Best Board Games 2023 (so far) - Board Game Guide Book

These are the best games published in 2023, so far. These games have brought great experiences and a lot of fun. All of the games on this list are games that we have played! These are our favorites. A full list of all the games we played will be listed after the list.

The year is almost over and there are still plenty of games that we haven’t played! Also as we play the games we already played our feelings might change. Our final thoughts will be announced at the Board Game Guide Book Awards which will be in the following year in the spring.

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#10

Faraway

Players: 2-6
Time: 15-30 Min
Difficulty: Medium

My Plays: 9
Player Count: 2

Faraway is about taking a journey through a mysterious land. The cards you play represent the different regions have explored. On the cards are victory points that require conditions to be fulfilled to receive them. Also some cards have the items to meet those conditions. The trick is the order in which you play cards. If you play them in the order the card is numbered, playing a higher numbered card next you get a bonus. The difficulty comes into to play at the end of the game when you turn around and score the cards backwards. The lower numbered cards have more items to complete victory conditions but the higher numbered cards usually have higher points to be earned with harder conditions to get those points. Often you don’t want to play cards in the proper number order.

What I like

The game offers interesting choice each time you play a card. There is a balance between grabbing a few big point cards and setting yourself up to score those cards. If you plan well and are able to draft the right cards with similar scoring conditions, you can more easily get a lot of points. I like that the scoring happens in reverse to they way the cards were played. This makes planning very interesting, having to think a little backwards then you would in most games.

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#9

Knarr

Players: 2-4
Time: 30 Min
Difficulty: Medium

My Plays: 7
Player Count: 2-3

In Knarr, players are vikings exploring the lands and managing their crew. Players play cards into sets, each time a card is added to that set players get the rewards from all the cards in the set. However players have to spend those cards to claim destinations for bonus points.

What I Like

This game is a simple set collection game that doesn’t take too long to play. There is a bit of engine building from the cards stacking which is always a fun aspect. Then there is the engine destroy aspect to explore lands for other benefits, this always creates an interesting choice. There seems to be a multiple routes players can take strategically take in the game. One of my favorite is by increasing reputation for free points each round. There is very little luck in the game.

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#8

Disney Lorcana

Players: 2-6
Time: 30 Min
Difficulty: Medium

My Plays: 3
Player Count: 2

Lorcana is Disney’s leap into the collectable card gaming space. Each player builds a deck consisting of 60 cards but is limited to using two card colors. To play cards players must have “ink”. “Ink” is made by turning one of the cards in your hand face-down in-front of you. “Ink” acts like “lands” in MTG or “Energy” in Pokemon. Since it’s a Disney game we aren’t fighting and killing but challenging the other player to defeat their cards. In fact to win the game has nothing to do with “health” but your ability to quest to gain Lore. Once a player reaches 20 lore the game is over.

What I Liked

Disney made some really awesome decisions with this game. For one using “songs” as a game mechanic was genius. Also the idea of “ink” in the game as the resources was another amazing thematic decisions. Having to choose between “inking” a card or saving it to play later creating an awesome decision space. The game art is all original and fits together without looking like different styles mushed into one. The deck building is restricted to two colors, which I think is really good and limits a lot of overpowered possibilities in the future. The card collecting is definitely an addicting factor which can be a fun experience reminiscent of my childhood Pokemon days. Overall the game was fun and very well done.

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#7

After Us

Players: 1-6
Time: 40-60 Min
Difficulty: Medium

My Plays: 5
Player Count: 2 & 5

After Us is a deck building game based in the future after the human race has gone extinct. Each turn players draw four cards and try to line up the sides of the cards to earn different resources or victory points. Resources are used to upgrade the players deck or to pay for victory points.

What I Like

I really enjoyed the decision space in this game. Trying to figure out which sides of the connecting cards would make the most valuable combination for my goals. I tend to enjoy games with deck building (probably due to my love of Dominion). In this one players get to choose between 3 different card types that are more likely to give you a specific reward. There is also a way to trash cards! Overall I enjoyed this game.

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#6

Forest Shuffle

Players: 2-5
Time: 40-60 Min
Difficulty: Medium

My Plays: 5
Player Count: 2

Players take turns drafting face-up cards or drawing cards from the deck. To play cards players must pay the cost in the form of discarding cards to the face up row. For example if a tree cost was 3 players could choose any three cards from their hand to discard, allowing the tree to be played. There are also birds that get tucked on top of the trees, and animals that get tucked on the sides of trees, finally mushrooms at the bottom of trees. Each of these animals and trees scores differently creating fun and interesting combos that can happen.

What I Like

This game felt really fun to play. I loved tucking birds on top of my trees and deer on the sides. It felt so thematic and the cards look beautiful. There was exciting moments in this game were you get the exact cards you wanted and are able to pull off some awesome scoring combos. At the end of the game players have 5-10+ trees sitting in front of them with animals and vegetation growing from the forest. It really is a beautiful nature themed game that isn’t too hard to play.

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#5

Earth

Players: 1-5
Time: 45-90 Min
Difficulty: Medium-Heavy

My Plays: 4
Player Count: 3

In Earth players are building out habitats of different kinds of plants that allow you to gain different benefits and scoring combinations. Players may choose one of four actions. The player who chose the an action but all other players also receive get to take the same but weaker version of that action.

What I Like

I love nature themed games and tableau engine building games. This game does all that. It’s a little easier to grasp and faster to play then Ark Nova. I like decision of knowing whatever action you choose the other players will get to take it also just a weaker version. This might add to the decision space of deciding “Do I take this action now or try to wait when my opponent can’t benefit from it as much.” Besides that there isn’t too much player interaction which is a good thing in this style of game. The game is really fun when you are able to grow tall plants and create awesome scoring combos.

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#4

Sky Team

Players: 2
Time:
Difficulty:

My Plays: 5
Player Count: 2

In Sky Team, the two players assume the roles of the Pilot and the Co-Pilot of an aircraft. Players are rolling dice that are hidden from each other and aren’t allowed to communicate the results. Players then must “work” together to land the plane safely. Players place dice in on locations of the board being effected by the number used. For example both players must place dice in the “tilt” location. The plan receive tilt based off the difference between the two dice numbers placed.” However if the plane tilts too much, it loses control, losing the game.

What I Like

This game is highly thematic. This is one of my favorite cooperative games in a while. The game has different challenge modules for players to complete, each with unique flying conditions and also added game mechanics, its not just a difficulty increase. I love the lack of communication. It makes for really intense moments, especially when players really need their co-pilot to play a specific number. It’s really hard to not hint or shout out what you want them to do. Which brings me to another point, there is no Alpha gaming due to the restricted communication. Players have to allow each other to make decisions on their own, if not you’re technically cheating. This game is an excellent experience and plays very quickly too.

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#3

Lords of Ragnarok

Players: 1-4
Time: 90-180 Min
Difficulty: Heavy

My Plays: 4
Player Count: 3

Players go to the final battle before Ragnarok. If they complete one of the objectives the game ends before Ragnarok comes. However if no one completes an objective, one final battle at Ragnarok happens to determine the winner. The game is played there a standard and special action system. Each turn players follow the turn structure then choose one of the many special, more powerful, actions. Players win the game by either having controlling enough regions or temple locations, defeating the boss, or winning at Ragnarok.

What I Like

It was fresh playing a game without victory points for once. I like having the multiple objectives to go for instead of trying to figure out how to rack up points for the end of the game. This game is on the heavier side but I love heavy games so that’s a bonus for me. I love the theme of the game and action selection system which restricts taking the same action again until the actions are reset. My first game I really wasn’t sure if I liked it but later games I began to enjoy the game system more. I really enjoy area control games and am looking forward to playing this again.

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#2

Expeditions

Players: 1-5
Time: 60-90 Min
Difficulty: Heavy

My Plays: 3
Player Count: 3-4

The sequel to Scythe, Expeditions. This game is not the same as Scythe but is set in the same world and after the events from Scythe. A meteor has struck corrupting the land with strange creatures. Its the players job to go on an expedition to figure out what is happening, do some quests, and use the meteor for your own advancements.

Expeditions is a limited action, deck building game. Each turn players may choose between two of the three actions; Move, Play, or Gather. However the following turn players can’t choose the same two actions. After someone has achieved 4 stars the game end is triggered giving everyone one last chance to gain some points.

What I Like

I love the world of Scythe and am excited we get another entry into the lore of this world. The game has amazing art and is on display more then ever. The tiles in this game are huge and every card has a unique piece of art on it. Not only that the mechs are bigger and more detailed then before! I love the limited action selection forcing players to plan out a few turns ahead, by knowing what actions will and won’t be available. Factions are asymmetrical and fairly balanced though some are better or worse depending on opponents play style and the player counts.

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#1

Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory

Players: 2-4
Time: 90-180 Min
Difficulty: Heavy

My Plays: 1
Player Count: 4

Hegemony is a political battle of social classes; working class, middle class, capitalists, and state. These asymmetrical roles each player almost entirely different games. Working class has to look for jobs, capitalists are the ones making the jobs, while the middle class is doing a bit of both. However the states is trying to keep the balance of all the social classes to prevent anyone from getting to far ahead.

What I Like

This game is well designed and creates a healthy discussion around social classes with a lot of jokes. I love asymmetrical games like Root, where players are basically playing different games. This game does it well. One of the most unique parts is balancing the political policies. Each class has different policies that will help them or hurt them more, unlocking new situations or higher taxes for some classes. I just love the overall gameplay talk on the politcal and social economic classes. The overall gameplay overall isn’t too complicated and has a really well written rule book with the game. I will say the first game is definitely a hard play. I am really looking forward to playing this game again.

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