Top 100 Board Games of All Time

January 4, 2023 – Updated for 2023

Every year, we sit down and update our top games of all time list, with Chris and Anthony both building their own personal Top 100 lists. You can view the entirety of both lists on this page.

Anthony’s List

Chris’s List

Both of these lists were built independently of one another, so it’s a lot of fun to see where they match up and where they don’t. If you’re interested, you can also view the lists from 2015 when we did our original Top 50’s for episode 100. Anthony’s is here and Chris’s is here.

Anthony’s Top 100 Games of all Time (2023)

100. Battlelore 2E

Rather than buying starter sets and overpriced miniatures for a tabletop war game, I’ve been more than pleased with Battlelore Second Edition. The perfect refinement of Richard Borgs’ Command & Colors system, this one shines. It just needs more factions.

99. Pax Pamir: Second Edition

Cole Wehrle revisits an earlier design and produces a beautiful, intricately crafted asymmetrical tableau builder about an important but rarely discussed moment in history. This is a tight, low scoring scramble for dominance that is immensely satisfying to playing out.

98. Council of 4

This game has two very different looking versions, but CMON thankfully kept the core gameplay the same. One part ticket to ride, and another part engine building euro, players pay to place houses around the map and chain bonuses off one another in a quick 60-90 minute game. One of my favorites of the last few years, Council of 4 is a home run.

97. Manhattan Project: Energy Empire

Energy Empire is a very different game from its namesake, tasking players with managing the pollution afflicting the world from energy production. A tableau builder in which you attempt to manage your workers enough to acquire and activate a range of powerful abilities, Energy Empire is a clever puzzle hidden behind an accessible euro.

96. The Fox in the Forest Duet

Two players working together to complete tricks and clear the forest. It’s so simple it’s almost hard to believe no one thought of it earlier. But here it is, at number 36 on my list because it’s both one of the best two players games I’ve ever played and one of the best trick takers.

95. Sprawlopolis

It only takes 18 cards for Sprawlopolis to do what many city games cannot. With restrictive scoring requirements, mind-bending card laying mechanics, and the option for a two-player mode that makes it all that much harder, this one is always in my pocket when traveling.

94. Bus

 

For a game that came out over twenty years ago, as part of the genesis of Splotter and the designers of games we’re all in love with now, it still works so well. It’s shorter than many of their other games, but it’s just as tight, challenging, and yes, super mean, when it needs to be.

93. Beyond the Sun

What if 4X but just the tech tree? That’s the guiding inquiry behind Beyond the Sun and it makes for a fascinating, engaging, blast of a game that plays quickly as you build up your civilization to incredible technologies end to end. The only thing holding this game back from going higher is the lack of opportunities to play it with a full group of four.

92. Gloomhaven

Sitting at #1 on BGG and probably not going anywhere for a while, this game is a beast. Big, long, loaded with content, and none too cheap, it’s also the single best dungeon-crawl experience you’ll ever have, and while I have come nowhere near beating it all, it’s got a place of honor on my shelves.

91. 1846

I am a latecomer to the world of 18xx, but after my first several plays of 1846, I am fully on board. Interesting decisions at every turn, exceptional player interaction, and a surprising amount of asymmetry when it matters most make this an instant favorite.

90. Santorini

The original mechanics are solid, and the new production spectacular, but what really makes Santorini stand out as one of my all-time favorite abstract games is the integration of player powers that make every game just a little bit different.

89. 1960: The Making of the President

This is how I always wanted to feel when playing Twilight Struggle. Highly asymmetrical, loaded with interesting historical points, and just the right amount of combative, this might just be the best board game about American Politics.

88. Smartphone Inc.

Quick, clever, and spatial in the best kind of puzzle-based gameplay way, I love Smartphone Inc. You don’t need all the extra stuff to really enjoy it, but I recommend it for the added variability and solo play options.

87. Gentes

Stefan Risthaus makes a second appearance on my list with a clever spin on civilization building that is both elegant and incredibly deep in strategic decision making.

86. Lisboa

Lisboa takes everything I love about Lacerda’s designs and channels it into a sublime 2-3 hour experience of rebuilding a broken city. Complete with many of his trademark mechanics, including follow actions, and another beautiful board from Ian O’Toole, this is a prize in my collection.

85. Carpe Diem

Stefan Feld released two games in the same month when Carpe Diem came out, and I thought this was going to be the lighter of the two. It was, but it’s also much better than Forum Trajanum and one of his all time best games. Highly recommended for fans of Feld in general or for tableau puzzle building games.

84. The Adventures of Robin Hood

The Adventures of Robin Hood is the perfect follow up to Legends of Andor from Michael Menzel. The combination of exceptional visual design with an interactive suite of mechanisms, from the book guiding players through each scenario, to the pop off board that grows and changes over time, it’s one of the best family game experiences I’ve played in years.

83. Mini Express

Who knew I liked cube rail games? I certainly didn’t, until I sat down to play Mini Express. A tight, quick, but infinitely complex (as much as you want it to be), spin on the railroad building genre of games that I fell for in 2018 and 2019, Mini Express, now with four different maps, is a favorite on my shelf.

82. Welcome To…

Roll and write games are being released left right and sideways these days, but none are quite as good as Welcome To… This roll and write without dice offers a wealth of actions and card play options, deep enough to spin off several expansions and variants in a recent Kickstarter.

81. Arkwright

One of the heaviest, most feature-rich games on my shelf, and at the same time, one with a singular focus that is unforgiving and at times brutally cutthroat – Arkwright is a heavy gamer’s game and one of the best long-form experiences I’ve had in recent years.

80. Gingkopolis

I tried to track down a copy of this for years, and to my credit was able to avoid overspending on an out of print copy before it was reprinted two years ago. I almost wish I hadn’t waited, though, because now that the game is in hand, I have a blast playing it. The solo mode is fantastic, the multiplayer puzzle is tight and punishing, and the expansion builds on it in a dozen ways: truly one of the great euros.

79. Faiyum

Friedman Friese created Power Grid, one of the great all time euro games, and while it’s fallen from my list over time, I still greatly enjoy and own many maps for Power Grid. But I don’t love many of his other games, until Faiyum came out. Mixing a clever card and deck mechanic (similar to Gerts’ in Concordia), and a sprawling map board, Faiyum has plenty of depth and play options to explore and I have come back to it several times since my first play last year.

78. Texas Showdown

Who would have thought I’d be a trick taking guy? But here we are eight years after initial reviews of Chronicle and Poison, and I have multiple trick takers on my top 100. Texas Showdown is a brutal, clever game with a race to the bottom and I love it.

77. Fields of Arle

Uwe Rosenberg has a lot of sandbox games, but this is one of the best. Broken into seasons that correspond to different action options, you must carefully plan and manage your actions over the course of several years against 1 or 2 other players. The Tea and Trade expansion makes it longer, but also much better.

76. Star Wars: Imperial Assault

Just when I thought Fantasy Flight couldn’t take any more of my money, they one-up themselves with Imperial Assault. And of course, we have Rebellion coming in a few weeks (my wallet weeps…). Imperial Assault is one of the all-time great dungeon-crawling style, one vs. many games out there. Descent but better and with Star Wars? Sign me up.

75. Tzolk’in The Mayan Calendar

Corn? We got your corn. Tzolk’in jumps out most because of its massive, beautifully molded wheels. It’s a fantastic game of thinking ahead, building an engine, and making sure all those workers remain fed.

74. Merv

Fabio Lopiano is quickly becoming one of my favorite designers, if nothing else because he has an uncanny ability to weave complexity into a streamlined package, resulting in games that can be played in less than 2 hours but feel like a serious, heavy duty experience. Merv is another one of those games, tasking players with being as efficient as possible with their limited 12 actions.

73. Legends of Andor

Adventure gaming for euro players! The intricate puzzles of each of this game’s chapters are immensely satisfying, from beginning to end. With a full trilogy of content and more than 40 adventures to complete, the game has replayability almost on par with Gloomhaven, and a fun story to draw you through it all.

72. Forbidden Stars

Oh what could have been! This game is brilliant. An absolutely killer 4x style game based on Starcraft but with the 40K theming that unfortunately disappeared when FFG lost the license. I wish this was still available, because everyone should get a chance to play.

71. Coffee Traders

It’s massive, absolutely exploding with bits and pieces, and somehow plays smoothly and elegantly in a way that a game like this rarely does. From its engaging, modern economic theme, to the clever way the game guides you through your actions over the course 2-3 hours, Coffee Traders is one of the best economic games I’ve played in years.

70. Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle Earth

This mashup of Descent and Mansions of Madness, set in the intrigue-laden fields and caves of Middle Earth is immensely satisfying to play. A thrilling puzzle that works extremely well with the app, this has been a mainstay on my table since its release.

69. Imperial Settlers

If you’ve listened to the podcast the last year or so, you know this is one of my favorites. Imperial Settlers now has five factions, deck building options, and completely asymmetrical play that allows you to really build a civilization in a fun, borderline campy world of your choice – it’s really good.

68. Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization

Probably the only game on this list to get a spot because of its app, Through the Ages is the best civilization game I own and has by far the best digital implementation I’ve ever experienced. Clever mechanics, a brilliant tutorial, and so much content in the box, this is the game to get if you want a long, involved civ-builder.

67. Anachrony

This game looks and sounds bonkers – full of futuristic sci-fi factions, an ominous apocalypse and liberal doses of time travel. Under all that theme, though, is one of the best worker placement games I’ve experienced, and a brilliantly crafted solo game.

66. SpaceCorp: 2025-2300AD

I now have several space-age simulations on this list – I’m detecting a pattern. But for good reason, because SpaceCorp is one of the best such simulations around, guiding players as they build up their capabilities and reach for the stars.

65. The Guild of Merchant Explorers

This quickly became one of my favorite drop/flip/roll and write type of games, up there with Tiny Towns at first and now surpassing it due to the number of plays it gets. The clever way it weaves simultaneous action with individual growth in the form of multiple explorations, and the opportunity for expansion here feeling nearly endless: this is a truly great game, and I’m excited for more.

64. Skull King

My new favorite trick taking game (that isn’t cooperative), Skull King is the kind of game you can sit back and play over and over again for hours with the right people. There are other games with similar mechanics, but this one still does it best.

63. At the Gates of Loyang

Somehow feeling both perfectly like a Rosenberg game and not at all like a Rosenberg game, At the Gates of Loyang is tight, clever, and full of interesting mechanics that offer replayability.

62. CO2 Second Chance

I’ve had this one in my collection for several years, but just got a chance to play it last summer for the first time and was instantly enamored. From its engaging theme to the creative way it approaches cooperative reimplementation of classic Vital Lacerda rules, CO2 is a blast.

61. Obsession

This game is so new, you can’t even get it yet! A small Kickstarter last year, Obsession is a game of Victorian families trying to work their way up the social ladder. You’ll take actions from a tableau of tiles that require payment in family members and guests, combined with servants. The theme is deep in this game, and the gameplay options intricate.

60. Terra Mystica

This is the first “heavy” euro I ever played and remains one of my favorites. While Gaia Project pushed this one down the list a fair bit, there are several expansions now that make it well worth owning both games.

59. Suburbia: Collector’s Edition

We talked about this on Episode 94 and I just can’t help but love the city-building mechanics in Suburbia. They’re clean, they’re strategy-laden, and the game is infinitely replayable. Castles of Mad King Ludwig drags too much for me to switch teams at this point – love this game.

58. Carnegie

I will continue to kick myself for years for not backing the full deluxe version of Xavier George’s Carnegie, a brilliant, beautiful euro game that became one of my favorites thanks to Board Game Arena. While I don’t love it quite enough to spend $300 for the deluxe version, I continue to play it often and find new depth and complexity in it each time.

57. The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game

I have more than 1,000 cards for this game right now and still love sitting down to spend hours digging through them to build decks. It’s a perfect one player game that works just as well with two in co-op and tells a great story from a familiar universe.

56. Mage Knight Ultimate

Built for 1-2 players, Mage Knight is the pinnacle of solo gaming. This is a brilliant, tactically rich, adventure-driven puzzle of a game full of crunchy mechanics and thematically-rich gameplay. I love Mage Knight, Star Trek Frontiers for re-envisioning it in a slightly easier box, and everything in between.

55. Dune Imperium

Dune Imperium was a very good game when released and I liked it. But I didn’t love it, at least not to Top 100 of all time levels. But with the twin releases of Rise of Ix and Immortality expansions in 2022, Dune Imperium has grown and expanded and incorporated so many new ideas and ways to play that it’s become almost an entirely new game and experience for me and one I am eager to get to the table as often as possible now.

54. Shakespeare

It might be the artwork, or the way the game works to integrate clever theming into the actor and artisan cards, or maybe I just like anything to do with Shakespeare – whatever the reason, this quick and yet relatively thinky Euro is a favorite that keeps hitting the table.

53. The Gallerist

Vital Lacerda is one of my favorite designers for how he injects theme and aesthetic into his games, taking what would otherwise be heavy, mechanically-charged games and making them into works of art. The Gallerist remains my favorite for its ability to weave the three together in such a precise, engaging way.

52. Barrage

For a long time, Barrage was marred by a lackluster Kickstarter campaign and bad components. I literally could not play my copy for the first nine months I had it, while I waited for the replacement wheels. But when I finally did get it to the table and explored the depth that this game has to offer, I quickly discovered there is an immense amount of complexity and decision trees in here to appreciate. Barrage is hard as nails, but it’s worth the brain burn for how it all comes together in the end.

51. The Castles of Burgundy

Stefan Feld’s best game, and most popular. It’s a boring answer to that question, but remains the case after 20+ games for a reason. With new editions of the game, solo and cooperative play, and multiple digital versions, there are no excuses not to play The Castles of Burgundy.

50. First Class: All Aboard the Orient Express!

Some call it Russian Railroads the card game. That’s fair, but it’s also so much more. This tableau-building race for points is loaded with clever decisions in a relatively short time frame and comes with several modules to keep it fresh.

49. London: Second Edition

I liked London quite a bit in its original, hard-to-find form. Martin Wallace’s ability to take a handful of mechanics and a deck of cards and weave a satisfying game from it is legendary, and London is one of the best. The second edition somehow made the game even better. It’s prettier, it’s smoother, and it’s completely card-driven, cutting an unnecessary map element to make the game that much better.

48. Civilization: A New Dawn

I love civilization games – you’ll see that as you get further down the list. This is a lighter, faster, euro-style take on the Civilization format, and I love it, but it’s made all the better with the expansion, and with the solo rules released during COVID, it’s brilliant.

47. Leaving Earth

Ever want to build a rocket and go to space? Leaving Earth is the kind of seamless integration of simulation and game experience that you rarely find in the hobby, and its hand made by one guy. Hard to find and harder to beat, Leaving Earth is the hidden gem I’ve long loved that’s finally reaching the masses.

46. Heaven and Ale

This game has grown on me like few recent releases have, a delight every time I’ve played. From the right nature of resources to the agonizing decision of where to place newly purchased tiles on my player board, brewing beer has never been more stressful (or fun!)

45. Lorenzo il Magnifico

I love dice placement as a mechanism, but it can be challenging to mitigate and manage the rolls…unless everyone has the same dice! Lorenzo is an almost punishingly tight tableau builder that offers endless permutations, made even more engaging by an expansion loaded with additional content.

44. The Castles of Burgundy: The Card Game

I’ll admit it. I scoffed when this was announced. Another card game version? Like Power Grid? Except, it wasn’t like Power Grid. It was more like San Juan, not just a good game, but almost as good as its big brother in cardboard. It’s fast, it’s compact, and while it takes up a lot of table space, it manages to feel like CoB.

43. The Battle of Five Armies

Promoted as a lighter, more tactical approach to the War of the Ring formula, this combat-heavy game of Orcs, Dwarves and Elves is nearly as satisfying, with a unique spin that makes for regular playthroughs.

42. The Magnificent

This is another game I discovered during the pandemic and enjoyed but didn’t truly fall in love with until I had a chance to play with other people and integrate the Sno expansion materials into the box. Tight, clever, visually stunning, and loaded with difficult decisions, The Magnificent is a keeper.

41. Caverna

The ultimate farming-based worker placement euro, Caverna takes what makes Agricola a success (even if I don’t like it) and refines it into a brilliant game that scales from 1-7, has awesome components, and allows you to stay underground if you’re truly tired of sheep and pumpkins.

40. Kanban EV

One of Lacerda’s best games and a great economic simulation that manages to stay streamlined throughout. The solo mode is fantastic and the new EV version of the game is more streamlined and easier to work through visually. A blast.

39. Tramways

My favorite of Alban Viard’s small city series of games, Tramways isn’t much to look at but has a brilliant puzzle core and an auction-driven deck-building component I’ve still yet to see in other games that force careful consideration of what you play and what you buy.

38. Ark Nova

Someone told me some time that Ark Nova is a good game. Maybe a great game? I don’t know. I figured I’d try it out, and you know what, it’s okay. Well-polished, similar in style to many other great games, and with a fun theme, and now it’s this high on my list. It’s not my favorite of all time, but it’s one I’ll gladly play whenever it comes out.

37. Iki

Here’s my oddball of the list – one that you won’t find many places, but that I adore. Iki is a rondel-based game in which you move around the market of Iki attempting to level up and retire different artisans. It’s fairly simple at its core, and incredibly beautiful, evoking Ukiyo-e, woodblock style artwork of the time and one of my favorite board game covers of all time, and unfortunately relatively hard to find. If you see it, get this game.

36. Keyforge

Keyforge exploded on the scene three years ago as the world’s first “unique deck game”. Despite the game being in hiatus do to technical issues with the deck building algorithm, it remains a favorite for online and play at home with the family and my most played game of the last two years.

35. Watergate

And the newcomer of the year is Watergate. This asymmetrical two player tug of war between Nixon and the press was one of the best games I found and played at Gen Con in 2019 and has been a staple of my table ever since.

34. Glen More II

Glen More is a long time favorite, so much so that I backed Lunarchitects when it was on Kickstarter specifically because of its similarities. Glen More II takes the original up several notches with Chronicles that add depth, replayability and new options in ways I’ve never seen before in a game this size.

33. Nusfjord

Uwe Rosenberg has made a lot of very good games (look out next time for Atiwa, which I am falling more and more in love with), but Nusfjord remains one of my favorites because it boils down so much of what works in his sprawling worker placement games and makes it work in a tighter, shorter, more accessible package. 5 player Rosenberg in 90 minutes? Yes please.

32. Blood Rage

It’s a testament to just how good this game is that it has climbed so high in such a short time. Since my first play at GenCon until now, I’ve yet to have a bad session with this one (and I’ve only won once). It’s fast, it’s combative, and it rewards actions of all types. Yes, you can get stomped out of a region you spent time building up, but you can be right back in there the next age, and if one game goes poorly, the next will be completely different. From gorgeous miniatures, to carefully balanced card drafting, there’s nothing about this one I don’t like.

31. On Mars

Every new Vital Lacerda game is a near-instant chance for the Top 100 and On Mars made it quickly. Even with only a handful of plays because of the Pandemic, this is an all-time great and worth tracking down and playing however you can.

30. Antike II

One of my favorite area control games and a Mac Gerdts rondel classic, Antike II streamlines and improves on almost every aspect of the original game. It plays quickly, with almost no downtime for players, and offers a wealth of choices each time I play.

29. Food Chain Magnate

Funny story about Food Chain Magnate. I hated it the first time I played. I got my but whooped so bad that I was checked out and angry by the second hour of the game…of four. But I spent the next two days thinking about nothing but this game. I had to play it again, and since then it has become one of the event games we turn to up there with TI4.

28. Teotihuacan

This might be the newest game on the list, but it rocketed up the charts fast. A beautiful production, loaded with interesting decisions, and a clever rondel-driven worker upgrade system, Teotihuacan jumped right into the upper tiers of mid-weight euros for me.

27. Clinic Deluxe

Clinic languished for years in its original, low-fi production, but the Deluxe version from Alban Viard, featuring artwork by Ian O’Toole brings it to the masses and boy am I glad it did. With dozens of modules, a subversive look at the healthcare industry, and puzzley gameplay, Clinic is a must have.

26. Skymines

Mombasa was on this list a long time ago, and for good reason. It’s a stunningly designed game—combining stock-holding gymnastics with a clever deck management mechanic and a bunch of tracks to manage throughout a tight euro experience. But the theme was a turnoff, so when Pfister finally moved the game to space, I was all instantly on board. Now it’s back on the list.

25. Concordia

I’ve been a fan of Concordia for years, but the recent implementation of so many new maps, the Venus mechanisms and team based play make this an all-time great and one of the best games from Mac Gerdts.

24. Kemet: Blood and Sand

Kemet was one of my favorite dudes on a map game for a long time, but there were issues with it. It wasn’t quite as “fun” as Blood Rage, in a raw mechanical way, there was some bloat with the expansions mixed in, and the end game would give me a headache. Blood and Sand addresses almost all of this and turns out one of the best dudes on a map experiences out there (even if it is one of the worst rulebooks).

23. Underwater Cities

Distilling the core tableau-building of Terraforming Mars with a worker placement twist, Underwater Cities is an immensely satisfying puzzle of a game with much more depth than most games in the genre.

22. Dwellings of Eldervale

The only game on this list that I don’t personally own (and not for lack of trying), Luke Laurie’s Dwellings of Eldervale is a masterpiece of map management, area control, and euro mechanics weaved seamlessly into a sprawling epic. And next year we’re getting the same thing, but in space with Andromeda’s Edge (which I thankfully backed up front this time).

21. Brass: Birmingham

One of the many blemishes on my list of games played for years, I finally experienced Brass this year, which instantly shot into my top 10, until I played Birmingham, the revised edition from Roxley Games, which is sleeker and offers a slew of new interesting decisions in the same compact, tightly designed package.

20. Dominant Species: Marine

Our best game of 2021, Dominant Species: Marine is a master class in modernizing a classic game, streamlining mechanics, introducing new ideas, and making it more accessible for a larger overall audience. I’ve played Marine more times in the last year than I did Dominant Species in the previous five, if only because it’s so much easier to get the table.

19. The Great Zimbabwe

Move over Food Chain Magnate, this classic Splotter game has taken the spot for me, representing simple but emergent gameplay that offers nearly limitless opportunities and high levels of player engagement.

18. Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy

I didn’t love Eclipse in its first edition packaging. I don’t quite remember why, but it went very long, it bogged me down with minutia and the production was subpar (meaning cubes everywhere). I’m not 100% sure what all changed in the second edition (other than the price), but I will say that it’s now one of my favorite games of all time, with a bevy of clever, engaging, chunky decisions that remind me of Twilight Imperium in all the right ways, but in a shorter package.

17. 7 Wonders Duel

Quite possibly the perfect two-player game. Quick, accessible, easy to teach, and a perfect distillation of everything that 7 Wonders does so well, Duel is a game I always have in my game bag for the two-player droughts we all run into.

16. Twilight Imperium IV

I didn’t have a chance to play the previous iterations, but a fateful spot in the FFG line at Gen Con and a chance to get it and play it early introduced me to one of the best games ever made. Sweeping, epic, and full of interesting decisions and things to do, I have never had more fun than the six to ten hours I have spent playing this game.

15. Gaia Project

Everything I loved about Terra Mystica but better. Gaia Project has the same tight, finely tuned euro gameplay of the original, but with more variability, better balance, and a cool space theme. The only way this gets bumped is if they somehow bring the same to Terra Mystica.

14. Clans of Caledonia

Clans of Caledonia is a mash-up of several of my favorite things – farming euros, economic games, and Terra Mystica. It’s none of these things, and yet somehow all of them, and despite the derivative description, the combination works exceedingly well. For a compact, small-production euro, this one is a keeper.

13. A Feast for Odin

Uwe Rosenberg is the master of worker placement games, one of my favorite genres of games, and A Feast for Odin is the biggest, most audacious, and most puzzley of the bunch. Hence it’s spot here on the list. It’s big, it’s long, and it’s loaded with so many decisions that I still find new things to do in it to this date.

12. Nations

Nations makes the list for a couple of reasons – first it’s a great civilization game. More than that, though, it allows players to progress through the game in the way they feel best fits their needs and the replayability is incredibly high. Combine that with solid solo play mechanics and this is a strong favorite in my collection.

11. Star Wars Rebellion

It’s big, it’s epic and it’s Star Wars. What more do I need? Turns out, a bit of time as well. I haven’t gotten nearly as much time with this game as I would like, otherwise, I’m sure it would be higher on the list, but even still, nothing quite compares to Star Wars in a box.

10. Ultimate Railroads

I can’t help but salivate while playing Russian Railroads and seeing my score double then triple and balloon up into the 300s and 400s. A true snowball worker placement game, it’s so much fun. And German Railroads, the first expansion, fixes just about every problem the original had and makes it that much better.

9. Lost Ruins of Arnak

Talk about a shooting star! I played Arnak a mere three weeks before writing my last top 100 l ist and it shot directly into the top 20. A perfect combination of worker placement and deck building that has hit my table nearly 50 times in the last year and will continue to for years to come.

8. Cascadia

My favorite game of 2021 is an instant classic, taking a simple mechanic and streamlining it to the point of absolute elegance. It’s sleek, easy to teach, and absolutely incredible fun no matter how many times I get it to the table. This will be on the list for a long time to come.

7. Spirit Island

Like a lightning bolt, this game crashed into my top 10 two years ago, instantly blowing my preconceptions about cooperative games out of the water. At once an engaging social commentary and a blisteringly difficult cooperative game wrapped in a shell of euro-driven mechanics, there are few games as well-conceived and executed as Spirit Island.

6. Spyrium

Spyrium is an underrated gem, and a perfect middle-ground euro for smaller groups. It’s inexpensive, quick (an hour or so), and flexible with up to 4 players. It’s also a great little engine builder with a unique worker placement and retrieval mechanic that makes for frequently exciting games.

5. Terraforming Mars

It’s ugly to look at, can drag on for far too long, and the deck of cards is a little large with all the extra stuff, and yet I love it. Terraforming Mars has immense, constantly growing depth – the kind that has made it my most played game of both 2016 and 2017, and not too far behind in 2018.

4. The Voyages of Marco Polo

From the guys who brought us Tzolk’in, The Voyages of Marco Polo is a brilliant refinement of several familiar euro mechanics. It’s a testament to how good this game is that it makes my list at such a high spot less than a year after release.

3. Marvel Champions

The best LCG on the market right now, period. I love Arkham Horror and (for now) it’s still higher on this list, but I imagine not for long. Marvel continues to churn out clever, engaging, and quick paced games that scale from 1 to 4 players effectively.

2. Root

I liked Vast, but never played it due to how hard it was to teach and how long it could take. Root does all of what Vast did, but repackages it as a COIN-style war game and does it faster and cuter. I love Root more than I ever thought possible for such a game and with more content on the way, it has a spot in my regular rotation for years to come.

1. War of the Ring

This is the ultimate gaming experience in my books. There have been few games that I’ve sat down to play for the entire day, let alone explore on this level. I’ve painted the miniatures, I’ve played through it alone to pick up on strategies, and there’s still nothing like going against another player. It’s also the perfect example of asymmetry in a board game. Battle of Five Armies is great, but this is the best.

 

Chris’s Top 100 Games of All Time (2022)

100. Revolution!

Revolution! Bring together blind bidding and all the thematic elements of blackmail, bribes and downright force to push your control. The expansions really open up the game and replayability.

99. Dixit: Journey

Party games almost by their definition are a one time throw away event, and yet, Dixit with its fantastic art and opportunity to conjure up endless clues is worthy of being in a museum.

98. Mysterium

Dixit + Clue=A dark and stormy night of Mysterium!

97. Shadow Hunters

When I think social deductions, I often want something more, and Shadow Hunters provides the real hard gameplay decisions I look for in my games. You must play with the highest player count to get all those wonderful neutrals in the game.

96. Russian Railroads

Russian Railroads is a fantastic game, BUT only with its expansion, German Railroads. Otherwise, the gameplay always comes down to who is the first player that round giving them always the best choice with the other players forced to take an objectively less and less valuable choice. Add German Railroads and you got yourself a big hit.

95. Yggdrasil

Co-ops often suffer from alpha players, but here in Yggdrasil you make your own choices and have enough diversity and challenge to keeps it at the table.

94. Mission: Red Planet (Second Edition)

The recent reprint of Mission: Red Planet (Second Edition) comes with upgraded components, artwork, and truly necessary rule changes. The role selection and area majority mechanics work really well together and it’s a great deal of thematic fun.

93. Memoir ’44

Heavy enough for wargamers and yet approachable enough with gateway gamers. Richard Borg’s Command and Colors system is in full glory here with numerous expansions that make this a worth lifestyle game. Play with 2 or go full Overlord and play with an epic 8 player session.

92. Rivet Wars: Eastern Front

Rivet Wars: Eastern Front is a fantastic two-player tactical war game that with its enormous Kickstarter expansions offers a ton of options for gameplay including planes that hover above the battlegrounds. It’s a quick-playing objective-based game that even when you lose, you smile at the fun gameplay and miniatures.

91. Star Trek: Attack Wing

90. Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game Star Wars Armada, Star Wars Miniatures Game, Star Trek Attack Wing, or any of the other FlightPath system games deserves a test flight, despite the often wonky and often problematic meta.

89. Star Wars: The Queen’s Gambit

One of the last grail games and it earns its reputation. A big box game that has multiple battlefields going at the same time with fantastic production. It almost makes me want to forgive Episode 1, almost.

88. High Heavens

Tactical combat with pantheons of mythological gods done right in a fast paced two player game.

87. Shadows over Camelot

One of the original, and still the best hidden traitor games available. Days of Wonder at the peak of their powers, and a game that everyone should play at least once (if you can find it).

86. 878 Vikings: Invasions of England

Two to four players can enjoy the fantastic realism of strategic decisions that make 878: Vikings – Invasions of England so dynamic. Dudes on the map have never been this intense or this fun.

85. BattleLore (Second Edition)

Memoir ’44 + the fantasy realm of Terrinoth= Two-Player BattleLore (Second Edition) Fun!

84. Small City

Building your Small City is going to take careful economic planning, employing the government officials and a complete disregard for polluting your opponent’s city. Challenging and complex, but welcoming all the way through, it’s a fantastic game.

83. Tokaido Collector’s Edition

Join me on the gentle Tokaido road in which we will visit the temples, eat great foods, purchase local crafts and paint the great vistas. The game works even better with the expansions and is great for a relaxed night at home or with the family.

82. AuZtralia

Cthulhu in Australia. It doesn’t sound like it should work, especially not with a theme that historically hasn’t hit with me, but Martin Wallace’s clever spin on the genre works across so many levels.

81. At the Gates of Loyang

Somehow feeling both perfectly like a Rosenberg game and not at all like a Rosenberg game, At the Gates of Loyang is tight, clever, and full of interesting mechanics that offer replayability.

80. Antiquity

Just when you thought you were a heavy gamer, Splotter comes along and drops you do in the most intense resource management /area control game in tabletop gaming. If you do not get buried under the endless chits, you will adore this AP breaking masterwork.

79. Everdell

Everdell could be easily discounted for its fantastic and fantastical looking production, but at its root, it is a solid city building game with some fun and thematic combos.

78. Dynasties: Heirate & Herrsche

Somehow still not available in English, Dynasties takes a euro spin on the age old challenge of arranged marriages and lineage management in medieval Europe. Yup, and it’s fun too.

77. A Game of Thrones: The Card Game (Second Edition)

The revamped and streamlined second edition of the Game of Thrones Card Game works just as well as the original with the added benefit of easier deck building and a more robust pool of cards.

76. Guilds of Cadwallon

Place your characters carefully to get the best tiles available in this precursor to favorites like Spyrium. We still can’t believe this game hasn’t found a broader audience.

75. Terraforming Mars

Despite its poor production, Terraforming Mars has brought efficient card playing action to the forefront. Endless paths to victory and expansions that correct some of the initial problems of the core gameplay make this dynamic game a must-play for everyone.

74. Obsession

Obsession allows you to take the role of a family seeking to rise in the social structure through the use of elegant deck and tableau building with a dash of worker placement. It seems all very complex but somehow works so simply that this newcomer is sure to rise in its reputation.

73. Quantum

Quantum is a streamlined 4X in space game that utilizes dice to represent the ever-changing power of your fleet. Modular game tiles and numerous technologies allow for a vastly different gameplay each and every time.

72. San Juan (Second Edition)

San Juan provides the most streamlined gameplay from any of the multi-use card games and yet it retains the complexity and competitive that you see in more complex fare.

71. Watergate

Two player asymmetrical games don’t always work, or they do and take hours, but Watergate gets the formula down with quick, accessible games that only take 20-30 minutes and are always tense.

70. Scoville

Scoville has the color and flavor of a powerful and dynamic set collection game that makes we want to bring this out to new euro players.

69. Orleans: Deluxe Edition

Orléans is a fine bag build game, but what really makes it shine is its expansions that give the game real depth with additional technology and new boards that make dismissing your workers truly valuable.

68. Madeira Collector’s Edition

While the ultimate collector’s edition of this game remains to be seen (where are you Kickstarter?) the original remains one of the best games of all time; a brain burning, thinky euro well worth the wait.

67. Macao

Macao is Stefan Feld’s little engine builder of a game that once again brings in card combos and dice to run its economic engine to success. Colorful and of course with multiple paths to victory, this engaging game is sadly out of print.

66. Smartphone Inc.

Stark in its look and application, but complex and engaging in its interaction with other players, Smartphone Inc. makes all other economic games seem disconnected and cluttered. It’s a rare and brilliant gem in 2018.

65. The Quacks of Quedlinburg

Press your luck games are typically left to lighter game fair, but The Quacks of Quedlinburg offers a new way on an old mechanic but bringing in bag building and dynamic combos with a colorful palette.

64. Panamax

In today’s age of supply chain woes, Panamax will make you think you can single handedly solve it all. Crunchy in the best possible way, this game asks you to maneuver the intricacies of shipping magnates across an epic 3 hour experience.

63. Marco Polo II: In the Service of the Khan

It’s the Voyages of Marco Polo, but with more travel, more responses to bad die rolls, and more contract completion goodness. It’s not necessarily better, but it sure as heck does a lot of great things.

62. Lorenzo il Magnifico

This tight tableau builder offers a robust experience right out of the box, but with the addition of the expansion, becomes a brilliant game through and through. One of the best euros ever made.

61. Fresco: The Mega Box

Amongst all the Queen Big Box games, Fresco is above them all. Not only does it offer interesting worker placement and resource management, but the multiple “queenie” expansions add several more drops of complexity and thematic color.

60. Gentes: Deluxified Edition

I never thought I would love this artistically sparse look, but the Deluxified version makes this interesting worker placement game a must-play.

58. On Mars

Vital Lacerda’s most recent big box game was our game of the year for 2020 and is one of the biggest, heaviest games he’s released to date (which says a lot). From the clever back and forth to Mars mechanic to the implementation of a brilliant solo mode, this game is a must.

57. Last Will

After years of building complex eurogame engines, Last Will comes in and forces you to deconstruct it. It is a simple idea but a truly mind frying experience that has you laughing all the way to the poor house and victory.

56. The Prodigals Club

If destroying your financial future wasn’t enough in Last Will, The Prodigals Club comes by and does you one better by destroying your social standing as well. What is strangely beautiful about this game is that it can, in fact, play with Last Will, so you can have your cake and lose it too!

55. Dinosaur Island

Dinosaur Island should be just a collection of ridiculous miniature dinosaurs and Jurassic Park references and yet, with its streamlined gameplay and endless replayability, this is a game that has earned a worthy place at the table.

54. Cyclades

The battle of the Greek isles has never been more fun than with this bidding style war game that allows you to employ the blessing of the Greek gods. The expansions that followed the base game really open the game and literally transform the landscape of the battles on the isles.

53. Cuba

Cuba allows players to build out a flush landscape and dynamic economic engine that is beautiful and complex in its application. Sadly this gem is out of print but still holds a highly relevant place with gamers.

52. Food Chain Magnate

A painfully tense and yet highly enjoyable game about cornering the fast-food market. A dynamic and impressive card play system allows for multiple paths to victory. Everything but the art for the board has a real thematic flare.

51. Brass: Birmingham

Brass: Birmingham has surpassed its predecessor with a more expansive market and higher replayability. Not to mention a great new look and feel if you get the new money.

50. The Castles of Burgundy: The Card Game

Fast, fun and innovative, The Castles of Burgundy: The Card Game brings together the best card game for its size in price in board game history.

49. Saint Petersburg (Second Edition)

One of my first and meaningful euro engine builders was Saint Petersburg. It’s a classic for its “simple to learn, lifetime to master” quality, but it has stood the test of time with its numerous paths to victory. A must play.

48. Roll for the Galaxy

Stellar production and engaging dice resource placement make Roll for the Galaxy one of the greatest civilization games in space ever.

47. Love Letter Premium

Love Letter gets a lot of hate because of its success and numerous versions, but Love Letter Premium with its large cards, additional roles, and brilliant production gives it elite status.

46. Castell

Who thought the Catalan tradition of building human towers who make such a great game? But, it does! You choose and build your tower of castellers to meet the goals of the city that is requesting the performance all the while trying to hit specific public goals and managing a special ability wheel. Great production.

45. Goa

Auctions and resource management games are often one-trick pony, and yet, in Goa that is only the beginning. It is a well balanced economic game that never feels too abstracted.

44. Kingsburg

Pure and straight forward dice placement and resource management keep Kingsburg a perennial classic. The new reprint includes the expansion that is out of print and it fills out a good game to a great time for all gateway gamers.

43. Agricola (Revised Edition)

I never thought I would like a farming game, and yet, here I am singing the praises of Agricola. It is simply the most thematic euro game that you will ever find.

42. Bora Bora

Colorful and vibrant in its gameplay, Bora Bora shrinks down and makes sleek the build of a civilization with a bit of help from the gods and your best men and women.

41. Rising Sun

Massive and beautiful in every way, Rising Sun has dominated 2018 and every table in its wake. And yet, it’s gameplay is well thought out and simple to follow. Numerous paths to victory and expansions make this game a rising hit.

40. Blood Rage

Blood Rage was and continues to be a game like no other. It expertly provides a dynamic Ameritrash/Euro experience with multiple paths to victory that embodies the “a minute to learn, a lifetime to master” goal.

39. Coimbra

From its elegant art and design to its innovative dice usage, Coimbra offers the greatest use of dice in gaming today.

38. Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization

If you are looking for a serious and meaningful civilization game then Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization is the game for you. I would argue that this is the civ game more than any other that crafts a deep and meaningful story while bringing satisfying gameplay.

37. Spirit Island

Dreamlike in its presentation and yet, pragmatic in its strategy, Spirit Island has you taking up arms against the colonists that are corrupting your lands. Having the NPC of the native people join your cause, as well as your fellow spirits, makes this co-op game a joy to behold. Spirit Island can be complex and take a good long time to finish, but if you have a quiet space and a good team, you are going to love this game.

36. Carson City: Big Box

Carson City does something remarkable in that it brings thematic realism and meaningful player interaction in a worker placement game. I have chosen the Big Box version here because the game really shines with the high-quality components and numerous player roles.

35. Empires: Age of Discovery

While I am not a fan of the theme, the mechanics bring this game back to the table again and again. Empires: Age of Discovery is a lighter weight Dominant Species.

34. Clinic: Deluxe Edition

Clinic languished for years in its original, low-fi production, but the Deluxe version from Alban Viard, featuring artwork by Ian O’Toole brings it to the masses and boy am I glad it did. With dozens of modules, a subversive look at the healthcare industry, and puzzley gameplay, Clinic is a must have.

33. Small World

Stellar production and slick design make this area control game sing with endless combos or race and special powers. Small World scales perfectly to any player count and is a joy to play whether you are a hardcore gamer or new to the hobby. Wonderful expansions that are all “Must Buy.”

32. Rococo: Deluxe Edition

Rococo doesn’t get the love it deserves and it’s a terrible shame. The opulence of the time it depicts has turned off many from what is a card management area majority game.

31. Glory to Rome

The champion of the multi-use cards has to be Glory to Rome. A brilliant and engaging experience of building up technologies to an often surprising victory. The only downfall to the game is that it is out of print.

30. Citadels

Citadels are the best secret role game in tabletop. How can I say that? Well, because the selection and target of a role are chosen based upon on your direct build success and not that another player seems to have a thing for full moons.

29. Caverna: The Cave Farmers

Uwe Rosenberg could have easily let be Agricola be his magnum opus of tabletop farming, but he went back to the farm and allowed for the cards to now be open information tiles and feeding your people to be reasonable. Multiple paths to victory and specialization are just two of the fantastic reasons to play this game.

28. 7 Wonders Duel

7 Wonders Duel simply does the impossible by taking a modern-day classic and make it far better and streamlined. Add the expansion for more player interaction and special abilities.

27. 7 Wonders

Elegant in design and accessibility for all gamer levels. 7 Wonders brings civilization-building to life with brilliant card drafting and tableau building. The expansions open the game up to deeper direct player interaction.

26. Suburbia: Collector’s Edition

Tableau building and resource management really hit home in this thematic interpretation of building up a Suburbia. At the game’s end, I often wonder if the real-life suburbia that followed my success or failure in the real world.

25. Star Trek: Ascendancy

Star Trek Ascendancy boldly goes for a three-player base game of galactic stakes that reflects the core attributes of each species. And yet, the game only really opens up with the expansion races that allow for different gameplay options and effects.

24. Villagers

A wildly unique supply chain management game that fits in a tiny box. The wooden coins and the expansions are a must for every game.

23. Arcadia Quest

With endless cute chibi fantasy characters and a rock-solid design and gameplay, Arcadia Quest dominates dungeon-crawling campaign player vs player games.

22. The Voyages of Marco Polo

The Voyages of Marco Polo accomplishes what few games ever do, asymmetrical powers that always feel balanced in the game. Dice placement is tight but fun and the expansion really opens the game up.

21. Amerigo

Amerigo is one of Stefan Feld’s most ambitious exploration games that utilize a cube tower to determine the strength of each action with a bit of surprise for later. Epic looking on the table and as always, many paths to victory.

20. Feudum

Never has there been a more wondrous and inspired thematic area control game that with one simple pull of the guild, starts a fantastical chain of events that will lead you to rule or whimper away. Feudum is a deep and complex experience.

19. Concordia

Trading in the Mediterranean has never been so fun or innovative. Instead of a rondel Mac Gerdts brings us an expanding hand of cards that allow us our own path to victory.

18. The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire

The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire brings us the hard fact that the actions that are quick and easy, often bring the longest-lasting damage to our success. Power up your empire with dice, but be careful as power has a price. Multiple technologies offer endless replayability and fun to the table. Out of all its many iterations, this is the best of the “Projects”.

17. Fort

Only Leder Games would think to take an intense, two player card game themed after Ancient Rome and update it with cute kids fighting over a tree fort. It’s fast, it’s accessible to everyone in the family, and it’s a blast.

16. Mombasa

Still not a fan of the theme, but again the mechanics and card play is undeniably brilliant. Mombasa offers complexity and diversity of gameplay.

15. Runewars

When I think of epic fantasy battles, there is no better than Runewars. The opportunity to expand with a race, build troops and utilize your heroes special abilities makes this feel like an old school real-time strategy game.

14. Scythe

Scythe is (as I predicted) a game-changer for the industry. It incorporates stellar artwork and a mashup of great euro and Ameritrash gameplay. And yet, it only truly shines with the Rise of Fenris expansion that makes Scythe a fully realized gameplay experience.

13. Shipyard

Rondales for days and I could not be happier! I love the way you select your end bonuses and how you are actually putting together pieces of a ship make Shipyard everything you could ask for in a heavy euro.

12. Mare Nostrum: Empires

Mare Nostrum: Empires is what happens when wargamers, euro gamers and a splash of Ameritrash hits the world of Mediterranean mythology. Epic in every way, with multiple paths to victory that have nothing to do with conquest, makes this a truly unique and dynamic game.

11. Dominare

Dominaire is an often overlooked game in the Tempest story, but it is simply the best of all of its chapters. Card drafting and tableau building with the additional challenge of timing their triggering events in this area control game is fantastic.

10. Trickerion: Collector’s Edition

Presto Chango! Trickerion: Legends of Illusion makes worker placement fun and fantastically complex! Wondrous art and graphic design allow for deep and meaningful gameplay that deserves numerous gameplay.

9. Dominant Species

When critics of euro games scoff at the hobby, they often point to the cubes and cones of Dominant Species. And yet, on closer observation, you will find one of the most thoughtful and interactive games ever crafted.

8. Twilight Imperium (Fourth Edition)

If there was ever a grail game experience it has to certainly be Twilight Imperium. Epic in gameplay and in gametime, this action selection game makes 4X conquest of the universe engaging on all levels.

7. War of the Ring: Second Edition

If Lord of the RIngs was told in cardboard, it would be in War of the Ring (Second Edition). Hidden movement, epic battles, and engaging card play make this game the classic grail game that everyone must play.

6. Star Wars: Rebellion

Star Wars: Rebellion is simply the best and greatest Star Wars in a box that board gaming has ever had. Period. Along with a worthy expansion, even non-Star Wars fan will enjoy the hidden movement, battles, and fantastic production.

5. Defenders of the Realm

There have been very few game experiences that have WOWed me like Defenders of the Realm. It’s old school high fantasy D&D with an epic narrative and wonderful expansions. I have yet to meet a gamer that has not loved the experience. It has a deep bench of great expansions.

4. First Class: All Aboard the Orient Express!

What a sincerely delightful and innovative train building game that offer the most diverse number of opportunities for replayability right down to a murder mystery. The wonderful building of your train that expands across your table is a sight to be seen.

3. Bruges

Stefan Feld has many wonderful designs, but Bruges with its multi-use cards and multiple point salads to victory can’t be overstated. A “Must Have” expansion fills out the dice rolls in a very satisfying way.

2. Lisboa

Lisboa is an elegantly crafted game about the rebuilding of this famous Portugal city after an earthquake, fire, and flood. Beautiful artwork and intense card play make this a heavy game every gamer should play.

1. Underwater Cities

Underwater Cities seemingly takes everything great and not so great from the popular Terraforming Mars game and makes it better in almost every way. Personal boards in which you build up your plans and technologies that follow a logical progression that makes this game a refined gem that will certainly be a modern-day classic.

  • Anthony lives and plays games in Philadelphia, PA. A lover of complex strategy, two-player war games, and area control, Anthony is always eager to try a new game, even if he's on rule-reading duty.

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