The Best Christian Games - My Top Picks Through 2019
After
a year of researching Christian games, here are my top picks in each
category. If you like a
particular type of game, though, please browse the complete list for
that category. You'll find plenty of other fun Christian games I've
ranked as either Excellent or Good. I also encourage you to check out
the Crowdfunding Opportunities! page to see what new games are in development.
If you're looking for games you can play with your youth group or children's ministry, check out these links:
Children's Ministry
Youth Group
If you're looking for games you can play with your youth group or children's ministry, check out these links:
Children's Ministry
Youth Group
Best Board Game: Kings of Israel
You
play as the prophets from the Bible trying to rid Israel of idolatry
before the nation is overthrown by the Assyrians! This is a fun one for teens or adults
that will get you into and thinking about the time of the kings and
prophets in Israel's history. There's also a lot of variety and strategy
involved, making it a very solid option. Also, check out the video game
version on PC or Mac!
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| Purchase |
Best Board Game Runner Up: Champions of Faith
You
play as a character from the Bible and have your own mission to
achieve. You work your way around the board, choosing which direction
you go, trying to land on the spaces that will help you achieve your
goal. Meanwhile, every other player is doing something similar. If
you've ever played the fantasy game Talisman, it will feel very
familiar. Best for older teens and adults.
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| Purchase |
BEST CARD GAME: REDEMPTION
This
is the longest running two-player card game for Christian-inspired
games and has a wide variety of cards available to build your deck. All
of the concepts are straight out of the Bible, and it's easy enough to play with children as long as they can read. The main drawback is the one-goal objective.
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| Purchase on Amazon or Cactus |
Best Card Game Runner Up: Animo: Living Deck Bible Verse Game
If you're looking for a Christ-centered alternative to Pokemon, this is it! With lots of characters and different modes of play, Animo is a definite winner for children (and maybe some adults too). Create your deck how you want and develop the best strategy to defeat your opponent!
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| Purchase |
BEST CONVERSATION STARTER: LIFESTORIES: CHRISTIAN VERSION
This
is a sharing game that's great for getting a group of people to talk.
Use it to get to know some new friends at a church party or take it to
your youth group as an icebreaker.
(Yes, I'm showing the back of the box on purpose.)
(Yes, I'm showing the back of the box on purpose.)
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| Purchase |
Best Conversation Starter Runner Up: The Ungame: Christian Version
Answer questions while racing around the board. It's a great icebreaker and all-around fun party game for teens or adults.
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| Purchase |
BEST DVD GAME: THE BIBLE DVD GAME
I'm
a big fan of Jeremy Camp, not so much of The History Channel's
treatment of our religion. Fortunately, this DVD program sticks to the
Bible without the secular commentary overshadowing the content. Play as
individuals or on a team as you try to answer a variety of trivia
questions. This would be good for a large group or church party.
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| Purchase |
Best DVD Game Runner Up: The Factory Quiz Game DVD Series
This
is a great series for Sunday School, youth group, or mixed church
events. Simply put the DVD in and let individuals or the whole team
compete for who gets the most right trivia questions in a round. It's
another good church party option.
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| Purchase |
BEST KIDS GAME: NOAH'S ARK: DON'T ROCK THE BOAT
This
is a very educational and thrilling option for children. They'll learn
about the animals, about decision-making, and about estimating weights
as they place differently weighted animal figurines on the ark, trying
to keep it in balance longer than their opponent can. Each animal has a
fact card that comes with it.
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| Purchase |
Best Kids' Game Runner Up: By Their Fruits
This
fun board game has a lot of variety as to what can happen when you land
on a tile and is great for teaching kids what it means to live a
Christ-centered life. It's simple to play, and the colorful board and
pieces are perfect for kids and adults to play together.
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| Purchase |
BEST PARTY GAME: PHARISEES
If
you enjoy "Mafia," you'll love this Christian party game even more.
It's Pharisees vs. Disciples with each player assigned a different role,
including characters from the Old and New Testaments, as you try to
figure out who the Pharisee is. It's great for youth groups and young
adult small groups.
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| Purchase |
Best Party Game Runner Up: Let's Have Church!!!
This
is a funny trivia game that combines charades, Pictionary, and multiple
choice and true/false-type trivia questions. The highlight for me is
the trivia questions based on surveys of what church folk actually do
and the questions that make you think about whether a saying is in the
Bible or simply something Christians say. Take it to your next church
party and get everyone laughing.
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| Purchase |
This
is the most robust roleplaying system in the realm of
Christian-inspired games. Complete with a rich setting, it's our best
answer to Dungeons & Dragons. Teens and adults can get into this one
easily. The best part is that everyone's on the same team. Well, except
for the Raconteur (Game Master).
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| Purchase |
Best Tabletop RPG Runner Up: Covenant RPG
A simpler alternative to most game systems, one of our original games. Check out the game page for more info!
+ + + Video Games + + +
A simpler alternative to most game systems, one of our original games. Check out the game page for more info!
+ + + Video Games + + +
Best Action Video Game: Timothy and Titus
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| Purchase |
Platform: PC
Publisher: White Knight Games, 2006
This is a fun (but short) action title in which you control Timothy and Titus from the New Testament seeking to recover Paul's stolen letters. Now, who would want Paul's letters to be lost? That's right, there are enemies to fight, but it's a fairly non-violent adventure with the human enemies converting to Christianity when you defeat them.
Platform: NES
Publisher: Konami, 1992
BEST CARD VIDEO GAME: REDEMPTION: VICTORY AT HEBRON
Best Jigsaw Puzzle Video Game Runner Up: God and Jesus Jigsaw Puzzle
BEST MOVEMENT AND MUSIC VIDEO GAME: JAMBAND
Best Movement and Music Runner Up: Dance Praise and Dance Praise 2 (Review)
BEST PUZZLE VIDEO GAME: ADVENTURES IN ODYSSEY AND THE TREASURE OF THE INCAS
Best Puzzle Video Game Runner Up: aMazing Bible
BEST MATCHING VIDEO GAME: BIBLE GEMS
BEST RPG: THE AETHERLIGHT: CHRONICLES OF THE RESISTANCE
Best RPG Runner Up: To Light: Ex Umbra (Review)
This is a fun (but short) action title in which you control Timothy and Titus from the New Testament seeking to recover Paul's stolen letters. Now, who would want Paul's letters to be lost? That's right, there are enemies to fight, but it's a fairly non-violent adventure with the human enemies converting to Christianity when you defeat them.
Best Action Video Game Runner Up: Noah's Ark
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| Purchase (this one's pretty difficult to find!) |
Publisher: Konami, 1992
Play
as Noah gathering the animals across all seven continents. It presents a
very loose rendition of the story, though, as Noah changes form with
different power-ups and even fights some rather interesting bosses.
That's something you don't see in the Old Testament!
This
trading card video game was a real find for me! With a story and 3D
exploration to go with it, this is the perfect option for anyone who
enjoys card battling. It still looks and runs great on current computers
today. Great for teens and adults who enjoy the strategic challenge.
BEST JIGSAW PUZZLE VIDEO GAME: CHRISTIAN PUZZLE GAME
Publisher: Fun Apps and Games by SCHACH, 2015
I
recommend this free jigsaw puzzle app because 1) you can choose how
many pieces you break your puzzle into, ranging from 9 to 100, 2) you
can unlock new puzzles by watching an ad or waiting for a day to unlock
it, and 3) there are a decent number of puzzles in a variety of styles.
Publisher: Kaya, 2015
This
is another free digital jigsaw puzzle app from Kaya with lots of
classical images to choose from and the choice to go from 9 to 100
pieces. You can also close the app and pick up right where you left off,
which is a nice touch that some apps don't include. There are ads, but
they're not too invasive. You can also watch an ad to unlock new
puzzles, which seems fair to the developer. They need to make an income
somehow!
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| Purchase |
Platforms: PC
Publisher: Cloud 9 Games, 2009
With
this "Rock Band" style title, you can have two instruments and two
singers playing at a time. You can also play solo or versus mode, and
there's a good variety of 40 popular (if no longer current) songs to
play. The only downside is that JamBand never had any expansion packs.
Still, it's good for teens in the youth group or a friends party at
home.
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| Purchase |
Platforms: PC, Mac
Publisher: Digital Praise, 2005, 2007
Dance
Praise uses dance pads and popular music tracks. Get your exercise and
worship on at the same time! Plus, there are plenty of expansion packs
that work with both games. This is another great party option for teens
or older children.
Platforms: PC, Mac
Publisher: Digital Praise, 2005
Get
ready for a treasure hunt as you try to solve the mystery of Eugene's
missing parents. You play as Eugene, Connie, and Whit in this fun
puzzler. There are also plenty of animated cutscenes and the great voice
acting fans of the series love to help move the story forward. Players
do have to be able to read, though, so it's not suitable for young
children.
This
is a different sort of app that has you moving a red and blue ball
simultaneously through different mazes as you walk through the Bible.
Each maze is different, and you can do different things to get through
them, so you won't get bored easily. It's a fun challenge and a review
of major portions of the Bible at the same.
This
is a well-done computer program that walks you through Genesis as you
play. You'll hear a summary of the stories, accompanied by original
illustrations before each level. And each level is different, adding
variety to the gameplay, and you might even learn something more about
the Word from the narration.
Best Matching Video Game Runner Up: Stained Glass
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Platform: iOS
Publisher: Lightside Games, 2015
This
free match 3 app adds beautiful artwork and fully voiced Bible story
narrations. I particularly enjoy the paraphrased Bible stories that the
characters tell you. They're imaginative and add a fresh perspective to
the text of the Bible to teach you something new without crossing the
line into too much speculation.
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| Play for free on Android or iOS, or purchase for PC and Mac |
Platform: PC, Mac, Android, iOS
Publisher: Scarlet City Studios, 2016
Wow!
This is an impressive title, and I certainly hope Scarlet City
continues the series. In its current state, you can play through the
first 3 episodes in which you help the Scarlet Man (Christ) restore The
Great Engineer (God the Father) to the throne of this steampunk kingdom.
The graphics are great, the gameplay is fun, and there is plenty of
allegorical content referencing Bible stories. This is a must-play for
any Christ-centered gamer. Good for children, teens, and adults. Plus,
it's free and available on most digital devices!
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Platforms: PC, Mac
Publisher: Branch Games, 2019
This
is a well-written, story-driven RPG Maker entry with the option to
either limit the battle mode or enjoy the strategy of combat. If you
want a chance to get into original characters and explore some weighty
topics, this one's for you, with a full party to join your team.
BEST SHOOTER VIDEO GAME: CATECHUMEN
BEST SIMULATION VIDEO GAME: BUDDY QUEST
BEST STRATEGY VIDEO GAME: KINGS OF ISRAEL
Best Strategy Video Game Runner Up: Redemption: Victory at Hebron
Best Trivia Video Game Runner Up: Granny's Bible Dojo
BEST WORD VIDEO GAME: KING SOLOMON'S WORD CHALLENGE
Best Word Video Game Runner Up: Reborn Crosswords
BEST VIDEO GAME FOR KIDS: CHARLIE THE CHURCH MOUSE 3D ADVENTURES
Best Video Game for Kids Runner Up: Children's Bible Puzzles for Kids & Toddlers
Publisher: N'Lightning Software, 2000
In
this first-person shooter set during the time of persecution under
Emperor Marcus Aurelius, you play as a young disciple seeking to rescue
your mentor from demon-possessed Roman soldiers. It's light on story,
but it has great gameplay, and the graphics still look pretty good on
current gen computers. One plus is that when you defeat a human enemy,
they don't die but rather kneel and pray in repentance.
Best Shooter Video Game Runner Up: Ominous Horizons: A Paladin's Calling (Review)
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| Purchase |
Platform: PC
Publisher: N'Lightning Software, 2001
This
first-person medieval shooter RPG is simply fantastic. Granted, it's a
few years old now, so the graphics are a little simple, but it's still
fun. You're battling demons and Satan's horde to recover pages of the
Bible so that it can be printed for the first time.
This
is a town-building sim with the Group Publishing "Buddies." You build
your town, invite buddies to move in, and play mini-games. It's all
pretty engaging, but you do have the normal wait times for things to
build. Of course, you can hurry things up, but that's when the in-app
purchases come in. The graphics are cute, and the gameplay in the
mini-games is surprisingly smooth.
As
you play, you'll also see Real Hero Quests coming up. They relate to
what you're doing in the game but require you to do something in real
life to pass the quest. The first one, which I'm showing above, requires
you to do some cleanup around your house after you cleaned up the town
plot. The best part of this, though, is that parents can pair set it up
so that they have to mark off when their child has completed the Real
Life Quest rather than the player advancing automatically. It adds some
control and accountability for children and parents to engage together.
Best Simulation Video Game Runner Up: Sheep Master
Platform: Android, iOS
Publisher: Sunland Entertainment Studios, 2016
This
is a well-done, free farm-building/defense app. With enemies ranging
from wild animals to a sorceress who wants to take your sheep for
sacrifice, you'll have your hands full trying to defend your flock!
There's also a light but definite Christian subtext. I recommend it for
teens and adults looking for a fun casual app.
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| Purchase |
Platform: PC, Mac
Publisher: Funhill Games, 2015
This
is the digital version of the board game above. Play as the prophets of
the Bible trying to rid Israel of idolatry before the nation is
overthrown by the Assyrians! This is a fun one that will get you into
and thinking about the time of the kings and prophets in Israel's
history. There's also a lot of variety and strategy involved, making it a
very solid game. If you like it, check out the original board game
version.
This
trading card video game was a real find for me! With a story and 3D
exploration to go with it, this is the perfect option for anyone who
enjoys card battling. It's based on the oldest and most popular card
battler in Christian-inspired games. This digital version still looks
and runs great on current
computers today. Great for teens and adults who enjoy the strategic
challenge.
BEST TRIVIA VIDEO GAME: BIBLE TRIVIA
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Platform: Android
Publisher: Christian Games, 2019
There's
a lot to like about this free trivia app. First, you can decide which
Bible category to answer questions from, including Basic Questions (easy
mode), or to mix them all together. Then, you can challenge yourself
with a game that allows you to get three wrong answers only or set it to
5 minutes. Once you unlock it, you can play for an endless amount of
time. If you need a clue, you can use the stick of dynamite to blow two
wrong answers off the screen. But if you do get a wrong answer, the game
will show which is the right answer and give you the option to see the
Bible verse or verses it's taken from.
This
is a great app for learning the books of the Bible. Granny will present
the books in a jumbled order, and you have to crack the boards in
order. When you crack one, another will appear behind it. You'll also
hear Granny's instructions and encouragement, so that adds some humor to
it.
Platform: PC
Publisher: Planet 316, 2014
This
is a cool 3-in-1 game, with Word Twist, Word Find, and Sling Words. In
all three modes, you're filling in the missing words of a Bible verse,
which adds a lot of value to the game. As you complete the levels, you
earn resources to build the Temple and can actually see your workers
making progress on a fairly detailed animated rendition, which is a nice
touch.
While
there won't be any new puzzles for this free digital crossword puzzle
collection, you can still play the archive. You can also create your own
puzzles to share with others on your website.
This
massively underrated title combines both 3D platforming and educational
mini-games, all while telling 9 Bible stories. Children will learn a
variety of skills and get some training in the Word all at the same
time. Plus, the graphics still look pretty good on current computers.
Publisher: NutBolt Games, 2018
I'm
very impressed with this free app. Younger kids can enjoy a couple of
different puzzle types and "spot the difference" game while older kids
can play a variety of trivia games. The music is also very upbeat and
catchy. The one problem I have with the app is that there a lot of ad
pop-ups when switching from screen to screen.
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