Welcome to my best board games 2021 list. This isn’t a list of the best games to come out this year. Frankly, those lists tend to be ridiculous at this stage. Its too soon in the year. Instead this is my favourite games of all time, as of May 2021. Some were released as recently as 2019/2020. But this list is largely about standing the test of time.

This post follows on from my last, which covered my favourite games numbered 40-21. And it will be followed in a few days by a nerdy stats post, looking at things such as play numbers, what went in and out of the list etc. I do posts like this every May. If you want some historical context, head to my Top 10 lists page for posts going right back to 2013.

All the links below go to full board game reviews elsewhere on this website. If you want to purchase any of these games, please support the site by starting your search by clicking this link to comparison site Board Game Prices. And if any are available to play free online, I’ll list the sites/sites below the game title (either BGA, Yucata and Boite a Jeux).

Best board games 2021: 20-11

20: Ingenious
(Released in 2004, for 2-4 players, lasting 40-60 mins - designed by Reina Knizia)
Ingenious is the game that started my collection when I got back into the hobby in 2008. Its a largely tactical tile-laying game that takes five minutes to teach. But it has a glorious tipping point about half way where you go from accumulating points to protecting your position and winning the game. Ingenious indeed.

19: Fertility
(2018, 2-4 players, 40-60 mins - Cyrille Leroy)
More tile-laying, but with added resource collection to trigger scoring. What I especially like is the tight shared board, where you have to be incredibly careful not to give away great opportunities. While you’re also trying to maximise your own board to score points in a variety of ways. A great mix of tactical/strategic and competitive/heads-down all at once.

18: Targi
(2012, 2 players, 60 mins - Andreas Steiger)
Online: BGA & Yucata
A small box worker placement game for two-players. A tight action grid and resource list mean you’re always competing hard for spaces. But there’s enough variety to make every game feel different. And to allow for different strategies. When you add in the 2016 expansion pack, this has become my highest rated two player-only game.

17: Lost Ruins of Arnak
(2020, 2-4 players, 1-2 hours - Min & Elwen)
Online: BGA
The ‘highest new entry’ for 2021. And I do worry that, without an expansion, it may run out of steam before next year’s best board games list. But right now, I’m really enjoying it. Light deck-building meets worker placement and set collection. Taking risks can lead to big rewards, or you can take it slow and steady. Plus it has great components and smooth rules.

16: Macao
(2009, 2-4 players, 90-120 mins - Stefan Feld)
Online: Yucata
My first proper euro game purchase, back in 2010. Which may keep it artificially high on the list. But I do still love it. Roll dice and collect cubes to collect specialists and fulfil orders. Sure, even the slightest risk can be thwarted by bad luck with the dice. But there’s something hugely satisfying about it when everything comes together.

From 15-11

15: Ra
(1999, 2-5 players, 60 mins - Reina Knizia)
Knizia is one of only two designers to have two games in my Top 20 (after Ingenious). But this is as high as he goes - although Ra has been as high as number two in my list in the past. It’s a brilliant bidding game, a genre I’m not mad keen on. Bu this adds push your luck, an Egyptian theme and set collection. Making every decision meaningful and interactive.

14: Downfall of Pompeii
(2004, 2-4 players, 45-60 mins - Klaus-Jurgen Wrede)
Online: Yucata
Once my number three, Pompeii is still one of my favourite family games. It is essentially two games in one, pivoting from tactical placement to tile laying and a movement/race game at halfway. And it mercilessly mean, but in a way that still brings any player along for the ride. Simply great fun. And still very high in my ratings, despite countless plays.

13: Can’t Stop
(1980, 2-4 players, 30 mins - Sid Sackson)
Online: BGA
So, three games in a row that are at least 18 year’s-old and have been in the Top 20 in all my eight annual Top 40s. New games shmoo-games. Can’t Stop is basic probability, turned into a push-your-luck dice game. The rules are incredibly simple. But you’ll struggle to find a gamer that doesn’t love it. A fitting tribute to one of the hobby’s great designers (RIP).

12: Azul
(2017, 2-4 players, 45 mins - Michael Kiesling)
Azul is my highest ranked board game of the last five years. Its a gorgeous abstract with light rules and tactile Bakelite pieces. But behind its pretty façade lies a tactically viscous set collection gem. It has quickly established itself as one of the biggest hits in the hobby and rightly so. A modern day must-have in any collection.

11: Kingdom Builder
(2011, 2-4 players, 45 mins - Donald X Vaccarino)
Online: BGA
Kingdom Builder has pogoed around, in and out of my Top 40 over the years. Fitting for what has proven to be quite the Marmite game. But this is its highest ever placing here. Again, simplicity is the byword. It turns a couple of game conventions on their heads, hence splitting opinion. But adapt and you’ll find a clever and varied tactical placement game.

Best board games 2021: The Top 10

10: Concordia
(2013, 2-5 players, 90 mins - Mac Gerdts)
Online: BaJ
Gerdts’ second game on the list is another Top 20 ever-present and a game I never get bored of playing. It comprises everything I love in a euro game, from light deck-building through resource management to non-direct interaction. But despite being thinky and tough to play well, the rules are clear and elegant while the turns are short and snappy. Plus, a series of smart expansions really help replayability.

9: Deus
(2014, 2-4 players, 90 mins - Sebastien Dujardin)
Online: BaJ
While generally well regarded, I’m surprised Deus didn’t get the plaudits it deserved. This clever euro does something original with a card tableau, which is refreshing. You play cards in five colours, but each you lay of the same colour triggers ones you laid before. Throw in a race feel, board position jostling and some screwage, and you have a real winner.

8: Caverna
(2013, 2-4 players, 2-3 hours - Uwe Rosenberg)
Spoiler alert: You’re not going to find Agricola higher on my list. While I do enjoy it, I prefer the openness Caverna brings to Rosenberg’s worker placement style. Rather than front-loading the decisions via card draft, here you can make decisions on the fly as you build up your tableau. Sure, it’s less tense. But for me the experience is more satisfying.

7: Bora Bora
(2013, 2-4 players, 90 mins - Stefan Feld)
I’m not sure what was in the German water in 2013, but this is the third German euro from that year in my Top 10. This is another oft overlooked design, which is strange. Feld is a popular designer, it’s bright and colourful, and has a clever and interactive dice mechanism for action selection. It’s one of his heavier games, but for me clearly one of his best.

6: Ticket to Ride
(2004, 2-5 players, 60 mins - Alan Moon)
Online: Steam, app stores (Google/Apple)
This classic family game has been an ever-present in my top 10 (top six, in fact). At nearly 200 real-life plays it is comfortably my second most played game. And I introduce it to at least one or two new gamers every year. Collect cards, use them to build routes, and hopefully get in the way of your opponents. Add in expansions, and you’ll be playing forever.

The Top 5

5: Terra Mystica
(2012, 2-5 players, 2-3 hours - Drogemuller & Ostertag)
Online: BGA, Yucata
Terra Mystica is the most complex game on my list. But it’s testament to its quality that it doesn’t feel like it. It has a civ feel, as you manage your economy and build your territory. But the fantasy theme works, binding the various currencies into a coherent whole. It’s deep, strategic and original, while also tactical, smooth and familiar. Another Top 10 ever-present.

4: Thurn and Taxis
(2006, 2-4 players, 60 mins - Karen & Andreas Seyfarth)
Online: BGA, Yucata
It’s not easy taking the ‘top family game’ crown from Ticket to Ride. But Thurn and Taxis did it on my list three years ago and hasn’t looked back. I still recommend TtR above it. But Thurn has the edge for me personally. It has the same route building/set collection vibe. But there’s just a bit more to it in every department for a gamer. Except it’s a bit more beige…

3: Terraforming Mars
(2016, 1-5 players, 2-3 hours - Jacob Fryxelius)
Online: Steam, app stores (Google/Apple)
Terraforming Mars is nerdy sci-fi gamer nirvana. But it’s also a fantastic tableau building euro any gamer can appreciate. On the surface, it can look like a mess of cards and tiles straight from a teenager’s notepad. But somehow it all comes together perfectly. The tight economy forces tough decisions and the card combos can be hugely satisfying.

2: Oracle of Delphi
(2016, 2-4 players, 90 mins - Stefan Feld)
Online: Yucata
Its unusual for a game to go straight into my Top 10. But Delphi did it five years ago and has been at my number two spot now for three. In some ways it is a typical Stefan Feld euro. A simple but clever dice-powered action selection mechanism, some point salad, and a dollop of luck. But this time it’s a race and it works beautifully. An underappreciated gem.

Best board games 2021: And the winner is…

1: Race for the Galaxy
(2007, 2-4 players, 60 mins - Tom Lehmann)
Online: BGA, Steam, app stores (Google/Apple)
When I started this list back in 2014, Race for the Galaxy had already been my favourite game for two years. And despite nearly 300 plays on the table, plus many more online, nothing has changed. It manages to pack a genuinely thinky and satisfying tableau building game into 30 minutes. Sure, there’s luck of the draw. But if you get bad luck, just go again. You only need to shuffle a deck of cards.

Sure, Race for the Galaxy does have a bit of a learning cliff for new players. The iconography can be baffling at first, despite the game’s relatively simple rule set. But once you get to grips with it, you realise it does need to be the way it is. And suddenly, like seeing the matrix, it all comes together. Expansions have added a ton of replayability over the years too. But the base game alone is a true gem. Will it ever be beaten?

Check out last week’s post for numbers 21-40 in my ‘Best board games 2021’ list. While my next post will be a nerdy stats post about this year’s and previous lists. After which, normal review service will be resumed (Mariposas and Mandala Stones reviews coming soon).

A full year of lockdown is (hopefully) coming to a close. But despite a lack of opportunities to play at the table, I’ve managed my usual levels of gaming. Much of it has been online, but those games have often be live. And with many of my favourite available on platforms such as BGA, Yucata and Boite a Jeux (noted below), I feel my 8th annual ‘best board games list’ has had the requisite level of scrutiny.

Links below go to my reviews of the games elsewhere on this site - and the one not yet reviewed will be soon. If you do intend to look into any purchases, please support this site by following this link to Board Game Prices. It’s a great comparison site for board games, which links through to a long list of online retailers. Also note these games are just in two sets of 10, listed alphabetically. I really can’t see anyone worrying about which game was 37th versus which was 36th.

I should also note that I’ve played close to 1,500 different board games over the years. And owned close to 500. There are also about 150 games on my shelves - and it’s not easy to stay on them. So even the games at the edge of my Top 40 have beaten back a lot of competition to figure on my list at all.

My 31st-40th favourite board games

• 6 Nimmt
  (Released in 1994, 4-10 players, 20-40 mins)
  Online: BGA
  The sixth straight year on the list for this small box filler card game. Simple rules, agonising game play and it plays great at 5-8-ish players. So is perfect for finishing nights off at a con or game club night. Some say there’s too much luck. But I tend to see the best players winning again and again over time.
• Basari: Das Kartenspiel
  (2014, 3-5 players, 30 mins)
  Basari is one of the least played games on the list, but has made my Top list five times. The lack of plays is down to it being a little niche. This is a filler game, best at 3-4 players, which needs a certain type of player. It’s about reading opponents, bartering, and spotting the right opportunities at the right time.
• Archaeology: The Card Game
  (2007, 2-4 players, 30 mins)
  This has been on all eight of my lists without ever breaking the Top 20. And it’s my ‘most played’ game in this post (at 43 plays). Because it quietly, perfectly fits a niche. Portable, great with 2-4, simple rules. A set collection card game, so you can teach it to anyone. But with fun interaction and a risky push-your-luck element that help it stand out from the crowd.

• Gnomopolis
  (2018, 2-4, 30-60 mins)
  A bit of a drop this year, but I still like Gnomopolis a lot. An oversized box and cutesy artwork hide a simplified Race for the Galaxy-style engine building race. Here you’re bag building, grabbing points while building a card tableau. But it may be a little too simple. So I’m hoping for a step-up from the coming expansion.
• Kingdomino
  (2016, 2-4, 45 mins)
  Online: BGA
  A game seemingly destined to stay at this level for me, with this being its fourth straight year in the 31-40 bracket. It’s basically dominoes meets simple tile-laying. But it works beautifully. And I’m not tiring of it at all, despite 25+ plays. With new/non-gamers it’s always a hit. While the 7×7 grid two-player variant nicely notches things up a few bars.
• NEW! Lift Off
  (2019, 2-4, 1-2 hours)
  Online: BGA
  The only new entry in this section and one I’ve only played a little so far, having received a review copy recently. But it has already won me over big time. Two levels of light card drafting (think Notre Dame) meet engine building, creating a wonderfully tight little game. While the 50s/Fallout-style artwork takes it to the next level visually.

• Navegador
  (2010, 2-5, 90 mins)
  Online: Yucata
  Navegador has slowly dropped down my rankings, but I still love it. It’s a Mac Gerdts rondel euro, with a smart economic element tied to a race for scoring opportunities. Unfortunately it’s probably at its best with four and I rarely play it that way. But a great game nonetheless.
• The Rose King
  (1992, 2, 30 mins)
  Online: Yucata
  For me, one of the jewels in the Kosmos two-player line. And another eight-year ever-present on my list. It’s a classic abstract but with an element of luck, as a card deck (to limit your movement options) mixes things up. Stopping the dull ‘learn the best strategy’ problem chess et al have.
• Snowdonia
  (2012, 1-5, 90 mins)
  Online: Yucata
  After five years in my top 20, Snowdonia has spend the last three teetering around the drop. But it always hang in there, despite all the new shiny games. Because it’s a clever and original worker placement game that really does play differently each time. And that’s before you add in the copious mini expansions.
• Tumblin’ Dice
  (2004, 2-4, 45 mins)
  Basically dice darts. Which is as stupid as it sounds. But so much fun. Flick dice along a wooden board, with the sections you land on multiplying the dice number depending on their difficulty to reach. so you can go for high scores. Or just knock your opponents pieces off the board to make them mad.

My 21st-30th favourite board games

• Adios Calavera
  (2017, 2-3, 20 mins)
  A permanent fixture here since its 2017 release, Adios is an original and enjoyable abstract. When you throw in great artwork and plenty of variability, it hits a lot of sweet spots. It’s the kind of game that, while I’m playing with people, they’re ordering it online. But sadly I can’t get to all of you, so you’ll have to take my word for it.
• Alhambra
  (2003, 2-5, 60 mins)
  Online: BGA, Yucata
  A tile-laying classic that is a tricky solo puzzle and competitive majorities game combined. Its popularity has led to loads of expansions, adding great twists and loads of replayability. I’ve owned it for years, but can’t see it ever leaving my collection.
• NEW! Bruxelles 1893
  (2013, 2-4, 1-2 hours)
  Online: Boite a Jeux
  I recently managed to acquire this and am chuffed to bits, having only previously played online. Its a worker placement euro game with a typically boring city theme. But this hides a highly competitive and passively interactive core that makes every decision tricky and vital.
• Maori
  (2009, 2-4, 60 mins)
  Online: Yucata
  Maori is an ever-present Top 40 game for me. It’s a tile-layer where you each fill your own tableau, moving a shared piece around a shared tile grid to limit your options. The pretty art again hides what can be a vicious game. Especially when played on the harder difficulty levels, that also add replayability.

• Notre Dame
  (2007, 2-5, 60 mins)
  This is one of the more divisive Stefan Feld designs. So, when you add the fact it has no online version, I don’t get to play it as often as I’d like. But I love its mix of card drafting and action selection. And the tension created by never quite having everything you need to do what you want to do.
• Orbital
  (2018, 2-4, 60 mins)
  Another slightly obscure title I make no apologies for bigging-up whenever I can. You each create a space station with tiles, trying to match things up to score points. But an incredibly tight economy in the tile buying makes for some super tricky buying decisions, on top of the puzzley positioning.
• Pharaon
  (2019, 2-4, 60 mins)
  This is a pretty dry and abstract worker placement game, with lovely Egyptian style visuals. I’m not usually mad keen on ‘turn stuff into other stuff into points’ euros. But a clever worker placement system makes it very competitive. While you can plan for future turns, thanks to a smart rotating board showing you what you’ll need on your next turn.

• NEW! Remember Our Trip
  (2019, 2-4, 30 mins)
  I seem to mention this in every post recently. But for good reason. Its a short, small box abstract tile drafting/pattern building game. But somehow they’ve made the theme - shared memories - shine through. Add pretty cartoon art to the simple ruleset and you have a thoroughly charming game.
• Tales of Glory
  (2018, 2-5, 60 mins)
  There are way more tile-laying games in this list than I’d have guessed. And here’s another. The competitive tile drafting definitely works better with more players - as do the majority bonuses. But the game plays fast, is (now) well produced and does a good job of integrating the fantasy theme. And even with less competition, at two players, I enjoy the admittedly light puzzley challenge.
• That’s Pretty Clever
  (2018, 2-4, 45 mins)
  Online: Steam, Apple, Google
  I do enjoy a good roll-and-write. But (spoiler alert) this is the only one good enough to make the Top 40. Dizzle was close. But the ‘Clever’ series is just a notch above that, and the rest. As you roll dice and mark off boxes, you can cascade bonuses that let you mark off more and more boxes. Which is hugely satisfying when you get it right.

Next time - the Top 20

My next post will be the Top 20. But if you like this kind of post, check out my Top 10s links page for all kinds of board game lists - including my old Top 40 games of all times posts.

The Lift Off board game is a card drafting and engine building euro game for 2-4 players. It takes 1-2 hours to play and is recommended for ages 12+. But 10+ should be fine for gamer kids. Much of the game play follows a simple and familiar format, but there are quite a lot of interlocking parts to juggle in your mind.

The game is very much in the German euro tradition. As in the theme is totally pasted onto a very mechanical rules set relying on good choices rather than story or luck. But the 1950s/Fallout style artwork has been drawn to perfection. So you’ll be drafting cards to attain the equipment and skills you need to launch a series of rockets into space. And, of course, score victory points.

In the Carcassonne-sized box you’ll find a main board, four mini player boards, 100+ cards (both standard and mini), 45 wooden rocket pieces and a bunch of cardboard tokens. At the time of writing, you can pick the game up for around £40 from several retailers via comparison site Board Game Prices. Its actually cheaper in some cases to get it sent from mainland Europe, even with shipping at £10+. Well done to those who voted for brexit… But even at an inflated price, I think you get pretty good value here. Lift Off may be a little over-produced, but it looks great on the table.

Teaching the Lift Off board game

Anyone familiar with card drafting will be on familiar ground with Lift Off. And even if not, it is a very simple concept (choose one card, then pass the rest to the next player). Players start with a level 1 lab, some money, a basic cardboard rocket, 11 wooden rockets and a small player board board. Three wooden rockets mark your income, cost to launch a rocket, and how much weight your rockets can carry on your player board. You’ll also draft some end game scoring cards, leaving each player with three ways to score end game points.

Each of the game’s eight rounds is split into a card drafting round and a launch phase. The draft is for three ‘specialist’ cards, two of which you’ll play to variously gain points/cash/one-off launch benefits, resources, or improvements. Next players draw mission cards (in levels 1-4), before (usually) launching one or more of these missions into space.

As you’d probably guess, it’s the launch part that’s the tricky bit. You start the game ready to launch level 1 missions. But of course the higher level ones are more lucrative. Every mission needs a cash payment and sufficient weight capacity, with higher level missions needing more weight. And yes, increasing your rockets weight capacity also increases the cost of each launch. Plus, you need to invest in your lab to do higher level missions (not cheap). As well as needing increasingly high levels of resources.

The four sides

These are me, plus three fictitious players drawn from observing my friends and their respective quirks and play styles.

• The writer: What makes the Lift Off board game sing is the puzzle. You need to match your capabilities with your end game scoring cards, balancing short term gains with longer term benefits. Despite a relatively small number of scoring options, it does feel that each player is moving in a different direction. Despite the fact you all end up in roughly the same place within the same confines. Which needs to be the case to make the drafting meaningful.
• The thinker: I’ve enjoyed my plays of Lift Off. The small card decks mean there’s less luck than you’d imagine. While the game ups the anti at half way, bringing in higher level missions and resetting the card decks. So you soon become familiar with what’s available. Play well, and you should be able to complete your goals. But the chances are a better player will complete them a little better than an average one.
• The trasher: I enjoyed this one, as I enjoy competitive card play. But don’t expect much hate drafting. There are a few cards you may want to keep from a particular player. But its not often that hobbling an opponent is better value than helping yourself - except with two players, of course. Then, some judicious card counting can go a long way to scuppering a risky plan. But even then, a good play will find a work around. Not an overly interactive game, then. But one I enjoyed none the less.
• The dabbler: My first play was a bit of a disaster. It’s the kind of game I need to play through once to really get it. Especially as it’s hard to remember all the things you need to launch a rocket. And no, there’s not a handy dandy player aid. Surprising, as there are quite a few superfluous bits in the box instead. But it looks lovely on the table. The artwork really makes it pop and the theme works well, despite it being a pretty abstract game. Since that first play I’m definitely enjoying it more. But I’m never going to ask for it as my choice on game night.

Key observations

While Lift Off has largely garnered positive reviews, it certainly has its detractors. The game’s mechanisms are clean, but not everyone finds them elegant. While some also say the game plays too long or is over complex. I’ve found the game is very snappy and simple with anyone who has played before. But it does need a play to get used to. And some don’t seem to get past that first slow play. A help card, specifically for what you need to launch a mission, would’ve been super useful for this.

At the other end of the scale, some describe it as being on rails or having obvious choices. Or criticise the Lift Off board game for being repetitive. Sure, you do the same thing eight times in a row. But for me there is definitely a narrative arc as you move through the game. I’d guess that it feeling repetitive may actually be down to slow play. This can often give a game a feeling of repetitiveness, simply because it is dragging on. As for simple choices, I don’t agree at all. You can get to any game position in multiple ways. And multiple factors can feed into why you make a specific decision.

Luck, longevity and value

Its easy to argue £10 could’ve been taken off the price with some frugal component choices and a smaller box size. I won’t dispute this. And normally advocate for such choices myself. But in this case, when looking at the game on the table, I think it was worth it. But millage will vary. For example, there is a cardboard space station you can build as you play. Its purely arbitrary and, in another game, could really annoy me. But I dig it here.

Finally, there’s the question of luck. This being a card game, with eight rounds, I’d dismiss any criticism aimed at the specialist and mission cards. Plan well, do risky things early, and you’ll always reach your goals. But the end game cards you draft at the start of the game can be problematic. Some simply gel better together than others. But while this may give a player an advantage, I don’t see it as a big enough barrier to put me off playing the game.

I do worry about longevity. so far, after around five plays, I am still eager to play it more any time I get the opportunity. But the lack of variety - while important to the game’s mechanics - could be a problem down the line. will I still have this level of enthusiasm after 10 plays? 20? However, I’ve played many games with practically endless variety that have become boring during the first play. So Lift Off is doing OK so far!

Conclusion: Lift Off board game

Lift Off has been one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve had gaming for quite some time. It passed me by at Essen on release and hadn’t raised its head since. But a chance invite to an online play later and I was hooked. For me, the game has interesting decisions and a lovely aesthetic. And once the first problematic play is behind you, it plays fast and smooth. So if you enjoy light card drafting in your euro games, it’s definitely worth a look.

• I’d like to thank Z-Man Games (via Asmodee UK) for providing a copy for review.
• Follow this link for 200+ more of my board game reviews.

As lockdown restrictions begin to ease in the UK, some semblance of normality is being restored. So of course, one of the first things I needed back in my life was a complete board game weekend binge.

Cons are still a while off though. We’re hopeful of our winter event happening, and there’s still a chance Essen will happen in October. But they’re a way off at best. So what better substitute than a visit from LoBsterCon co-conspirator Alex for an organiser meeting/serious gaming session?

Of the 18 games, Alex brought/taught seven and the other 11 were off my shelves. And of those, Alex only knew one of them on arrival (Welcome To). So between us, that was 17 teaches in less than 36 hours of actual game time. And at the end of it all, neither of us had fallen asleep mid-teach (but it was close…), or threatened to kill each other/ourselves. From my side of the table, it went something like this.

(Links below go to detailed reviews of the games played elsewhere on this website. If any of these games interest you, I’d recommend you clicking through to Board Game Prices - comfortably the best European comparison site I’ve found for board games.)

Board game binge day 1: Saturday

• The Romans: There’s something slightly shonky about The Romans, but in a good way. There’s plenty of luck, but it tends to hit all players equally due to some clever mechanisms. Overall it is refreshingly original euro and beautifully integrates the theme. Great fun.
• Basari - The Card Game: Sarah popped over to say hi, so I took this rare three-player opportunity to dust down and teach Basari. Both of them loved it. It’s so simple, with lots of interaction via negotiations. It just ebbs and flows so well.
• Remember Our Trip: Sarah hung around for this too, the first time we’d played with three. And it was just as fun, with Alex also being a convert. Simple to teach and fast to play, but every decision feels as if it has meaning. What more do you want from a light-ish filler?
• Paris - The City of Lights: The first of Alex’s games was a smart little two-player gem. I’m pretty terrible at spatial puzzles and so it proved here. But it was fun enough that I want to play more and improve. And very interactive, with enough variety to keep things interesting.

• Gnomopolis: The first partial fail of the weekend. Alex didn’t engage at all and it fell a bit flat. But after 10+ plays for me, I still enjoy its ‘Race for the Galaxy-lite’ feel. And I’m hoping the upcoming expansion adds a little extra zing to the experience.
• Kompromat: I’m still waiting for my review copy of this, and am now officially looking forward to it. It’s basically a two-player version of Blackjack with bells on, where you bluff your way through several hands at once to collect points and special power cards.
• Adios Calavera: Another teach of this and another convert. Despite the fact the play ended in an unfortunate stalemate, which can happen on occasion. Still one of my favourite two-player abstracts, from the original mechanisms to the Day of the Dead artwork.

Day 2: Sunday

• Praga Caput Regni: I blow hot and cold on Suchy euros and this did a bit of both. It was the right length (unlike the tedious Underwater Cities) and the action selection mechanisms were great. But it really needs a two-player overhaul, as it was simply too solitaire.
• Bora Bora: Alex has become quite the Feld fan of late, so it was nice to introduce him to one you sadly can’t find online. Like all his best games, it has just the right amount of choice/paths to follow. Along with some clever mechanisms and agonising decisions.
• Era - Medieval Age: Wow. This game made me genuinely angry. A massive box of planet destroying plastic and for what? A half-arsed roll-and-write that ‘reworks’ a 10-year-old small box game that was better first time around? Utterly offensive drivel on every level. Basically landfill.
• Dizzle: Oh look, a proper roll-and-write. In a tiny box with just a few components. And, frankly, more fun. We only played level 1 but it was enough to get Alex ordering a copy. Sadly overlooked, probably due to the success of the ‘Clever’ series. Speaking of which…
• Clever Cubed: This third version of the award-winning series (That’s Pretty Clever etc) is basically more of the same. Roll dice, mark off boxes, trigger combos and bonuses. As good as the other two, but did we really need a third version of basically the same game?

• Tales of Glory: Another teach from me. I worried it may go down the same path as Gnomopolis, but Alex got into this one. It is better with more players, to up the competition for tiles. But it is always a fun little tile-laying puzzler with a charming look and feel.
• Bruxelles 1897: This proved to be an excellent distillation of euro Bruxelles 1893 into a card game. But as much as I enjoyed the play, it left me wanting to play the original. This nailed the interaction side. But I did miss the extra depth and subtlety of the board game.
• Kupferkessel Co: As Alex enjoys Maori, I introduced him to this lighter tile grid game, also from Günter Burkhardt. He was worried about the memory element - as was I first time (really not my thing). But it has just the right amount to still be fun for us old folk!
• Welcome To: The one game we both knew, although Alex had only played online thanks to COVID. I love how the card deck reduces the randomness compared to a roll-and write. And this has just the right amount of complexity to keep me coming back for more plays.

Board game binge day 3: Monday

• De Vulgari Eloquentia: I simply haven’t played this enough since picking it up a few years ago. And this was a great play. Like The Romans, it’s a euro game heavy on theme but with a few big luck elements. You can avoid them and play safe, but where’s the fun in that?
• Lowlands: This Rosenberg-ish euro had passed me by and it didn’t leave much of an impression. It’s OK, but a little one-dimensional. It has a nice element of co-operation, and played fast. But I’d rather play an actual Rosenberg game (such as Caverna) every time.

And with that, Alex was gone - and the board game binge was over. It was so nice to properly dedicate a few days to games for the first time in ages. And it was nicely competitive throughout, ending 9-8 on wins (plus the Adios Calavera draw). I enjoyed six of the seven games Alex taught and look forward to picking up at least two of them - and playing a couple of the others a bit more too. Now, can we have our board game conventions back please?

While unimportant to some, board game box size can be crucial. Whether it’s practicality, price or another consideration, it can actually make or break a game. Both in terms of sales and reputation. But with each game, you’ll find people on both sides of the argument. So what’s all the fuss about?

Too big?

Oversized boxes can look brilliant. And they take up more store shelf space, giving browsers more chance to pick them from a crowd. Many games simply need them due to the components simply fitting in them. From Agricola or Terra Mystica, to Junk Art or Tumblin’ Dice, you couldn’t squeeze much more in. And shrinking their components would clearly be detrimental to the play experience. So no arguments there. But other games rattle around in a big box for no reason. Or upscale relatively basic components to give the impression of being more than they are. There are many examples. But the ones on my mind recently have been Abyss (2014), Lift Off (2018) and Isle of Cats (2019).

Abyss and Lift Off both look brilliant on the table. And are well designed, fun games. But at £40-50 (roughly, via Board Game Prices) its hard to argue they offer good value. Because, essentially, both are relatively straightforward card games with pasted-on themes. Either could probably have been released in a box half the size for around half the price. Isle of Cats is arguably a worse offender. Again, the box is nice and the components look great on the table. But they don’t even take up half the box size. And no attempt was made to even bother putting in an insert. So again, at around £40, it’s hard to recommend.

And in each case, it also needs to be remembered not everyone has unlimited space. Many players operate a one-in, one-out policy sue to shelf space. Or perhaps because their partner/family feel they need to put a physical cap on their hobby. So while many of the most vocal in the hobby tend to have game garages or rooms, the much larger majority have a shelf or corner. It’s a very real practical problem.

Board game box size: Too small?

This can give players a disappointing experience, because they were expecting something more. So make a small game, right? Cheap price point plus no storage issues. As long as you get your game out there under people’s noses, they’ll buy. And it should get played more, because you pop it in your pocket for a trip, fill in a suitcase gap etc. And most people shop online now anyway. But again, it isn’t quite that simple.

Firstly, you usually give up some wow appeal - which can badly affect word-of-mouth as well as great first impressions from seeing a game in play. And its harder for many players to take a game as seriously if it’s in a small box. Small box means filler to most - although it doesn’t have to. Great euro games such as 1906 San Fransisco have proved you can squeeze a quality game into a small package. But its not where you look on your shelves for your main game of the evening, is it?

Not being taken seriously as a ‘proper’ game (thanks to your small box size) also clearly affects Board Game Geek (BGG) ratings. Which I’d suggest is a key factor in many buying decisions within the hobby. BGG gives guidelines on how to rate (out of 10), which clearly suggest basing the rating on enjoyment and how good the game is. But the fact some of the game’s most played titles (Can’t Stop, 6 Nimmt! etc) can’t break the Top 500 games shows a clear user ranking bias towards showy components and complexity.

Boxing clever

Ultimately, if a game doesn’t have an obvious box size, publishers are taking a big risk in going either way. I was astounded at how little game their was in the box for Abyss, for example. Despite it being a good game. And similarly with the criminally overrated Splendor (which I find tedious). But the oversized box in both cases has helped them become big hits. Isle of Cats, too, has made a strong impression on the hobby market in terms of ratings.

Should it matter that you’re not getting value in terms of game, when you are in terms of components? That is an individual customer decision. And one that seems to be moving inexorably towards the pretty over the practical. When I came into the hobby 10 years ago, a £40 price tag had you wincing in pain. Now, spaffing £100 on an undefined lump of Kickstarter gamble seems par for the course. Who’d be a publisher…?