I played a whopping one hundred and fifty-three new to me games in 2022, wanna know my top 10? The post Top 10 New To Me Board Games in 2023 appeared first on Board Game Review.
I played more new-to-me games in 2023 than I did in 2022! 153 new-to-me games sounds as bonkers to me as it does to you! That’s ridiculously close to three new games every week! To whittle down this list to my top ten is therefore understandably pretty tricky. So here they are, in no particular order…
3 Ring Circus
A game that really got me excited this year was 3 Ring Circus. This ticked all the boxes for me personally. Solid gameplay and beautiful artwork combine in this deliciously thinky game. Oh man, just thinking about it makes me want to pull it from the shelf again. It is a corker!
Read my review to find out if it would be your kind of game too!
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Clever 4Ever
I cannot deny that I fell in love with Clever 4Ever in the second half of this year. I appreciate it is very similar to the others in the series, but this one really struck a chord for me and I have played it so, so much. It rocketed to being my fourth most played game of the year!
© boardgamereview.co.uk
After Us
After Us was one of the few games I purchased at the UK Games Expo. It’s my third most played game of the year and while it is a multiplayer solitaire affair, I really enjoy it! The simplicity of the teach doesn’t mean there is nothing to think about as you optimize the layout of the cards. After Us offers a super fun puzzley challenge. The fact it plays up to six people with little down time is another factor to it getting played so often.
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Faraway
The one that got away at Essen was Faraway, as it was sold out by the time I decided I needed it in my life. I have played friends’ copies and fortunately it is available on Board Game Arena so I can still get my fix. This is a cracking game and it was an instant hit that felt unique and different, yet not complicated or too tricky. Such a clever balancing act and arch to the game. If you are not familiar with it, you will build an eight card tableau before flipping the cards over. You will then work backwards through your cards flipping and scoring them one at a time. The kicker comes that scoring conditions can only be met by cards that are visible when the card is flipped. This is such a clever mechanic! I will certainly be securing a copy when it hits UK shores in 2024.
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Dice Forge
A lovely evening gaming with Sam and Jess (aka @svsjboardgames on Instagram) allowed me to discover Dice Forge. It isn’t a shiny new release. I had always heard good things about it, but the box art left me uninspired. Well thankfully the lid got lifted and I fell in love with it. This was a joy of dice upgrading point scoring fun. I instantly bought my own copy and have really enjoyed getting it to the table ever since!
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Mille Fiori
Mille Fiori isn’t a new release either, but it is a game that I have had my eye one since it launched. As a Knizia fan I was really keen to try it. My first plays hooked me in and I have been enjoying it ever since. It’s beautiful looking and quick to learn but a bit trickier to master. It is one of those games that you have be aware of other players’ strategies and adjust your own, to hinder their plans too. I am looking forward to adding the expansion to the game soon.
© boardgamereview.co.uk
In The Footsteps of Darwin
I have enjoyed getting In The Footsteps of Darwin to the table this year. It’s as relaxing as it looks. The ship bobs around the board as you take tiles and point scoring opportunities. It’s lovely looking, quick to play and has a nice cozy feel to it. In that regard it could be the perfect mid-week game for when you’re tired after a day at work but still want to play a game. The kids like it too and as it plays up to five we can all play together, which is ace!
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Sniper Elite
One of my favourite two player games is King and Assassins, and when I was introduced to Sniper Elite I got a similar vibe. Asymmetric player powers, hidden movement and heaps of opportunity to play mind games with your opponent! This became a go-to game for me and my eldest son throughout the year and it deserves its spot on this list.
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Tipperary
Tipperary cemented itself as a firm family favourite. Playing up to five players with simultaneous play this has very little downtime. It still offers plenty to think about though and multiple ways to score points too. This is a lovely polyomino game that hasn’t really hit the headlines after its launch this year, and I think it deserves a bit more love!
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Hens
When I sat down to write this I thought 2023 was the year for the small box card games, with 5 Towers, Knarr, Hens and Trio really sticking in my mind as being great. Of these, I felt I needed to include one more on the list and I think Hens just pips the rest. This is probably the most head-scratchy of them all. The clever twist of other players being able to draw cards from your discard pile makes your hand just as full of cards as you do want, as well as cards others want too. The placement restrictions also makes forward planning and risk taking super strategic.
© boardgamereview.co.uk
So that’s it, my ten favourite new-to-me games I discovered in 2023. Thanks for reading it!
The post Top 10 New To Me Board Games in 2023 appeared first on Board Game Review.