A guide to Middle-earth tabletop games

Lord of the Rings Board Games: Risk, Monopoly, War of the Ring and More

By Updated

These Lord of the Rings board games range from a 2003 Risk to War of the Ring, card games and The Hobbit board game. All 19 entries list the specs we could confirm and note whether each game follows the films or books.

  • 19 games
  • 1978 to 2025
  • 1 to 6+ players
  • 3 classic editions

One game to rule them all? Let’s find a good fit for your fellowship.

Middle-earth tabletop games span 1978 to 2025, from a vintage Hobbit board game to a Pandemic System co-op. These 19 entries mix film licenses with book-based designs, so check which source material you’re after. The fantasy board games hub puts them alongside other fantasy franchises.

Pressed for time? Duel for Middle-earth takes about 30 minutes for two players.

Getting started with Middle-earth games

For solo play, Fate of the Fellowship and The Card Game both work on their own.

  • Big strategy night

    War of the Ring (Second Edition)

    2-4 players, 120+ minutes, ages 14+. Free Peoples and Shadow race on two fronts. At 3 or 4 players, each side has a team.

    Difficulty
    Time to explainabout 60 min
    Player experience
    Geek Level10 / 10Deep-lore superfan, wiki editor
    How we rate

  • Families and newcomers

    The Lord of the Rings: Adventure to Mount Doom

    1-4 players, about 50 minutes, ages 10+. This cooperative dice game follows Frodo toward Mount Doom, with light rules.

    Difficulty
    Time to explainabout 8 min
    Player experience
    Geek Level5 / 10Quotes the best lines
    How we rate

  • Two players

    The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth

    For exactly 2 players, about 30 minutes, ages 10+. One takes the Fellowship; the other plays Sauron.

    Difficulty
    Time to explainabout 8 min
    Player experience
    Geek Level5 / 10Quotes the best lines
    How we rate

Each card lists players, play time and age to help narrow the field. Strategy fans can head for The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring; familiar rules fans can start with the Risk and Monopoly editions. Cards mark out-of-print games where the sources say so.

Lord of the Rings board games and tabletop games

Some older games, including the Decipher trading card game, are out of print. Check before buying.

Showing all 19

Main games

War of the Ring (Second Edition)

  • 2011
  • 2-4 players
  • 120+ minutes
  • Ages 14+

The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring is the franchise’s grand strategy game. One side tries to destroy the Ring; the other aims to conquer Middle-earth.

How it plays

Players roll and spend action dice to move armies, recruit, play cards or advance the Fellowship. With 3 or 4 players, each side splits into teams.

The film or show connection

Inspired by Tolkien’s book, not the films, it features plastic character figures, event cards and character cards.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 60 min
Player experience
Geek Level10 / 10Deep-lore superfan, wiki editor
How we rate

Type strategy board game

  • war game
  • asymmetric
  • team play
Publisher
Ares Games
Designers
Roberto Di Meglio, Marco Maggi, Francesco Nepitello

Source 1 (aresgames.eu) Source 2 (en.wikipedia.org) Source 3 (aresgames.eu)

How to play War of the Ring (Second Edition)

The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth

  • 2019
  • 1-5 players
  • 60-120 minutes
  • Ages 14+

In this cooperative campaign, a free companion app runs the enemies and guides the story. Heroes such as Aragorn explore Middle-earth together.

How it plays

Choose heroes, prepare their skills and explore Middle-earth as you fight the forces of darkness. The app runs the evil forces and guides each campaign.

The film or show connection

Set in Tolkien’s Middle-earth, with heroes such as Aragorn, these campaigns are app-guided adventures rather than retellings of the films.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 20 min
Player experience
Geek Level7 / 10Can explain the timeline
How we rate

Type cooperative campaign game

  • co-op
  • campaign
  • app-driven
Publisher
Fantasy Flight Games
Designers
Grace Holdinghaus, Nathan I. Hajek

Source 1 (fantasyflightgames.com) Source 2 (fantasyflightgames.com)

How to play The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth

The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game

  • 2011
  • 1-4 players
  • 30-90 minutes
  • Ages 14+

The Lord of the Rings LCG is a cooperative card game for solo play or up to 4 players. Everyone faces the same scenario deck.

How it plays

Choose heroes and build a deck of allies, events and attachments. Each round, you and your friends tackle quests against a scenario the game runs automatically.

The film or show connection

The game draws on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Its Saga expansions retell adventures from the books.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 30 min
Player experience
Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
How we rate

Type cooperative living card game In print

  • LCG
  • co-op
  • solo
Publisher
Fantasy Flight Games
Designers
Nate French

Source 1 (fantasyflightgames.com) Source 2 (en.wikipedia.org)

How to play The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game

Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game

  • 2001
  • 2+ players

Games Workshop’s miniatures game debuted in 2001 as The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game. It remains the main option for Lord of the Rings miniatures.

How it plays

Build rival armies, set up terrain and play a scenario. Models move, shoot and fight in alternating phases, with dice settling the outcomes.

The film or show connection

The miniatures depict characters and armies from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, and the scenarios recreate film events. A 2024 starter box centers on The War of the Rohirrim.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 45 min
Player experience
Geek Level7 / 10Can explain the timeline
How we rate

Type miniatures game In print

  • miniatures
  • painting
  • skirmish
Publisher
Games Workshop
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Hobbit supplements (2012 to 2014)
  • Rules Manual (2018)
  • New edition (2024)

Source 1 (warhammer-community.com) Source 2 (en.wikipedia.org)

War of the Ring: The Card Game

  • 2022
  • 2-4 players
  • 60+ minutes
  • Ages 13+

This card game covers the same conflict, with teams split between Free Peoples and Shadow. Up to 4 players can play in two teams.

How it plays

Each player controls a different faction deck. The Free Peoples aim to destroy the One Ring while defending their homelands. The Shadow players try to stop them or slowly corrupt Frodo.

The film or show connection

Based on Tolkien’s book.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 25 min
Player experience
Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
How we rate

Type strategy card game

  • card game
  • team play
  • two sides
Publisher
Ares Games
Designers
Ian Brody
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Against the Shadow (2023, solo and cooperative play)
  • Fire and Swords

Source 1 (aresgames.eu) Source 2 (aresgames.eu) Source 3 (aresgames.eu)

The Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation

  • 2002
  • 2 players
  • 30 minutes
  • Ages 12+

Reiner Knizia’s short two-player duel pits the Fellowship against Sauron’s forces. It won the International Gamers Award for two-player strategy games in 2003.

How it plays

Players deploy pieces face down, keeping them hidden from their opponent, then move across a map of Middle-earth and fight when they meet. The Fellowship wins by getting Frodo to Mordor. Sauron wins by killing Frodo or placing three pieces in the Shire.

The film or show connection

Based on Tolkien’s book, the original Kosmos edition features artwork by John Howe.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 10 min
Player experience
Geek Level5 / 10Quotes the best lines
How we rate

Type two-player strategy game

  • 2 players
  • hidden pieces
  • Knizia
Publisher
Kosmos
Designers
Reiner Knizia
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Deluxe Edition (2005)
  • Second English edition (2013)

Source 1 (de.wikipedia.org)

The Lord of the Rings (Reiner Knizia board game)

  • 2000
  • 2-5 players
  • 60-90 minutes
  • Ages 10+

Reiner Knizia’s cooperative Lord of the Rings Board Game was first published in 2000. Players take the roles of Hobbits retracing the quest to Mount Doom. It won a special prize at the 2001 Spiel des Jahres.

How it plays

Turn tiles and play cards to move through a series of scenarios, spending tokens to slow Sauron’s advance. The group wins if the Fellowship reaches Mount Doom and destroys the Ring, and loses if the Ring-bearer is eliminated.

The film or show connection

Following Tolkien’s books, the game features John Howe artwork and visits places such as Moria, Helm’s Deep, Shelob’s Lair and Mordor. The 2020 Anniversary Edition adds newly sculpted miniatures.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 15 min
Player experience
Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
How we rate

Type cooperative board game

  • co-op
  • Hobbits
  • classic
Publisher
Kosmos (original German edition); later Hasbro and Fantasy Flight Games
Designers
Reiner Knizia

Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org) Source 2 (de.wikipedia.org)

How to play The Lord of the Rings (Reiner Knizia board game)

The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game

  • 2001
  • 2+ players
  • under 60 minutes

Decipher’s Lord of the Rings trading card game ran for 19 sets before its license expired in 2007. It’s out of print.

How it plays

Build decks for Free Peoples and Shadow. Guide your Fellowship along a nine-site path while opponents use Shadow cards to slow you down.

The film or show connection

Based on Peter Jackson’s films and Tolkien’s novel, with images from the films.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 25 min
Player experience
Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
How we rate

Type trading card game Out of print

  • TCG
  • collectible
  • out of print
Publisher
Decipher
Designers
Mike Reynolds, Chuck Kallenbach II, Tom Lischke, Joe Alread
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • 19 sets from The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) to Age's End (2007)

Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Deck-Building Game

  • 2013
  • 2-5 players
  • 30-45 minutes
  • Ages 15+

A competitive deck-builder based on the first film’s Fellowship. Play as Frodo, Samwise, Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli or Boromir.

How it plays

Players begin with basic combat maneuvers, then add stronger cards to their decks as they face Sauron’s forces on the way to Mount Doom. The player with the most Victory Points from their deck’s cards wins.

The film or show connection

Cryptozoic made the game with Warner Bros. Consumer Products. The Fellowship’s heroes face their struggle against Sauron.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 15 min
Player experience
Geek Level5 / 10Quotes the best lines
How we rate

Type deck-building game

  • deck-building
  • competitive
  • Fellowship
Publisher
Cryptozoic Entertainment
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • The Two Towers Deck-Building Game (2013)
  • The Return of the King Deck-Building Game (2014)

Source 1 (web.archive.org) Source 2 (web.archive.org) Source 3 (en.wikipedia.org)

The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth

  • 2024
  • 2 players
  • 30 minutes
  • Ages 10+

A two-player game by Bauza and Cathala, the authors of 7 Wonders Duel. One player leads the Fellowship; the other plays Sauron.

How it plays

The game spans three chapters. Players build skills, collect treasure, place units in Middle-earth’s regions, rally the Races and advance the Quest of the Ring. Win by finishing the quest, gathering 6 different Race symbols or being present in all 7 regions.

The film or show connection

The chapters follow the three books. The game is made under license from Middle-earth Enterprises.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 8 min
Player experience
Geek Level5 / 10Quotes the best lines
How we rate

Type two-player card-drafting game

  • 2 players
  • drafting
  • 7 Wonders Duel
Publisher
Repos Production
Designers
Antoine Bauza, Bruno Cathala
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Allies expansion

Source 1 (rprod.com) Source 2 (rprod.com)

The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship

  • 2025
  • 1-5 players
  • 60-150 minutes
  • Ages 14+

Matt Leacock’s cooperative game uses the Pandemic System. The team protects Frodo as the Nazgul and Sauron’s Eye close in.

How it plays

Guide characters across Middle-earth, protect havens, fight shadow forces and pursue changing objectives. Each turn ends with player and shadow card draws. Destroy the Ring before Frodo loses all hope.

The film or show connection

Frodo, the Nazgul and the Eye of Sauron all appear as the Fellowship journeys through Tolkien’s tale.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 25 min
Player experience
Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
How we rate

Type cooperative strategy board game In print

  • co-op
  • Pandemic System
  • solo
Publisher
Z-Man Games
Designers
Matt Leacock
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (zmangames.com) Source 2 (zmangames.com) Source 3 (store.asmodee.com)

The Lord of the Rings: Adventure to Mount Doom

  • 2023
  • 1-4 players
  • 50 minutes
  • Ages 10+

A light cooperative dice game for 1-4 players, with everyone guiding Frodo toward Mount Doom. Its 50 minute play time works well for families.

How it plays

Choose dice cleverly and work together to move figures across the board. Black dice and encounter cards bring extra threats. The group wins only if Frodo reaches Mount Doom.

The film or show connection

Follow Frodo’s journey alongside the friends who protect him.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 8 min
Player experience
Geek Level5 / 10Quotes the best lines
How we rate

Type cooperative dice game

  • co-op
  • dice
  • family
Publisher
Thames and Kosmos
Designers
Michael Rieneck
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (thamesandkosmos.com)

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

  • 2013
  • 1-4 players
  • 30-45 minutes
  • Ages 15+

Cryptozoic’s The Hobbit board game, designed by Reiner Knizia, follows the second film from Mirkwood Forest and Lake-town to the Lonely Mountain.

How it plays

A cooperative game for 1-4 players, played across two boards. Use limited resources, gather magic items and allies, and overcome creatures and obstacles on the way to a final battle with Smaug.

The film or show connection

The game follows the film’s journey from Mirkwood Forest and Lake-town to the Lonely Mountain. Cryptozoic made it with Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 10 min
Player experience
Geek Level5 / 10Quotes the best lines
How we rate

Type cooperative dice game

  • co-op
  • dice
  • The Hobbit
Publisher
Cryptozoic Entertainment
Designers
Reiner Knizia
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Board Game (2013), a compatible game that can be combined with it

Source 1 (web.archive.org) Source 2 (web.archive.org)

The Hobbit Game: The Adventures of Bilbo in Middle-earth

  • 1978

A vintage Milton Bradley board game from 1978, based on The Hobbit. It’s listed here for collectors; few reliable details about the rules are available.

How it plays

The sources we could use don’t document detailed rules, so we leave them out here.

The film or show connection

Released long before the Peter Jackson films, this isn’t a film tie-in.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 10 min
Player experience
Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
How we rate

Type board game

  • vintage
  • collector
  • Milton Bradley
Publisher
Milton Bradley
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

The One Ring Roleplaying Game (Second Edition)

  • 2022
  • 2-6 players
  • Ages 14+

The only tabletop RPG here, for readers after a Lord of the Rings tabletop game that isn’t a board game. One player takes the Loremaster role.

How it plays

Players create heroes and take on journeys, combat and councils, with a Loremaster guiding the story. Fellowship phases between adventures give heroes time to reflect and prepare.

The film or show connection

Based on Tolkien’s works; sources don’t document it as film based.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 45 min
Player experience
Geek Level7 / 10Can explain the timeline
How we rate

Type role-playing game In print

  • RPG
  • Loremaster
  • storytelling
Publisher
Free League Publishing
Designers
Francesco Nepitello, Marco Maggi
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Ruins of the Lost Realms adventure compendium

Source 1 (freeleaguepublishing.com) Source 2 (freeleaguepublishing.com) Source 3 (en.wikipedia.org)

Licensed classic editions

Risk: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition

  • 2003
  • 2-4 players
  • Ages 10+

Lord of the Rings Risk brings the classic conquest game to a map of Middle-earth. It includes Territory cards, Adventure cards, Battalions and a gold tone ring.

How it plays

Use Battalions to take territories on the Middle-earth map, just as in normal Risk. Adventure cards add extra events, and the instruction booklet offers several ways to play.

The film or show connection

Hasbro says the game features content from all three films. Its map includes Gondor, Mordor and Haradwaith.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 15 min
Player experience
Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
How we rate

Type licensed classic edition

  • Risk
  • area control
  • film trilogy
Publisher
Hasbro
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Risk: The Lord of the Rings (2002), the earlier edition on a map of northern Middle-earth
  • Gondor and Mordor Expansion Set (2003) for that earlier edition

Source 1 (instructions.hasbro.com) Source 2 (instructions.hasbro.com) Source 3 (en.wikipedia.org)

Monopoly: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition

    Lord of the Rings Monopoly trades Atlantic City for Middle-earth territories. Hasbro lists it as a special edition of the classic game.

    How it plays

    Move through the territories and build power by adding strongholds and fortresses to secure your holdings. You can acquire relics such as the staffs of the Wizards, and the most powerful player wins.

    The film or show connection

    A film-trilogy edition built around the Fellowship’s journey.

    Difficulty
    Time to explainabout 8 min
    Player experience
    Geek Level3 / 10Knows the main characters
    How we rate

    Type licensed classic edition

    • Monopoly
    • family
    • film trilogy
    Publisher
    Hasbro
    Show detailsHide details

    Source 1 (instructions.hasbro.com)

    Trivial Pursuit: The Lord of the Rings Movie Trilogy Collector's Edition

    • 2-6 players

    Lord of the Rings Trivial Pursuit is a film-trilogy quiz with 1,800 questions based on the movies. It comes with four collectible pewter tokens.

    How it plays

    Play classic Trivial Pursuit: answer questions to collect all the scoring wedges, then race to the board’s center to win. Special rules for advanced fans are included.

    The film or show connection

    Every question covers the movie trilogy.

    Difficulty
    Time to explainabout 3 min
    Player experience
    Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
    How we rate

    Type licensed classic edition

    • trivia
    • films
    • pewter tokens
    Publisher
    Hasbro
    Show detailsHide details

    Source 1 (instructions.hasbro.com)

    Chess sets

    The Lord of the Rings Chess Set

    • 2 players

    The Noble Collection’s Lord of the Rings chess set is the main chess option, with 32 pewter pieces depicting the cast.

    How it plays

    It uses standard chess rules. An ancient map of Middle-earth sits below the board surface, and the base features characters and scenes from the trilogy.

    The film or show connection

    Based on the film trilogy. The Noble Collection says each actor personally approved their character’s likeness.

    Difficulty
    Time to explainabout 15 min
    Player experience
    Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
    How we rate

    Type chess set

    • chess
    • pewter
    • collectible
    Publisher
    The Noble Collection

    Source 1 (noblecollection.co.uk)

    How to play The Lord of the Rings Chess Set

    Comparing Lord of the Rings tabletop games

    Lord of the Rings games compared by year, players, play time, ages and type
    GameYearPlayersPlay timeAgesType
    War of the Ring (Second Edition)20112-4120+ minutes14+strategy board game
    The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth20191-560-120 minutes14+cooperative campaign game
    The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game20111-430-90 minutes14+cooperative living card game
    Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game20012+Not listedNot listedminiatures game
    War of the Ring: The Card Game20222-460+ minutes13+strategy card game
    The Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation2002230 minutes12+two-player strategy game
    The Lord of the Rings (Reiner Knizia board game)20002-560-90 minutes10+cooperative board game
    Risk: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition20032-4Not listed10+licensed classic edition
    Monopoly: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy EditionNot listedNot listedNot listedNot listedlicensed classic edition
    Trivial Pursuit: The Lord of the Rings Movie Trilogy Collector's EditionNot listed2-6Not listedNot listedlicensed classic edition
    The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game20012+under 60 minutesNot listedtrading card game
    The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Deck-Building Game20132-530-45 minutes15+deck-building game
    The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth2024230 minutes10+two-player card-drafting game
    The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship20251-560-150 minutes14+cooperative strategy board game
    The Lord of the Rings: Adventure to Mount Doom20231-450 minutes10+cooperative dice game
    The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug20131-430-45 minutes15+cooperative dice game
    The Hobbit Game: The Adventures of Bilbo in Middle-earth1978Not listedNot listedNot listedboard game
    The Lord of the Rings Chess SetNot listed2Not listedNot listedchess set
    The One Ring Roleplaying Game (Second Edition)20222-6Not listed14+role-playing game

    The timeline covers releases around the 2001 to 2003 film years, then picks up again after 2019. For another fantasy series, see how the cooperative Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle game turned Hogwarts into a campaign.

    Lord of the Rings board games by year

    Middle-earth tabletop games go back to 1978, with releases around the 2001 to 2003 film years and again after 2019.

    Pressed for time? Duel for Middle-earth takes about 30 minutes for two players.

    First, it helps to sort out the licenses. Peter Jackson’s films inspired the Lord of the Rings Risk and Monopoly editions, while Tolkien’s text informs the Ares and Knizia designs. The groups below show where each game fits, including the campaign games.

    Looking for miniatures? The film-based option is the Strategy Battle Game.

    Film-based or book-based: which Lord of the Rings game fits?

    Some games follow Peter Jackson’s films, others stick to Tolkien’s text, and one tells a fresh story.

    Based on the films

    Risk, Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, the Decipher trading card game, the Strategy Battle Game, the Noble chess set and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

    Based on the books

    War of the Ring and its card game, The Confrontation, Knizia’s cooperative board game, Duel for Middle-earth and The One Ring RPG.

    An original campaign

    Journeys in Middle-earth tells a new story with familiar heroes. The Card Game does too, with Saga expansions that retell the books.

    Card games are the largest family in this franchise, and they all play differently. One is cooperative, one competitive, and one collectible game ended in 2007. The Lord of the Rings LCG is the long-running co-op, with a revised core set from 2022, making it a common starting point.

    Which Lord of the Rings card game: LCG, TCG or deck-builder?

    Five different card games use the license, and each plays quite differently.

    • The Card Game (LCG)

      Cooperative, 1-4 players, 30-90 minutes. Fixed expansions, no booster packs. The Revised Core Set arrived in 2022.

    • Trading Card Game

      Competitive, 2 or more players. Decipher produced 19 sets from 2001 to 2007, and the game is out of print.

    • Fellowship Deck-Building Game

      Competitive, 2-5 players, 30-45 minutes. Cryptozoic’s 2013 game is based on the first film.

    • War of the Ring: The Card Game

      Team-based, 2-4 players, 60 minutes or more. This card game covers the major conflict; the Against the Shadow expansion adds solo and co-op play.

    • Duel for Middle-earth

      Two players, about 30 minutes. A drafting-style game with three chapters and several paths to victory.

    Ares Games has expanded one design into a small line, so purchase order matters. The base game stands alone, its expansions require it, and the card version is a separate game. For a shorter session, consider War of the Ring: The Card Game.

    The War of the Ring family, one step at a time

    Ares Games has turned one design into a small line of games.

    1. Begin with the Second Edition

      War of the Ring (2011) is the base box for 2-4 players, with a play time of 120 minutes or more.

    2. Add the expansions

      Lords of Middle-earth (2012) and Warriors of Middle-earth came first. Kings of Middle-earth followed in 2023.

    3. Try the mini-expansion

      The Fate of Erebor is a smaller add-on. A Kings and Lords Limited Edition combining the two expansions was announced for 2024.

    4. Or give the card game a try

      War of the Ring: The Card Game (2022) tackles the same war with cards. Against the Shadow (2023) adds solo and co-op play.

    Middle-earth tabletop facts

    For solo play, Fate of the Fellowship and The Card Game both work on their own.

    • John Howe illustrated the original Kosmos edition of The Confrontation.

      Source 1 (de.wikipedia.org)

    • Decipher's trading card game ran for 19 sets, from November 2001 until mid-2007. Its license expired on July 30, 2007.

      Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

    • The Trivial Pursuit film trilogy edition packs in 1,800 questions and four collectible pewter tokens.

      Source 1 (instructions.hasbro.com)

    • Matt Leacock designed Fate of the Fellowship, part of the Pandemic System family of designs.

      Source 1 (zmangames.com)

    • Duel for Middle-earth comes from Antoine Bauza and Bruno Cathala, authors of 7 Wonders Duel. Its three chapters follow the three books.

      Source 1 (rprod.com)

    • Reiner Knizia's cooperative The Lord of the Rings Board Game received a special prize in the 2001 Spiel des Jahres.

      Source 1 (de.wikipedia.org)

    • The Strategy Battle Game started as The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game in 2001 and now covers The Hobbit too. A 2024 starter box centers on The War of the Rohirrim.

      Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

    Lord of the Rings board game questions

    What are the best Lord of the Rings board games?

    By type: War of the Ring for heavy strategy, Fate of the Fellowship (1-5 players) for co-op, Adventure to Mount Doom for families, and Duel for Middle-earth for two players.

    Does Lord of the Rings Risk exist?

    Yes. Risk: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition is for 2-4 players, ages 10+. There’s also an earlier 2002 edition on a map of northern Middle-earth.

    Can you get Lord of the Rings Monopoly?

    Yes. Monopoly: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition is a Hasbro edition where players claim Middle-earth territories and build strongholds and fortresses.

    What kind of game is The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring?

    A strategy board game from Ares Games for 2-4 players, ages 14+, with a playtime of 120 minutes or more. One side tries to destroy the Ring; the other aims to conquer Middle-earth.

    What is the Lord of the Rings LCG?

    The Lord of the Rings LCG, also sold as Lord of the Rings the card game, is a cooperative living card game from Fantasy Flight Games for 1-4 players. Its expansions come in fixed packs, not random boosters.

    Did Decipher make a Lord of the Rings trading card game?

    Decipher published one from 2001 to 2007, with 19 sets. It’s out of print, and its license expired in 2007.

    Can you play a board game based on The Hobbit?

    Yes. Cryptozoic's The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013, 1-4 players) is a cooperative Knizia dice game. Milton Bradley also made a vintage Hobbit board game in 1978.

    Is there a Lord of the Rings Trivial Pursuit game?

    Yes. The Movie Trilogy Collector's Edition has 1,800 questions about the films and four collectible pewter tokens.

    Is there an official Lord of the Rings Catan?

    Our research turned up no licensed Lord of the Rings edition of Catan.

    Can you get a Lord of the Rings chess set?

    Yes. The Noble Collection makes a set with 32 pewter pieces depicting the film cast, plus expansion sets for The Two Towers and The Return of the King.

    Is there a Lord of the Rings tabletop RPG?

    The One Ring Roleplaying Game (Second Edition, Free League, 2022) is for 2-6 players, with one player taking the Loremaster role.

    Some older games, including the Decipher trading card game, are out of print. Check before buying.

    Pressed for time? Duel for Middle-earth takes about 30 minutes for two players.

    Sources

    1. Ares Games: War of the Ring aresgames.eu
    2. Fantasy Flight Games: The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game fantasyflightgames.com
    3. Hasbro: Risk, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition instructions instructions.hasbro.com
    4. Games Workshop: Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game warhammer-community.com
    5. Repos Production: Duel for Middle-earth rprod.com
    6. Z-Man Games: Fate of the Fellowship zmangames.com
    7. Thames & Kosmos: Adventure to Mount Doom thamesandkosmos.com