My 3 Favourite Bitcoin Board and Card Games for Family Fun (That I've Actually Played)
It wasn't until I met my wife that I gained an appreciation for playing cards and board games, even though I'm not great at either...
I'm just lucky as hell sometimes. 😉
But how much I suck at strategy games and losing to her filterless French grandmother at 31 (a Blackjack-inspired card game) isn't what I'm here to talk about today.
If you're reading this, you want to know which Bitcoin board or card games you should consider adding to your fun stack.
And I'm happy you're here because the search results at the time of writing this suck.
As you can see, the search query is dominated by cRyPtO board games and even the "Five Bitcoin Board Games" article only has two Bitcoin-themed board game examples. The rest fall into the crypto category.
All that to say, there are some awesome Bitcoin board games and card games that you need to know about.
I'll break the list down by:
- Games that I've personally played with family and friends
- Ones that I want to play (and have heard great things about)
- Projects that are currently seeking funding to be developed
First up, games I have played!
1. HODL UP
HODL UP is a Bitcoin mining game and — hands down — my favourite Bitcoin board game to date.
This game takes you from the Genesis block in 2009 all the way to 2140, when the final 21 millionth Bitcoin is ever mined.
In just 30 minutes of gameplay, you'll gain a solid understanding of Bitcoin terminology, simplified blockchain structure, mining, Bitcoin's limited supply cap, and the difference between hot wallets and cold storage.
Playing HODL UP with my wife was awesome because I witnessed the real-time connections she was making between in-game Bitcoin terms and things I've been chatting about on an almost daily basis for years now haha.
Whether you're Bitcoin-curious or seasoned HODLer, this game will become a family and friend staple in your game rotation!
Pick up your copy of HODL UP today!
2. SHAmory
In a previous blog about my favourite Bitcoin children's books, a couple of SHAmory books (If You Give a Monster a Bitcoin and Goodnight Bitcoin) made the list!
So it's no surprise that their STEM authenticated Bitcoin card game for kids is in this list, too.
SHAmory is the perfect mixture of fun and education for anyone interested in learning about Bitcoin. Learn the basics of how mining works while earning Bitcoin rewards for each block you mine.
Watch this 4-minute video about how to play SHAmory:
The suggested age is 4+ which is amazing! The opportunity to help shape and grow the next generation of Bitcoiners through play makes me more bullish than ever.
Just a word to the wise...
The first time I played this game, we included way too many difficulty adjustment cards to start the game and effectively priced ourselves out of any chance of winning. So stick with 1 to 2 at first and go up from there for more of a challenge.
Use code mybtcfamily at checkout for 10% off your SHAmory order!
Get your family's copy of SHAmory!
3. Bitcoin Moon!
As a Bitcoiner, I hesitated to put this game on the list.
Despite its title, Bitcoin Moon! does contain 💩 altcoinery 💩 which will make it an automatic "no" for some people.
But I own it, I've played it, and can use it as a game-based opportunity to teach players why I "Bitcoin only."
The goal of BitcoinMoon! is be the first player to become a crypto millionaire by mining, trading, and HODLing Bitcoin and/or altcoins.
Overall, I found the game to be one dimensional. For example, there was a string of turns where the cards I pulled just kept adding or subtracting from my overall net worth. And that was about all I could do.
In other words, a whole lot of drawing and not a lot of doing.
I wouldn't buy it for a Bitcoiner but if you're interested, there are definitely some house rules you could impose to try and play as much of a Bitcoin-only strategy as possible.
You can find BitcoinMoon! at RNK Gaming.
And now for Bitcoin card games that I want to play!
4. Is That The Best You Can Do?
This card game teachers players about Austrian economics with a futuristic theme.
Flying cars and shrink-ray guns, anyone?
Driven by the fundamental element of Austrian economics (i.e., the pricing mechanism in truly free markets), you'll have to use your negotiating skills to acquire the most cryptocurrency.
Players alternative buying and selling items. There is no one right price. Each interaction is its own negotiation. Get creative! And, if all else fails, just ask, "Is that the best you can do?"
Learn more about "Is That The Best You Can Do?"
5. BIP 39 (Animal Edition)
Free Market Kids' BIP 39 is a fun and challenging Bitcoin card game that requires players to solve the Random Oracles' secret pass phrase by using select words from the Bitcoin Improvement Protocol (BIP) 39.
The secret pass phrase consists of 3 words, in a specific order, from the total 74 total animal cards. There are 388,944 possible combinations, so collaboration might be the best way to tackle this one!
6. Bitcoin Wars
The BitcoinWars website describes their product "a card game for the crypto curious." More specifically, it's a strategic tabletop bidding card game for 2 to 6 players.
The gameplay is straightforward:
- Start the game: Each player takes 6 cards from the Red Deck, which contains Money and Special cards.
- Set the price: Each player rolls the dice to set the Bitcoin price.
- Bid against other players: Once bids are revealed, the player with the highest bid takes home 1 Bitcoin card.
- Win the game: To do this, you need to be the first player to collect 5 Bitcoin cards.
Strategy can go a long way to increase your chances of winning.
Stack the odds in your favour by using special cards like: blocking bids, pumping bids, stealing bitcoin and more.
Get the BitcoinWars card game!
For these next games, I'm not entirely sure if or when they'll come to light – but I hope they do!
The creators are (or were) actively seeking funding so consider partnering with them to bring more Bitcoin board games and card games to life.
7. Blockhunters
Arnold Hubach and Emily are behind what's looking like an awesome Bitcoin board game.
We want to share the importance of the monetary revolution with our friends and families, but watch their eyes glaze over when we approach common technical concepts like mining, nodes, nonces, private keys, halvings or the mempool. How can we also engage the tactile and visual learners?
Made with Bitcoiners, pre-coiners, and anyone who loves a good competitive board game in mind, BLOCKHUNTERS strives to teach high-level concepts by having players (suggested ages 12+) work with and against each other to win.
Check out the project on Geyser!
8. Hodler of Last Resort
According to Geyser, the creator (PirateHash) has deactivated the project. But it looks and sounds like fun, so I wanted to include it on this list. Maybe this will stir up some interest again.
I checked out the Hodler of Last Resort GitHub and learned that this game has similar mechanics to Monopoly and can be played by up to four people.
It aims to create a competitive and entertaining environment that ultimately helps educate players about Bitcoin's technology, game theory, and history.
In terms of gameplay, your objective is to control all bitcoin that's issued throughout the game. Players can achieve this by:
- Progressing in the board and risking the outcome of each of the spaces
- Mining the block for each turn by rolling the smallest number with the mining dice (6 color dice)
- Playing specific cards just before other players finish their turn in order to impact their outcome
Like I said, this project's inactive but you can check out the design mockups on the PirateHash website.
9. The Bitcoin Game
I reached out to Craig Deutsch to see if it ever reached production. Similar to Hodler of Last Resort, the project on Geyser is inactive.
He said it was close to production, but life got busy with other awesome priorities!
The Bitcoin Game started as an educational activity to explain Bitcoin in a simple, easy-to-understand, and hands-on way. As a life-long educator, I knew that teaching Bitcoin to precoiners needed to be broken down into a tactile activity that abstracted the technological complexities away in favor of terms anyone can understand ... I can guarantee the educational goal is accomplished and my hope is for the secondary goal to be too: players having fun learning about the Bitcoin Network, invest bitcoin as wisely as possible, and lower their time preference by strategizing to create a better world in the future.
If you want to learn more, check out the crowdfunding page. I look forward to seeing it active in the future!
Bitcoin games are a great way to orange pill your friends and family
Personally, I can't wait for more innovative and creative Bitcoin board and card games to hit the market.
They make Bitcoin more approachable. Less intimidating. Fun!
When younger kids are the mix, games like the ones I've shared today are especially helpful because learning through play is a powerful and proven teaching strategy.
p.s. Let me know if I missed any. I'd love to check them out and potentially add them to the list.