Star Trek: the United Federation of Planets, the Klingons, and the Romulans.

Ascendancy is a strictly 3-player , 4X strategy game.

Players will need to eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate (4X) in order to win. It’s a much larger scale view of the Star Trek universe and gives the players a chance to run their own civilization. It captures a lot of the Star Trek lore by bringing in custom tech trees for each race and an incredible, explorable world to conquer. 

There’s an amazing amount of replay value but the only downside is that the game takes quite a while to finish… and it absolutely requires 3 players. If you have a consistent gaming group of 4, you can still play if you get the Borg expansion. It adds a semi-cooperative element to the game due to everyone having to fight off the Borg assimilation.

#3. Star Trek: Fleet Captains

Get ready for some ship-to-ship warfare. Fleet Captains is a nifty little miniatures game that uses a system similar to HeroClix, in which each model has a rotating base to determine stats and damage. 

Unlike a lot of other miniatures-based games, however, you won’t have to buy a ton of boosters to play a big ship battle. Everything you need comes in the box and you get a surprising amount of ships for the Federation and the Klingons. If you do want some other factions like the Romulans, you’ll have to get an expansion, though. 

The game is a little intimidating to set up but much easier after the first game or two. There’s a variable setup and ship-drafting mechanic so no two space battles will ever be the same, adding a ton of replay to your universe. 

#4. Star Trek: Attack Wing

Attack Wing… Now, where have I heard that name before? 

If you’re familiar with the Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game then you’ll be right at home. Attack Wing reimplements the same system that’s been altered for the Star Trek universe. 

Personally, I love the system that they use here and it makes for an awesome dogfighting, ship-to-ship combat experience. 

The miniature design is one of my favorites in the Trekkie universe and they look fantastic on the table. 

The only real downside is that the system is completely incompatible with any others, so you’ll never be able to see which fandom would win in a fight, Star Trek vs. Star Wars . 

#5. Star Trek: Panic

On the lighter end of the galaxy is Star Trek: Panic. It improves ( IMHO ) upon the original which is called Castle Panic . 

If you’re unfamiliar, the Panic series puts the players in a defensible position at the center of the board with a swarm of enemies constantly moving in from all sides. It’s your job to work together to stem the tides, repair your defenses, and survive the onslaught.

Star Tek: Panic improves upon the original system by having players defend the USS Enterprise. Players now can use character cards to gain roles and abilities from the original series and there’s even a mission-based system that adds more flavor to the game. 

Some of the other games in the Panic series were criticized for not staying true to the original ruleset but I think the new rules added to the Star Trek variant improve upon the original system. 

It’s a fun re-theme of a great game that’s great for families and the younger crowd. 

#6. Star Trek: Catan

Star Trek comes to Catan but instead of a cute little island with a handful of sheep, you’ll instead be sitting in space at an outpost that’ll never be upgraded because “KAREN”  won’t ever trade Oxygen!

Seriously though, it’s a very thematic Trek-themed version of Catan that includes a host of heroes from all across the series. Each one gives players a significant boost or ability in-game and it really changes up the gameplay. 

I’m a huge fan of Catan and the Star Trek version is another great way to get a quick Trek fix while playing a great game. 

To add more Easter Eggs to your Catan game, you can check the Federation Space Expansion that changes up the board by adding the map used in the show that displays all of the known federation space. There are also a few extra goodies and variants thrown in as a bonus.

#7. Star Trek: Chrono-Trek Card Game

A Star Trek-themed variant of Looney Labs’ Chrononauts . 

Franchises, especially Star Trek, like to revamp timelines and alter the very fabric of time to reboot a series. Chrono-Trek lets you sit in the writer/director’s seat and take charge of your own Trekkie timeline. 

Each player becomes a secret agent that needs to travel through the entire Star Trek timeline and create their own alternate realities to suit their own needs. It’s a very simple and quick game that lets you reminisce and relive a lot of the fun Star Trek moments that you know and love. Then you can change them all in a series of what-ifs.

It asks the important questions, like “What if the Federation was assimilated by the Borg?” 

Chaos, that’s what. 

#8. Star Trek: Deck-Building Game

Deck-builders have always been among my favorite games. They allow for a ton of customization and they’ve grown steadily in complexity and mechanics throughout the years while still staying true to the core game mechanics.

The Star Trek Deck-Building Game adds a bit more Trekkie flair to the genre by having players take on the role of captains on a salvaged ship. It’s the perfect platform for a deck-builder . You have an empty ship ready to be filled with iconic crew members and equipment from the Star Trek Universe.

There are 3 different stand-alone versions that can be combined with any others for a more mix-and-matched galaxy to explore. Each one represents a different Star Trek era from the Original Series or the Next Generation.

Each version comes with 3 thematic ways to play, free for all, teams, and cooperative. They’re all thematically linked to their respective eras, so you may be finding yourself fending off the Borg with Picard or picking up allies for your fight in a Klingon civil war.

#9. Star Trek: Fluxx 

Fluxx is a dumb game. It’s completely random, wacky and full of puns. So although it’s dumb it’s a ton of fun and easy to play.

Players start the game out with 2 simple rules: draw a card then play a card. That’s it. There’s literally no way to win yet. As the game goes on, new crazy rules will come into play along with goal cards that actually give the win condition.

It’s a super weird game but fun to play. If you enjoy it, there are also a ton of different thematic versions, like zombies , Cthulu, and even a generic Sci-Fi version that has even more Star Trek puns. 

#10. Star Trek: Conflick in the Neutral Zone

No that’s not a typo, the game is called “Conflick”.

Conflick is a dexterity game where players flick their pieces to into position on a board. Similar to shuffleboard, you can also knock away players’ pieces. 

I’m normally not a big fan of dexterity games because I’m as graceful as a moose trapped in a bedspread. Conflick, however, has some neat mechanics that go along with flicking prowess. Players need to manage resources, by positioning their ships near planets, while managing their number of actions. It makes for a rather exciting tabletop experience.

#11. Star Trek: Expeditions

Star Trek: Expeditions is based on the 2009 reboot of the series and thus uses all the fancy bells, whistles, and lense flairs you’ve come to expect from the new series. 

In Expeditions, the USS Enterprise is dispatched to a distant world that is under attack from Klingons, undergoing a civil war, and is about to say no to an alliance with the United Federation of Planets. Cue the “So you had a bad day” soundtrack.

Players have to work together to solve all three problems before things get out of hand and the Enterprise is forced to withdraw.

Expeditions is a very social game in which you’ll spend a lot of time talking with your friends and trying to solve this sad sack of a planet’s problems… and it’s really fun. 

The few downsides to this one are that there is a lot of randomness and luck involved and the name of the game should have been “Expedition”. There’s a bit of randomness to the sidequest but the overarching mission will always have the planet in a civil war, threatening to back out of the alliance and a Klingon war party on the horizon. It’s the same scenario every time you play. 

There is, however, an expansion that adds Scotty, Sulu, and Chekov into the mix along with a few new side missions to contend with, which does add more variety.

#12. Star Trek: Five Year Mission

Star Trek: Five Year Mission seems like a lightweight Pandemic / Party game . 

In Five Year Mission, players must choose whether to play as the cast of the Original Series or the Next Generation. Each player takes on the role of a crewmember from their respective ships and together they’ll need to solve casualties and alerts. 

How do you solve alerts?

Lots of dice . Five Year Mission relies heavily on dice to resolve alerts and therefore has a lot of randomness built into it. It can get very chaotic as crewmembers become injured while the Enterprise is burning down around you.

#13. Star Trek: Adventures

I always enjoy a good RPG system.

I’m one of the weirdos that spend their time reading the core rulebooks of various systems. It’s really fun to get lost in new worlds. 

The Star Trek: Adventures is a full-fledged pen and paper RPG that uses a 2d20 system. Players will be able to create their own stories as members of the Federation. 

The number of resources in the core rulebook is amazing. There’s a ton of information spanning the entire history of Starfleet. The artwork is pretty incredible too.

Being a traditional RPG, the stories and events are only limited by your imagination, but there are also several modules written by Star Trek veterans.

I personally can’t wait to play a game based on John Scalzi’s Redshirts.

#14. Star Trek: Road Trip

Star Trek: Road Trip is a very simple, family-friendly game. (Maybe even good for a family road trip too?)

Players are cadets of Starfleet completing the Enterprise Challenge. They’ll need to move around the board to collect tokens to move towards the center of the board. The player to return with all 4 tokens is the winner.

It’s not the most exciting game in the world, but it’s extremely simple and has a nice retro vibe from the Original Series.

After exploring the far reaches of the galaxy with us we hope you had fun exploring a universe and fandom that has inspired millions of people throughout the world. 

Did your favorite Star Trek game not make the list? Leave a comment below.  We’d love to hear about your favorite Star Trek board games!

Before starting GameCows with his wife Kendra, he used to teach English Language Arts in the US. He combined his love of gaming with education to create fun game-based learning lessons until he eventually decided to run GameCows with Kendra full-time. He’s known for pouring over rulebooks in his spare time, being the rule master during game night, and as the perma DM in his DnD group. Bryan loves board games, writing, traveling, and above all his wife and partner in crime, Kendra.

David Albin

Tuesday 7th of December 2021

There was a solo game called “Star Trek III” that had you either re-enact Robin Hood and his Merry Men, pick up and deliver trade goods, or try out the Kobyashi Maru challenge. Three separate games, hence the title. Check it out!

Tuesday 9th of June 2020

“The best diplomat that I know is a fully-loaded phaser bank.” —Lt. Commander Montgomery Scott

Star Fleet Battles (made in 1979) was one of our favorites! Take the helm of a Star Fleet vessel and engage the enemy at warp speed! Players command one or more ships from the Federation, Klingon, Gorn, Romulan, or Kzinti fleets, using weapons like phasers, disruptor bolts, photon and plasma torpedoes.

Bryan Truong

Friday 19th of June 2020

HEY CARKLY!

I'm glad you liked the article. I was trying to dig up some of the older editions of Star Fleet when I was writing this one. I just ended up getting lost in years and years of lore though. Do you still have the sheets of your Bruning Battlecruiser hidden away?

6 Best Star Trek Board Games

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5 Popular Sci-Fi Franchises That Would Make Great Open Worlds

9 underrated star trek: the next generation episodes, 26 of the most difficult board games for adults.

• Star Trek board games have consistently provided immersive, cooperative experiences for fans, encompassing a variety of themes and plots from the franchise's rich selection of stories and characters.
• Popular Star Trek board games like Star Trek: Catan, Klingon Challenge, Panic, Frontiers, Ascendancy, and Fleet Captains offer unique gameplay experiences that capture the spirit of the beloved series, featuring familiar characters, high-quality artwork, and strategic elements.
• These select board games stand out above the rest due to their unwavering commitment to bringing the beloved source material to life, providing addictive and complex gameplay that references classic Star Trek material, making them a referential treat for longtime fans.

Considering its immense, cult-like following in the years since the original series first aired back in 1966, it's hardly surprising that the Star Trek franchise has branched out into many areas of media. One medium that has consistently produced interesting Star Trek fare is board gaming.

The following five sci-fi franchises are ideally suited to an open-world video game adaptation.

With so much rich lore, mythology, and situations to take inspiration from, Star Trek board games have consistently given fans immersive, cooperative treats to enjoy over the decades. From deep space exploration to wars with the Klingons, these games have encompassed just about every theme, concept, and plot line one could expect from the long-running franchise's rich selection of stories and characters . Of the many board games out there for Trekkies to get stuck into, a select few stand out above the rest due to their unwavering commitment to bringing the beloved source material to life.

6 Star Trek: Catan Is A Trade-Focused Epic

Kicking off on a couple of minor outposts out on the Final Frontier, this acclaimed entry takes great inspiration from 1995's Catan board game. Needless to say, the fusion of an influential board game and the iconic lore of Star Trek makes for engrossing fare.

The game seamlessly combines themes of trading, resource management, and colonization with the adventurous, space-traveling spirit of Star Trek . The high-quality artwork and well-designed components help to immerse players more fully in the classic franchise's vibrant sci-fi world. Providing familiar characters and locations from the original show, the game also sees players tangle with sinister Klingons when trying to collect and trade vital resources with neighboring planets. Considering its addictive, complex gameplay and emphasis on classic Star Trek material , this is a referential treat for longtime fans.

5 Star Trek: The Next Generation - A Klingon Challenge Provides Race Against The Clock Fun

For fans of the beloved Next Generation series , this Klingon-focused board game is a fun gem. Set on the U.S.S. Enterprise, A Klingon Challenge sees players attempt to regain control of the ship after it gets hijacked.

Star Trek: The Next Generation had plenty of memorable episodes, but some hidden gems inevitably flew under the radar.

Advertised as a play experience in which players will never play the same game twice, this 1993 release uses a live-action video as a part of its structure. The villainous Klingon KAVOK takes over the ship to start the video and then has multiple comments to share over the course of a game. Using a die and cards, players must get around the Enterprise-themed board and make it to the bridge before the set time limit kicks in if they want to pick up a win here. Considering its action-packed plot and colorful villain , this is a straightforward but satisfying piece of Star Trek board gaming.

4 Star Trek: Panic

For fans of the original '60 series and its subsequent films, Panic provides an exciting chance to assume the roles of Captain Kirk and Spock. On top of that, the game is a must-play for fans of the classic Castle Panic , as it successfully applies that game's format to the Star Trek universe.

Players must work together to ward off wave after wave of enemy starship attacks. Along the way, they must also complete a litany of mission objectives and, perhaps most importantly, keep the U.S.S. Enterprise intact. In a nice bit of nostalgic fun for fans, many of the missions on offer here tie into storylines and moments from the original show. Released back in 2016, Panic garnered acclaim for its cooperative style and thematic elements. Overall, it's the perfect game for board game fans looking to relive the golden years of William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy's time fronting the long-running franchise .

3 Star Trek: Frontiers

Boldly going where no man has gone before makes up a core theme in this trailblazing board game from 2016. The plot zeroes in on an area of space that holds both Klingon and Federation influence at a time when the two rival factions are enjoying a shaky peace agreement.

While some board games are a great choice for a simple game night, these choices are more difficult to learn for those wanting a challenge.

For fans of the acclaimed Mage Knight board game, Frontiers serves as a familiar treat. Using Mage Knight 's venture tile system, this acclaimed Star Trek game allows players to explore unknown, dangerous regions of space. Sporting a well-fit blend of combat, diplomacy, and exploration, Frontiers succeeds admirably in capturing the problem-solving spirit of the classic series. With fearsome, uncharted space and hostile alien races to contend with, the appeal of this audaciously intrepid game for Trekkies almost goes without saying.

2 Star Trek: Ascendancy Provides Tactical, Empire-Building Fun

The Federation, the Romulans, and the Klingons are all at each other's throats in this explorative adventure game. Once players have picked their side, they begin building their civilization up, branching out into the stars and butting heads with their opponents.

Fitting neatly into the 4X (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate) subgenre of strategy-based gaming, Ascendancy is a cerebral board gaming experience. Each playable faction boasts its own specific abilities, helping to further live up to the rich lore established for all three parties in the numerous series and films over the years. Sporting a versatile, modular game board that changes with each play, Ascendancy provides a great deal of replay value for Star Trek fans. The deep, strategic gaming experience on offer also provides appeal beyond fans of the classic series as the game's empire-building format rivals classics such as Twilight Imperium .

1 Star Trek: Fleet Captains Takes Players Into The Heart Of The Federation/Klingon Rivalry

In this surprisingly competitive 2011 release, players must take control of a key group - typically either the Klingons or the Federation - from the Star Trek universe. From there, they compete for galactic power and victory.

Taking command of a fleet of starships, players have a deck of command cards and a variety of customizable ship capabilities to build up their space-faring might with. What sets Fleet Captains apart is how remarkably on-point it is in capturing the adventurous spirit of Star Trek 's Prime universe. From the emphasis on exploration and space combat to the world-building of the Federation, Klingons - and, in later editions, groups such as the Romulans - on offer, it's a fast-paced, tactics-focused battle of wits that's perfect for Trekkies looking to get immersed in starship thrills. With major narratives, side quests, surprise encounters, and a variety of paths to success, the game often proves to be as diverse and unpredictable as the classic shows it's based on.

MORE: Star Trek: Best Non-Federation Starships, Ranked

• Browse Games

Star Trek Trivia Game (2000)

Designer: (Uncredited)

Publisher: Mattel, Inc.

• How to Play
• Ratings & Comments

Trivia game containing questions about Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager. Answer a question correctly, and receive the color coded insignia for that series. The first player to collect an insignia from each of the four series and correctly answer a final question (other player's choice) wins. Questions can be answered either with three multiple choice options or, for a more difficult variant, without the multiple choice. High quality pictures adorn the front of each trivia question to provide a clue regarding the questions on the card.

Special spaces make for more interesting game play than a typical trivia game

Borg Spaces: When landing here, you must defend your most recent insignia. If you answer the question incorrectly, you lose your most recent insignia.

Starship Spaces: When landing here, you can challenge an opponent for a specific insignia they already have. Answer a question of that series correctly, and you steal your opponent's insignia.

Q Continuum Spaces: When landing here, if you correctly answer a question, you may then move anywhere on the board. If you answer incorrectly, you must move to the closest Borg Space and defend your most recent insignia.

Wormhole Spaces: When landing here, you may choose to move to any of the wormhole spaces on the board and continue your turn. After you have collected one insignia from each of the four series, you must pass through a wormhole to answer the final question in order to win.

Classification

• Movies / TV / Radio theme
• Science Fiction
• Roll / Spin and Move

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