Quick board games
Last checked 30 October 2026
Quick answer: That's Not a Hat is about 10 minutes, and Kingdomino, Sushi Go!, Qwixx, Coup and Dobble all play in about 15. Love Letter and Flip 7 take about 20. They're all easy or very easy to teach, so you can play one before dinner or squeeze one in at the end of a games night.
Sometimes you've only got a short gap: before food, while waiting for someone to turn up, or when the big game's finished and nobody wants to go home. Everything here plays in 20 minutes or less (going by the publisher's own figure) and most of them fit in a coat pocket. They're also easy to pick up, so you won't spend longer on the rules than on the game.
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1. That's Not a Hat
A memory and bluffing card game about regifting. Pass a face-down gift on and say what it is. The next player accepts or calls you out, and a wrong call costs a penalty point. Lowest score wins.
- Players
- 3 to 8 players
- Age
- 8+
- Play time
- about 10 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: Kasper Lapp's memory and bluffing game about regifting. Pass a face-down present on and say what it is. The next player can accept it or call you out, and getting it wrong costs a point. It gets very silly very quickly. It's 3 to 8 players, 8 and up, about 10 minutes.
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Details last checked 26 October 2026.
2. Kingdomino
Pick domino-style land tiles and fit them into your own little 5-by-5 kingdom. Matching landscapes score points.
- Players
- 2 to 4 players
- Age
- 8+
- Play time
- about 15 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: Pick a domino-style land tile and fit it into your own little 5-by-5 kingdom, matching landscapes to score. The tile you take decides when you pick next, which is a neat twist. It's 2 to 4 players, 8 and up, about 15 minutes, and very easy to teach.
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Details last checked 9 November 2026.
3. Sushi Go!
Pick a card, pass the rest. Phil Walker-Harding's quick drafting game: chase maki rolls, finish sashimi sets, dip nigiri in wasabi to triple it and save room for pudding.
- Players
- 2 to 5 players
- Age
- 8+
- Play time
- about 15 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: Phil Walker-Harding's drafting game in a tin. Pick a card, pass the rest on, and chase maki rolls, sashimi sets and pudding. Three quick rounds and you're done. It's 2 to 5 players, 8 and up, about 15 minutes.
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Details last checked 2 November 2026.
4. Qwixx
Six dice and a score pad in a pocket-sized box. Everyone can use every roll to cross off numbers, so there's no downtime, just lots of nervous little decisions about what to skip.
- Players
- 2 to 5 players
- Age
- 8+
- Play time
- about 15 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: Six dice and a score pad. Everyone can use every roll to cross off numbers, so there's no waiting about, just a stream of small decisions about what to skip. It's 2 to 5 players, 8 and up, about 15 minutes, and the box is tiny.
Details last checked 2 November 2026.
5. Coup
Bluffing in a tiny box. You hold two face-down characters and can claim to be anyone to use their power. Get caught lying and you lose a card; lose both and you're out, so games are short.
- Players
- 2 to 6 players
- Age
- 13+
- Play time
- about 15 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Easy to teach
Why it suits this: Rikki Tahta's bluffing game. You hold two face-down characters and can claim to be anyone to use their power. Get caught lying and you lose a card, lose both and you're out. That's why games are short. It's 2 to 6 players, 13 and up, about 15 minutes.
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Details last checked 2 November 2026.
6. Dobble
Any two cards share exactly one matching symbol. Spot it and call it out before anyone else. Young kids are often quicker than the grown-ups.
- Players
- 2 to 8 players
- Age
- 6+
- Play time
- about 15 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: Any two cards share exactly one symbol. Spot it and shout it before anyone else. It's the quickest thing here to explain, and kids often beat the adults. It's 2 to 8 players, 6 and up, about 15 minutes.
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Details last checked 19 October 2026.
7. Love Letter
A pocket-sized game of risk and deduction with just 21 character cards. Play one a turn, use its power and get your letter to the Princess.
- Players
- 2 to 6 players
- Age
- 10+
- Play time
- about 20 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: Seiji Kanai's pocket game with just 21 cards. Each turn you draw one and play one, using its power to knock others out or protect yourself, and try to get your letter to the Princess. Rounds take a couple of minutes, so it's easy to stop whenever you need to. It's 2 to 6 players, 10 and up, about 20 minutes.
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Details last checked 19 October 2026.
8. Flip 7
Flip cards one at a time and bank your points before you turn up a number you already have. Get seven different numbers and you score a bonus.
- Players
- 3+ players
- Age
- 8+
- Play time
- about 20 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: A push-your-luck card game. Flip cards one at a time to add up points, and stop before you get a number you've already got. Turn over seven different numbers and you get a bonus. It's 3 or more players, 8 and up, about 20 minutes, and very easy to teach.
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Details last checked 19 October 2026.
Want something longer for later? See our strategy board games. For small boxes to give as presents, try stocking filler games. Going away? See our travel board games.
How we choose and check
We pick games for the situation, and ignore hobby rankings and hype. Player counts, ages and play times come from the publisher's own page or the box. If we can't confirm a detail there, we leave it off the card. The teaching rating is our own view from reading the rules, not a publisher figure. Nobody pays us to include a game. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. See how we make money.