This is a category hub I’ve been very excited to write, as any of y’all who have been reading the site know, I’ve got a very soft spot for this entire subgenre, so I figure let’s look at who’s making small-box portable gaming approachable for everyone. There are a ton of good games here, so this is a great place to dive in further and explore if you’re looking for games that you can take with you on a trip or great games to give as a gift. Small boxes, big value; that sort of thing.

There are a handful of publishers doing fantastic, consistent work in this space, as well:

• Allplay: Allplay doesn’t exclusively do small-box games, but they’ve got a bunch of great titles in the space ranging from smaller boxes to legitimately tiny titles.
• Button Shy: As y’all know, I’m a huge fan. They’ve really set the standard on 18-card games with their numerous wallets over the years. I know they’re making some changes and pivots to deal with the realities of manufacturing and shop placement, but they’re still some of the best in the business when it comes to a lot of game with only 18 cards.
• itten: itten has been making a lot of small games that are fantastically weird, but their recent wave of small boxes is their Funbrick series of games, all worth checking out.
• Oink Games: As mentioned above, every bit the reason behind this page with Button Shy, they’ve cornered the market on aesthetic and theme in a tiny package, and their bright colors, bold aesthetics, and frankly zany games are consistently bringing me back to the table. An all-time favorite company.

As for the games, here are a few of my favorites: