We add roughly two reviews each week, which means that even awesome games may “fall off the radar” quickly. We’ve gathered the best of the best games we’ve reviewed.
Nearly all of these top rated games have stayed in our (or our reviewers’) permanent collections, and we often recommend them to friends!
5er Finden is an unusual roll-and-write search game designed by Jürgen Grunau. Up to four players can play, including a solo mode. Published by HABA, the recommended age range is 7-99 and it plays in about 20 minutes. Search for shapes on your personal board that contain all five colored shapes rolled on the five dice. Flip the timer if
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You are your city’s Last Defense! Recover scientists to defend your city from outrageous monsters in this real-time game for 2-6 players.
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Unmatched: Cobble and Fog brings four men out of the shadows of classic literature and onto the table in an all-out battle for dominance.
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Quirky Circuits combines programming and multi-player cooperative play in a way we’ve never seen before. Players try to cooperate to get the robots to do the right thing; but what one player thinks is “right” might not match what another player intends.
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Add on to your bear park with monorails and grizzly bears in this un-bear-lievably great expansion to Barenpark.
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Skulk Hollow is an asymmetric 1v1 battle game where the Foxen smallfolk try to defend Skulk Hollow from various Guardians! Will the Guardians overwhelm the Foxen, or will the smallfolk overcome the Guardian with sheer numbers?
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Gather pollen to make the most valuable honey in this set-collection game. We’re pleased to review a game that looks so “grown-up” while remaining accessible to pre-reading kids.
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Flip cards and write Xs into your transit stops to fill your train lines and get passengers all the way to the end. Colorful and bright, Metro X always leaves us saying “let’s play again!”
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We love this game that combines bidding for resources with a 3D puzzle. It’s simple to understand but hard to predict, and works well for all ages.
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Remember our Downforce review? Restoration Games has released two expansions since 2017. The time has come for more Downforce reviews. Do Danger Circuit and Wild Ride amp up the fun?
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Gain the most influence in the Animal Kingdoms by placing Noble Beast cards that match each kingdom’s (randomly-chosen) Decree. Animal Kingdoms feels very “adult” but is definitely approachable for kids.
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Get the artichokes out of your hand of cards! That’s the concept behind this unique “deck-wrecking” game.
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Mountains encourages (and even requires!) cooperation. Though there is a final winner, the game structure means you’ll need to ask other players for help most of the time.
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The Goblin Chiefs have ordered their flunkies into the forest to catch Fairies across the four seasons. They want to shake out the Fairy dust to make a wicked winter brew! Herd Fairies into Swarms and use Goblins to trick and trap them. Lure in the mighty Royal Fairies to free their Fairy friends, then catch them too! This review
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Dungeon Academy is a real-time path-finding game for 1-6 players. It’s a blast for ages 10+, and playable by younger kids as well.
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We have adored The Grimm Masquerade since we first saw it. It’s easy to learn and accessible, appropriate for a wide range of players. Whether you love social deduction or hate bluffing, you owe it to yourself to try it.
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Similo is a simple cooperative card game. It’s incredibly easy to explain, quick to play, and it will fit into a purse or a pocket.
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Dragon’s Breath from HABA is fun, easy to learn, and beautiful. You and your fellow players are little dragons, hoarding sparkling stones. But the stones are all stuck in a column of ice! Dragon Dad can melt the ice with his fiery breath, but who can grab the most stones as they fall?
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Gather food, barter, attract mammoths, and protect your tribe – but don’t forget to pet Honga, the friendly neighborhood saber-tooth tiger! Read more about this excellent introduction to action selection games.
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SHOBU is an abstract two player game that immediately feels classic. The simplicity of play and beautiful natural materials are immediately inviting. Splitting your focus between 4 boards and out-thinking your opponent will keep you coming back for more.
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