From Kelp to Catalogs: 5 Small Games That Totally Slap

Hidden Gems: The 5 Best Small Board & Card Games to Play Now

There’s a certain magic in cracking open a tiny box and discovering a universe inside.

We’re not talking about sprawling 20-pound board games with six manuals and enough cardboard to build a small shed. No, today we’re diving into something more modest, more clever—games that fit in your backpack, your glove compartment, heck, even your hoodie pocket if you’re feeling bold.

Whether it’s a shark playing hide-and-slurp with an octopus, a catalog for haunted shopping trips, or a trick-taking party fueled by heartbreak and cheese opinions, these small box games prove that size isn’t everything. So grab your nearest Twix (trust us, it’ll make sense), and let’s explore 5 Great Small Games That You Should Try.

Tiny boxes. Huge vibes. Let’s go.

1. Kelp

Designer deathmatch: Shark vs. Octopus

This game asks the age-old question: Which oceanic menace deserves our love more?

Kelp is a two-player asymmetric showdown where the octopus uses stealth, deception, and a layer of green tile trickery to dodge a dice-chucking, predator-sharking opponent who just wants to have you for dinner. Literally.

The octopus is all about playing smart—bluffing, hiding, munching food in secret—and the shark is a ramping threat, pulling colored dice from a bag to fuel their aquatic rampage. It’s beautiful, it’s brainy, and it’s got the wettest-looking tiles you’ve ever seen. Weber Santiago’s artwork makes everything look like it’s been left in a coral reef for a decade, in the best way.

Land of Geek Hot Take:
Possibly the most stylish game about ocean-based murder ever made.

2. Sears Catalog

“It’s a trick-taker… but make it haunted.”

Yes, the pun is terrible. But the game? Deliciously weird.

Sears Catalog imagines a world where the Seer from Werewolf shops for weird and creepy items—think silver daggers and cursed monocles—while trying to outwit everyone at the table. It’s a trick-taking game where you play melds or single cards, using powerful artifacts to manipulate the game in mind-bending ways.

Add in a scoring system that’s as fiddly as it is clever (lowest card in your hand minus number of cards… but only if you’re under six cards), and you’ve got a thinky, chaotic mess that trick-taking geeks will adore.

Land of Geek Tip:
Play this one with the same group a few times to fully unlock the madness.

3. Rebel Princess

Hearts, but with more frogs and tiaras.

Rebel Princess starts with a twist: you don’t want suitors. They're clingy, awkward, and worth points—which are bad. Even worse? The Frog Prince, worth five points and infinite emotional baggage.

But if you gather all the suitors and the frog, you flip the game and shoot the moon for a negative 10-point swing. Add variable rules each round (masquerade ball? secret plays? double suits?), and princess powers that shake things up, and you’ve got a consistently fresh game that’s great for families and game night cackling.

Land of Geek Rating:
Elegant chaos with tiaras. You will laugh, and you might shoot the moon.

4. Sausage Sizzle

Dice rolling. Animal facts. Sausages.

If you're not sold already, this might not be your flavor.

Sausage Sizzle is a super lightweight dice game where you roll, lock, and score. The twist? You can never score the same animal type twice, and sausages are either the weakest or strongest score depending on how many you roll.

It’s goofy, fast, and charming as heck. Every time you score an animal for the first time, you’re required to read out a fun fact—real or completely made up. “Did you know platypuses have seven stomachs? One for work, one for play…”

Land of Geek Party Vibe:
Perfect pub game energy. Simple, silly, satisfying.

5. My Favorite Things

The game that makes you question your friendships.

This is a social deduction party game disguised as a trick-taker. Everyone writes categories for their neighbor (like “Top 5 cheeses” or “Favorite Sci-Fi Quotes”), and that person ranks their picks from 1 to 5, adding a “heartbreak” card—something they secretly hate.

Then everyone plays a game of sneaky tricks trying to guess which is which. Win with someone’s top pick? Amazing. Lose to their heartbreak card? Betrayal.

It’s endlessly customizable, wildly personal, and guaranteed to spark laughter, confusion, and existential crises. Play with friends you know well… or strangers you’d like to roast.

Land of Geek Seal of Approval:
One of the most charming small party games ever made. Play it at cons. Play it at Christmas. Just play it.

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And there you have it—five small games with personalities bigger than a final boss monologue.

Whether you’re pulling dice from a bag, arguing about your favorite pasta shapes, or trying not to accidentally crown someone the rebel princess, these games prove that epic fun doesn't need epic shelf space. They travel well, teach quickly, and spark laughter, strategy, and sometimes existential dread over whether Brie is better than Halloumi.

So next time you’re hunting for the next game night gem, remember: don’t underestimate the little guy. Some of the best games come in snack-sized packages.

Keep your deck tight and your dice warm with more tabletop treasures at Land of Geek Magazine!

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