Halloween Town comes to your table

The Nightmare Before Christmas Board Games and Monopoly Editions

By Updated

Nightmare Before Christmas Monopoly sits beside Clue, Operation, Yahtzee and Trivial Pursuit, and each Nightmare Before Christmas board game below lists its players, age and play time. Two card games and an Oogie Boogie expansion for Disney Villainous complete the list.

  • 11 games
  • 2015 to 2023
  • 1 to 12+ players
  • 6 classic editions

Jack would approve of this shelf. Pick a game below, then check out the details.

Most games here come from The Op (formerly USAopoly). Funko Games, Mixlore and Ravensburger round out the lineup with card games and a Villainous expansion. Choices range from familiar classics to quick card games. If Villainous and Lorcana are also on your list, the Disney board games page covers Disney games more broadly.

For a quick game, Making Christmas Card Game takes about 20 minutes.

Start with these three Nightmare Before Christmas games

Oogie Boogie fans can put him front and center in Operation or Villainous.

  • Monopoly fans

    Monopoly: The Nightmare Before Christmas

    Up to 6 players. Film-themed tokens include Jack's skull and Zombie Duck, while spaces include Jack's Tower and Dr. Finkelstein's Laboratory.

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

  • Mystery night

    Clue: The Nightmare Before Christmas

    2 to 6 players, ages 8+, about 60 minutes. Figure out who kidnapped Sandy Claws, with what and where.

    Difficulty
    Time to explainabout 5 min
    Player experience
    Geek Level3 / 10Knows the main characters
    How we rate

  • Short game with younger players

    The Nightmare Before Christmas: Making Christmas Card Game

    2 to 6 players, ages 6+ and about 20 minutes. Swap toy parts on a shared workbench to complete goal cards.

    Difficulty
    Time to explainabout 5 min
    Player experience
    Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
    How we rate

Start with the classics for familiar rules, or pick a card game for a shorter session. Most readers begin with the Nightmare Before Christmas Monopoly, but Clue and Operation change the play more than the artwork.

Nightmare Before Christmas Operation, Yahtzee, Clue and more

You need another Disney Villainous game to play Filled with Fright.

Showing all 11

Main games

The Nightmare Before Christmas: Making Christmas Card Game

  • 2021
  • 2-6 players
  • 20 minutes
  • Ages 6+

A fast family card game about Jack's toy workshop. It’s quick to teach and suits younger players.

How it plays

Each player gets goal cards showing which gifts to assemble. Collect toy parts from a shared workbench; whoever assembles the most gifts wins. The box includes 4 workbench tiles, 40 toy part cards and 20 goal cards.

The film or show connection

Players race to finish toys as Halloween Town takes over Christmas.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 5 min
Player experience
Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
How we rate

Type card game

  • quick
  • family
  • set collection
Publisher
Funko Games
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (comicbook.com)

The Nightmare Before Christmas: Take Over the Holidays!

  • 2-6 players
  • 45 minutes
  • Ages 10+

A tactical card game with six characters, each with a personal deck. It suits older players better than the Funko card game.

How it plays

Choose a character and play cards to locations over four rounds. Place your cards thoughtfully to collect the most Holiday tokens. Each character deck has its own play style.

The film or show connection

Choose Jack, Sally, Santa Claus, Oogie Boogie, Dr. Finkelstein or the Mayor.

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

Type card game

  • tactical
  • card placement
  • character decks
Publisher
Mixlore (listed by Asmodee)
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (store.asmodee.com) Source 2 (asmodee.co.uk)

Munchkin: The Nightmare Before Christmas

  • 2015
  • 3-6 players
  • 1-2 hours
  • Ages 10+

The Munchkin card game heads to Halloween Town. It's one of the longer games on this list, and rival players can get downright adversarial.

How it plays

Munchkin is a take-that card game where you fight monsters with cards and gear. Defeat foes to earn levels and treasure. Play it on its own or mix it with other Munchkin games.

The film or show connection

Become a citizen of Halloween Town, Christmas Town, Thanksgiving Town or Easter Town, and banish foes like Oogie Boogie, Doctor Finkelstein and Lock, Shock and Barrel. Cards include a Vampire Teddy, Mayor's Badge and Santa's Sleigh.

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

Type card game Out of print

  • take that
  • humor
  • long game
Publisher
USAopoly (with Steve Jackson Games)
Designers
USAopoly, based on Steve Jackson's Munchkin
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (munchkin.game)

Loteria: The Nightmare Before Christmas

  • 2-12 players
  • 15 minutes
  • Ages 4+

A bilingual, bingo-style matching game for large groups and young players. It's the easiest party game pick.

How it plays

This English and Spanish edition turns the popular game of bingo into a film-themed match. Match images on your tabla as they’re called to win.

The film or show connection

The cards show film characters, items and places, including Jack Skellington, Vampire Teddy and the Christmas Tree.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 3 min
Player experience
Geek Level2 / 10Watched it once on a flight
How we rate

Type party game

  • bingo style
  • bilingual
  • big groups
  • young kids
Publisher
The Op (USAopoly)
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (theop.games)

Disney Villainous: Filled with Fright

  • 2023
  • 2-4 players
  • about 20 minutes per player
  • Ages 10+

An Oogie Boogie expansion for Disney Villainous. Ravensburger's first single-character expansion, it must be played with another Disney Villainous game.

How it plays

Move Oogie Boogie to film locations to unlock actions and summon allies such as Lock, Shock and Barrel. His Villain cards let you roll his two dice to boost card effects.

The film or show connection

Oogie Boogie is after Jack Skellington’s title as the Pumpkin King. The game includes two dice sculpted to look like the ones in the film.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 20 min
Player experience
Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
How we rate

Type strategy board game

  • expansion
  • Oogie Boogie
  • needs base game
Publisher
Ravensburger
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Target version with an exclusive glow-in-the-dark Oogie Boogie mover

Source 1 (gamingtrend.com) Source 2 (ravensburger.us)

Licensed classic editions

Monopoly: The Nightmare Before Christmas

  • 2-6 players

It’s Monopoly dressed for Halloween Town, with film characters as tokens and film locations on the board.

How it plays

This licensed edition uses the classic property-trading game. Any rule changes are unconfirmed, so check the box.

The film or show connection

The six tokens are Jack's skull, Sally, the Mayor's hearse, Oogie Boogie, Zombie Duck and Evil Teddy. Spaces include Jack's Tower, Zero's Tomb, Dr. Finkelstein's Laboratory and Spiral Hill.

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

Type licensed classic edition

  • property trading
  • collectible tokens
  • family
Publisher
USAopoly (now The Op)

Source 1 (finance.yahoo.com) Source 2 (en.wikipedia.org) Source 3 (comicbook.com)

How to play Monopoly: The Nightmare Before Christmas

Clue: The Nightmare Before Christmas

  • 2-6 players
  • 60 minutes
  • Ages 8+

This Clue edition trades murder for a kidnapping. Someone has taken Sandy Claws, and the board spans Halloween Town and Christmas Town.

How it plays

Move around Halloween Town, weigh the suspects and gather clues to figure out who kidnapped Sandy Claws, what item was used and where he was hidden. Then make your accusation.

The film or show connection

Suspects include Jack, Sally, the Mayor, Oogie Boogie, Dr. Finkelstein and Lock, Shock and Barrel. They’re scattered among popular Halloween Town locations.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 5 min
Player experience
Geek Level3 / 10Knows the main characters
How we rate

Type licensed classic edition

  • deduction
  • mystery
  • family
Publisher
USAopoly (now The Op)
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (theop.games) Source 2 (theop.games)

Operation: The Nightmare Before Christmas

  • 1+ players
  • 30 minutes
  • Ages 6+

Oogie Boogie is on the table as the patient in this Collector's Edition of the Operation dexterity game, complete with custom parts.

How it plays

As in other Operation games, you’re the surgeon, carefully removing parts without touching the edges. This time, Oogie Boogie is the patient and the parts are custom Funatomy pieces.

The film or show connection

Oogie Boogie is the patient, and the removable Funatomy parts are custom to the film.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 3 min
Player experience
Geek Level2 / 10Watched it once on a flight
How we rate

Type licensed classic edition

  • dexterity
  • kids
  • buzzer
Publisher
USAopoly (now The Op)
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (theop.games) Source 2 (theop.games)

Yahtzee: The Nightmare Before Christmas

  • 1+ players
  • 30 minutes
  • Ages 8+

Yahtzee with character dice from the film. There’s also a Sally edition, and the game works for solo play or a group.

How it plays

It’s classic Yahtzee: roll the dice, keep the ones you want and score categories such as Full House or Large Straight.

The film or show connection

Custom dice feature the Mayor, Oogie Boogie, Sally and Jack, the Pumpkin King. The Sally edition's dice show Zero, the Mayor, Lock, Shock and Barrel, Oogie Boogie, Jack and Sally.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 3 min
Player experience
Geek Level2 / 10Watched it once on a flight
How we rate

Type licensed classic edition

  • dice
  • solo friendly
  • quick
Publisher
The Op (USAopoly)
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Yahtzee: Disney The Nightmare Before Christmas: Sally

Source 1 (theop.games) Source 2 (theop.games)

Trivial Pursuit: The Nightmare Before Christmas Collector's Edition

  • 2022
  • 2+ players
  • 30 minutes
  • Ages 12+

A quick trivia set about the film, with 420 questions on its music, characters and the Pumpkin King.

How it plays

Answer film trivia questions from six categories. The Op describes it as a quick game of about 30 minutes.

The film or show connection

420 questions in six categories: Trick or Treat, Songs, Behind the Scenes, Pumpkin King, Christmas Town and Halloween Town.

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

Type licensed classic edition

  • trivia
  • quick play
  • film knowledge
Publisher
The Op (USAopoly)
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (theop.games) Source 2 (en.wikipedia.org) Source 3 (theop.games)

Checkers: The Nightmare Before Christmas

  • 2 players
  • 30 minutes
  • Ages 6+

Standard checkers with a themed board and custom pieces. It's the closest thing to a licensed chess-style set for the film.

How it plays

It’s classic checkers: jump rivals to capture them, then “king” pieces that reach the far side of the red and black board.

The film or show connection

Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, faces off against Oogie Boogie, with custom game pieces.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 3 min
Player experience
Geek Level3 / 10Knows the main characters
How we rate

Type licensed classic edition

  • two players
  • abstract
  • easy to learn
Publisher
The Op (USAopoly)
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (theop.games)

Compare games by player count, play time and age

The Nightmare Before Christmas games compared by players, play time, ages and type
GamePlayersPlay timeAgesType
Monopoly: The Nightmare Before Christmas2-6Not listedNot listedlicensed classic edition
Clue: The Nightmare Before Christmas2-660 minutes8+licensed classic edition
Operation: The Nightmare Before Christmas1+30 minutes6+licensed classic edition
Yahtzee: The Nightmare Before Christmas1+30 minutes8+licensed classic edition
Trivial Pursuit: The Nightmare Before Christmas Collector's Edition2+30 minutes12+licensed classic edition
The Nightmare Before Christmas: Making Christmas Card Game2-620 minutes6+card game
The Nightmare Before Christmas: Take Over the Holidays!2-645 minutes10+card game
Munchkin: The Nightmare Before Christmas3-61-2 hours10+card game
Loteria: The Nightmare Before Christmas2-1215 minutes4+party game
Checkers: The Nightmare Before Christmas230 minutes6+licensed classic edition
Disney Villainous: Filled with Fright2-4about 20 minutes per player10+strategy board game

Nightmare Before Christmas game timeline

Most licensed games came along long after the 1993 film.

For a quick game, Making Christmas Card Game takes about 20 minutes.

  • 1993

    Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas arrives in US cinemas on October 29, directed by Henry Selick.

    Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

  • 2015

    USAopoly publishes Munchkin: The Nightmare Before Christmas in September.

    Source 1 (munchkin.game)

  • 2020

    An August news report says Disney's shop sold the Nightmare Before Christmas Monopoly for $39.95.

    Source 1 (finance.yahoo.com)

  • 2021

    Funko Games announces The Nightmare Before Christmas: Making Christmas Card Game in August.

    Source 1 (comicbook.com)

  • 2022

    Wikipedia's edition list includes a Trivial Pursuit: The Nightmare Before Christmas Collector's Edition.

    Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

  • 2023

    Ravensburger announces Disney Villainous: Filled with Fright, its first single-character expansion, featuring Oogie Boogie.

    Source 1 (gamingtrend.com)

Monopoly leads this list, so it gets a closer look. The theme is mostly in the board and tokens; the familiar property-trading game is still the main event. For a game that changes more than the art, try Clue: The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Inside the Nightmare Before Christmas Monopoly: tokens, spaces and rules

The Nightmare Before Christmas Monopoly changes the scenery more than anything else.

  • Six tokens

    The tokens are Jack's skull, Sally, the Mayor's hearse, Oogie Boogie, Zombie Duck and Evil Teddy.

  • Film locations

    Board spaces include Jack's Tower, Zero's Tomb, Dr. Finkelstein's Laboratory and Spiral Hill.

  • Rules

    This licensed Monopoly edition sticks to the classic property-trading game. Any rule changes are unconfirmed, so check the box.

  • Players

    A 2020 news report says it plays up to 6 players.

  • Which version?

    Wikipedia's list of licensed Monopoly editions includes the standard edition, a Collector's Edition, a Hot Topic exclusive and a 25 Years edition. Check the box to find the edition you want.

Each game draws on a different film moment, making it easy to pick your favorite scene. Planning a spooky-season game night? Browse our horror board games hub for this film and other creepy picks.

Need room for a crowd? Loteria seats up to 12 players.

How the games borrow from the film: Sandy Claws, Oogie Boogie, and Making Christmas

Each game picks a different part of the story to play with.

  • Making Christmas

    In the Funko card game, players collect toy parts from a shared workbench to assemble gifts, just like in the workshop sequence.

  • Sandy Claws gets kidnapped

    Clue builds its mystery around the kidnapping: who took Sandy Claws, what item they used, and where they hid him.

  • Oogie Boogie's lair

    In Operation, Oogie Boogie is the patient. In Disney Villainous: Filled with Fright, he tries to dethrone Jack.

  • Four holiday towns

    Munchkin lets you play a citizen of Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter Town.

  • The songs and story

    Trivial Pursuit has 420 questions across six categories, including Songs and Behind the Scenes.

  • Rival characters

    Take Over the Holidays gives Jack, Sally, Santa Claus, Oogie Boogie, Dr. Finkelstein, and the Mayor their own decks.

A Disney film with a shelf of its own games

The Op sells these games under the name Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Disney Board Games

You need another Disney Villainous game to play Filled with Fright.

More Disney games. See our Disney board games page for Villainous, Lorcana, Codenames, and other Disney editions.

Nightmare Before Christmas game facts

Oogie Boogie fans can put him front and center in Operation or Villainous.

  • The Clue edition centers on Sandy Claws's kidnapping. Players must figure out who took him, what item they used and where he was hidden.

    Source 1 (theop.games)

  • In Operation: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Oogie Boogie is the patient, and you remove custom Funatomy parts.

    Source 1 (theop.games)

  • The Trivial Pursuit edition has 420 questions across six categories, including Songs and Behind the Scenes.

    Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

  • The Monopoly tokens include Zombie Duck and Evil Teddy, along with Jack's skull, Sally, Oogie Boogie and the Mayor's hearse.

    Source 1 (finance.yahoo.com)

  • In Munchkin: The Nightmare Before Christmas, you play a citizen of Halloween Town, Christmas Town, Thanksgiving Town or Easter Town.

    Source 1 (munchkin.game)

  • The Target version of Disney Villainous: Filled with Fright came with a glow-in-the-dark Oogie Boogie mover.

    Source 1 (gamingtrend.com)

  • The Making Christmas card game includes 4 workbench tiles, 40 toy part cards and 20 goal cards.

    Source 1 (comicbook.com)

These answers cover editions people search for by name, including Operation, Yahtzee and Trivial Pursuit. If a detail couldn’t be confirmed, such as one about a chess set, the answer says so. For a game’s full rules, open its page, such as Nightmare Before Christmas Operation game.

Nightmare Before Christmas game questions, answered

What is The Nightmare Before Christmas Monopoly?

This licensed Monopoly edition features film-themed tokens and locations. A 2020 news report says it plays up to 6 players and sold through Disney's shop for $39.95.

What comes in The Nightmare Before Christmas Monopoly?

It has six tokens: Jack's skull, Sally, the Mayor's hearse, Oogie Boogie, Zombie Duck and Evil Teddy. Board spaces include Jack's Tower, Zero's Tomb, Dr. Finkelstein's Laboratory and Spiral Hill.

Which other board games are based on The Nightmare Before Christmas?

There are several: Clue, Operation, Yahtzee, Trivial Pursuit, Checkers, Munchkin and Loteria. The lineup also includes the Making Christmas and Take Over the Holidays card games, plus Oogie Boogie in Disney Villainous.

What is The Nightmare Before Christmas Clue game?

Clue: The Nightmare Before Christmas challenges you to find who kidnapped Sandy Claws, what item was used and where he is hidden. It’s for 2 to 6 players, ages 8+. Clue is sold as Cluedo in some countries, so check local retailers.

What is The Nightmare Before Christmas Operation game?

Oogie Boogie is the patient, and you remove custom Funatomy parts from him. For ages 6+.

What is The Nightmare Before Christmas Yahtzee?

The Op sells a Yahtzee edition with custom dice featuring characters such as the Mayor, Oogie Boogie, Sally and Jack, plus a Sally edition. It's for ages 8+ and takes about 30 minutes.

What is The Nightmare Before Christmas Trivial Pursuit?

The Collector's Edition is a quick-play set with 420 questions across six categories, from Songs to Halloween Town. It’s for 2 or more players, ages 12+.

Is there a chess set based on The Nightmare Before Christmas?

We couldn’t confirm a licensed chess set. The Op does sell Checkers, with Jack Skellington and Oogie Boogie on opposing sides.

Is there a card game based on The Nightmare Before Christmas?

Yes, there are two. Funko Games' Making Christmas Card Game is for 2 to 6 players, ages 6+. Take Over the Holidays! is a tactical card game for 2 to 6 players, ages 10+.

Are there party games based on The Nightmare Before Christmas?

Loteria is a bilingual, bingo-style game for 2 to 12 players, ages 4+. Trivial Pursuit and the Making Christmas card game work well for groups, too.

Can you play Oogie Boogie in Disney Villainous?

Yes. Filled with Fright expansion adds Oogie Boogie, who aims to dethrone Jack Skellington. You need another Disney Villainous game to play it.

Which game based on The Nightmare Before Christmas suits young children?

Loteria is for ages 4+. Operation, Checkers and the Making Christmas card game are for ages 6+.

You need another Disney Villainous game to play Filled with Fright.

For a quick game, Making Christmas Card Game takes about 20 minutes.

Sources

  1. The Op: Clue, The Nightmare Before Christmas theop.games
  2. The Op: Operation, The Nightmare Before Christmas theop.games
  3. The Op: Nightmare Before Christmas gift guide theop.games
  4. Munchkin: The Nightmare Before Christmas munchkin.game
  5. Asmodee: Take Over the Holidays store.asmodee.com
  6. ComicBook.com: Making Christmas Card Game announcement comicbook.com
  7. Gaming Trend: Ravensburger Filled with Fright announcement gamingtrend.com
  8. Yahoo Finance: Nightmare Before Christmas Monopoly finance.yahoo.com
  9. Wikipedia: List of Trivial Pursuit editions en.wikipedia.org
  10. Wikipedia: The Nightmare Before Christmas en.wikipedia.org