Top 10 New To Me Board Games in 2025
With thousands of new games coming out each year I cannot confess to playing them all. Naturally the more games you play, the less older titles you can be introduced to. Therefore playing at least 100 new-to-me board games becomes more of a challenge each year.
However, in 2025 I have succeeded by playing 118 games and I have whittled them down to my ten favourites. I don’t think 2025 has been a vintage year for new releases, but we have been spoilt over the last five years with excellent releases and that standard is hard to keep year-on-year. Despite that, I have found ten good games to share below, so here they are in alphabetical order…
Come Sail Away
This year I discovered the joys of Saashi and Saashi designs, playing a good handful of their titles. The stand-out game for me from them was Come Sail Away. I loved the take on the mancala style gameplay and the thematic approach. The game exudes the signature stylish artwork and colourways, setting the scene nicely. I played a friends copy and instantly checked out online the same day. I’ve won more than I have lost, and while I know this one just clicks with my brain, my winning streak isn’t the reason I am loving Come Sail Away!
I like the puzzle of this one a lot and I appreciate the easy rules, simultaneous play and variable set ups to give it more replayability.
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Diamant
Diamant has been around for a long time and I previously couldn’t really get excited for it. However, while visiting Snacks and Ladders in the Isle of Wight, I was looking for a quick and easy game to learn and play and I was pretty sure Diamant would fit the bill. It absolutely did with its push-your-luck gem collecting decision making process. I added it to my wishlist that day and promptly to my next online order.
The refreshed looks of the 2024 version are much appreciated and I really like the unique crates and characters used to explore the tunnels. The fact it plays up to eight and can accommodate younger players is a boon too!
© boardgamereview.co.uk
For A Crown
I reviewed For A Crown earlier this year and it is a wonderful slobber-knocker of ruby-stealing fun. Sure the take-that runs super high, but the meanness tends to follow the person with the most gems. That doesn’t stop it becoming revengeful sometimes, but with the right crowd in the right spirit, this one is a winner. This mischievous board game was in my top ten most played games of the year which is testament to how much I enjoyed it.
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Fromage
While Kickstarters got delivered, and people raved about Fromage I had to wait patiently for it to hit retail. When it arrived, I played it and played it and played it some more. The all play mechanic makes this game really smooth and highly competitive. Although it is a worker-placement game it manages to feel fresh and different as well as having a great table presence. It really is a fabulous game.
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Gingkopolis
An oldie but a goodie! Ginkgopolis was released in 2012 yet it has taken me until this year to finally play it. I had a surprisingly great time with it. It’s a board game that has been on my radar for some time but I wasn’t really sure what to expect with the player screens and tiles. Turns out this is an engine building, tile-laying area majority game that is super smooth and slick. Its winning formula isn’t that it’s doing anything new (although maybe it was in 2012!), but what it does do is beautifully streamlined making it a gaming delight.
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Hot Streak
Hot Streak is the only game on the list I don’t actually own. However, I have got to play this game of racing and betting on team mascots thrice, all courtesy of my insta-pal Mike (aka @huffnomore). This game is full of unexpected twists and turns as mascots fall down, get trampled, or even turn around and run the wrong way! The carnage is incredible and while I’m not sure how much strategy is in the game, the cheers, jeers and laughs it provides is fantastic. I really do think it is a hilarious way to spend 20 minutes.
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Moon Colony Bloodbath
If you read my review, you know I have enjoyed the slow and painful demise that Moon Colony Bloodbath provides. This is a tableau builder and very quickly becomes a tableau destroyer as you scramble to have some citizens left at the end of the game. I’ve heard comments about the game playing the players, rather than the other way around. I can see that viewpoint, however, I think it is the collaborative but competitive experience that makes this game feel fresh and different. I reckon I won’t be the only one to feature this in a list of best new games of 2025.
© boardgamereview.co.uk
PlayProp
I was truly surprised how much tense fun you can have with a cup, two dice and corks on string! Adding up to seven and looking for doubles on the two dice suddenly feels extreme. This is such a simple game and yet addictive, tense, funny and just generally a jolly good game.
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Smallfolk
I have only played Smallfolk in its advanced prototype form which I had to forward on to someone else once I had written my preview. It is a board game I have missed it ever since. I like it so much I upgraded to the deluxe edition when it was on Kickstarter earlier this year and I am eagerly awaiting my copy to arrive in late 2026. At the time of writing, the late pledge for this crowd-funded game is still open so you can help bring this game to life is you haven’t already too.
© boardgamereview.co.uk
Toy Battle
There can only be one board game that tops the list of my most played game of the year. Notching up 31 plays in real life, Toy Battle claims that crown for 2025. I can see why too. It is fast and snappy, and while there is a bit of luck in which tiles you draw, there is still enough to think about to make each play interesting. Plus, with different battlefields included in the box, there is plenty to keep you coming back for more! Accessible for all ages and with a fun theme, this two player game is a winner!
© boardgamereview.co.uk
What the Family Thought
I asked the rest of the family what their top three new to them games were in 2025, here is what they said…
Max (11): Hot Streak, Toy Battle, and Whirly Derby.
George (14): Architects of Amytis, Playprop, and Trickarus.
Harrison (17): Australis, Chandigarh, and For A Crown.
Shelley (46): Architects of Amytis, Fromage, and Moon Colony Bloodbath.
