Best gaming tables 2024

Let’s climb a few rungs higher up the price scale. Gorgeous, classic, and maybe even infamous, the Wyrmwood Prophecy is perhaps the ‘definitive’ gaming table. Boasting all the bespoke features you could ask for in a luxurious handcrafted package, this premium option will cater to every one of your tabletop needs.

While other tables might include a sunken play area that can be covered for storage, the Prophecy cuts out the middleman with its hand-cranked lift mechanism. Play a game on the table’s flat surface, before lowering the central play area and covering it.

Your game will sit safe and sound until you’re reading to lift the lid, crank up the play area, and resume the game, right where you left off. It means you can play on a flat surface without having to awkwardly reach into the recess while being able to keep everything in one place when you’re done.

Additional accessories can be attached to the table’s perimeter, too, using a magnetic rail system. Add cup holders, dice trays, card shelves, or a ‘master shelf’ to accommodate your GM screen and tabletop RPG books. You can even customise the Prophecy with a gridded, wet-erase battlemat, or an acrylic overlay that lets you annotate maps and notes.

This table, however, is as expensive as it sounds. After placing a $7,000 (£6,245) deposit, you’ll have to shell out extra for its various customisable gubbins. Available in a range of wood and fabric options, this is a table for those who really love convenience, and have the wallet to match.

Originally launched as a Kickstarter, the Game Theory Origins is now available for anybody to buy. It’s a fantastic product that is sturdy and well-made. It’s ideal for anybody who something that can be both a gaming table and a dining table, as it comes with an easily removable surface that’s made for eating your meals off.

With the dining top off, you have a table surface that’s surrounded by a raised edge that’s about 10cm high. This acts as a kind of protective barrier that helps you avoid situations where your dice roll onto the floor and under your sofa. There are also cup holders on the edge, which eliminate the risk of drinks getting spilled on anything – they also work well for storing any game pieces you might not want lying around.

There are some slight issues with the varnishing, which can give everything a bit of a plasticky feeling. Rest assured, it is a sold wood construct, so you don’t need to worry about it having the quality of plastic, but the unvarnished wood (which was available in earlier models) does feel nicer. The leg toppers can be a bit wobbly too, and in rare occasions might even pop out, but these are relatively minor annoyances.

All in all, it’s a brilliant table that’s just as well suited to hosting the best party games, as it is for a warm family dinner. It could easily be the social center of your home and is likely to last you many years to come.

On the more affordable end of the spectrum sits the Allplay Jasper. Solid and straightforward, it boasts all the most important features of a gaming table. A sunken play area lets you set up games and play to your heart’s content, knowing no dice will make a daring exit off the table, and no careless knock will send your game pieces skittering over the edge.

If you’re pressed for space, the Jasper‘s optional ‘table topper’ can be placed over the recess, transforming your gaming space into an ordinary dining room table at your convenience. The idea is for the table to double as your gaming station and dining area, saving space and faff.

Except this isn’t a normal table. Customisable cup holders, wine glass holders, interior wing shelves, and dark walnut or natural finish will make it stand out from your average piece of four-legged furniture.

The interior play area is wide enough to accommodate the biggest games, and not so deep that you’ll be straining your neck as you crane over to get a look at the action. Coming in at $799 (£713), and an additional $419 (£374) for the topper, this won’t be covered by your loose change, but it’s a much cheaper option than our first two picks – and the basic functionality of leaving your games mid-way through without any packing up could be enough to make it worthwhile for you.

Now we’re getting into the generic, Amazon offerings for those on a more normal budget – starting with this jigsaw table. Even if you won’t be fitting together little pieces of shaped cardstock, they offer a good size playing area that will cater to the most popular board games, and feature convenient storage draws for game components.

This wooden table has been primarily designed with jigsaw puzzles in mind, but really it’s quite a versatile product. You could easily use it for playing mahjong or solitaire by yourself, or even put a chair on the opposite side so that you can play one of the best two-player card games with somebody. If you like virtual RPGs you could use that as the spot from which you host the games.

It’s not going to work for bigger, chunkier games, and you certainly can’t eat off of it. However, if you’ve got the room for it, and you love a bit of solo play, then this jigsaw table may be the ideal choice for you.

Do you like the idea of getting a few friends around to sit on the sofa with a glass of wine for a bit of light board or card gaming? The Jumbl Puzzle Board is essentially a coffee table that’s perfect for gaming in a more casual setting.

Like the Jigsaw Table above, this is another product that was specifically designed with puzzles in mind, but this one in particular has a lot of features that make it ideal for gaming. Draws on the sides and end are great for storing cards or other game tokens (without having to balance them on your lap or plop them on the floor) and a slight rise around the table’s edges means that you reduce the risk of die rolling onto the ground.

If you’ve got it positioned in a corner piece sofa, you can easily get about four or five people around it – but it’s very much something you need the right setup for. It’s the kind of thing that you’d probably replace an existing coffee table with. If you don’t have any kind of communal sofa area in your home though, you’re probably not going to be able to find an appropriate place for this.

You’re also probably not going to enjoy using this table if you do a lot of intense gaming sessions that may last three hours or more. This is definitely a casual choice. After a certain length of time, your back and neck will start to ache as you have to lean forward to see and access the table. Still, it’s very easy to imagine a scenario where someone regularly has friends over for socialising and a bit of light gaming, and in that scenario, the Jumbl table is ideal. Not having to build it is a nice bonus too.

A well-known classic, there’s never a bad time to suggest a game of chess. Having a chess table ensures you always have a space in your home to play. As far as gaming tables go, this is a small but fairly versatile option – you’re not going to fit War of the Ring or Twilight Imperium on its surface anytime soon, but it’s perfect if you want to play smaller classic board games, try a quick card game, or even learn how to play chess for the first time.

This Amazon example passes muster with us – it’s on the cheaper side compared to more ornate-looking options, at $139.98 (£115.84) but it’s also got a polished, classic feel. If you’re after a wider range, however, be sure to check out our guide to the best chess tables.

If you lift up the top, there’s storage for your pieces – and a backgammon board on the other side. Who doesn’t want two games in one when it comes to gaming tables?

The Barrington gaming table is just like something you’d find in a casino. If you love having your friends round to play poker, blackjack, or any of the classic card games, then this is the ideal table for you. It has markings in the middle to show people where to place their cards, and cup holders around the edge to reduce the risk of spilled drinks ruining the cards. There are even comfortable armrests along the edge to keep everyone happy when the games run into the night.

It’s a really sturdy product and it’s easy to see why this is the best-reviewed poker table on Amazon. It’s a large product that can easily fit ten people around it, so it’s perfect even for relatively large gatherings. You don’t need to worry about it taking up loads of space in your house though, because its foldable design means that it be easily stored away between game nights.

Conveniently, it comes pre-assembled, which saves you from the sometimes arduous task of putting a table together. Having said that, there have been a few (rare) reports from people who have found that the assembly job wasn’t carried out properly, with screws not always securely, or sometimes even missing altogether. You probably won’t face this problem, but I guess this is a risk you always have to take when getting something pre-assembled.

Besides that, there’s not a lot to criticize here. Readers in the UK will have a hard time tracking it down, but if you’re in the US or Canada it won’t be a problem. It’s a fantastic product at a very reasonable price.