Top 10 Most Played Games at NACLABOR
Updated: January 2026
We have been tracking what people play at the store and what they take home. This list is based on actual sales and rentals over the past year, not marketing hype. If you walk into NACLABOR on any given Saturday, there is a good chance at least three of these are open on our tables.
1. Catan
Still the most popular game we sell. People who have never touched a board game beyond Monopoly pick this up and come back for the expansions within two weeks. The trading and negotiation part keeps it interesting even after many plays. We go through about 4-5 copies a month.
2. Ticket to Ride: Europe
Families love this one. The rules take about five minutes to explain, the map looks good, and there is enough tension to keep adults engaged while kids figure out their routes. The Europe version edges out the original because the tunnels and stations add a bit more to think about.
3. Codenames
This is the game that comes out at every game night. It works with large groups, rounds are short, and the spymaster role makes people sweat in a way that is fun to watch. We have seen complete strangers team up and start arguing about clues within minutes.
4. Azul
A lot of people buy Azul after playing it once at the store. The tiles are satisfying to handle, the rules are simple, and it plays well with just two people. Couples buy this more than any other game.
5. Wingspan
Wingspan surprised us. We did not expect a game about birds to outsell half the shelf, but it did. The artwork is part of it. The engine-building mechanic is part of it. People who play it once tend to come back and ask what else Stonemaier makes.
6. Pandemic
Cooperative games do well here because people like playing together instead of against each other. Pandemic is the one most people start with. The theme hits differently now than it did before 2020, but that has not slowed it down.
7. Exploding Kittens
Not every game night needs a brain-burner. Exploding Kittens is fast, loud, and works as a warm-up before something heavier. It is also the game we rent most often for birthday parties.
8. Carcassonne
Carcassonne has been around for over two decades and it still sells. Lay tiles, place workers, score points. Each game looks different because the map builds itself. Good with two, good with five. Hard to go wrong with it.
9. 7 Wonders
This one fills a gap — it plays up to 7 people and finishes in about 30 minutes regardless of player count. The card drafting takes a game or two to click, but once it does people tend to play three rounds in a row.
10. Splendor
Splendor is quiet. No trading, no shouting. Just chip collecting and engine building. It is the game we recommend to people who want something strategic but do not have two hours. A full game takes 25 minutes. We sell a lot of these as gifts.
All ten of these are in stock at the store and available through the website. If you are not sure which one to try first, come in and play a round — that is what the tables are for.