Game Families

(Part of Loaded Dice.)

• Games about animals
• Game versions of sports
• Games about countries

I'd originally thought that BGG's "Game Family" section was just for boring things like indicating when a game was part of a series, but it's also used to classify games in ways that don't rate a full-fledged "Category". Most interesting are the "families" of games about different kinds of animals.

Here are the most popular animals (including fictional animals and monsters) to use in a board game, along with the highest-rated and lowest-rated game for each animal. I only considered games that have at least 10 ratings.

Animal	Number of games	Highest-rated game	Lowest-rated game
Animals: Dogs	308	Snow Tails: The Leap of Death (7.13)	Scooby-doo! Thrills and Spills (3.55)
Monsters	294	Good Help (8.56)	Kong - Skull Island Game (1.74)
Animals: Dragons	234	Defenders of the Realm: The Dragon Expansion (8.10)	Dindons & Dragons (3.66)
Animals: Mice	209	Wizards of Mickey CCG (7.36)	Maus pass auf! (3.94)
Animals: Bears	197	Zooloretto - Grizzly (6.94)	Lotto (3.32)
Animals: Dinosaurs	185	Sticks & Stones Card Game (7.39)	Monopoly Junior: Dig 'n Dinos (3.65)
Animals: Cats	168	Cat & Fish (7.15)	The Cat in the Hat Game (3.84)
Animals: Monkeys	165	Affentennis (7.37)	Kong - Skull Island Game (1.74)
Aliens	146	The Thing (8.08)	Berzerkerbirdz (3.21)
Animals: Rabbits	129	Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot: Chocolate Booster (7.73)	Uncle Wiggily (3.84)
Animals: Frogs	112	Splotch! (7.14)	Hungry Hungry Hippos (4.11)
Animals: Cattle	97	Taurus (7.33)	Buckaroo (4.67)
Animals: Pigs	94	Truffle Scuffle (7.11)	Snout! The Pass The Pigs Card Game (3.21)
Vampires	91	Vampire Werewolf Fairies (7.45)	Angel: The Board Game (1.91)
Animals: Fishes	90	Cat & Fish (7.15)	Go Fish (3.57)
Ghosts	88	Ghost Stories: White Moon (8.00)	Gefangen in der Geisterbahn (4.03)
Animals: Chickens	88	Loopin' Louie (7.04)	Chicken Run, Escape From Tweedy's Farm (2.93)
Animals: Horses	80	Bohnanza (7.15)	Memory (4.65)
Animals: Sheep	73	Mutton (6.94)	Shaun das Schaf - Köttel-Alarm (5.00)
Animals: Ducks	73	Duckling Dancin' (6.76)	Lucky Ducks (3.86)
Animals: Penguins	65	Hey, That's My Fish! (6.92)	Disney Club Penguin Trading Card Game (4.55)
Animals: Elephants	60	Black Elephant (7.78)	Stampede! (4.27)
Animals: Bees	58	Honeypot (7.11)	Ker Plunk (4.83)
Animals: Spiders	53	Igel Ärgern + Tante Tarantel (7.20)	Goosebumps - Shrieks and Spiders Game (4.35)
Flowers	52	Hanabi & Ikebana (7.60)	4 First Games (4.71)
Animals: Butterflies	52	Chamäleon (6.43)	The Very Hungry Caterpillar Game (3.28)
Animals: Snakes	48	Cobras in the Cockpit (6.71)	Snakes and Ladders (2.73)
Animals: Turtles	47	Schildi Strandkröte (7.10)	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Pizza Power Game (4.48)
Animals: Wolves	46	A Game of Thrones: The Card Game: Wolves of the North (7.58)	Schafe Schnappen (5.17)
Animals: Flies	41	Hive: The Mosquito (7.45)	BSZZZZ! (4.39)
Animals: Squirrels	40	Get Nuts (6.58)	The Squirrel Game (5.05)
Animals: Foxes	37	Zoff im Hühnerhof (6.52)	Fox and Geese (4.68)
Animals: Ants	37	Antics! (7.11)	Ants in the Pants (4.52)
Animals: Alligators / Crocodiles	37	Buffalos (7.65)	Hungry Hungry Hippos (4.11)
Animals: Deer	34	Moose Quest (6.70)	Bullwinkle and Rocky Role Playing Party Game (5.18)
Animals: Rats	31	Rattus: Pied Piper (7.60)	Rat Splatter (3.70)
Animals: Crows	31	Crows (6.82)	The Crow and the Pitcher (6.32)
Animals: Goats	30	Arkham Horror: The Black Goat of the Woods Expansion (7.52)	Beppo der Bock (5.94)
Animals: Worms	29	Pickomino (6.50)	Squiggly Worms (3.97)
Animals: Ladybugs	29	Hive: The Ladybug (7.78)	Cootie (3.38)
Animals: Camels	28	Yspahan (7.28)	WĂźstenkĂśnige (4.40)
Animals: Lions	25	Jungle Smart (6.37)	Lion King (4.63)
Animals: Tigers	23	Two by Two (6.42)	Der Tiger ist los (5.55)
Animals: Sharks	23	Shark (6.70)	Power Sharks (4.11)
Animals: Donkeys	23	Ochs & Esel (6.29)	Old Maid (3.44)
Animals: Moles	21	Up And Down (6.38)	Electronic Whac-a-Mole (4.51)
Animals: Kangaroos	21	Billabong (6.87)	Kangaroo: The Jumping Game (5.42)
Animals: Hedgehogs/Porcupines	20	Igel Ärgern + Tante Tarantel (7.20)	Hedgehog's Revenge (2.92)
Pokémon	20	Battle Dome (6.33)	Pokémon Jr. Adventure Game: Pokémon Emergency! (4.28)
PokĂŠmon	14	PokĂŠmon Master Trainer II (6.76)	Sorry! - PokĂŠmon (4.33)

Yes, there are two Pokémon families, because one person typed the é in UTF-8 and someone else typed the é in ISO-8859-1.

Game versions of sports

You only need one set of equipment to actually play a sport, but a true sports fan will buy one tie-in board game after another. Here are the most popular sports and sport-like activities to adapt into board games.

Sport/Activity	Number of games	Highest-rated game	Lowest-rated game
Football / Soccer	450	Football Leader (7.94)	Fußball-Bundesliga - Das große Geschäft (3.27)
Auto Racing	397	PitLane (9.23)	Monopoly: Dale Earnhardt (3.73)
Baseball	371	Replay Baseball (7.93)	Cranium Ballpark Blast (4.00)
American Football / Gridiron	323	Sports Action Canadian Pro Football (8.55)	NFL-opoly (3.41)
Bicycle / Cycling	255	Breaking Away (7.46)	First to Reverse (4.66)
Horse Racing	247	TurfMaster Course Collection 1 (8.16)	Newmarket (4.37)
Golf	241	Pocket Pro Golf (7.16)	19th Hole Golf (3.75)
Ice Hockey	144	Face-Off Pro Hockey Game (7.75)	Monopoly: NHL (5.07)
Basketball	138	Replay Basketball (8.51)	You Can't Check Me!: The Basketball Card Game (1.65)
Fishing-themed games	98	Fishfry (7.25)	Fishin' Time (4.23)
Combat Sports/Martial Arts	92	JAB: Realtime Boxing (8.18)	Kung Fu (3.55)
Sailing	91	Yacht Race (6.92)	Set Sail! (3.85)
Tennis	81	TC Tennis (8.38)	Pro Tennis (3.73)
Cricket	69	International Cricket (7.96)	Cricket Dice (2.70)
Bowling	65	Bowling Solitaire (6.50)	Spare Time Bowling (3.91)
Winter Sports	59	Curling Table Game (7.30)	The Yeti Slalom (4.90)
Mountain climbing	56	Disaster on K2 (7.85)	Himalaya (3.85)
Hunting-themed games	49	Mammoth Hunters (6.19)	Hatz Fatz (4.55)
Athletics / Track and Field	48	Metric Mile (7.68)	Bruce Jenner Decathlon Game (4.83)
Fantasy Sports	46	Blood Bowl: Living RuleBook (7.90)	Quidditch: The Game (2.45)
Wrestling	44	Champions of the Galaxy (8.57)	WWF World Wrestling Federation Wrestling Trivia Game (5.00)
Sci-Fi Sports	42	Forceball (7.71)	Berzerkerbirdz (3.21)
Motorcycle	42	Moto Grand Prix (6.39)	Table-MotoGP: The Moto GP Licensed Board Game (3.76)
Olympics	41	Schildi Strandkröte (7.10)	Animal Olympics (6.03)
Rugby	37	Crash Tackle (7.80)	Subbuteo Rugby (5.46)
Boxing	37	JAB: Realtime Boxing (8.18)	Folko-Boks (4.37)
Aerial Racing	36	The Great Balloon Race (6.23)	Ab die Post! (5.18)
Billiards	29	Paddle Pool (5.96)	Paddle Pool (5.96)
Rodeo	20	Buckaroo (4.67)	Buckaroo (4.67)
Greyhound Racing	19	Greyhounds (6.40)	Greyhounds (6.40)
Surfing	14	Cowabunga (6.03)	Hang Four (5.36)
Australian Football	11	n/a	n/a
Curling	9	Curling Table Game (7.30)	Rebound (5.55)
3M Sports Games	8	Speed Circuit (6.81)	Thinking Man's Football (5.03)
Sports Illustrated (Time, Inc) Line	7	Sports Illustrated Baseball (7.25)	Decathlon (5.03)
Pizza Box Sports	6	Pizza Box Football 2006 Expansion (7.19)	Pizza Box Football (6.41)

Games about countries

Every country's got its own Monopoly game, a few wargame scenarios, maybe some train game expansions. But a few nations intrigue American and European game makers so much as to become the theme for entirely unrelated games. The countries at the top of this list are the heavy-hitters, the UN Security Council of the board game theme world.

Country/Region	Number of games	Highest-rated game	Lowest-rated game
The Roman Empire	335	Commands & Colors: Ancients Expansion Pack #4: Imperial Rome (8.50)	Nero (3.57)
Country: Egypt	89	Ra (7.62)	Mystery On The Nile (3.64)
Country: Finland	57	Mannerheim's Cross: Finland at War 1939-1945 (8.26)	Afrikan tähti korttipeli (3.72)
Country: Japan	52	IJN (8.39)	Port Arthur: The Russo-Japanese War (5.27)
Country: Germany	46	Memoir '44: Das deutsche Umrüstungs-Set (9.27)	Deutschlandreise (4.32)
Country: Australia	42	1848: Australia (8.01)	Survivor: The Australian Outback Card Game (3.16)
Country: Vietnam	39	Hearts and Minds: Vietnam 1965-1975 (7.89)	Vietnam Battles: Hue and Khe Sanh 1968 (5.29)
Country: Spain	39	Crusade and Revolution: The Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939 (8.83)	La Guerra de España (4.87)
Country: Portugal	36	Age of Steam Expansion: Portugal (8.28)	S. Jorge Trophy (4.25)
Country: Netherlands	34	Age of Steam Expansion: Holland / Madagascar (7.99)	Defiant Holland (5.00)
Moon/Lunar	34	Age of Steam Expansion: The Moon (7.74)	Lunar Command (5.22)
Country: Canada	33	Age of Steam Expansion: Eastern US & Canada (7.06)	Quebec 1759 (6.98)
Country: France	31	Power Grid: France/Italy (8.04)	Epées de France (7.18)
Country: Korea	27	Korea: The Forgotten War (8.07)	Redline Korea (5.23)
Country: India	26	Chandragupta (7.89)	Hindu Windu (4.46)
Mars	21	Planet Steam (7.53)	Mars 2020 (5.90)
Country: Switzerland	20	Ticket to Ride: Switzerland (7.54)	Monopoly (4.50)
Country: Iraq	17	Age of Steam Expansion: War in Iraq & New York Subway (7.15)	Back to Iraq (5.10)
Singapore	17	Formula D Circuits 3: Singapore & The Docks (7.58)	Monopoly: Singapore (4.52)
Country: Israel	16	Bar-Lev: The 1973 Arab-Israeli War (7.70)	The Arab Israeli Wars (5.53)
Country: Greece	16	RPGQuest: Greek Mythology (8.46)	Chez Greek (5.98)
Country: Poland	14	Red Star/White Eagle: The Russo-Polish War, 1920 (7.64)	Monopoly (4.50)
Country: New Zealand	14	Poleconomy (5.48)	Monopoly: New Zealand (4.18)
Country: Mexico	14	Railways of Mexico (8.07)	Civil War in the Far West: The New Mexico Campaign, 1862 (6.36)
Country: Cuba	14	Cuba: Sambaschule (8.09)	Cuban Revolution (5.62)
Country: Brazil	12	Power Grid: Brazil/Spain & Portugal (8.01)	Bra$ilis (6.07)
Country: Sweden	11	Sweden Fights On (7.76)	Monopol (4.25)
Country: Iceland	11	n/a	n/a
Country: Ukraine	10	Ukraine '43 (7.67)	Millennium Wars: Ukraine (6.84)
Country: Iran	9	Ignorant Armies: Iran-Iraq War (6.73)	Raid on Iran (5.92)
Country: Taiwan	8	n/a	n/a
Country: Malaysia	8	Malaya & Burma (6.88)	Malaya: V-Mail Postcard Game #1 (6.19)
Country: Hong Kong	8	Honour Alone: Hong Kong 1941 (7.89)	Monopoly: Hong Kong (4.54)
Country: Thailand	7	Bughouse Chess (7.49)	Bangkok Klongs (6.38)
Country: Puerto Rico	7	Puerto Rico (8.26)	Age of Steam Expansion: Jamaica / Puerto Rico (7.07)
Country: Norway	7	Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries (7.71)	Norway 1940 (6.31)
Country: Burma	6	Burma (7.96)	Burma (6.16)
Country: Romania	5	Serbia the Defiant / Romania: Transylvanian Gambit (7.59)	Forgotten Axis: The Romanian Campaign (4.62)
Country: Pakistan	5	Indo-Pakistani Wars (5.74)	Indo-Pakistani Wars (5.74)
Country: Macedonia	5	The Conquerors (6.82)	Hegemon (6.08)
Country: Jamaica	5	Jamaica: Extra Treasures (7.12)	Jamaica (6.81)
Country: Denmark	5	Knapp Daneben (6.82)	Knapp Daneben (6.82)
Country: Chile	4	Age of Steam Expansion: Chile, Egypt and CCCP (7.26)	Age of Steam Expansion: Chile, Egypt and CCCP (7.26)
Country: Afghanistan	4	Holy War: Afghanistan (6.03)	Holy War: Afghanistan (6.03)
Country: Syria	3	Operation Shocktroop: The Israeli Counterstroke Against Syria, 1973 (5.61)	Operation Shocktroop: The Israeli Counterstroke Against Syria, 1973 (5.61)
Country: Panama	3	n/a	n/a
Country: Kuwait	3	Arabian Nightmare: The Kuwait War (4.74)	Arabian Nightmare: The Kuwait War (4.74)
Country: Hungary	3	n/a	n/a
Country: El Salvador	3	n/a	n/a
Country: Argentina	3	Falklands Showdown: The 1982 Anglo-Argentine War (5.12)	Falklands Showdown: The 1982 Anglo-Argentine War (5.12)
Country: Sri Lanka	2	n/a	n/a
Country: Serbia	2	Serbia the Defiant / Romania: Transylvanian Gambit (7.59)	Serbia the Defiant / Romania: Transylvanian Gambit (7.59)
Country: Peru	2	Formula De - Gran Premio d'Italia - Perugia - Circuito Cittadino (7.70)	Formula De - Gran Premio d'Italia - Perugia - Circuito Cittadino (7.70)
Country: Paraguay	2	War of the Triple Alliance: Paraguay - 1865-1870 (5.56)	War of the Triple Alliance: Paraguay - 1865-1870 (5.56)
Country: Papua New Guinea	2	Combat Commander: Battle Pack #4 - New Guinea (8.57)	Papua (6.03)
Country: Nicaragua	2	Nicaragua (6.11)	Nicaragua (6.11)
Country: Mongolia	2	n/a	n/a
Country: Macao	2	Macao (7.48)	Macao (7.48)
Country: Indonesia	2	Indonesia (7.79)	Indonesia (7.79)
Country: Czech Republic	2	Czechoslovakia '38 (5.85)	Czechoslovakia '38 (5.85)
Country: Colombia	2	Crisis Games: Colombia (6.36)	Crisis Games: Colombia (6.36)
Country: Cayman Islands	2	n/a	n/a

Next: Ownership and the Trade Market