My Top 10 Boardgames Published in 2025

      

Here's a look at my 10 favorite games published in 2025.

(Or else made available in North America so late in 2024 that there was no way to really play them before the calendar flipped.)

#10

MATRX GIPF

The culmination of the entire Project GIPF, this ninth entry is more complex than all of its predecessors, without shaving away any of the depth and addictiveness that have been hallmarks of this series of abstract games since 1996. I'll be playing this for years to come, and probably will never get very good at it.

(You can read my flash review here.)

#9

OFF THE LINE

I've never been secretive about my profound and life-altering love of Combat Commander, which always makes me a bit leery of trying out other WWII tactical wargames. But I've got to admit that where several others have floundered, Off the Line managed to hook me, and hook me good. It's the most original tactical system I've encountered thus far, and has forced me to relearn many systems I thought I was done digesting a long time ago. And I mean that in a good way.

It won't dislodge CC in my heart, but what could?

#8

VANTAGE

Now this cooperative contraption is not going to be for everyone, and that's fine. With loosely stated win/loss conditions, it might go so far as to defy the very definition of a game and cross into "experience" territory. You're exploring an alien planet, every session will be different, and you pretty much decide when the game is over. Just jump in and go where the river takes you; I promise it'll be intriguing.

#7

FIELDS OF FIRE - DELUXE EDITION

Yeah yeah yeah, the original dates back to almost 20 years ago—I care not! This deluxe edition was published in 2025 and it bulldozed everything that came before: easier to learn, easier to play, and snazzier than ever. It's still a beast of a game to get into, don't get me wrong. But GMT has done everything in their power to open the door as wide as possible while you ease yourself in. Feel like jumping into solo tactical WWII action with more material than you can shake a whole platoon of sticks at, and more expansions on the way? Look no further.

(You can read my components review here.)

#6

SPEAKEASY

Despite designer Vital Lacerda not topping this Top Ten list like he did back in 2020, he's still making a strong showing with his latest opus, about profiting from illegal booze during the US prohibition. Speakeasy is a heavy game that's somehow more approachable than many of its brethren, in no small part thanks to an engaging theme that facilitates both learning and remembering the many rules found herein. (It also doesn't make the life of the rules explainer an absolute hell the way Weather Machine did...)

#5

TAKE TIME
Partners sit around a clock face showing special instructions and restrictions, and must silently play their cards (most of them face down) around said clock so that when revealed, the sum of the cards in each sector keeps going up all around the clock. One mishap and you start over; but victory allows you to move on to the next clock, where all new challenges and brain rewiring schemes await.

The superstar cooperative game I had on last year's Top Ten list was Bomb Busters (at number 2!) and it went on to win the Spiel des Jahres (game of the year) award in Germany. Will similar honors be lavished onto Take Time in 2026? I wouldn't be surprised.

#4

FIGHTING FORMATIONS - US 29th INFANTRY DIVISION

This new entry in the Fighting Formations series gives you more of everything you loved about the original, this time bringing the searchlight to shine on the exploits of a specific American division. Driven by the now classic initiative matrix —quite useful for barking orders all around in an organized manner—the game proposes a trove of scenarios of the small and large and holy-crap-this'll-take-all-night varieties, which makes it an ideal entry point for any newcomer.

(You can read my review here.)

#3

SETI

Scan the skies, launch probes, develop your technology and analyze all of the data you've gathered—and once you get in touch with actual aliens (because you will), make the best of what you manage to learn from our new friends.

Seti is one of those so-called Eurogames that sit right on the fence between heavy fare and gateway game; it's a challenging engine you can teach in a very reasonable amount of time, and even though your typical game will last around two hours, it won't feel like two hours. And that rotating solar system is just brilliant.

Whether you end up winning or losing, Seti makes it super engaging just to pull its lever and watch it go, and it certainly gets my vote for next year's Kennerspiel des Jahres (expert game of the year) in Germany.

#2

STAR TREK - CAPTAIN'S CHAIR

I was already a fan of the first few titles (known under the name Imperium) that use this civ-ish deckbuilding engine, but Captain's Chair takes everything to a new level. True, it is a more complex game, but it puts nothing out of reach of the average gamer. And it infuses the proceedings with more interaction between players than its older brothers ever provided.

I would go so far as calling it the best Star Trek game I've ever played while at the same time maintaining that you don't need to be a trekkie at all to thoroughly enjoy Captain's Chair. Just sit in it and see if you want to get up again.

#1

CIVOLUTION

There's always a smattering of Stefan Feld designs to be found around my blog, and this year is no different. Still, I've never encountered a Feld game quite like Civolution.

Players are superior intelligences more or less attempting to raise new civilizations in a lab. With more options at your fingertips—and enough stuff spilling out of the box to send you running to IKEA to buy an extra table or two—the game looks like it'll be impossible to digest. On the contrary, it's one of the most organic learning experiences you'll have encountered all year, and it's pure joy to see that engine run. Learn as you go, enjoy the discovery, and thank the graphic designers who came up with visuals that make everything crystal clear!

* * *

DISAPPOINTMENTS
I define disappointments as games I expected a lot from, and which failed to deliver. Here are the "top" three from 2024.

Martin Wallace has long been a favorite designer of mine, but his output has equally long been a hit-or-miss affair. And Aeterna sits unequivocally on the miss side of the line. The system is fine, I guess? But it's just that: a system. One that's looking for a game but also, more importantly, for a soul. And there's nary to be found here.

I'm always looking for THE pirate game that'll feel like it was designed just for me, and this one certainly is not that. Oh it's got heart and theme aplenty! It's just lacking everything else, especially meaningful player decisions. It's not because you're rolling dice on a thousand different tables that you're playing a game.

Look at it this way: If this were a computer game, the close-to-nil level of human input required to keep the thing moving forward would have people screaming bloody murder.

Is it an LOTR game? Sure. Is it a cooperative trick-taking thing? I am compelled to answer in the affirmative. Does it do anything that The Crew doesn't accomplish way, way better? Er, no. (Especially The Crew: Mission Deep Sea—just go play that and don't look back.)

This is just an inferior design that sells because it's got LOTR slapped all over it. Don't fall for the shiny trap.

* * *

STRAGGLERS
Let's end on a high note with three games that would have made my Top Ten had I encountered them back in the year when they were published.

With the Fischer-Spassky Championship for a backdrop, this little gem pulls a miniature Twilight Struggle of an engine to get your pulse racing in 30 minutes, no chess knowledge required. I can't believe it took me two years to get around to playing it.

There's something impressive about designing a two-player shedding game with minimal components and a core system that's so simple you can explain it in one sentence, and yet so deep your brain won't fully grasp its implications until you've played at least a few hands.

I was completely blown away by this.

Another cooperative game? 'Tis the season, it seems. This one has you and your favorite buccaneer trick-taking your way through treacherous waters, dry-as-bone islands, maelstroms and the actual kraken! With its magnificent components and clever mechanics, Sail will go a long way towards tempting me to dive into the legacy version that I hear is coming out in 2026.

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My Top 10 Boardgames Published in 2024

     

Here's a look at my 10 favorite games published in 2024.

(Or else made available in North America so late in 2023 that there was no way to really play them before the calendar flipped.)

#10

RED DUST REBELLION

I've just scratched the surface here, but I already like (a lot!) what I see. Yes, this is another COIN game from GMT—volume 12, if you can believe that—but this one being fictitious makes possible a host of things we haven't seen elsewhere. From truly asymmetric factions (The Church of the Reclaimer is a blast—and a brain twister—to play) to semi-random storms that'll hit your forces hard unless they head for cover, this is a brave new world for the COIN series.

#9

JEKYLL & HYDE VS SCOTLAND YARD

Before The Crew, nobody thought a co-operative trick-taking game was possible; nowadays, it seems there's a new one every other month. Jekyll & Hyde vs Scotland Yard is a two-player game to boot, and a damn clever one, where players try to manipulate the number of tricks they win so that Jekyll/Hyde makes it home before the police can catch him. Rotating trump suits and the occasional potion will keep players on their toes—almost as much as the title character.

(You can read my flash review here.)

#8

ALTERED

I thought I had weaned myself off collectable card games back in the day, and this year I tried two new games that confirmed those feelings: Star Wars Unlimited (yawn) and Lorcana (visually superb but mechanically generic). Then I gave Altered a shot and ended up purchasing two booster boxes. It runs on very innovative gameplay, killer visuals, and nothing short of a revolutionary publishing plan. I'm very much looking forward to what's on the horizon.

#7

DUCTH RESISTANCE: ORANGE SHALL OVERCOME!

Orange is a solo/co-op game of resistance in the Netherlands during World War II. Several scenarios require players to dodge German checkpoints, smuggle supplies (even people!) into dangerous locations, and resort to violence when there's no other way. An impressive system and overall package, and from a first-time designer, no less.

#6

SKYRISE

A cutthroat bidding game about building a city in the sky, with simple rules that pave the way for tense and rewarding gameplay. I played the game this was based on—Metropolys—once, years ago; I never felt the need to play it again. But Skyrise elevates (ha!) the action and makes everything shine.

And while there's no denying the deluxe version is seriously overproduced, it does look great on the table.

(You can read my flash review here.)

#5

WOLFPACK
I tried a few submarine games over the years, but they were either too convoluted or else too much "on rails" with few player decisions and an experience that felt more like watching the game happen around me.

Wolfpack hits the sweet spot: Despite the game's 76 pages of (generously illustrated) rules, it's easy to get into a routine of going out on patrols, spotting juicy merchant ships, arming and firing torpedoes... and also evading escorts, dealing with crew injuries, putting out sub fires, fending off flooding and performing a dance of death with depth charges on a daily basis.

What's not to like?

#4

NORMAN CONQUESTS
Not only did this fifth volume in the Men of Iron series convince me to take the plunge, but I enjoyed it so much that I promptly tracked down the first four volumes and am eagerly awaiting #6. The game offers tactical medieval battles with just the right amount of chrome to give you something satisfying to bite into while never overstaying its welcome. 

Just make sure you leave your units room to retreat. You'll thank me later.

#3

OXONO

One of those abstract two-player games with minimal components, a cerebral look, and that ubiquitous "place four pieces in a row" victory condition, Oxono almost looks like a toy. Until you play (and lose) your first game, that is. Players move an X and an O totem, both acting as poles around which you can play a corresponding piece (X or O) in your color. It's those pieces you're trying to align, in any colors. So you win if you put the fourth X in a row/column of Xs, or the fourth O in a row/column of Os, no matter who placed the first three; you can also win by scoring a row/column entirely in your color, whatever symbols end up in there.
You can't imagine how challenging—and addictive—that is until you've tried it.

#2

BOMB BUSTERS

This is one of those rare cooperative games where the alpha player problem (running everyone like puppets in an otherwise solo game) cannot happen, because the whole thing revolves around secret information everyone is trying to deduce from the occasional clues put up by their partners. Your bomb squad needs to defuse bomb after bomb by cutting pairs of like-numbered wires: one facing one of your friends (and whose value you're not always sure of) and one facing you. 
And whatever you do, DONT' CUT THE RED WIRE!

(You can read my flash review here.)

#1

DOWNFALL

Last year's #1 entry (Mr. President) began thusly: "The most complex and longest game on the list..." And I'm forced to recognize that it's also the case this year. I might have to seek treatment.
Downfall is kind of a monster game that eats up an entire table (or two) and whose short scenario lasts six hours. Hey, playing the last act of WWII ain't a walk in the park! But the game flows so wonderfully and without any downtime that I find myself transfixed, for however long the whole thing takes.

It is a stunning design that I can't wait to play again.

(You can read my review here.)

* * *

DISAPPOINTMENTS
I define disappointments as games I expected a lot from, and which failed to deliver. Here are the "top" three from 2024.

I rarely post negative reviews of games on this blog (life's too short!) but my feelings were so negative in the case of Heat's first expansion that I couldn't do otherwise. (So here it is.) I wasn't disappointed: I was thoroughly pissed off.

In short, I thought they did everything completely wrong, making Heavy Rain the worst expansion I've come across in 30 years of boardgaming. It almost deserves an award just for that.

This one is kind of a mild disappointment, in that I expected great things from this narrative game, and in the end only got "things" that were more often than not on the right side of fun without really making me feel like I'd need to replay the campaign, or get my hands on eventual sequels. Fun enough to borrow from a friend and try once, I guess, but that's pretty much it.

I think it's the first time a game from GMT ends up in this section of my yearly Top 10, and it breaks my heart. I had high hopes for I, Napoleon, but the decision space ended up being way too narrow for my taste. And I really wish there were just one or two lines of historical text at the bottom of each card, so that I could at least learn a few things if I'm not actively choosing stuff.

A pity.

* * *

STRAGGLERS
Let's end on a high note with three games that would have made my Top 10 had I encountered them back in the year when they were published.

Scout is the second trick-taking game on the list this year, and deservedly so. It's a clever, twisted and fun little bundle of joy—you should see that diminutive box—you can carry anywhere, that plays great with any number of players (including two!) and that will surprise and entertain anyone you ensnare with it.

Two abstract games on the same list might be a first, but I won't shy away from my admiration of this as-clever-as-it-is simple (and elegant) little game. Move a piece according to the pattern highlighted on one of your three cards, then give that card to your opponent. THAT'S IT. And since there are oodles of different cards (did I mention expansions?), no two games are ever alike.

Mandala is one of those games that feels so classic, so elemental, that you can't help but think the design already existed as a traditional thing played by generations past. Right? Nope: made up by two guys a few years ago.

But no matter how (not) old the game is, it's a splendid example of a simple system yielding remarkable depth. 

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My Top 10 Boardgames Published in 2023

    

Here's a look at my 10 favorite games published in 2023.

(Or else made available in North America so late in 2022 that there was no way to really play them before the calendar flipped.)

#10

ATIWA

First of three (!) Rosenberg games on the list. Much simpler than most of his "big box" games, with a cute theme and adorable bat meeples. You're building a village, tending to families and their environment, all the while trying to grow and maintain the fruit bat community.

Atiwa features a very original turn-to-turn mechanic that morphs the main action into another and—together with other design levers—ensures that each play shows a different aspect of the game's personality.

#9

MIND UP!
Mind Up! is very much in the 6 nimmt! mold—complete with exclamation point—but it takes things one step further without making the rules more difficult to master.

A row of cards is laid out on the table, in ascending order. Players simultaneously select and then reveal a card from their hands, grabbing from the tabled row the card that matches the position of the card they played. So if you want to grab the first card in the row, because its color is worth more points to you, then you need to play a card with a low value; but if someone else plays a lower card, well then you're stuck with the 2nd card in the row...

Not only do the just-played cards become the new row of cards up for grabs on the table (think ahead!), but all the cards you win (and score at the end of the round) form your hand for the next round.

Cleverer and cleverer.

#8

APPLEJACK

Designer Uwe Rosenberg does big & complex and short & sweet equally well, always offering a challenging and rewarding experience. This time around, players are invited to each create their own orchard, making sure they have enough connecting apples of each color when it comes time to score that variety. 

For a game that clocks in at 30 minutes and can be explained in five, the depth of the decision space boggles the mind.

(You can read my flash review here.)

#7

GREAT WESTERN TRAIL: NEW ZEALAND

Herding sheep—instead of cows—in kiwi-land, you hire builders to construct your buildings, shearers to profit from the wool before you ship off the actual livestock, sailors to move your ship around and open new markets, and shepherds to handle the beasts themselves. Throw in a little deck-building and a lot of planning ahead, and you've got another winner.

This third and last incarnation of the GWT engine is an excellent game, but it falls a little short of its two older brethren. Call it less elegant or slightly more convoluted: there's a little something that prevents it from reaching the dizzying heights of the original game or the Argentina incarnation.

(You can read my flash review here.)

#6

SKIES ABOVE BRITAIN

Five years ago (already!?) I reviewed Skies Above the Reich, a brilliant solo wargame about breaking up formations of Allied bombers flying towards Germany with ill intent. And while designer Jeremy White said that he didn't see how he'd adapt the system to cover the Battle of Britain, Gina Willis showed him how and jumped in as co-designer.

This new incarnation of the system turns the tables and sends hordes of German bombers over Britain, which the player must defend at all costs. The rules overhead is slightly heavier but well worth the additional investment, for a game that's every bit as thrilling as its predecessors. (Yes, there were two!)

#5

HEGEMONY
I've been burned by enough Kickstarter projects to learn to disregard any kind of hype surrounding a new game being peddled on that platform. Most of the time I'm right; once in a while I'm wrong.

Hegemony proved to fall in the latter category.

It's an ambitious design, pitting asymmetrical roles against each other: the Worker Class, the Middle Class, the Capitalist Class, and the State. Everyone plays by their own rules but must come together to make it all work, and the game truly shines. I don't own a copy myself, something I'll remedy as soon as the 2nd edition comes out.

#4

ORANIENBURGER KANAL
Third and final Rosenberg game on the list; I'm frankly surprised something like this hasn't happened before. Now this might be his driest looking game ever, what with its generic cards and sterile grid of a game board, but I think it might also be one of his best. It's strictly a two-player game, with each opponent attempting to outbuild the other while optimizing the paths, roads, canals and railways that connect everything together. 

The game borrows the clever resource wheel from Ora et Labora and offers a real brain burner, with surprisingly few rules and a play time (90 minutes) that's more than fair for a game of this depth.

#3

PLANTAGENET

The Levy & Campaign series of games has long fascinated me, but there were always a few irritants that prevented me from truly loving what was on the menu. Plantagenet, the fourth L&C title, fixed them all.

Levy troops, raise money, gather food—then go to war! Of course, it won't hurt if you manage to convince a handful of lords and vassals to join your cause, and gain control of critical towns and cities.

(You can read my review here.)

#2

SKY TEAM

How many cooperative games do you know that play in 15 minutes, offer meaningful decisions, feature a generous helping of scenarios in varying levels of difficulty, come with fantastic components, and prove to be a nail-biter to the very end?

Just land the plane. Everything's going to be fine...

(You can read my flash review here.)

#1

MR. PRESIDENT

The most complex and longest game on the list, Mr. President puts you in the White House right after inauguration. Can you deal with everything your cabinet, your country, and indeed the world can throw at you?

I'm amazed at the scope of the package, at the stories it tells, at the palpable tension it generates from beginning to end. Yes it takes at least 10 hours to finish, and yes it's a solo game (which means you're sitting alone in your corner for those 10+ hours), but if you enjoy the sort of engine roaring under this particular hood, you're in for a ride like no other.

(You can read my review here.)

* * *

DISAPPOINTMENTS
I define disappointments as games I expected a lot from, and which failed to deliver.

Here are the "top" three from 2023.

I'm a big fan of Mike Fitzgerald's other rummy games, namely Jack the Ripper and Wyatt Earp. So this one sounded like a great new variation with a fun theme.

Turns out the game's tortured mechanics barely manage to avoid the "broken" label, and the whole thing's a sad and sorry bust. I played one game and knew this was going on the trade pile. Fast.

This case was a bit different: I felt no real desire to play Ark Nova, but the hype surrounding it was so over the top that I just had to see what everyone was talking about. 

And sure, it's a fine game, but it's not doing anything all that different from what I can get out of Terraforming Mars, for instance. I understand if you like the theme better, but people treated this like the Second Coming, which I thought it was not.

This is another case of "best game ever" that I had to investigate. And once again, it's a fine game with good-looking components, but it's another tableau builder that falls flat for me. I found myself missing the feeling of shared construction I enjoy in—yes, that one again—Terraforming Mars.

Hey, maybe I'm just not a tableau builder enthusiast? Wingspan also left me pretty meh.

* * *

STRAGGLERS
Let's end on a high note with three games that would have made the list had I encountered them back in the year when they were published.

A solo WWII tactical war game with a bunch of scenarios, tons of units, and an automated opponent that—while pretty random—generates fun situations and gives the human player a run for their money. Why didn't I play this sooner?

Granted, my being late to the party meant that I could benefit from the revamped maps of the 2nd edition, and spare my retinae some graphics-induced searing.

Merlin feels the way great Eurogames did back when they were simple and efficient. While I love complex games, there's something satisfying in a well designed system that's straight to the point and super fun. 

A classic Feld that's a blast with just the basic game, and which becomes a tasty feast when you start mixing in some of the expansion modules.

I really enjoy trick-taking games with a twist, and Diamonds delivers in spades. You earn diamonds in four different ways that correspond to the suits of each trick you win, but you also trigger the suit ability of a card you play when it doesn't match the current trick!

It's a great example of what designer Mike Fitzgerald can do when he's not busy destroying his rummy legacy.

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