Cooperative board games explained: how co-ops work and good ones to start with

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In a cooperative board game, the players are on the same side and the game itself is the opponent. Everyone wins together, or everyone loses together. For groups that dislike conflict, for families, and for couples who would rather not compete all evening, co-ops are often the most enjoyable part of the hobby.

How the game fights back

A co-op needs a way to challenge players without a human opponent. Common systems include:

An event deck: after each turn, you draw a card that makes something worse, such as disease spreading, the island flooding or enemies advancing.
A rising threat: a counter that ticks up and ends the game if it reaches the top.
Limited time or resources: a deck that runs out, a number of rounds or a pool of actions you cannot replenish.
Hidden information: in some co-ops, you cannot see your own cards or share everything you know, so communication itself is the challenge.

The game usually has several ways to lose and one way to win, which creates the tension.

Roles make every player matter

Many co-ops give each player a different role with a special ability. Working out how to combine those abilities is what turns a co-op into a puzzle that you solve together.

The alpha-player problem

The best-known drawback of co-ops is the alpha player, also called quarterbacking: one experienced or confident person tells everyone else what to do, and the rest stop making their own decisions. Ways to avoid it:

Each player has the final say on their own turn. Others can suggest, but the decision is theirs.
Choose games with hidden information or limited communication, which make it hard for one person to direct everything.
Use a timer in games that support one, so there is no time to plan everyone's moves.
The experienced player speaks last, after newer players have said what they would do.
If you are the alpha, ask questions instead of giving instructions: "What do you think your best move is?"

Good co-ops to start with

Forbidden Island: by Matt Leacock, released in 2010. Two to four players race to recover treasures before the island sinks. Light, quick and family-friendly, and a good first co-op.
Pandemic: also by Matt Leacock, released in 2008. Two to four players, each with a different role, try to discover cures for four diseases before an outbreak spreads too far. The classic introduction to co-ops, with spin-offs including a Legacy series.
Hanabi: by Antoine Bauza, winner of the Spiel des Jahres in 2013. A small card game in which you can see everyone's cards except your own, and must give limited clues so the team can play cards in order. Its rules make alpha-player behaviour almost impossible.
The Crew: designed by Thomas Sing, a cooperative trick-taking card game built around missions. It won the Kennerspiel des Jahres, the award for more experienced players, in 2020. Great for anyone who grew up with card games.

Is a co-op right for your group?

Yes: new players, families, couples, groups that dislike direct conflict.
Maybe not: groups that love bluffing against one another, or one very dominant player who will not step back.
A middle ground: semi-cooperative games, where everyone can lose together but only one player wins, and games with a hidden traitor.

Making the game harder or easier

Most co-ops have adjustable difficulty, usually by changing a number of cards or setting a different starting level. Start on the easiest setting, win, then raise it. Losing a co-op is common and part of the fun. Which co-op does your group love, and how do you handle the player who wants to run the table? Share your stories or questions in the comments below.