We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more The original risk board game goes back to 1959 when it was designed by Albert Lamorisse and Michael I. Levin. To this very day, new versions of Risk appear, old ones are remastered, and the classic is revamped to better reflect changing player preferences.
What remains the same is the game’s cult status as one of the best war games of all time. Today, we take a look at 10 Risk board game versions that are arguably the most iterations of the game.
Although there are some small gameplay and thematic differences, the core gameplay remains rock solid and brings you a great war gaming experience only the likes of Risk can give you. For those of you who already love the Risk board game, it’s definitely good news that there are so many good versions out there already.
1. Classic Risk – Best Entry into the Series
- Players: 2-6
- Play Time: 120 Min
- Age: 10+
- Complexity: 2/5
Released in 1959 and designed by Albert Lamorisse and Michael I. Levin, the classic version of Risk is by far the most-played one worldwide. If you are just getting started with Risk, this should be your first game to try. If you are not sure what Risk is, just read our description of what the game is to catch yourself up.
Risk has been overhauled many times in terms of design over the years, so the game you will play today is a modernized version, which features updated components and a game board. The new version of course gets a big boost in its aesthetics.
As board games production standards have gone up tremendously, so has Risk become a more visually-appealing board game as well. Risk features an interesting Secret Mission Mode that adds variety, although most players will first try the Conquer the World Mode.
The game makes for a brilliant introduction to the series and familiarizes you with the core mechanics of the game, and war gaming as a whole. Board games have contributed a lot to the hobby and vice versa. The only issue we may point out with this version of Risk lies in the factual inaccuracy of the map.
Instead of depicting Eastern Europe as all Russia, Hasbro could make some research and better capture the strife of nations in that region. This is of course a recommendation more so than criticism, and Classic Risk plays as fun and as rewarding as it ever meant to.
Buy Classic Risk on Amazon US.
2. Risk Game of Thrones – Best for Adults Fans of Risk
- Players: 2-7
- Play Time: 120-240
- Age: 180+
- Complexity: 2.7/5
Game of Thrones has found its way into the tabletop hobby many times now, with Risk Game of Thrones one of the most successful recreations of the political tension and war-driven narrative of the TV show. In Risk Game of Thrones, 2-7 players vie to establish dominance during the War of the Five Kings.
The Iron Throne beckons once again as it sits unoccupied and as rival appetites and interests contend for the distinction. This version of the game is pretty much based on the original rules, with the addition of two more players who make the game far more challenging, and the landscape fraught with treachery and betrayal as a good game of Game of Thrones would require.
The version features two maps, one of which unfolds in Westeros and the other in Essos. Depending on the mode, you can combine these maps for an even more epic adventure. In this version of Risk, you will choose between three main modes.
In Skirmish Mode you will play pretty much following the basic rules of the franchise. Once, you feel more comfortable, you can try Dominion Mode, where you will involve more complicated Objectives, Characters, and Maester cards to add complexity, variety, and depth to your game.
If you long for a large and epic battle of unseen proportions, then you may combine the two maps and play the World at War Mode, which will engulf the entire map in a bitter and perhaps lengthier showdown.
Buy Risk Game of Thrones on Amazon US.
3. Risk Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition – Best for 4 Players
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The fate of Middle Earth hangs in the balance in Risk The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition, one of the smallest player-count editions of the game. This version offers a nice variety to players who will embark on one of the most epic adventures in the world of fantasy and wargaming.
The edition features a complete map of Middle Earth with Gondor, Mordor, and Haradwaith all part of the terrain where the battle will soon rage. Risk The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition accommodates 2-4 players and it actually features many references to the film trilogy, on which it is based.
There are some nice additions here, as the game features special rules for alliance team play, for example, which can also make it one of the best cooperative Risk versions. You get more Territory cards, additional Battalions, and Adventure cards to match the variety of the story.
There are many cool things to explore here, including the quality of the miniatures, the replica of The One Ring, and the evocative art that will have you believe that you are plunging into the midst of the war grinder in Middle Earth.
This is definitely our favorite Risk version for four players, and doubly so given how much we love Lord of the Rings if not entirely the film trilogy.
Buy Risk Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition on Amazon US.
4. Risk Legacy – Embark on a Single Risk Campaign
- Players: 3-5
- Play Time: 60 Min
- Age: 13+
- Complexity: 2.60/5
Risk Legacy is a different take on the popular game series. In Risk Legacy, you will play over the course of 15 rounds and constantly contribute to a changing world where, once the changes have been made, they cannot be unmade.
Every round will bring in fresh challenges, reflected not just in the army compositions of your opponents, but also in how the world has evolved. Once again, you will set out to ensure that you are the only player standing.
Risk Legacy makes for one of the best versions of the game, because it does not follow a linear narrative, and introduces permanent changes to the game board that will affect your strategy and long-term potential to make an impact.
Even the rulebook will change with new things introduced as you venture into the new round. This makes for an interesting dynamic and one that is mostly associated with legacy board games, and not so much with wargames.
Still, this immersive version of Risk has its charm and it definitely promises you that you will experience the game in a way that you have never before.
Buy Risk Legacy on Amazon US.
5. Risk Warhammer 40,000 – Best Warhammer Fans Can Get
- Players: 2-5
- Play Time: 60-120
- Age: 10+
- Complexity: 2/5
Every time a famed IP meets an established board game system one question always comes up – what if it backfires? This is nothing to worry about in Risk Warhammer 40,000 as the game has accomplished an impossible feat, appealing to Risk and Warhammer fans in equal measures.
Five warring factions go toe-to-toe in the Imperium as they seek to establish themselves as the dominant force in Vigilus, a contested world. To get their way, Ultramarines, Orks, Chaos Space Marines, Aeldari Craftworlds and Genestealer Cults will all vie to bring around their reign over this part of the universe by eliminating everyone else. The minis are beautifully sculpted to evoke the famed Warhammer 40K gameplay comingled with Risk’s time-tested system.
At the same time, the game brings in plenty of variety as each faction will have a leader who brings special abilities to the fight and can turn the tide of battle if played smartly. This version of Risk allows for war buffs to really take their game to the next level, going interstellar with one of the best Risk board game versions.
Buy Risk Warhammer 40,000 on Amazon US.
6. Risk Shadow Forces
- Players: 3-5
- Play Time: 60 Min
- Age: 13+
- Complexity: 3/5
The world has changed in the year 2050. Risk Shadow Forces will send you on another legacy journey which will make the game a constantly-evolving landscape of opportunities – and treacherous complications.
Risk Shadow Forces is set in the mid-21st century with the planet tormented by civilization-ending cataclysms. Unusual weather patterns become an unpredictable life-threatening constant, scant resources are ever needed, and warring clans of humans set out to wipe each other out so they may secure their own survival.
This Risk version brings more variety for you to enjoy along with evolving rules and board upon which the battle unfolds. Warlords will fight out in the open but also try to infiltrate other clans and advance their often nefarious ends.
Players open each campaign chapter as they advance forward and adapt to a world full of danger and bleakness.
Buy Risk Shadow Forces on Amazon US.
7. Risk Junior – Best for Young Children and Players
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 15-60 Min
- Age: 5+
- Complexity: 1/5
Risk Junior is one of the best ways to introduce younger players to wargaming in a relaxed tabletop environment that young ones can understand. Although a game of Classic Risk itself is probably playable by eight-year-olds, Risk Junior is designated for players aged five or older.
The game will not appeal to experienced wargamers, granted, but it’s a fantastic way to introduce younger players and possibly scale the experience in a few years. Risk has been around for more than 60 years now, and there is a good chance that it will continue to be around.
Risk Junior has also been optimized to rid the gameplay of some annoying concepts that may ruin the experience for children, such as the opportunity to eliminate players or purposefully attack the same player over and over again.
Risk Junior needs to be understood in its own context – and this means that the game is a superb choice for people who want to share some Risk with their children, nephews and nieces, or younger players in general.
Buy Risk Junior on Amazon US.
8. Risk Star Wars – Best Game to Teach Young Star Wars Fans
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 30-45 Min
- Age: 10+
- Complexity: 1.85/5
Risk Star Wars is a very cool iteration of the popular game series and system, as it introduces slightly more innovative and perhaps less cut-throat gameplay. This version of Risk will appeal to Star Wars fans to one, especially those younger fans who have seen the movies or the great new TV iterations for the first time.
The game is actually perfect for team play as it allows you to play in pairs and set up some pretty cool objectives. You will have access to various missions that spice up the gameplay and make you feel that you are really advancing the cause of either the Empire or the Rebel Alliance.
Players will fight to either destroy or defend planetary shields, blow up the Death Star, and engage in the epilogue battle between Luke Skywalker and his father, Darth Vader.
Buy Risk Star Wars on Amazon US.
9. Risk StarCraft Collector’s Edition
- Players: 2-6
- Play Time: 60-120 Min
- Age: 10+
- Complexity: 2.22
Risk StarCraft Collector’s Edition will definitely appeal to those of you who have grown up loving StarCraft and board games. This edition of the game is a bit of a rarity these days, but still a very worthwhile addition to your collection, and definitely one of the best Risk versions to try.
The game accommodates 2-6 players and will set the scene in the Koprulu Sector which is ravaged by war by technologically advanced species. Players will find the game to offer slightly more control and dice-mitigating combat which is offset by the use of special cards.
Protoss, Terran and Zerg are once again locked in a fight to the death with none of the factions willing to offer allegiance to anyone but. The game will include several modes to try which are all rewarding and fun ways to enjoy the game. The Basic Training and Command Room Modes are designed to set out the pace of play which will have you accomplish achievements and complete missions rather than achieving full annihilation of your opponents.
In the Total Domination Mode, you will go on a complete rampage across the sector and try to eradicate all other factions or teams in order to win. Speaking of teams, Team Play Mode is a dedicated mode for 4 or 6 players which makes for a very fun experience indeed, bringing even more worthwhile variety to your favorite game of Risk!
Buy Risk StarCraft Collector’s Edition on Amazon US.
10. Risk Europe – Best for History Enthusiasts
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 45-180
- Age: 14+
- Complexity: 2.69/5
Remember when we criticized Classic Risk for not really having a fully authentic map? Well, this is mostly remedied in Risk Europe, a version of the game that is set in the Middle Ages. This game is probably a great fit for history buffs and more advanced players who wish to challenge themselves a little more.
This version accommodates 2-4 players and will take around 60-180 minutes to complete based on how competitive you are.
In this version of Risk, you will somewhat successfully replicate the standoffs between kingdoms that can stretch for years on end in the Middle Ages, with well-fortified territories proving a little too much.
There is no easy way to win outright, which is precisely where the added strategic depth of the version comes in. Risk Europe relies on unique starting positions and rules that encourage the players to experiment with their strategies.
The only minor criticism here is that sometimes standoffs can drag a little longer than is comfortable. If this happens, you can always decide to stop a game after a given number of rounds, or even broker alliances to vanquish a player.
Buy Risk Europe on Amazon US.
About Risk Board Game
Risk Board Game is a territory-building wargame that was published in 1959 and was originally designed by Albert Lamorisse and Michael I. Levin. The art of the original game was uncredited to any particular artist, but the game quickly became an absolute hit with fans of the tabletop hobby.
Although a game of exceptional simplicity in design and execution, Risk lives on to this very date with the game recently celebrating its 60th Anniversary, a special edition that you can grab from Amazon US. In the game, you set out to conquer territories, build armies, and establish your dominance against opponents.
Players can play in a variety of modes and attack each other as they, please. Combat is usually resolved by the roll of the dice, with the many Risk versions out there introducing some cool new mechanics and dynamics to make the game a lot more fun.
To this very day, Risk excels as a worthwhile wargame that you simply do not want to miss out on.
Other Risk Versions Worth a Mention
- Risk Rick and Morty: Mythology, Robot Dogs, Gazorpians, and Post-Apocalyptic People will all go against each other in the Rick and Morty edition of Risk to bring you a highly thematic and still as contentious of an edition as you can expect! Get it on Amazon US.
- Risk The Walking Dead: The zombies will get you all – but it’s important that the winner outlives everyone else. In the Walking Dead edition of Risk, you try to outlast your opponents. No longer available on Amazon US.
- Risk 2210 AD: Robot armies are the new modus operandi of the day in warfare. Warring factions will bring massive armies of robotized and mechanized units to wager war on each other and fight across the lands and skies, and even on the Moon and in orbit! No longer available on Amazon US.