Since the turn of the millennium, the board gaming hobby has experienced an unprecedented surge in growth and popularity, transforming from a niche pastime into a mainstream cultural phenomenon. The rise of crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter democratized game publishing, allowing independent designers to bring innovative titles to market. The proliferation of board game cafes, conventions, and online communities further fueled the hobby’s expansion, fostering a vibrant and inclusive culture around tabletop gaming. As a result, the board gaming landscape today is richer and more diverse than ever before, with a plethora of genres, themes, and mechanics catering to a global audience of enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds.
Almost 5,000 new board games were published in 2023 and there’s no sign of that momentum slowing down any time soon. Out of the enormous slew of new releases expected in 2024 these 10 games excite me the most.
#10 - Forsaken
Publisher: Game Trayz
Set in an abandoned corner of a rich, fictional sci-fi universe, Forsaken has a lot in common with another sandbox game titled Outer Rim. The setting, the theme, and the gameplay loop are all similar. I already love Outer Rim so my interest in Forsaken comes down to if it can do the same gameplay better. Can it tell a more interesting story? I look forward to finding out after its release.
#9 - Galactic Renaissance
Publisher: Matagot
Galactic domination through peace? Galactic Renaissance puts an interesting twist on area control. Instead of fighting, control is gained by purposefully inciting “disorder” and then peacefully self-sacrificing until order is restored. Forcing your opponents to sacrifice more than you is a key to victory. Add clever hand management and a unique end game requirement of scoring at least 10 points on a single turn and you have an intriguing game I want to try.
#8 - Thiefdom
Publisher: Karma Games
Pick-up and deliver is a woefully underused mechanism but Thiefdom employs it as its central scoring action. Thematically, players compete as rival thieving guilds. Each round you plan the movement and action of your three thieves to steal from the rich and hopefully sell the loot without getting caught. Each round is fraught with tension as you evade the guards and try to reach the best treasures before your opponents.
#7 - Millennia
Publisher: Karma Games
Do you like advancing on tracks? Millennia has got you covered with seven different tracks! Each round you will be drafting cards to collect sets of icons to move up on those lovely tracks. The theme is civilization building and Millennia achieves this by constantly decaying your cards each round. Some cards last longer than others so you need to balance that in your drafting decisions. Very crunchy, very delicious.
#6 - Inventors of the South Tigris
Publisher: Garphill Games
Oooof! This next one is heavy but I like heavy games so that didn’t keep it off the list. This is the ninth game in the Garphill line of Directional games and it looks like another hit. Thematically you are playing as different scientists in Baghdad during the 800s trying to out-invent the other players. There are dice for workers, regular workers, engine-building, tracks, hand management, everything a mid-to-heavy eurogamer loves.
#5 - Sankore: The Pride of Mansa Musa
Publisher: Osprey Games
The heavy games keep coming with this next entry on the list, Sankore. The art has a similar look and feel to their game Merv but this one seems heavier. Each player takes turns managing the madrasa in Timbuktu earning points by teaching classes, graduating students, and filling the library with books. The value of the four different subjects in the game (law, mathematics, astronomy, and religion) is determined by the players during the game so the scoring is quite dynamic.
#4 - Unconscious Mind
Publisher: Fantasia Games
My favorite type of euro game is definitely a thematic euro and Unconscious Mind drips with theme. You play as a member of Sigmund Freud’s psychology group discussing psychoanalysis in the early 1900s. Players establish their own practice, develop new theraputic techniques, treat clients, and publish theories. You place workers, move around a personal rondel, move around a shared rondel, build a tableau, and fulfill client needs. Oh, and coffee is a resource in the game, too!
#3 - Galactic Cruise
Publisher: Kinson Key Games
Galactic Cruise is from a brand new publisher but it has the look of a polished game from an experienced team. It has drawn numerous comparisons to Vital Lacerda designs and if no one told me who designed it, Lacerda would have been my first guess. Players are supervisors within the Galactic Cruise company and take turns acquiring blueprints, building shuttles, attracting guests, and building improvements. Getting the right guests on shuttles going to the right destinations is key to scoring the most points.
#2 - An Age Contrived
Publisher: Bellows Intent
Ever wanted to be a god? In An Age Contrived, everyone plays as a god vying for the favor of the people in a mythical land. There are no dice or cards in this game so the luck level is extrememly low. The heart of the action is your personal transmutation device which acts as an action programming mechanism. Your turn is either loading a new action tile into the device, possibly pushing out an old tile, or taking as many of the actions you’ve loaded as you can. These actions represent constructing monuments, claiming new action tiles, and completing achievements. Your avatar also moves around the board as long as you build bridges connecting to the area you need to visit.
#1 - Andromeda's Edge
Publisher: Cardboard Alchemy
Dwellings of Eldervale is one my my favorite games of all time. Adromeda’s Edge reimplements that game with a theme I like even more so it had to be my #1 anticipated game. Luke Laurie is the designer and it features his excellent concept of not only getting rewards when you place workers out but also getting rewards when you inevitably have to pull your workers back. The tracks have rewards as you move up them now, the tableau building looks more prolific, combat now rewards you for bring more units into battle, and there’s more in-game scoring. The production is also beautiful as well. 2024 is going to be great for gaming!