Real-time games create a category of experience that most board gaming does not attempt. Kitchen Rush, Magic Maze, Space Alert — all use real-time pressure as a core mechanism. The chaos is deliberate. The constraint is the point.

My preference is for games that use real-time phases followed by resolution phases rather than pure real-time throughout. Kitchen Rush does this well. Pure real-time games tend to produce frustrating experiences when one player's physical capabilities (reflexes, reach) create imbalance.

For groups that enjoy the format, XCOM: The Board Game is worth knowing — it uses an app for the real-time phase and digital physical hybrid in ways that manage the chaos better than fully physical real-time. Spirit Island can be played with a real-time option in its Fear mechanism that adds tension without requiring physical speed.