Move 6 of 7 · Review
Board Game Arena
A very large tabletop library that plays in the browser, live or turn by turn, with a free tier and a Premium subscription for part of the catalogue.
What it is
Board Game Arena hosts board games that you play directly in a web browser, with nothing to download. Most of its catalogue is modern tabletop games, but the classics are well represented: chess, checkers, backgammon, reversi, Go, shogi, xiangqi, gomoku, Connect 4, nine men’s morris and Abalone all appear in its listings.
The site lists computers, tablets and phones among the devices it works on, it has announced an Android app, and it is available in many languages. For a group spread across several homes, that combination is hard to beat.
How a session goes
Every game can be played in real time or turn-based. Real time means everyone is at the table together. Turn-based means you take your turn when it suits you and the game waits. Some games offer an interactive tutorial on the site, so a group can learn something new together without reading a rulebook aloud first.
Tables are where everything happens. You open a table for a game, invite friends or let others join, and play. The classics behave much as you would expect; the real draw is being able to move from a game of chess to a modern strategy game with the same people and the same account.
Premium members get a few extra ways to play: several people on one device, audio or video chat with other Premium players, statistics on the games they play, a favourite colour where the game allows it, and the option to create tournaments.
The time it asks for
Turn-based play is the quiet option: a move or two a day, several games running side by side. Real-time play is a fixed sitting as long as the game in question; a chess game is quick, while a heavier modern game can take an evening.
The usual way the hours slip away here is not one long session but too many turn-based tables at once. Keep the number small and each game stays a pleasure rather than a chore.
How it pays its way
Free to start, with an optional Premium subscription, monthly or annual. According to the player terms, Premium games need at least one Premium member at the table to start; that member can open the table and play with anyone, Premium or not. Some optional game variants, called Premium Extensions, work the same way.
Premium also removes the wait before a game, and adds play for several people on one device, audio and video chat with other Premium members, game statistics, a favourite colour where possible and tournament creation. In a group of friends, one membership is often enough for everyone to play the Premium games.
Who it suits, and who it doesn’t
A good fit for
- Groups of friends who want to play together from different homes.
- Players who want classics and modern board games under one account.
- People who like turn-based games they can fit around a day.
Look elsewhere if you are
- A specialist who wants deep training tools for one game, such as chess analysis.
- Someone who wants the whole catalogue without anyone in the group paying; part of it is Premium.
The balance
In its favour
- Plays directly in the browser on computers, tablets and phones.
- Real-time or turn-based for every game.
- Classic games alongside a large modern catalogue.
- One Premium member is enough to open a Premium table for everyone.
Against it
- Part of the catalogue needs a Premium member to start.
- The size of the library can make choosing slow.
- Turn-based tables multiply quickly.
Checked at the source
Confirmed on the official site (boardgamearena.com) in October 2026:
- “Play directly from your web browser”; real-time or turn-based; free to play.
- Classic titles listed: Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, Reversi, Go, Shogi, Xiangqi, Gomoku, Connect 4, Nine Men’s Morris, Abalone.
- Devices listed include computers, tablets and phones; an Android app announced.
- Player terms: Premium games need at least one Premium member to start; Premium features listed there.
- Premium subscription offered monthly or annually.
The platform itself is one click away. Nothing is played here.
Visit boardgamearena.com (opens the official site in a new tab)