J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is not only one of the best pieces of literature ever written, but it is also the source of inspiration behind the medieval fantasy genre as we know it. There’s no denying that it has created the path that many other writers, filmmakers, video game devs, or any other creators that have dabbled in the genre have walked down. It is truly one of the most important and beloved stories of our time.
And so, with any such property, you’re bound to get adaptations of all sorts. While Peter Jackson’s movie trilogy was arguably the best tribute that could be paid to Tolkien’s work, there have been countless other adaptations over the decades. In this list we’ll focus on the best tabletop games that are based on The Lord of the Rings, which is sort of a full circle, because it could be said that Tolkien also inspired theDungeons & Dragons partysystem.
Updated on July 31, 2025, by Vaspaan Dastoor:J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings continues to inspire creators of all kinds. This includes those of tabletop games, many of who have created original games based on LOTR, or adapted existing games into an LOTR edition. Either way, fans of the books and movies will love these tabletop games.
Monopoly: The Lord of the Rings Edition Board Game
Property prices in Gondor are through the roof.
Let’s start with something simple. With the number of editions that Monopoly has, there was always going to be one for The Lord of the Rings. However, the creators had to do something special for this edition. Besides having tokens featuring the Fellowship, there’s also a system for getting special powers if you are in control of the One Ring. But, as we know, the Ring eventually will end up controlling you.
A Lord of the Rings edition of Monopoly was inevitable. But this edition might be the one to rule them all. Not only does it feature famous characters and locations from LOTR, but it also includes a unique mechanic based on the Ring. Whosoever possesses the Ring will gain special abilities, but holding onto it for too long will, as we know, end up being detrimental.
The Lord Of The Rings: The Card Game
Middle-earth in your hand
The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game is a cooperative living card game that brings you face to face with the people and places of Middle-earth. You’ll have to work together to get yourself out of precarious situations and ensure that Sauron does not prevail. It also features a number of expansions based on events from the books and films.
The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game features great artwork and an original take on characters we know and love. And, since it’s a living card game, you can just get the next expansion if you feel like you need more. However, the card game itself is also extremely engaging.
Magic: The Gathering – Lord Of The Rings: Tales Of Middle-earth Bundle
Middle-earth like you’ve never seen it.
As part of Magic: The Gathering’s Universes Beyond, Lord Of The Rings: Tales Of Middle-earth features familiar characters, places, and events from the LOTR universe with stunning original artwork. A neat feature of this set is that it includes one unique card for The One Ring, which has now been sold to Post Malone for $2 million. The cards in these sets are absolutely stunning, and some even come together to form a larger scene.
The best thing about Lord of the Rings: Tales Of Middle-earth is the artwork and the Borderless Scene Cards. This means that even if you aren’t someone who plays MTG, some of these cards are great for just collecting and displaying. Any LOTR fan would love you get these cards with original takes on beloved characters. And, who knows, maybe Post Malone will buy an extremely rare card from you.
The Lord Of The Rings RPG Book
Be your own Eru Ilúvatar
Imagine going on your own adventure with your own fellowship in Middle-earth. That’s what the Lord of the Rings RPG gives you, a world full of possibilities. You could possibly go on your own side-adventure during the events of the books, or set the campaign some time before or after that. Famous characters and places could also pop up, making this one hell of an adventure.
Imagine having the opportunity to have your very own adventure in Middle-earth. Coming across familiar places and faces, perhaps even unknowingly helping out a Hobbit or two with their burden. Or, you could be doing your own thing in the Fourth Age of Middle-earth. There’s something for everyone out there.
Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game
Middle-earth 40,000
The beauty of Warhammer 40K has always been in its miniatures. Now, imagine how many miniatures that could spawn from the Lord of the Rings movies. Games Workshop decided to take up the task of creating a LOTR miniatures game, with each edition featuring famous scenes from the movies. For instance, the Battle of Osgiliath comes with Faramir, the men of Gondor, attacking orcs, trolls, and even Gothmog himself.
Even if you don’t care for Warhammer 40,000, you have to admit that the miniatures are pretty damn cool. Now imagine if you could have miniatures of almost every character and unit from the Lord of the Rings movies, right from the tiny Hobbits to the larger than life Oliphants. That’s what the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game offers you; and it’s even made by Games Workshop. Miniatures fans will absolutely love this one.
Risk: The Lord Of The Rings Edition
Imagine Aragorn the conqueror
While there’s really only one side that wants to conquer more regions in The Lord of the Rings, this edition of Risk turns all players into aggressors. While the rules are pretty much the same, the map is that of Middle-earth and so are the miniatures. This is the closest you’ll come to playing a tabletop version of Battle for Middle-earth.
Sauron learned the hard way that if the people of Middle-earth come together, there would be no way for him to take over the land. However, in the case of the LOTR edition of Risk, the free people are not only resisting, but also invading. While thatres not much in the way for LOTR lore in this game, the pices and map are what will appeal to fans of the series.
The Lord Of The Rings: Journeys In Middle-earth
Simply walk into Mordor.
While The Fellowship made its way across Middle-earth at its own pace, you can speed things up with this action-exploration game. The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth lets you take charge of the Fellowship and handle things your way as you slowly proceed towards Mount Doom. It also features unique artwork that’s different from the Peter Jackson trilogy.
The Lord of the Rings features a deep and detailed world, with a myriad of characters and stories. So, its no surprise that there are multiple great action - exploration games based on it. While Journeys in Middle-earth sounds very similar to Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game, it features unique art and a different set of rules. This game also lets you sustromize your adventures a bit. letting you live out the LOTR fanfic youve always wanted to.
The Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle-earth Chess Set
Nazgul to F6
There are many chess sets based on The Lord of the Rings. However, this one by The Noble Collection has a good balance of all criteria. The pieces of the set are well sculpted and look good, it features both sides, and it wont burn a hole in your pocket.
You don’t necessarily have to play a tabletop game with special rules in order to appreciate Lord of the Rings tabletop games. A chess set based on characters from the series not only makes a great game, but a great showpiece as well. Unfortunately, the pawn pieces are a bit generic, and more characters could have been included, but this chess set would make a great addition to the collection of any fan of the series.
War Of The Ring
The grand strategy of our time
War of the Ring is a mixture of a few tabletop genres. While the grand strategy aspect will see the armis of the Free Peoples fight Sauron’s forces, each player will also have to account for the Fellowship’s journey, as well as the Ringwraiths' relentless hunt for the ring.
While there are plenty of board games that let you control the armies of Middle-earth, not many let you control the Fellowship’s journey as well. War of the Ring will ensure that you pay attention to all aspects of the game, should you risk losing the One Ring to Sauron.
Magic: The Gathering The Lord of The Rings: Tales of Middle-Earth Scene Boxes
A literal work of art.
Our second Magic: The Gathering entry. The reason we’ve chosen this bundle is mostly for its display value. Each pack combines to create an iconic scene from LOTR, be it the Nazgul on their Fell Beasts, Gandalf at Pelennor fields, Galadriel showing her might, or Aragorn at Helm’s Deep.
Tales of Middle-earth was already a masterstroke by MTG, but creating sets that combine into one scene is just genius. These scene boxes not only contain cards that you may add to your deck, but also act as great display pieces on your shelves.
FAQ
Is there a board game for Lord of the Rings?
Yes, there are plenty of Lord of the Rings board games, card games, and other tabletop games. Some of them are original, while others are editions of popular games.
What is the number one played board game?
Monopoly, given its numerous editions and localizations is the most popular board game in the world.
