15 Best New Board Games Of 2022
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While 2022 is far from over, it has already been a pretty stellar year for board games. There's been some highly anticipated sequels, a few much-requested expansions, and plenty of brand new experiences that players have never seen before. Whether you enjoy strategy titles or want to check out board games that are best suited for adults, there's something for everyone so far this year.
The board game market is becoming more and more overcrowded in what the BBC reported was a resurgence for the industry in the last decade. That means there are so many new releases coming out every month that it can be hard to keep track of what's good and what's bad. Playing every new board game from 2022 would be an impossible task even for the most ardent player and it can be overwhelming choosing which ones to add to your collection.
So what makes these impressive board games stand out from the crowd you ask? Well, all of them feature creative and polished gameplay, great presentations, and are just downright fun to play. Every board game fan will find plenty to like in these highlights from 2022 so far.
Dune: Imperium – Rise of Ix
Dire Wolf, the board game publisher behind games such as "Game of Thrones: Oathbreaker" and "Clank": Legacy," released "Dune: Imperium" in 2020 to widespread praise from fans and critics. In fact, it holds an average rating of 8.3 on Board Game Geek and is the 16th highest-rated game on the site. The game sees players building a deck and using their unique leader cards to try and determine the outcome of a round. Cards can give users an edge in battle or give them a political advantage to influence the main factions.
So it should come as little surprise that the company has been working on an expansion since then to take advantage of the game's popularity and success. The result of that endeavor is "Dune: Imperium – Rise of Ix," an expansion that introduces three new leader cards, each with brand new abilities. Zatu Games noted how the additional items not only help make the game longer and more complex for experienced players but also add some new systems, such as tech tiles to provide one-off bonuses and mighty Dreadnoughts to get an edge in battle.
As of June 2022, "Dune: Imperium – Rise of Ix" was available on Amazon for $47.95.
Return to Dark Tower
Following a successful Kickstarter campaign that saw the project raise more than $4 million against a goal of just $850,000, "Return to Dark Tower" was arguably one of the most anticipated releases of 2022. The work of Restoration Games, a company dedicated to modernizing classic board games, the game acts as a sequel to the hit 1981 release "Dark Tower."
Like the original game, the action focuses on the titular Tower, which has been rebuilt and is corrupting the surrounding land. Players choose one of four areas and begin to build up their army to battle against the Tower's forces and ultimately attempt to defeat the evil within it. This time around, the Tower dictates events through a smartphone app rather than a membrane keyboard.
Reviewers on Board Game Geek have noted several positive aspects. For the most part, players enjoyed how challenging the game is, especially with the random nature of the Tower, which makes every round feels different. Others explained how the rules are also simple to understand and that the board and components are of high quality. Add in the fact that it can be played competitively or cooperatively and there are a lot of choices for players to keep the action feeling fresh time after time.
As of June 2022, "Return to Dark Tower" was available on Amazon for $274.90.
Wonderland's War
"Wonderland's War" is another successful Kickstarter project that managed to raise vastly more than its goal, bringing in $679,000 in total. Set in the same fictional world as "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," the gameplay takes place in a Wonderland on the brink of war. It's up to the players to build up their forces as the leader of one of five factions and beat out their competitors to become the new ruler of the nonsensical land.
Allowing between two and five players, "Wonderland's War" has multiple stages. Initially, users sit together at the Mad Hatter's tea party as they collect cards, which allows them to do everything from recruiting new forces to upgrading their own leader. After this phase, battles break out, with the war spreading out across famous locations from the novels. This process repeats three times and the person with the most points is the winner.
The board game offers a deep and thoughtful combat system, with Games Radar pointing out that it requires a careful balancing of both risk and reward. Every action and choice can have multiple effects, forcing players to think about everything they do. This can make it difficult and time-consuming for newcomers but it's worth the effort as it's a uniquely fun and bizarre experience.
Nemesis: Lockdown
The first standalone expansion to the 2018 game "Nemesis," this release builds upon the gameplay from the original. While the base edition has players attempting to survive on a ship that has become home to hostile alien forces and escape back home to Earth, this expansion switches the location to a secret base on the planet Mars.
However, the objective remains largely the same, with players working together (at least, some of the time) to stay alive. To do that, you have to explore the various rooms in the base to find equipment and craft new items while preparing to battle against other species that have invaded the installation. "Nemesis: Lockdown" also introduced a series of additional mechanics, such as the ability to traverse multiple levels, a power and light system, and new characters and aliens.
Nominated for the 2021 Golden Geek Best Thematic Board Game award, "Nemesis: Lockdown" can be played on its own or with the cards and items from the original. The refined mechanics and new additions make it an essential buy for fans of "Nemesis" and for new players who want the ultimate version of the game.
Carnegie
Inspired by the real-life story of Andrew Carnegie, who Britannica states became one of the wealthiest and most successful businessmen in the United States after moving to the country from Scotland. Following in his footsteps, "Carnegie" sees players competing to create the most prestigious company by accumulating victory points.
These points can be achieved by completing certain tasks and improving your own business, either by investing in goods, completing research and development, or sending employees on missions. It's also possible to earn victory points by being charitable and donating money to good causes, although these generally only give their reward at the end of the game.
"Carnegie" currently has an 8.0 average rating on Board Game Geek, with players on the site noting how polished and clean the gameplay is, so that people can pick it up and get into the action quite quickly. With games typically lasting three to four hours, it's a definite investment in terms of time but the gorgeous art style and deep gameplay ensure the time isn't wasted. Those who want to try it out can even play an online version for free at Board Game Arena.
Long Shot: The Dice Game
Designed by Chris Handy and published by Perplext, "Long Shot: The Dice Game" is a horse racing board game that supports up to eight players. The ultimate aim of the game is to end up with the most money, by betting on horses and ensuring that yours ends up on the podium during each race. Users influence the action by using special abilities and strategically choosing when to do certain actions, although it's down to the luck of a dice roll to decide who can move and what options are available.
This element of randomness adds some chaos to proceedings and keeps players on their toes, as they may have to constantly adapt their plans if they want to come out on top. Combined with its sleek presentation, easy-to-follow rules, and endless replay value due, "Long Shot: The Dice Game" is a great choice for those looking to expand their libraries — especially if you prefer games that are generally on the shorter side. At just $25 it also represents great value compared to some more expensive games.
Dead Reckoning
Sitting high with a Board Game Geek rating of 8.4 out of 10, "Dead Reckoning" has proved a hit with those who backed the game on Kickstarter. According to publisher Alderac, the board game is a 90-minute adventure for between one and four players. A 4X strategy game that is set on the high seas, "Dead Reckoning" is a swashbuckling pirate release that gives players the chance to choose their own adventure.
What that means in gameplay terms is that users can choose between a variety of paths. But whether you want to be a pirate, a merchant, or an explorer, the ultimate goal is to end up with the most money by amassing the greatest fortune. Players are given even more freedom, with the ability to customize both your crew and ship to make you effective at whatever role you choose.
With an elegant combat system that doesn't punish losers too heavily and a fantastic art style by Ian O'Toole, "Dead Reckoning" is easily one of the stand-out board games from the year so far. Thanks to the saga expansions, players can even experience new campaigns and be gently introduced to new mechanics and systems as they play.
Creature Comforts
"Creature Comforts" is a board game by Kids Table Board Gaming that supports up to five players. Funded via a successful Kickstarter campaign, it tasks players with building a cozy winter home by gathering resources and crafting useful items. Set over the course of the months of Spring, Summer, and Fall, users have to transform their burrows into comfortable places where they can spend the winter entertained and warm.
The game takes place over multiple rounds, with each player sending out members of their own family to collect resources from the forest and find important items, such as coins and story tokens. These can then be exchanged for high-scoring items like clothing and bookshelves. At the end of the game, scores are tallied and those with the most points win.
While "Creature Comforts" is best played with a full roster of players, it has a solo mode to give it added versatility. Meanwhile, the cute art style and simple gameplay make it a good choice for the whole family to play. It's little wonder then that it received the Zatu Platinum Award upon its release.
As of June 2022, "Creature Comforts" was available on Amazon for $49.00.
Caper: Europe
Keymaster Games' "Caper: Europe" is a two-player board game where the competitors face off against each other as they try to pull off a series of heists. With locations spanning famous European cities, including London, Barcelona, and Paris, it is up to you to put together the best crew of thieves to successfully steal treasures and get ahead of your opponent.
In terms of gameplay, "Caper: Europe" is relatively easy to follow. Players take turns picking a card from their hand and play it, while the opponent does the same thing. The two then swap hands until there is only one card remaining in each hand. These cards generally involve moving gear or thieves to specific locations to give you the best chance of pulling off the heist.
Taking just 20 minutes to complete, "Caper: Europe" is a fast-paced but surprisingly deep board game. It contains a wide array of characters, each with its own artwork, and the gameplay has been carefully refined from the original "Caper" to make it more enjoyable and accessible. Ultimately, this game is great for those who want to quickly jump into a game without having to think too much.
As of June 2022, "Caper: Europe" was available on Amazon for $35.00.
Super Fantasy Brawl
"Super Fantasy Brawl" is set in the fantasy world of Fabulosa, where magic is so powerful that it has made going to war a thing of the past. Without any conflict to keep themselves entertained, the rulers have created a new competition called the Super Brawl. This event sees the strongest and best warriors from throughout history magically transported to Fabulosa to battle it out.
Funded via a successful Kickstarter campaign, "Super Fantasy Brawl" is a miniatures board game where players choose three champions to compete on their behalf. They then have to use these heroes, and their respective action cards, to move around the board, attack enemies, and complete objectives. Successfully completing any of these tasks awards victory points, which are then used to determine the ultimate winner.
Supporting up to four players, "Super Fantasy Brawl" can be played with everyone facing off against each other or as a team-based game of two players on each side. This adds some variety to the gameplay and forces players to come up with different strategies depending on the mode they are playing. A streamlined rulebook, lightning-quick matches, and great components have made the board game a great choice for strategy lovers.
Planet Unknown
Created by Adam's Apple Games, "Planet Unknown" takes place in the far future when a fictional world has run out of resources. To survive, the civilization has been forced to explore space to find suitable new planets that the player must make viable for life.
In "Planet Unknown," players start with a planet randomly marked on their board and an end-game challenge card, which provides extra objectives to complete for additional bonuses. Each turn, you place tiles and earn points by filling in columns and rows around your planet as you colonize space and provide the necessary infrastructure for your alien world to thrive.
With support for up to three players, larger games can become frantic battles to get the right shaped tiles to fill out your grid and avoid game-ruining meteor showers. As Board Game Geek reports, it also features a rotating space station to dispense the tiles, which allows for everyone to play simultaneously rather than in turns, which keeps the action moving at speed. However, this can also lead to second guessing and mistakes if you aren't careful and don't keep track of what is going on.
As of June 2022, "Planet Unknown" was available on Amazon for $84.99.
The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game – Revised Core Set
With a Board Game Geek average rating of 8.6, "The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game – Revised Core Set" is one of the site's most highly rated games of 2022. The deck building game sees players spending resources to play cards as you battle against the evil forces of Middle-earth. While it is deceptively easy to understand how to play, learning the nuances of each card and how to finely balance the risk and reward of playing certain cards means it is hard to master.
This revised edition of the original board game includes the classic core gameplay and components that players will expect. However, it also included a selection of new cards, as well as some rule changes to make "The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game – Revised Core Set" more accessible and fun to play than ever before. That makes it a good choice for those new to the game, especially now that it includes a full set of Core Set player cards for every player. The added campaigns also give this bundle more value than the original release and add some replay value.
As of June 2022, "The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game – Revised Core Set" was available on Amazon for $56.00.
Three Sisters
"Three Sisters" is a strategy game focused on farming, where players aim to create the best farm as they grow crops and tend to other areas. Like other roll and write games, just one set of dice are rolled each round so that the gameplay is simultaneous. Once the dice are rolled, they are grouped together according to their value and placed on specific action spaces. Players then choose a dice and either plant or water crops in the corresponding column to the number rolled before carrying out the action on the space.
The aim of the game is to gather the most points by harvesting crops and tending to other parts of the farm, such as the beehives or the tool-filled shed. What makes the game so special, according to IGN, is that it allows clever players to plan out combos and chain together actions to give them a huge boost. While they are difficult to plan out, successfully pulling them off is incredibly satisfying. This opens up lots of different strategies, even if that means the game often involves players only paying attention to what they are doing.
As of June 2022, "Three Sisters" was available on Amazon for $29.99.
Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest
"Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest" is a board game by Stonemaier Games that supports up to six players and generally lasts around an hour. Based on the original 2012 game "Libertalia," this revised edition includes plenty of new additions to make it worthwhile to veterans of the game along with newcomers. Chief among them is the fresh art style and additional characters, with each player now getting 40 individuals to use. The designers have also included a solo mode for the first time and a reputation system that can be used to resolve tiebreakers in a fairer and more meaningful way.
The game itself sees players take on the role of a sky pirate as they adventure out to make a name for themselves. You command a crew made up of your deck of cards, with each player choosing a card each turn, resolving the actions on them according to their rank order. Despite being simple in concept, IGN states that "Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest" involves trying to constantly outthink your opponents and second-guessing yourself. Coming up with the right strategy is difficult but always rewarding and rounds tend to move quickly, making it an ideal game for shorter gameplay sessions.
As of June 2022, "Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest" was available on Amazon for $54.46.
Merchants of the Dark Road
"Merchants of the Dark Road" is set in a world where day and night last for months on end. With the light season coming to a close, players must prepare for the darkness that is to come. That's because they are one of the few merchants brave enough to travel between cities during this time, transporting vital goods across the nation.
The gameplay largely involves trying to get your goods to market and ensure you maximize your profits. That might mean paying a local hero to act as your bodyguard or stockpiling certain items to manipulate the price so it rises to new heights. Exploring dungeons and doing good deeds can also increase your prestige.
With fantastic artwork, high-quality components, and a balanced gameplay system, this board game certainly has a lot going for it. There's also an interesting risk and reward system that plays a big role. For example, building up your fortune is important but risking it all on an investment could be the difference between winning or losing everything. It's this constant sense of jeopardy that makes "Merchants of the Dark Road" so fun to play, according to Gaming Trend.
As of June 2022, "Merchants of the Dark Road" was available on Amazon for $49.95.