My Top 10 Board Games of 2024 (New to Me!)

It’s time to look at all the board games I played in 2024 and decide which of those was my favourite! There are a lot of different games for me to pick from, but I’m going with a mixture of games here that really highlighted my year. That being said, just because a game isn’t here doesn’t mean it wasn’t good. There are games I haven’t played enough (SETI, for example) and games I really loved, but perhaps just didn’t make my top 10! There are also games that are new to me this year, so take that into account as well! With that being said, here are my favourite games of 2024!

#10 – Altered TCG – My wife and her family grew up with trading card games. I did not, and honestly never thought I would get that into them. But it began with some Pokemon, then Disney Lorcana took over, then Star Wars Unlimited. The one that has intrigued me the most this year, however, is Altered TCG. Altered uses a unique mechanism where it is less about “defeating” units and more about moving both your explorer and their companion across the map to ultimately meet somewhere in between. With some great art and even better gameplay mechanics, it’s the most different TCG experience I’ve played of late, and one I will keep investing in going forward.

#9 – Wrymspan – When I first played Wingspan, I really enjoyed the experience it gave me. We went all in on that game, getting all the expansions and having more cards than we knew what to do with. But lately, getting Wingspan setup has become a chore, and I began to realize there was something about the game I didn’t enjoy – the stupid bird feeder and the seemingly random food drops. With Wrymspan, we felt the game flowed much better, an although it also added a few new features, the overall game is mechanically just better. And without the random food drop from a bunch of dice, I feel that Wrymspan can be a bit more strategic. You are still at the mercy of the cards you get, however!

#8 – DEVIR Games – Honestly, I could do an entire list of just DEVIR titles, so I took all the games I played from DEVIR this year and put them here on the list. Whether it was White Castle, Daitoshi (briefly played, mind you), Cities, or Rock Hard 1977, DEVIR has been knocking it out of the park. There are even a few others games I need to get table a lot more yet, including Planta Nubo, Mille Fiori, and Bitoku. DEVIR is our publisher of the year, no doubt. There consistency has been phenomenal!

#7 – Harvest – I love a great reprint, although to call Keymaster’s reprint of Harvest a reprint is a bit much. They took a tiny box board game and turned it into something massive, and frankly, overproduced. That doesn’t stop me from really enjoying the experience, however. I got the Deluxe version after the Kickstarter ended through a local game store, and backed the Fall expansion the moment it went live. Harvest is a great worker placement game with enough choices to make it interesting, but not too many that you feel overwhelmed. It’s a light-medium experience in my opinion, easy to teach and easy to play. I think this will get a LOT more in 2025.

#6 – Lord of the Rings Living Card Game – I know this game has been around for a long time now, but this year we got our hands on a TON of the game, including a few review units from Asmodee Canada. Released this year, The Return of the King set has launched and closes the door on that original trilogy. I’ve been playing this at 2-Players with my father-in-law, and we have enjoyed each and every game we have played. Once you figure out how the game works, it’s such a breeze to setup and play. If you are looking for a living card game to play, I would say this is the best option right now!

#5 – Ticket to Ride: Legends of the West – I really enjoyed my time with the Legacy version of Ticket to Ride. Even though I know the game would be amazing with lots of players, I did this one with just my wife. We might have missed out on a few of the more competitive elements of the game since there was just two of us, but it was still a fantastic experience. I have missed playing Ticket to Ride over the years, and this allowed me to get back into a franchise I really have enjoyed!

#4 – Wondrous Creatures – I think Everdell is a great experience, but I only like playing it with a few expansions attached. That’s a great experience once a year, but I find getting it all setup takes a lot of time, and our group just doesn’t get around to it. I think Wondrous Creatures fills that tableau building itch, and does so with fantastic components and art. This seems like a slightly different version of Everdell, and probably a game that I will prefer a few years from now!

#3 – The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth – I wasn’t a huge fan of 7 Wonders Duel, and I’m not sure exactly why. I remember it arrived for review, we played it a bit, and then it left the collection and I never thought about it again. The Lord of the Rings spinoff of that game is phenomenal, and will likely NEVER leave my collection. The mixture of card drafting and area control is a lot of fun, and there are plenty of opportunities to turn the table on yoru opponent to pull out a victory. Whether you reach Mount Doom with Frodo or Sam, or dominate the world of Middle Earth with towers and units, there is a ton to love about this game. The theme doesn’t hurt either!

#2 – Dorf Romantik (All of Them) – I love a really good cooperative game, and Dorf Romantik scratches that itch more than other games do. This is like a giant puzzle that you can work on with other players, and I love every second of it. When playing the base game from 2023, or the new Sakura version released this year, I love working towards higher and higher scores, unlocking hidden boxes, and getting new things to do. I just recently got the Duel version of this game for my wife for Christmas, and we cannot wait to play that one either. Dorf Romantik is the perfect game for couples, especially if one person isn’t as into competitive board games.

#1 – Harmonies – It is funny to me that a game I love so much is a game my wife detests so much. She probably will never play Harmonies again, but I’ve continued to really enjoy each and every play of this game. The puzzley nature of the game really appeals to me, and while I rarely win when this gets tabled, the concepts and mechanisms here are really enjoyable. I hope my wife comes around on this one, although I’m not holding my breath. It will be a game I always want to play, regardless!