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TDmonthly's Top 7 Most Wanted Board Games
Updated Nov. 9, 2026. Which of our 2005 Top 7 can you still buy today? We've added current editions, prices and where to buy, along with fresh board-game picks for this holiday season. The original 2005 selections follow below.
Related guides: 8 Hottest New Board Games This November · 8 Best Family Board Games for Holiday 2026 · Hottest Board Games for Holiday 2026 · Board Games archive
Disclosure: No samples were provided, and no company paid for placement. Prices and availability are as of Nov. 9, 2026 and may change. As an Amazon Associate, TDmonthly earns from qualifying purchases.
Where the original Top 7 stand in 2026
| 2005 pick | 2026 status | Amazon (Nov. 9) |
| Cover-to-Cover (Hasbro) | Era product; no current retail edition found | Skip |
| Candy Land (Hasbro) | Still a preschool staple | $10.49 In Stock |
| Monopoly (Hasbro) | Classic still in print (storage-tray edition) | $14.99 In Stock |
| Lord of the Rings Board Game | Anniversary edition listing exists | Currently unavailable |
| Cranium (Hasbro) | Still sold; watch for elevated marketplace prices | $32.98 (check delivery date) |
| BuyWord (Face2Face / Sid Sackson) | Out of print; not available on Amazon U.S. | Skip |
| Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture DVD | DVD edition retired; Classic Edition is the current Hasbro version | $31.98 (check delivery date) |
Still selling: Candy Land
Hasbro's color-card race for ages 3 and up is still the first board game for many preschoolers. Amazon showed $10.49 In Stock on Nov. 9, 2026.
Buy on Amazon
Video: How to play Candy Land, Triple S Games
Still selling: Monopoly
Hasbro's classic property-trading game for ages 8 and up (2 to 6 players) remains a holiday staple. Amazon listed the current edition with a storage tray and larger tokens at $14.99, in stock as of Nov. 9, 2026.
Buy on Amazon
Video: How to play Monopoly (2025 Rules), Triple S Games
Still selling: Cranium
Hasbro's sketch-act-sculpt-trivia party game is still cataloged for mixed-age family nights. Amazon listed Cranium at $32.98 as of Nov. 9, 2026; check the delivery date before ordering. Another seller had only a few left near $53, so compare sellers before you buy.
Buy on Amazon
Video: How to Play Cranium, Triple S Games
Still selling: Trivial Pursuit Classic Edition
The 2005 Pop Culture DVD edition is gone. Hasbro's current Classic Edition is an option for ages 16 and up and 2 to 6 players. Amazon listed it at $31.98 as of Nov. 9, 2026; check the delivery date before ordering.
Buy on Amazon
Video: How to Play Trivial Pursuit, wikiHow
Harder to find in 2026
- Cover-to-Cover and BuyWord: no current edition available on Amazon U.S.
- Lord of the Rings Board Game (Anniversary Edition): currently unavailable on Amazon U.S. as of Nov. 9, 2026.
For cooperative and new 2026 holiday picks, see Best Cooperative Board Games for Family Game Night and Hottest Board Games for Holiday 2026.
From the archives: our original Top 7, published Jan. 3, 2005.
The lasting appeal of board games makes them a profitable item for retailers to have in stock. Some established classics date as far back as the Roman Empire, while innovative new designs capitalize on pop culture. From children´s sleepovers to their parents´ late night parties, the following titles make a regular appearance.
This four-player game, which combines electronic technology with a traditional deck of cards, has remained on the company´s "Hot Product" list since its release in June 2004.
-- This innovative and educational board game for tweens received the "Mom Tested Pick Award" from Parenting Magazine.
-- America Online´s KOL(tm) Holiday Toy Tester Squad ranked it #6 for ages 9-12 on the 2004 hottest toys for the holiday season.
-- Though players search for information in the included J-14 and M magazines, different magazines can be substituted, which allows users to keep the game fresh.
ToyDirectory Product ID#: 2151 (added 1/3/2005) . TD
This game is for 2 to 4 players. Each player selects cards with colors or characters to determine where to move around the board. Players move their gingerbread pawn through a variety of confections and treats on their way to the castle. The first player to the castle wins. The simple rules and color-coded movement make this a great first game for young children. ToyDirectory Product ID#: 2152 (added 1/3/2005) . TD
This classic real estate game has enjoyed nonstop popularity for decades.
--Monopoly won Games Magazine and Games Hall of Fame awards and placed #8 on Family Education´s Top 10 Board Games.
--The classic version ranks tenth on the Board Game Geeks list of Top 10 Most Rated Games, and Board Games Express lists Monopoly #3 on the Top Board Game searches.
--Monopoly is among the most popular site listings for board games on Yahoo, is included in the favorites on AreYouGame.com, and is the editor´s choice on Amazon.com.
The broad fan-base of Monopoly has generated demand for an ever-increasing number of versions to suit a variety of tastes. ToyDirectory Product ID#: 2154 (added 1/3/2005) . TD
Fans of the intricate Lord of the Rings storyline are attracted to this challenging strategy game in droves.
--Based on the award-winning trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, this game ranks #4 on Listmania´s Top Strategy Board Games.
--Created by acclaimed designer Reiner Knizia.
--Fully illustrated by celebrated Tolkien artist John Howe.
Lord of the Rings Board Game appeals to a broad group of book and film fans that grows as each new generation is introduced to the classic series. ToyDirectory Product ID#: 2155 (added 1/3/2005) . TD
The game is intended to entice both teens and adults.
— Cranium at one time ranked No. 3 on the Pazsaz Entertainment Network´s Top 10 selling board games in North America.
— On Amazon.com it used to be the No. 3 most popular board game.
— Joyce Matthews, owner of Just 4 Fun in St. Simon’s Island, Ga., told TDmonthly that Cranium by Cranium Inc. is the absolute best-selling game in her store. ToyDirectory Product ID#: 2156 (added 1/3/2005) . TD
Face2Face has produced a number of award-winners, and this one promises to exceed the rest in popularity. READ MOM REVIEW--Created by acclaimed designer Sid Sackson. --BuyWord won Games Magazine´s Game of the Year for 2005. --The game ranks #7 on the About.com Best Board Games and Card Games of 2004. By mixing math and word skills, BuyWord appeals to a broad spectrum of the market. ToyDirectory Product ID#: 2157 (added 1/3/2005) . TD
This is the most popular trivia game in the world.
— The Pop Culture DVD Edition is the updated multimedia version of the classic game.
— Games Magazine added Trivial Pursuit to the Games Hall of Fame in 1993.
— Time Magazine called Trivial Pursuit the "biggest phenomenon in game history."
Slanted toward adult party game fans, this new edition promises high sales based on the history of those that have preceded it.
ToyDirectory Product ID#: 2160 (added 1/3/2005) . TD
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