A wide variety of fantastic games were released in 2022, demonstrating the scene’s ever-expanding scope and originality. Here are some of the most pleasant games, both cooperative and competitive, ranging from grandiose, sweeping quests to lighthearted, simple party games and everything in between.
Despite being very different from the majority of the other games on the list, each game this year managed to capture the pleasure and thrill of board gaming in its own special manner.
Ahoy – Publisher: Leder Games
You recognize this studio’s games instantly, even before you play a session, which is a remarkable feat in gaming. Leder has also earned a well-deserved reputation for asymmetrical competitiveness. Ahoy, a swashbuckling pirate-themed adventure that is more manageable and simpler to learn than some of the team’s earlier endeavors, is the group’s most recent success story.
As the sea gradually opens up to exploration, players command various factions, which are represented by modular tiles that guarantee every play will be unique. Everyone is striving to conquer regions and battle one other until there is only one genuine lord of the seas. One player controls the sea routes, another is in a sort of active rebellion, and yet others may be smugglers taking advantage of the confusion.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Publisher: Modiphius Entertainment
Since Skyrim’s critical success on our gaming screens more than ten years ago, Due to the game’s shown longevity, players still regularly enjoy it today. This heritage is honored by the hotly anticipated tabletop adventure game, which incorporates many of the video game’s best features in a remarkably realistic recreation.
Each player in this cooperative campaign game is a Blade fighting to defend the Empire as you travel through the well-known cities and landscapes of Skyrim. The number of little callbacks the game makes to its original screen form is endless and includes side missions, levels, treasure hunting, tomb-diving, casting spells, and more. However, the board game version has a lot of originality and artistic flair. The variety of options available to players, which reconfigure the game for you and your other players, is the most engaging aspect. The quick-playing combat, which revolves around the use of strategic skill and identifying enemy weaknesses, is also a lot of fun. It’s a simple choice for many chilly evenings of adventure for Elder Scrolls fans or fantasy adventure aficionados in general.
Frosthaven – Publisher: Cephalofair Games
2017’s Gloomhaven took the board gaming world by storm. Thanks to an innovative card-based combat system, a remarkable sense of place and worldbuilding, and a progression and engagement system that kept players involved over dozens of sessions, the celebrated fantasy adventure rocketed to prominence.
The highly anticipated sequel doesn’t disappoint. While many features remain mostly the same, new options create an even more fertile field for experimentation and emergent storytelling. Much of that is thanks to new developments in between adventures, with more significant choices to develop the settlement of Frosthaven, new crafting and alchemy options, and even seasonal events to explore. That’s on top of 100 unique scenarios, new classes, and a wealth of new items and enemies to discover. Like its predecessor, Frosthaven is so massive, it is almost a hobby in its own right. If you’re looking for that kind of investment for your gaming group, Frosthaven is a sure bet for a fantastic time.
Fun Facts – Publisher: Repos Productions
Repos succeeds this year as far as light party games go with a breezy and simple game that can be taught in a matter of seconds and pulled out to play with participants of any skill level. Someone poses a query, such as, “How much do you enjoy making lists?” Everyone jots down a number (often between 0 and 100) measuring their response. The solutions are written on arrow chips that are dry-erase friendly, turned over so that your solution is hidden, and then arranged in a line, ideally in ascending order. Each player receives a score based on how many arrows were correctly placed.
It’s a simple premise that offers great “get to know you better” potential, but often in silly and innocuous ways that shouldn’t offend or upset anyone. It’s also a perfect fit for casual play, thanks to its cooperative nature and easy-to-grasp rules.
Heat: Pedal to the Metal – Publisher: Days of Wonder
Find out who can cross the finish line first by hopping into your 1960s Formula racing vehicle. Racing games are notoriously difficult to adapt for the tabletop medium, but Heat does so expertly thanks to a clever card hand management mechanic that has players juggling gear shifting, heat build-up, stress, and managing them all throughout play as you try to hit each corner at high speed, always with the risk of spinning out.
Along with some outstanding retro graphics that harken back to a bygone era of racing, Heat’s carefully calibrated gameplay mechanics encourage creative play, such as slipstreaming off of rivals’ cars. The game has a simple racing engine as well as optional modules that add depth and complexity, such as a solo mode, weather issues, and even a championship circuit that comprises numerous races. Heat, which is superbly made and a lot of pleasure to look at on the table, surprised everyone this year by overtaking the competition.
Jurassic World: The Legacy of Isla Nublar – Publisher: Funko Games
In the hobby, the legacy game model is well-established, and players are given an ever-evolving game experience in which new components are added or altered over the course of numerous sessions of play. However, there are always fresh spins and angles to the concept, and Legacy of Isla Nublar finds the fun by deftly incorporating concepts from the venerable Jurassic film series.
Players take on a dozen distinct scenarios, and each step of the way you’re changing the shape of the (potentially doomed) island, including introducing new dinosaur species. Players are constantly managing disasters, from weather events to creature escapes. Luck plays a factor to a greater degree than in many thematic games, but if you’re okay with that sense of randomness, dinosaur enthusiasts will likely find a lot to love here.
My Father’s Work – Publisher: Renegade Game Studios
A crazed scientist, that’s you. Specifically, you are one of many mad scientists who have built experiments and carried out dubious research from their enigmatic abode, all the while the local villagers have grown (and rightfully so) suspicious of your acts.
Aided by an app that adds many hours of spoken storytelling, My Father’s Work challenges players to go through three full generations of the same family. You pick up where your ancestor left off as well as you can, all while avoiding angry mobs and a high likelihood of insanity. Mechanically, the game is a relatively straightforward worker placement game, but the enormous amount of storytelling and variation between scenarios adds replayability and excitement. Expect a long playthrough thanks to the many injections of app-driven fiction that accompanies it. Still, the unique theme and rewarding sense of growth over generations of a family make My Father’s Work a delightful excursion to the dark side for narrative-minded players.
My Lil’ Everdell – Publisher: Starling Games
Since its release in 2018, the delightfully whimsical Everdell has been a simple recommendation to seasoned gaming groups. Even yet, it could be a little frightening and complicated for novice players or younger ones.
My Lil’ Everdell solves for that in all the ways that matter. It holds on to the tableau-building and worker placement dynamics that are so good in its larger cousin but keeps the surrounding rules, game length, and overall mechanical weight down, so it can be played and enjoyed by a wider audience. The charming woodland animals building their community remain a focus, and the colorful animal art is adorable and gorgeous in equal measure. It’s a worthy inclusion in this list, but it’s also this year’s best pick for families.
Namiji – Publisher: Funforge
Tokaido, a game about a peaceful road journey through a historical version of Japan, was first released by Funforge back in 2012. It was highly entertaining and raised the question of who could have the most pleasant and enjoyable vacation while pacing along a path. In this sequel, released ten years later, players take control of fishermen in the Japanese archipelago, hoping to enjoy a pleasant day at sea while catching fish and shrimp.
Like the original Tokaido, Namiji finds players moving along a static track and enjoying a beautiful Zen experience. In Namiji, minor changes to the formula exist, focused on collecting points and managing a personal grid representing how the fishing is going that day. The innovative movement style is still in place, which allows players to have tremendous choice in how quickly they move along the board. Namiji is an especially simple game that is very welcoming to newcomers, but the beauty of the board and cleverness of the core movement mechanic is still great fun for experienced players.
Star Wars The Clone Wars – Publisher: Z-MAN Games
Z-Man has done impressive work in recent years adapting the beloved core of the Pandemic system into new variations. After a successful visit to Warcraft last year, fans of that most familiar of galaxies far, far away are being treated to this new adventure set during The Clone Wars. It’s a great time.
Working cooperatively, players take on the role of Jedi Knights like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Mace Windu as they desperately range out across the planets of the Republic to hold back the Separatists and their droids. In each session, you take on a familiar villain like Count Dooku or General Grievous, and like in most variations of Pandemic, it’s a balancing act between holding back the rising threat and completing set missions. Attractive art perfectly captures a more realistic take on the Clone Wars than fans may recognize from the animated show, while the action and gameplay is balanced and fun, with plenty of replayability.
Here’s hoping this year’s list helps you find something exciting to bring home to your gaming table. If you’re looking for other recent recommendations, feel free to explore past years of this list, including selections from 2021 and the 2020 installment. And for more on some of the best games to explore in the tabletop gaming hobby, head over to the Top of the Table hub. Happy gaming!
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