Top 15 'Couch-and-Conquest' Board Games to enjoy for an Epic Weekend Campaign with Your Crew - Goh Ling Yong
The long weekend is a sacred thing. It’s a precious window of opportunity, a mini-vacation gifted to us by the calendar gods. You could spend it catching up on chores or mindlessly scrolling through streaming services, but I say, why not embark on an epic adventure? I’m talking about a journey filled with strategic conquests, unfolding narratives, and shared moments of triumph (and hilarious failure) with your closest friends. All from the comfort of your couch.
Welcome to the world of 'Couch-and-Conquest' board games. These aren't your average party games that you play once and forget. These are sprawling, campaign-style experiences designed to be played over multiple sessions. They are the tabletop equivalent of a binge-worthy TV series, where characters level up, the story evolves based on your choices, and the world itself can be permanently altered. A weekend is the perfect crucible to forge these unforgettable stories.
So, clear your schedule, rally your crew, and stock up on snacks. We’ve curated a list of the 15 best campaign board games that will turn your next long weekend into a legendary saga. From the deepest dungeons to the farthest reaches of space, there’s an adventure here waiting for you.
1. Gloomhaven
Let's start with the titan, the game that redefined what a board game in a box could be. Gloomhaven is a massive, cooperative fantasy adventure where you and your friends play as a party of wandering mercenaries. Each session involves tackling a tactical, card-based combat scenario in a dungeon, with the results unlocking new locations, new story beats, and new challenges on a sprawling world map.
What makes Gloomhaven the king of the weekend campaign is its sheer sense of progression. Characters don't just get new gear; they retire, unlocking entirely new character classes for the group to try. The game's innovative card combat system eliminates the randomness of dice, making every decision a tense, strategic puzzle. It’s a huge commitment, but the payoff is an incredibly deep and rewarding experience that will be talked about for years.
Perfect For: Hardcore strategy gamers who love tactical combat and want a massive world to explore. Be warned: the box is heavy enough to be a piece of workout equipment.
2. Pandemic Legacy: Season 1
If Gloomhaven is the epic fantasy novel, Pandemic Legacy is the high-stakes thriller you can't put down. It takes the classic cooperative gameplay of Pandemic—where players work together as CDC specialists to stop global outbreaks—and turns it into a heart-pounding, 12-session campaign. Every game represents one month of a very, very bad year.
The "legacy" aspect is what makes this a masterpiece. You will literally alter the game as you play: tearing up cards, placing permanent stickers on the board, and opening sealed packages with new rules and story twists. Your decisions have real, irreversible consequences, creating a unique story for your group. No two campaigns will ever be the same.
Pro Tip: Don't get too attached to your favorite cities. This game can be brutal, but the story it tells is one of the best in all of board gaming.
3. Sleeping Gods
For those who crave narrative and exploration above all else, Sleeping Gods is a dream come true. You and your friends are the crew of the steamship Manticore, lost in a strange and wondrous sea in 1929. Your goal is simple: find the totems of the gods to get home. The journey, however, is anything but.
This is a truly open-world adventure in a box. You can sail in any direction, exploring a massive spiral-bound atlas of maps, interacting with bizarre characters, and getting lost in a rich, "choose your own adventure" style storybook. The gameplay loop is compelling, combining resource management, light combat, and a constant sense of discovery. It’s a beautiful, story-driven experience perfect for a cozy weekend of exploration.
Perfect For: Groups who love reading, storytelling, and the thrill of discovery more than heavy combat.
4. Scythe: The Rise of Fenris
Scythe is already a fantastic "engine-building" game of 1920s alternate-history farming and giant mechs. The Rise of Fenris expansion, however, transforms it into an 8-episode campaign that can easily be played over a weekend. It adds a compelling narrative layer to the already brilliant core gameplay.
Unlike many campaign games, The Rise of Fenris is not cooperative. You are still competing to be the most powerful faction in Eastern Europa, but the campaign introduces new rules, surprises, and story elements with each "episode." It's the perfect way to add narrative weight and excitement to a game that is already a modern classic.
Pro Tip: It's best if all players have at least one game of standard Scythe under their belts before diving into the campaign.
5. The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth
If you've ever wanted to live out your own adventure in Tolkien's world, this is your chance. Journeys in Middle-earth is a cooperative, app-driven adventure game that streamlines the often-fiddly aspects of dungeon crawling. The app handles the map reveals, enemy actions, and story events, letting you and your friends focus on being heroes.
The core gameplay involves exploring maps and testing your skills (like Wisdom, Agility, and Might) by revealing cards from a personalized skill deck. This deck-building aspect is brilliant, as you get to customize your character's abilities as the campaign progresses. It perfectly captures the feeling of a fellowship on a grand quest.
Perfect For: Tolkien fans and those who want a smooth, narrative-driven dungeon crawl without a massive rulebook.
6. Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Prepare to lose your sanity. Arkham Horror: The Card Game is a cooperative "Living Card Game" where you take on the roles of investigators in H.P. Lovecraft's eerie 1920s New England. You'll build a deck of cards representing your investigator's strengths, weaknesses, and assets, then attempt to solve terrifying mysteries before ancient cosmic horrors devour the world.
Each campaign is a series of connected scenarios, with your choices and performance impacting future outcomes. Did you fail to save a key character? They're gone for good. Did you suffer a mental breakdown? You'll carry that trauma with you. It’s a deeply thematic, challenging, and endlessly replayable game that is perfect for a dark and stormy weekend.
Pro Tip: Start with the revised Core Set. It has everything you need for up to four players to begin their descent into madness.
7. Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile
Oath is less a campaign and more a chronicle. It’s a game about history, where the outcome of one game directly sets the stage for the next. One player is the Chancellor, ruling the land, while the others are Exiles, seeking to usurp power or fulfill a new vision for the kingdom.
The winner of a game gets to influence the "deck of cards" and starting conditions for the next session, creating a history unique to your group. A region that was once prosperous might fall into ruin, or a powerful relic might be lost to time, only to be rediscovered generations later. It's a fascinating, sandbox-style game for groups who like to see their actions have long-term consequences.
Perfect For: Players who enjoy political intrigue and emergent storytelling over a pre-written plot.
8. Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
This is not a happy-go-lucky fantasy adventure. Tainted Grail is a dark, brutal, and utterly engrossing cooperative survival game steeped in Arthurian legend and Celtic mythology. The land is shrouded in the "Wyrdness," a mysterious fog that twists reality, and you are one of the few unlikely heroes who can hope to save it.
The game features one of the best stories you'll ever find in a board game, presented through a massive, beautifully written journal. Every choice feels weighty, and survival is a constant struggle. You'll have to manage health, energy, and sanity while exploring a dangerous world and confronting tough, branching moral dilemmas.
Perfect For: Groups who want a mature, challenging, and story-rich experience and aren't afraid of a little (or a lot of) darkness.
9. Descent: Legends of the Dark
The successor to the legendary Descent: Journeys in the Dark, this is a modern, app-driven dungeon crawler of the highest quality. You and your friends are heroes defending the realm of Terrinoth from a rising evil. The production value is off the charts, with stunning 3D terrain that makes every scenario feel like a diorama.
The app integration is seamless, handling all the administrative tasks so you can focus on the fun. The combat is fast and fluid, and the campaign offers a great story with memorable characters. It’s a fantastic "next step" for groups who have enjoyed games like Journeys in Middle-earth and want an even bigger, more cinematic experience.
Pro Tip: Designate one person as the "app master" on a tablet to keep the game flowing smoothly for everyone at the table.
10. Mechs vs. Minions
Who knew the creators of League of Legends could make such an incredible board game? Mechs vs. Minions is a cooperative campaign game where you play as four Yordle heroes piloting custom-built mechs against waves of ravenous minions. It’s pure, chaotic fun in a ridiculously over-produced box.
The core mechanic is "programming." Each round, you'll draft cards to slot into your mech's command line, determining its actions. The trick is, once a command is slotted, it's hard to remove. This leads to hilarious situations where your mech is stuck spinning in circles or charging off a cliff because of a poorly planned program. The campaign slowly introduces new rules and challenges across 10 missions, making it perfect for a weekend of laughter and explosions.
Perfect For: A lighter, more accessible campaign experience. It's great for families or groups who want cooperative fun without a grimdark theme.
11. Star Wars: Imperial Assault
This is the ultimate Star Wars board game experience. Imperial Assault offers two ways to play: a tactical skirmish mode and, more importantly, a phenomenal campaign. One player takes on the role of the mighty Galactic Empire, controlling stormtroopers, AT-STs, and even Darth Vader himself. The other players team up as a scrappy squad of Rebel heroes.
Each mission is a thrilling tactical battle on a modular map, with the outcomes affecting the resources and options available in future missions. Will the Rebels succeed in stealing the Imperial codes, or will the Empire crush their pathetic uprising? It’s a fantastic "one-vs-many" experience that ensures every session is tense and engaging for everyone involved. I remember a weekend campaign playing this that we still talk about at the Goh Ling Yong offices.
Perfect For: Star Wars fans and groups who enjoy a bit of direct, friendly competition within their cooperative experience.
12. Near and Far
If the art of Ryan Laukat appeals to you, then you'll fall in love with Near and Far. This is a "story-book game" where players go on adventures, recruit companions, and search for a fabled Last Ruin. It's a charming and whimsical adventure with a light-hearted tone.
The campaign unfolds across a book of maps, each with its own unique stories and encounters. While there is competition for resources, the game feels more like a shared journey than a cutthroat race. It blends worker placement, resource management, and narrative choice into a beautiful and accessible package.
Perfect For: Groups looking for a less combat-heavy and more whimsical campaign. The beautiful art alone makes it a joy to have on the table.
13. Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated
Take the fun "deck-building adventure" game Clank!, add a hilarious story from the minds behind the Penny Arcade D&D show, and you have one of the most entertaining legacy games ever made. You and your friends are new interns at the fantasy world's most infamous adventuring franchise, Acquisitions Incorporated. Your goal: be the best, most profitable intern.
You'll add stickers to the board, write on cards, and unlock new game elements as you play through a genuinely funny and engaging story. The core Clank! gameplay of building a deck to delve into a dungeon and steal treasure is already great; the legacy campaign elevates it to a whole new level of fun.
Perfect For: Anyone who enjoys deck-building games and has a good sense of humor. It's a fantastic entry point into legacy games.
14. ISS Vanguard
For the crew that wants to boldly go where no one has gone before, ISS Vanguard is a monumental sci-fi adventure. This is a cooperative campaign game focused on exploration, story, and managing the crew of the first human vessel capable of interstellar travel.
The gameplay is divided into two main phases: exploring alien planets and managing your ship and crew back in orbit. You'll make incredible discoveries, scan alien lifeforms, and face tough choices that affect the fate of humanity. The production is amazing, with custom dice, detailed miniatures, and binders to organize your planetary discoveries. This is a game you can truly get lost in for a weekend.
Perfect For: Sci-fi fans who love games like Mass Effect and want a deep, choice-driven exploration experience.
15. Too Many Bones
Too many Bones calls itself a "dice-builder RPG," and it's a genre all its own. You play as a Gearloc, a unique fantasy creature, heading out on dangerous expeditions. The core of the game is tactical, dice-based combat on a small neoprene mat, but the real magic is in the character progression.
Instead of leveling up, you use your rewards to buy new, powerful skill dice that get added to your personal pool. Each Gearloc plays completely differently, and the sheer number of skills and options is staggering. The components are absurdly high-quality and waterproof, making this a durable and deeply strategic game to tackle over a weekend. While it doesn't have a linear story, each adventure is a self-contained narrative, perfect for session-based play.
Perfect For: Players who love deep character customization, tactical combat, and premium components. A personal favorite of mine, Goh Ling Yong, for its sheer replayability.
Your Epic Weekend Awaits
Choosing a campaign game is a commitment, but it's one of the most rewarding experiences in modern board gaming. It’s about more than just winning or losing; it’s about building a shared history. You'll craft inside jokes, celebrate clutch victories, and lament devastating defeats together. You're not just playing a game; you're creating a story.
So, pick a game from this list that excites you, call up your most reliable friends, and carve out a weekend. You'll be amazed at the epic tales you can tell when you dedicate a little time to a grand adventure.
Now it's your turn. What are your go-to board games for an epic weekend campaign? Did we miss one of your favorites? Share your top picks in the comments below! We'd love to hear about the legendary campaigns your crew has conquered.
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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