1981 in games

This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and tabletop role-playing games published in 1981. For video games, see 1981 in video gaming.

Games released or invented in 1981
• A House Divided

• Aftermath! (role-playing game)

• Attack of the Mutants!

• Axis & Allies (Nova Games version)

• Baboon Ball

• The Barbarians

• Bushido (role-playing game)

• Call of Cthulhu (role-playing game)

• Champions (role-playing game)

• Conquistador (2nd edition)

• Cry Havoc

• Dimension Demons

• Down with the King

• A Fistful of Turkeys

• The Fury of the Norsemen

• The Generic Gangster Chase Game

• Hitler's War

• The Lords of Underearth

• Midgard (role-playing game)

• Shuttlewars

• Storm Over Arnhem

• Stormbringer (role-playing game)

• They've Invaded Pleasantville

• Trailblazer

• Transylvania

• The Trojan War

• Upwords

• Voyage of the B.S.M. Pandora

Game awards given in 1981

 * Spiel des Jahres: Focus

Significant games-related events in 1981

 * Amarillo Design Bureau founded.