11 STL Files of Board Games to Download and 3D Print
There are innumerable board games available, and the list expands daily. Even more so due to 3D printing, which has eliminated numerous accessory restrictions and let independent creators develop fresh game ideas.
1. Chair Stacking
Although this game is straightforward and doesn't require much explanation, it is nonetheless enjoyable and challenging. Players take turns piling chairs on top of each other, starting with just one chair, somewhat like Jenga blocks, and the person who causes the structure to collapse first loses. Different chair backrest designs allow for a variety of stacking arrangements.
This model was designed by Thomas H 3D, and it is available on Printables. 32 users have printed this popular style. Although the chairs require support, printing them should be simple.
2. Elastic Football
This tabletop game called "elastic football" uses rubber bands instead of the traditional rods used in "foosball," but the objective remains the same. By kicking the ball into your opponent's goal while defending your own, you must score five goals in a row to win. The base, the goalposts, and the players are just a few of the game's components that were 3D printed.
The designer advises printing the player pieces with 100% infill and the field with a brim to prevent warping for successful results. This board game is incredibly well-liked on Printables, with over 1,500 downloads, 480 likes, and 14 makes. Wilko_SLO designed this model.
3. Spool Race
Playing the Spool Race involves using Prusament spools to store filament for 3D printing. This spool offers a fast-paced game where participants sprint to the finish line thanks to its hexagonal patterns and 3D-printed pieces. The racecourse has numerous barriers and obstacles, and you can adjust its positioning before each round. Because no two Spool Race games are the same, you will always have a fresh and exciting experience.
About 150 downloads, 160 likes, and six makes of this model were posted on Printables. This design by Alpes86 is a step towards recycling as it lets you make something useful from a spool that would have otherwise gone to waste.
4. Quoridor
Obstacles are placed as the game progresses, and you must decide whether to set a block or move your pawn on each turn. You win the game by getting to the other side of the board before your opponent. You'll need to stop them from getting to your side, but watch out not to get in their way! Even though it may take some time to finish, printing shouldn't be too challenging because the pieces are generally flat and shouldn't need support. Furthermore, wood PLA will work if you want to go with a rustic design like the one in the aforementioned image.
Ziyay designed this model, and it is available on Printables. 23 developers have printed this strategy game and shared prints, claiming it was simple to print.
5. Pokemon Chess set
To start with, every piece in this collection is a popular Pokémon. You can select Mew and Mewtwo as your royal couple or Nidoqueen and Nidoking, and there are enough files in this project to print two separate groups of parts. The original roster of Pokémon is included in the collection as pawns and a few extra fan favorites.
To distinguish between your bishops and your rooks, the designer of this set created unique base shapes for each type of piece! The pieces can be printed flat in two pieces laid out horizontally, and the base can be secured with M8 nuts. One noted manufacturer printed this set using a 0.15-mm layer height and a 20% infill without rafts. However, supports were used.
There are 57 documented printed versions, 15 remixes, and more than 261,000 downloads of this Pokémon chess set on Thingiverse. Given that so many others have already been able to print this set, you should have no trouble doing so.
6. Star Wars Chess Set
You can also play good versus evil in this set, or in this case, light versus dark! Han, Luke, Admiral Ackbar, Leia, and Yoda are R2-D2 pawns for the rebels, whereas Boba Fett, Darth Maul, Darth Vader, Lumiya, and Darth Sidious are Stormtrooper pawns for the Dark Side. It's ideal for a galactic-scale, tactical space conflict.
According to one creator, this set should be printed in PLA using 3 to 16 shells and a 15% infill. A different maker commented that printing this set with five shells and a 20% infill was very successful. Almost 41,000 people downloaded and made this Star Wars-themed chess set on MyMiniFactory and Thingiverse.
7. BattleFleet Star Wars vs. Star Trek
This game is equal parts psychology and strategy. Some people believe that players fire their first shots from the locations where they've put their ships on their respective boards. Some people avoid corners entirely, while others stack everything in the corners. You can take this version wherever you go and easily continue the Star Wars vs. Star Trek conflict.
The author suggests increasing the infill level on the board's bottom for stability. On Thingiverse, the board game Battleship Travel has received four makes and five remixes.
8. Pocket Sternhalma
Between two and six participants can participate in Sternhalma. Nonetheless, it can be a little troublesome to transport due to the large number of pins—60, to be exact. This designer has thought of a genius solution to making it portable without taking up a lot of room. You might want to add brims to the pins in this smaller version because they are so small if you want to keep them adhered to the print bed.
The model is well made with excellent tolerances, according to one creator, who has uploaded three successful prints on Thingiverse thus far. Chuckbobuck designed this version of the game.
9. Travel Catan
You can't stop playing Catan! No matter the location or the hour, you must continue to grow. Yet, playing Catan while on the go might be challenging due to the board's requirement for so many tiny pieces. This designer has created a baseboard that can snugly fit all the forms together, reducing the chance that the number of pieces or highways will be moved if the board tips over. You can now take it with you and play anywhere! Two versions of this model are available on Thingiverse, and the creator BigBadBison has provided numerous helpful printing-quality advice.
10. Upshot
A position on the throne is the object of this original game called Upshot, which features 3D-printed pawns that move from the bottom to the top of the board. The game is a hybrid that mixes chess strategy with the luck-based gameplay of Ludo, making it both difficult and enjoyable. The game's difficulty may be adjusted by moving about the individual tiles on the board, making it simple to adapt to your skill level or provide a fresh challenge.
One of the best things about Upshot is how small and portable it is, making it simple to take with you on excursions or play while on the go. Two versions of this original tabletop game created by Occupied_brain on Printables highlight its brilliance.
11. Settlers of Catan Pice Holder
The popular board game Catan, often known as The Settlers of Catan, was first released in Germany in 1995. With over 22 million copies sold in 30 different languages, it has followers worldwide and has undergone multiple expansions more than 25 years after it was first released. It also has a digital version. A unique 10th-anniversary version of Catan, the Catan 3D featured gorgeous 3D resource tiles that arrived and vanished quickly, selling out almost as soon as Fallout's Pip-Boy Edition. There were only 5,000 copies made, and they are all now gone. The 3D collector's edition is now only sold on eBay and ranges in price from $500 to $10,000.
Print some custom pieces for your old board, or print yourself an entirely new board. This piece holder is an example. Thanks to this stylish piece holder, you won't drop the smaller pieces and must spend five minutes mid-game digging for them on the floor. After the game, you won't need to count the pieces anymore; just put them on the holder to ensure everything is there before calling it a night. The model was created specifically for the Cities & Knights expansion, although it should also function with the standard base game.
This model was designed by Druppy. The model has been downloaded over 740 times, but no community prints have been shared on MyMiniFactory.
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