10 — Yedo: Deluxe Master Set (2020)
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2022 #4
The improvements in the new edition are many (player boards are worse, though), and the co-op version is actually really fun. And I appreciate the different levels of difficulty, it’s really easy to adjust to your liking. Another tight game with tough decisions and satisfying moments when you complete big missions and earn tons of rewards. Still bitter that they made this a Kickstarter-exclusive edition with no retail version, though.
9 — Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition (2005)
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New in 2023
I ran a campaign for this for a good 4 or so years. I only had to end it because it was getting too difficult to find time to run it. But I had so much fun with it. It’s a really robust system with lots of character customization and my favorite fantasy setting. Someday, it’d be nice to run this again (or get to be a player next time).
8 — Obsession (2018)
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New in 2023
This one was so much fun, after I first played it on BGA, I had to play it again (solitaire the second time), and then it came back out for game day. We’ve even played with the two expansions! This was a big hit for us this year. Really smooth to learn and play, with a lot of freedom to do your own thing, and another economic game (I just love them). On paper, it should be the most boring game, but it’s tons of fun.
7 — Hanamikoji (2013)
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2022 #9
Earlier this year, we tried out some of the new action tile packs. It’s really fascinating to see how much they can change up the game. Some give you more information while others hide more information. There are still more for us to try. And now it’s on BGA? We’ll be playing this more next year.
6 — Stroganov (2021)
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2022 #17
I managed to get this to the table before the year was out, and I was reminded how much I love this one. Lots of stuff to do, tons of freedom, but there’s still plenty of tension and you know you won’t have time to do everything. It is a bit fiddly, and the solo mode is a lot to operate (just so many pieces), but it’s a great game. I look forward to the expansion which adds a bunch of modules that sound really good.
5 — Knarr (2023)
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New in 2023
Wow. What a game. This is the card game I’ve been looking for for years. Easy to learn, not overloaded with extra components, quick really satisfying turns, amazing art; it’s got everything! I also ended up releasing a solo mode (based on a mode someone else made). A total knockout of a game.
4 — Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game (2017)
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2022 #23
This only just got a play in before doing the list last year, but since then, I’ve bought tons of it (almost finished the available collection) and played several times 2-player and solitaire. As with Knarr (though this one came first), I found a solo ruleset that worked and made some improvements and additions, then released it. L5R has some rough edges, for sure, but I really love this game. I hope it makes a comeback in some form someday.
3 — Anno 1800: The Board Game (2020)
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New in 2023
Here’s another crunchy Euro game from Martin Wallace that I’ve played multiple times this year, including the official solo mode. I love everything about this game. And I’m really glad that there’s an expansion coming; I want more!
2 — Vindication (2018)
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2022 #2
I had wondered if the new Chronicles expansion might give this the bump to #1, but it didn’t. Still, I really love this game and how easy it is to get into, how fast it plays, and how satisfying the turns can be late-game when you have all kinds of abilities and powers at your disposal. And now an immersive narrative is an option! But there are reasons it remains at #2. That said, this is my favorite multiplayer game.
1 — Runebound: Second Edition (2005)
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2022 #1
I’ve really come to appreciate how restrained Runebound is compared to a lot of modern adventure games (the ones all over Kickstarter) that are insanely bloated with content and pieces. Runebound manages to do a lot with comparatively little. But there are two reasons this still takes #1. First, great solo. I’ve just not yet found a solo mode for Vindication that captures the fun of that game without over-complicating it with extra stuff. Runebound with your choice of timer is fantastic. The second reason is that Runebound explores a wide-open world with its expansions. Most adventure games are just too small in scope. I love that each Runebound big box expansion explores a new setting with new rules and new stuff to play with like treasure or allies. That’s just something that not enough adventure games do. And Runebound did it so well.
| 1 | Runebound: Second Edition |
| 2 | Vindication |
| 3 | Anno 1800: The Board Game |
| 4 | Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game |
| 5 | Knarr |
| 6 | Stroganov |
| 7 | Hanamikoji |
| 8 | Obsession |
| 9 | Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition |
| 10 | Yedo: Deluxe Master Set |
| 11 | Blood Rage |
| 12 | IKI |
| 13 | Champions of Midgard |
| 14 | DinoGenics |
| 15 | A Feast for Odin |
| 16 | Nusfjord |
| 17 | Raiders of the North Sea |
| 18 | Frostgrave |
| 19 | Root |
| 20 | Critical IF Gamebooks |
| 21 | Fear Itself 2nd Edition |
| 22 | Formosa Tea |
| 23 | 7 Wonders |
| 24 | Race for the Galaxy |
| 25 | Core Worlds |
| 26 | Rurik: Dawn of Kiev |
| 27 | Dune: Imperium |
| 28 | Civilization: A New Dawn |
| 29 | Fleet |
| 30 | Brass: Birmingham |
| 31 | Tokaido |
| 32 | Yokohama |
| 33 | London (Second Edition) |
| 34 | Magic: The Gathering |
| 35 | Chronicles of Frost |
| 36 | League of Dungeoneers |
| 37 | The Witcher: Old World |
| 38 | Golden Dragon Gamebooks |
| 39 | Fire & Axe: A Viking Saga |
| 40 | The Castles of Burgundy |
| 41 | Viticulture Essential Edition |
| 42 | Delta |
| 43 | Cartaventura |
| 44 | Lost Ruins of Arnak |
| 45 | Fabled Lands |
| 46 | Res Arcana |
| 47 | Space Hulk: Death Angel – The Card Game |
| 48 | Glen More II: Chronicles |
| 49 | Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) |
| 50 | Village Rails |
| 51 | Heat: Pedal to the Metal |
| 52 | Oak |
| 53 | Destinies |
| 54 | Cascadia |
| 55 | Mosaic: A Story of Civilization |
| 56 | Everdell |
| 57 | Unsettled |
| 58 | Targi |
| 59 | Scythe |
| 60 | Zombie in My Pocket |
| 61 | The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game |
| 62 | Kanban EV |
| 63 | Now or Never |
| 64 | Caverna: The Cave Farmers |
| 65 | Agricola |
| 66 | 7 Wonders Duel |
| 67 | Elder Sign |
| 68 | Yamataï |
| 69 | Pocket Master Builder |
| 70 | Nippon |
| 71 | Concordia |
| 72 | Maracaibo |
| 73 | Earth |
| 74 | Eldritch Horror |
| 75 | Dead Reckoning |
| 76 | D&D 5th Edition |
| 77 | Call of Cthulhu: The Card Game |
| 78 | Pandemic: Fall of Rome |
| 79 | The Liberation of Rietburg |
| 80 | Wingspan |
| 81 | Star Wars: Outer Rim |
| 82 | Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun |
| 83 | Scarlet Heroes |
| 84 | Age of Steam |
| 85 | Suburbia: Collector’s Edition |
| 86 | Marvel Champions: The Card Game |
| 87 | Near and Far |
| 88 | Lewis & Clark: The Expedition |
| 89 | Vinhos Deluxe Edition |
| 90 | Septima |
| 91 | Perseverance: Castaway Chronicles – Episodes 1 & 2 |
| 92 | Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization |
| 93 | Pandemic: Iberia |
| 94 | Kingdom Builder |
| 95 | Oltréé |
| 96 | Gùgōng |
| 97 | Trickerion: Collector’s Edition |
| 98 | Mansions of Madness: Second Edition |
| 99 | Xia: Legends of a Drift System |
| 100 | Folklore: The Affliction |
Thomas P. King, author and game designer 
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