Government lockdowns have rekindled people’s interest in tabletop fun, and the top 10 board titles on this list prove why some games can monopolise your calendar for weeks on end. Whether you’re a seasoned strategist or a casual dice‑roller, these marathon‑length classics will test your stamina, patience, and love of elaborate rule‑books.

Why These Top 10 Board Games Take So Long

Long‑play board games thrive on depth. They blend massive maps, countless counters, and intricate diplomatic webs that demand careful planning and often, multiple sessions to resolve. The result? Hours‑long (sometimes days‑long) experiences that become legendary around the gaming table.

10 Risk

Of all the games on this roster, Risk is probably the most familiar to casual and hardcore gamers alike. The iconic quest for world domination, launched in 1959, set the template for modern strategic board gaming and continues to inspire countless successors.

While the official rulebook lists a standard game at roughly 120 minutes, real‑world sessions with six players often stretch far beyond that. In practice, a single game can occupy the table for eight solid hours as armies clash, alliances shift, and continents change hands.

Some epic campaigns even top the twelve‑hour mark. The game’s cultural reach is evident in pop‑culture, such as the infamous Seinfeld episode where Kramer and Newman keep the dice rolling over multiple days.

It’s not unusual for groups to break a session, set the board aside, and reconvene days or weeks later, allowing the drama to unfold at a leisurely pace.

9 7 Ages

Don’t let the title mislead you—7 Ages will take far more than seven hours to complete. Spanning six millennia, players shepherd dynasties through seven distinct epochs, each representing a pivotal slice of human history.

Although the game’s surface suggests a conventional war‑game, it actually demands a sophisticated blend of economic management, scientific progress, and cultural development. Players must guide their civilization from humble origins to a thriving empire.

Because of its depth, a typical playthrough runs at least 480 minutes (eight hours). The sprawling board depicts the entire globe, broken into evenly sized territories across every continent.

From balancing budgets to orchestrating military campaigns and pioneering breakthroughs, the game rewards meticulous attention. Emerging victorious after such a marathon offers a sense of achievement few other games can match.

8 Machiavelli

If you’ve ever perused the political treatises of Niccolò Machiavelli, you’ll recognise the same intrigue in this sprawling strategy game for four to eight players. The title immerses participants in Renaissance Italy, recreating the volatile power dynamics of the era.

The game faithfully reproduces five major Italian powers—the Kingdom of Naples, the Republics of Florence and Venice, the Papacy, and the Duchy of Milan—each vying for supremacy on the peninsula.

Three additional foreign powers—Habsburg Austria, Valois France, and the Ottoman Empire—add further layers of diplomacy, rebellion, warfare, and assassination. A typical session consumes at least 480 minutes (eight hours), though many groups extend the experience to twelve hours or more.

Various rule variants let players tailor the length, but the core experience remains a deep dive into political machinations that can easily dominate an entire weekend.

7 The Republic Of Rome

Roman history stretches over two millennia, yet The Republic of Rome concentrates on the pivotal 250‑year span of the Republic itself. Players command powerful families, each seeking dominance within the Senate and across the Mediterranean.

Each faction juggles military commands, political offices, popular support, and economic concessions. Success hinges on balancing aggressive expansion with careful coalition‑building.

Winning requires amassing enough influence to become Rome’s pre‑eminent power, a task that demands both confrontation and cooperation. The base game’s average duration sits at roughly 300 minutes (five hours), but seasoned players often push sessions into the ten‑to‑twelve‑hour range.

Experienced groups can stretch gameplay even further, turning a single campaign into a marathon of strategic intrigue.

6 2038: Tycoons Of The Asteroid Belt

While most marathon board games revisit historical battles, 2038: Tycoons of the Asteroid Belt propels players into deep‑space mining. An adaptation of the notoriously complex 18xx series, this title challenges participants to claim, develop, and profit from asteroid resources.

Gameplay unfolds in rounds where players trade stock, dispatch mining vessels, and manage fuel supplies. The ever‑changing map—generated anew each session—adds a layer of unpredictability.

Even without expansions, a standard campaign lasts about 360 minutes (six hours). Adding the optional expansion set tacks on roughly another four hours, though many groups report twelve‑hour marathons to fully explore the economic intricacies.

The blend of financial strategy, logistics, and random map generation makes each playthrough a uniquely demanding experience.

5 Paths Of Glory

Most lengthy war games focus on World War II, but Paths of Glory transports players to the Great War (1914‑1918). Participants assume the roles of monarchs and generals, directing massive campaigns across Europe and the Near East.

The game supplies 316 die‑cut counters, a massive map sheet, and a 32‑page rulebook. Players must coordinate offensives, manage resources, and navigate the political landscape of the early twentieth century.

Average playtime hovers around 480 minutes (eight hours), but the steep learning curve can extend initial sessions considerably as players become familiar with the rules.

Veteran groups often push a single campaign to fourteen hours or more, turning the experience into a true test of endurance and historical strategy.

4 Europe Engulfed: WWII European Theatre Block Game

Europe Engulfed stands among the most intricate recreations of World War II, a product of thirteen years of design. Despite its relatively brisk pace, a full campaign typically consumes about 720 minutes (twelve hours).

The game covers the entire European and North‑African theatres, allowing players to command massive armies, navies, and air forces across multiple fronts. It’s one half of a two‑part series; its sibling, Asia Engulfed, focuses on the Pacific theater with a 480‑minute average.

While you can isolate individual campaigns, the full experience demands tackling all theatres to appreciate the scope. The publisher markets the entire campaign as playable within a single 10‑to‑14‑hour day once players master its elegant systems.

Dozens of dice and wooden blocks represent units, and success hinges on strategic movement, timing, and the ever‑present roll‑of‑the‑die.

3 Axis & Allies

Axis & Allies is famous for its flexibility: a quick, four‑hour skirmish is possible, yet seasoned veterans can stretch a single game beyond ten hours as strategies deepen and alliances shift.

The base playtime is listed at roughly 240 minutes (four hours). However, as players refine tactics and coordinate massive offensives, sessions can balloon dramatically.

Reddit anecdotes abound, with some gamers recounting 30‑round campaigns that consumed eight hours per day for eight consecutive days—a staggering 64‑hour marathon. The game’s longevity is bolstered by numerous expansions covering specific campaigns like Operation Overlord and the Pacific Theater.

Each expansion adds fresh scenarios and rules, typically adding another four‑plus hours of play, cementing Axis & Allies as one of the longest‑running board‑game franchises.

2 The Campaign For North Africa—The Desert War 1940‑43

When it comes to sheer duration, The Campaign for North Africa tops the chart. This mammoth simulation can dominate a gaming group for weeks, with an average playtime of 60,000 minutes—just over 41 days.

The game demands a minimum of eight participants, with a maximum of ten, each assuming command of distinct forces. Its massive rulebook, 1,600 cardboard chits, and a ten‑foot map create an unparalleled level of detail.

For truly dedicated groups, sessions can swell to 90,000 minutes (about 62.5 days). If a table meets once a week for three‑hour sessions, completing the campaign could span more than a decade.

Charts tracking morale, damage, mechanical failure, and countless other variables add layers of realism that keep players engrossed for extraordinary lengths of time.

1 Monopoly—Longest Game Ever

Even the classic Monopoly can turn into a marathon, but the 2019 Monopoly—Longest Game Ever edition pushes the limits dramatically. While a standard game usually lasts one to three hours, this version stretches the experience to potentially months.

The revamped set boasts 66 properties—three times the usual count—plus a single die and a rule that eliminates the quick‑win mechanic of rolling doubles.

Victory requires ownership of every property, and bankruptcy becomes a drawn‑out affair as players can tear and reuse bills, extending the financial drama indefinitely.

Hasbro hasn’t published an official average playtime, but given the added complexity, it’s safe to assume sessions can linger for weeks, turning a simple family pastime into an epic endurance test.

If you’re hunting for something truly odd, the market probably already has it. In fact, the world of 10 worthless items is littered with examples of things that, despite their lack of practical value, have changed hands for mind‑blowing amounts of cash. Whether it’s a lock of pop‑star hair or a pixelated artwork, these ten curiosities prove that “worth” can be a wildly subjective label.

10 worthless items: Unbelievable High‑Priced Flops

10 Audrey Hepburn’s Finger Oils

Back in 2017, Christie’s put a selection of the late Audrey Hepburn’s personal effects up for auction. Collectors with a taste for the ultra‑niche and affluent buyers with a penchant for the eccentric swarmed the event, collectively shelling out roughly $5.3 million for the actress’s belongings. The crown jewel of the sale was the shooting script of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which fetched a staggering $700,000‑plus.

Even though the full script is freely available online, those who paid the premium were essentially buying the lingering sheen of Hepburn’s skin and the aura of her hands on the pages—essentially a high‑end, vintage version of a gamer’s “bathwater” that only a true aficionado could appreciate.

9 Justin Bieber’s Hair

Explaining this one to anyone not already in the Bieber fandom is a challenge. In 2011, the teen sensation shocked the world by shaving off his iconic swooping bangs, prompting a frenzy among millions of fans and media alike. During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Bieber offered a lock of his freshly cut hair to a fan on the condition that she auction it for charity.

The modest bundle of blonde strands ultimately sold for an eye‑popping $40,668. While the charitable angle is commendable, it’s hard to ignore that the buyer likely paid for the novelty of owning a fragment of Bieber’s mane rather than any intrinsic value.

8 The Meaning of Life

At first glance, $3.26 doesn’t scream “insane,” but when you juxtapose that price against a net worth of $0.00, the math yields an infinite return on investment. In 2000, eBay seller “postmil” successfully auctioned off what was billed as the “meaning of life.”

The listing promised, “I have discovered the reason for our existence and will be happy to share this information with the highest bidder.” The winning bidder, mojo120843, paid $3.26 and, according to the seller’s flawless feedback score, presumably received exactly what was promised.

7 A Haunted Cane

In 2004, a six‑year‑old boy was convinced that his late grandfather’s spirit lingered in an old walking cane. To soothe his fears, his mother listed the cane—ghost and all—on eBay. The eerie artifact fetched $64,000, which would be roughly $92,000 in today’s dollars.

The purchase was made by the online casino GoldenPalace.com, known for snapping up bizarre pieces of Americana. Along with the cane, they acquired the associated specter and a pledge to reassure the boy that his grandfather was “still there, watching over him.”

6 Super Mario 64

First, a quick disclaimer: Super Mario 64 is not a valueless game. It revolutionized 3D platforming and still earns spots on “best‑of” lists. However, the title’s age—over 25 years—means it’s widely available via official remakes and unofficial emulation, casting a shadow over the $1,560,000 price tag paid for a pristine copy earlier this year.

The cartridge arrived still sealed in its original box, graded a flawless 9.8/A++—the second‑best condition a collector could hope for. Yet, when you strip away the nostalgia, you’re really buying a piece of plastic, a cardboard sleeve, and a short instruction booklet. One has to wonder how many gold coins or Power Stars that sum translates to in the Mushroom Kingdom.

5 Business.com

Like the Mario cartridge, the domain name business.com isn’t inherently worthless. Still, the $350 million price tag it commanded raises eyebrows. The telephone‑directory giant R.H. Donnelley outbid heavyweights such as The New York Times and Dow Jones to secure the address.

Since the acquisition, the site has been transformed into a modest business‑consultation portal. While it draws steady traffic and holds the potential for revenue, skeptics wonder whether the colossal investment will ever be recouped.

4 A Pink Rock

In 2017, the famed Pink Star diamond was sold at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong, with Chow Tai Fook Enterprises paying $71.2 million for the gemstone.

The stone’s allure isn’t because it sat at the bottom of the Titanic or anything dramatic. At 59.6 carats (just under 12 grams), its size is impressive, but the color—a muddy, brownish pink—doesn’t exactly scream “must‑have.” Yet the price tells a different story.

In short, this relatively small, unremarkable rock fetched a jaw‑dropping sum, leaving many to wonder what exactly justified the $71.2 million price tag.

3 A Single Photograph

Take a moment to Google “Rhein II” and truly study the image. It’s a striking, minimalist shot of the Rhine River near Düsseldorf, Germany, featuring clean lines and subtle hues.

Now, imagine paying for a replica of that very photograph. The winning bid for a copy was a staggering $4.3 million. The artist described the work as “a dramatic and profound reflection on human existence and our relationship to nature on the cusp of the 21st century.” Meanwhile, The Guardian dismissed it as a “sludgy image of a desolate, featureless landscape.”

Regardless of the differing opinions, shelling out millions for a duplicate—something you could likely find on a cheap postcard—underscores the bizarre economics of high‑end art.

2 A Sacred Grilled Cheese

In 1994, Florida resident Diane Duyser crafted a grilled cheese sandwich, only to claim she saw the Virgin Mary staring back at her from the melted cheese. Convinced it was a holy sign, she and her husband kept the sandwich for ten years, during which it never spoiled and even seemed to bring good luck, including a $70,000 casino win.

In 2004, Duyser decided to part with the miraculous sandwich, listing it on eBay. The hallowed Havarti fetched $28,000, purchased by the same GoldenPalace.com that bought the haunted cane. The buyer announced plans to tour the blessed cheese and eventually re‑auction it for charity, though its current whereabouts remain a mystery.

This story blends culinary curiosity with spiritual intrigue, turning an everyday snack into a multimillion‑dollar curiosity.

1 A $70 Million Digital Copy of Beeple

Non‑fungible tokens (NFTs) are essentially digital files—photos, videos, music—paired with a cryptographic certificate of authenticity. One such NFT, a digital copy of Beeple’s Everydays: The First 5000 Days, sold for an eye‑watering $69.3 million this year.

The sale crowned the piece as the most expensive NFT ever and one of the priciest works by any living artist. The artwork stitches together 5,000 individual images created daily by Beeple, forming a sprawling visual timeline. The shock comes not from the content itself, but from the format: a digital copy with a unique blockchain signature, yet ultimately still just a copy.