The 7 Best Viking Board Games in 2026, Ranked by an Equipment Nerd
Seven hnefatafl sets, one Norse chess set, and a straight answer about which one survives a club night.
| Image | Pick | Product | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Best overall | Hnefatafl | Price |
 | Best for beginners | Hnefatafl Viking Chess Set | Price |
 | Best travel set | HNEFATAFL: Viking Chess Board Game | Price |
 | Best for families | Spin Master Games Hnefatafl Viking Classic Game with Wood B… | Price |
 | Best handmade pieces | Norse Alley Hnefatafl | Price |
 | Best lightweight board | Hnefatafl Board Game | Price |
 | Best for display | Antique Ivory & Brown Norse Viking Chess Set with 18 inch C… | Price |
I'd buy the Regency Chess Company Hnefatafl Deluxe Edition first. It's the only set here with a board made in Spain and pieces made in the UK, and it ships complete: 1 king, 12 defenders, 24 attackers, plus a rules and history leaflet. That's 37 pieces, the full count for hnefatafl.
The Deluxe isn't where most people should start, though. If you've never played, buy the Brybelly at 10.5 inches and learn the rules on a board that fits a coffee table. Three games in, you'll know whether you want the wooden one.
How I picked these
I read the spec block before the photos, and I read the one-star notes before the five-star ones. A set made this list by clearing these bars.
- Piece count. Hnefatafl is 37 pieces on an 11 by 11 grid: 1 king, 12 defenders, 24 attackers. A 32-piece set is chess, and I flag the one entry that isn't hnefatafl at all.
- Square size. I did the division. A 10.5 inch board across 11 rows works out to about 0.95 inches per square. A 14.2 inch board gives you about 1.29 inches. Both play fine. Under 10 inches gets crowded.
- Board build. Single-piece wood first, then thick leather, then cloth. A folding board puts a crease down the middle, and a piece sitting on that crease never lies flat again.
- Pieces and felt. Wood, resin, or bone and horn, with felt bottoms unless the board is cloth. For the chess set I checked the king against US Chess guidance: 3.375 to 4.5 inches tall, with squares at 2 to 2.5 inches and the king base about 75 to 80 percent of a square.
- Return friction. I looked at how each set is boxed. A decorated gift box is lovely in December and terrible as a shipping container, and 37 loose pieces rattle all the way to your door.
I've covered more options on my best viking chess sets page if seven isn't enough.
1. Hnefatafl
- 1 white King, 12 white Defenders, 24 dark Attackers
- Wooden board (exclusive to the deluxe edition)
- Pieces made in the UK, board made in Spain
- Rules and Historical information leaflet
On paper this is the cleanest buy of the seven. Wooden board exclusive to the deluxe edition, pieces made in the UK, board made in Spain, 37 pieces (1 white king, 12 white defenders, 24 dark attackers), a rules and historical information leaflet, and a gift box. Nothing in that list is filler.
Here's the catch. The listing gives no board dimension and no piece height, and I won't invent them. On a set at this level I'd want a square measurement and a king weight in ounces before I commit. Ask the seller, and if they can't answer in a day, that tells you something about the after-sale side.
What owners say: The leaflet keeps coming up. People who buy a wooden hnefatafl set tend to keep the historical notes with the board, and the recurring grumble on wooden sets in this class is pieces arriving loose in the box rather than bagged.
Good for: someone who wants one board to keep for decades, history leaflet included. Skip it if: you plan to carry it to a pub. A rigid wooden board doesn't travel.
The 10.5 inch single-piece board is the whole argument. No fold, no crease, and hand-illustrated art of the World Serpent across the surface. You get 37 faceted wood pieces, printed instructions, an age 8 and up rating, and the listing points to a how-to video it says teaches the game in under 2 minutes.
10.5 inches across an 11 by 11 grid is a hair under an inch per square, so the corners get tight once 24 attackers pile in. That's the trade for a board that sits on a side table. No piece height and no board thickness are listed either, so treat it as a learning set, not an heirloom.
What owners say: The 37 faceted pieces divide people. Some like the grip, some want flat discs. The single-piece board is the part nobody argues about.
Good for: a first hnefatafl set and a small apartment table. Skip it if: you want a full-size grid and room to maneuver.
3. HNEFATAFL: Viking Chess Board Game
- Viking Chess Pieces】Made of 100% natural solid wood. drop and crack resistant, smooth surface, good feel
Biggest playing surface in the group: a leather board at 14.2 by 14.2 inches, roughly 1.29 inches per square across 11 rows. Add 37 solid wood pieces, a printed strategy sheet, and 2 plush storage bags. The bags are the detail I like, because 37 loose pieces in a closet is how sets die.
Now the part I'd check before ordering. The title says leather. The feature list says waterproof fabric. Those aren't the same material, and the listing never squares the two claims. Ask which surface you're getting, because fabric and leather feel diffrent under a sliding piece and they clean differently.
What owners say: Owners of roll-up boards mostly talk about portability and about pieces sliding out of position. Which one you get depends on whether the back of the 14.2 inch mat has any grip, and the listing doesn't say.
Good for: travel and a full-size grid in one bag. Skip it if: you want wood under the pieces instead of a mat.
4. Spin Master Games Hnefatafl Viking Classic Game with Wood Board
- Hnefatafl is a cool strategy game that stimulates critical thinking intended for ages 8+ and adults
- Includes: 1 Game board, 1 King piece, 12 Viking Pieces, 24 Attacker Pieces, Instructions
- The wooden game board and exquisite pieces look great for play or display
This is the set you'll find on a shelf, and that's not a knock. Wooden board, 37 pieces (1 king, 12 Viking pieces, 24 attackers), printed instructions, ages 8 and up, and packaging that names the game and pronounces it for you. If you're buying for a kid who has never heard of hnefatafl, the on-ramp is short.
The pieces are the plainest of the seven, and no board size is stated anywhere in the listing. That's annoying, since board size is the thing I care about most. You're buying convenience here, not craft.
What owners say: With mass-market sets like this, the gripes are thin pieces and a board that warps in a humid room. The praise is availability and printed rules you can hand a kid without a screen.
Good for: a birthday gift bought on the way home from work. Skip it if: you already own good pieces and want a better board.
Bone and horn pieces on a leather board, handcrafted, lightweight, built to be carried. Every piece is unique because bone and horn aren't uniform. You'll see color variation from piece to piece, and that's the point of the material.
Two things I'd want answered first. No board dimension is listed, and no piece count is listed either, so measure your table and confirm you're getting the full 37 before you order. And bone and horn want to stay dry. A damp basement shelf is a bad home for it.
What owners say: With handmade sets, owners talk about weight variation and how the pieces sit in the hand. Buyers who expect machine-identical pieces are the ones who end up disappointed.
Good for: a gift for a collector who already has the standard sets. Skip it if: you want identical pieces and a measured board.
6. Hnefatafl Board Game
- Perfect gift presented in a decorated cardboard box that makes a great present for any games enthusiast
A linen cloth board and 37 resin pieces (12 defenders, 24 attackers, 1 king) with cast detail, plus rules, in a decorated cardboard box. This is the set that packs flat. Roll the cloth, drop the pieces in a pouch, and it takes less shelf space than a paperback.
Cloth has no rigidity. Put it on a soft table or a rug and the pieces won't sit level, and the resin is detailed but it's still resin. A drop onto tile is a chipped defender. The decorated box is fine for gifting and useless for storing 37 pieces long term.
What owners say: People who buy cloth-board sets mention wrinkles out of the box and how fast they flatten. The cast detail on the 12 defenders gets more praise than the board does.
Good for: flat storage and a gift that looks like a gift. Skip it if: you need a board that stays flat without a table under it.
7. Antique Ivory & Brown Norse Viking Chess Set with 18 inch Cherry Colo…
- King: 3 1/4 inches tall with 1 1/8 inch base
- 1.2 ounce King
- 18 Inch Board features a high gloss artificial Laminate.
- Standard 32 Piece Set of Men
Read this one carefully: it's a 32-piece chess set with Norse styling, not hnefatafl. Polyresin men, hand painted, felt bottoms, king 3 1/4 inches tall on a 1 1/8 inch base, king weight 1.2 ounces, on an 18 inch cherry-color laminate board with a high gloss finish.
The numbers don't love it. US Chess guidance puts a tournament king at 3.375 to 4.5 inches with a base around 75 to 80 percent of the square, and this king is 3 1/4 inches at 1.2 ounces, light enough that a firm capture shifts it. On an 18 inch board the base lands well under that 75 percent mark. Fine on a shelf, less fine under a clock. If Norse styling on a real chess set is what you're after, that's a themed chess sets question and this one answers it.
What owners say: Buyers of painted resin sets talk about paint on the tall pieces and felt pads staying put. The usual gripe is a glossy board showing every fingerprint, and this is high gloss laminate.
Good for: a display piece or a gift for a Norse-history fan who plays casually. Skip it if: you want to play hnefatafl. This is 32 pieces, not 37.
What actually matters when you buy a viking board game
The piece count tells you which game is in the box. 37 pieces means hnefatafl: 1 king, 12 defenders, 24 attackers. 32 pieces means chess. Count before you pay, because listings blur the two constantly.
Inches per square, not inches of board. Divide board width by 11. A 10.5 inch board gives about 0.95 inches per square. A 14.2 inch board gives about 1.29. Anything under 10 inches total and the four corner escape squares turn into a traffic jam.
What the board is made of, and whether it folds. Single-piece wood beats everything for play, cloth wins for packing, leather sits in between and depends entirely on how thick it is. A fold down the middle is a permanent bump.
Piece material and felt bottoms. Wood, resin, and bone all play differently in the hand, and felt is the cheap fix that matters most. Look at the original chess pieces used in older European sets and you'll see why flat discs with felt beat detailed figures without it.
Side by side
| Set | Key spec | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Regency Deluxe | Wooden board, 37 pieces (1 king, 12 defenders, 24 attackers) | Best overall |
| Brybelly | 10.5 inch single-piece board, 37 faceted wood pieces | Best for beginners |
| Extguds | 14.2 x 14.2 inch leather board, 37 wood pieces, 2 plush bags | Best travel set |
| Spin Master | Wood board, 37 pieces, ages 8+ | Best for families |
| Norse Alley | Bone and horn pieces, leather board, no size listed | Best handmade pieces |
| Masters Edition | Cloth linen board, 37 resin pieces, rules included | Best lightweight board |
| HPL | 18 inch board, 32 pieces, king 3 1/4 inches, 1.2 oz | Best for display |
Which one I'd buy
If you want one set and you're not shopping again, get the Regency Deluxe and ask the seller for the board measurement before you pay. If you're learning the game this month, the Brybelly at 10.5 inches is the one I'd hand you, and the sub-inch squares won't bother you until you've played 20 games.
And if what you actualy wanted was a Norse chess set to play chess on, buy the HPL knowing it's 32 pieces with a 3 1/4 inch king and a 1.2 ounce weight, then treat it as decoration first. If you want carved figures with real history behind them, the best Lewis chessmen sets are a better rabbit hole than any of these.
Questions people ask me
Is hnefatafl the same as Viking chess?
It's the game people mean when they say Viking chess, but it isn't chess. Hnefatafl is asymmetric: one side has 1 king and 12 defenders, the other has 24 attackers, and the two sides win in different ways. It's played on an 11 by 11 grid rather than 8 by 8.
How many pieces should a hnefatafl set have?
37 pieces: 1 king, 12 defenders, 24 attackers. That count is the quickest way to spot a mislabeled set. If a listing says 32 pieces, it's a chess set with Norse styling, not hnefatafl.
Can I play hnefatafl on a regular chessboard?
Not properly. You need an 11 by 11 grid, and a chessboard gives you 8 by 8 with 64 squares. Print a paper grid if you want to try the rules before buying a board, then buy a board once you know you like it.