At the beginning of the year, a friend and I decided to track all of the board games we play throughout the year, and whether they were the first time we had played them. Over the course of 2025, I ended up playing over 100 board and card games that were new to me, not to mention the many games I had replayed. These are my stories.
Two Player
*Watergate*
If you ever wanted to be President or a journalist for the Washington Post, this is the game for you. Watergate is an asymmetric game where one side (Nixon) works to cover up the Watergate scandal and the other (the Post) works to bring it to light, with both sides having different win conditions, cards, and abilities. A really cool aspect of the game is that every card has photographs of the events and people involved with Watergate, as well as some historical context and quotes, letting you learn a bit of history while playing a game one on one.
Ages 12 and up. 2 Players.
Casual
*Thunder Road: Vendetta*
This is a game where you can crash a car into a helicopter to make the car explode. Thunder Road is a magnificently chaotic game where reckless driving is one of the most fun things to do and where you never really feel bad for losing a piece. While Thunder Road is not exactly the most strategy-intensive game, it makes up for that with the sheer ridiculous fun you can create. The fantastic art design of the game should be noted as well, invoking both Mad Max and Wacky Races. This game is one I am always ready to play again and again.
Ages 10 and up. 2 to 4 players.
Group/Party
*Flip 7*
If you need to fill twenty minutes, Flip 7 does a great job of packing that time with fun and excitement. Since the first time playing it, this game has been an MVP at my board game nights, and that is due to its fast, frantic, and simple “push your luck” gameplay. You collect cards and go until either you get 7 cards of different values (from 0 to 12), you hit two cards of the same value, or you decide to stop. The catch is, the higher the value of the card, the more of that card will be in the deck. This game scales incredibly well with bigger groups, and it is for that reason it has been the most-played game for me in 2025.
Ages 8 and up. 3 or more Players.
*Blood on the Clocktower*
Blood on the Clocktower might be my favourite game, period. This “social deception” game pits good against evil, a town against a Demon and their Minions. In this game, every single player has their own unique ability, from having starting information, to protecting other players, to even seeing the exact game state. Played through multiple in-game days, the Demon eliminates another player every night, and the town may execute every day. However, the dead remain playing but lose their abilities, ensuring nobody is left out of the game. In both running and playing this game, I can confirm both are incredibly fun, in that the Storyteller, who runs the game, gets to sculpt what game will be played. This will be a future member of the board game hall of fame.
Ages 15 and up. 6 to 21 Players.
Chunky
*Talisman 5th Edition*
The game that brought along the dubbing of “chunky” into my vocabulary, Talisman really was the right game at the right time. Complex enough to sink your teeth into, but accessible enough for anyone to learn. It escalates in difficulty just enough and has a lot of variability and plenty of events to keep you coming back for more. Also you can assassinate a statue, so that is pretty neat.
Ages 12 and up. 2 to 6 Players.
Dexterity/Art
*Barbecubes*
A simple, cute little game of putting 8-bit pieces of meat onto a tiny grill with little tongs. Very similar to Operation, but with the addition of challenge cards like “place the meat without using your main hand” and a “one mistake, you lose” rule that never feels too punishing because of how quick the game runs. The last one grilling wins!
Ages 8 and up. 2-6 Players.
Campaign
*Bomb Busters*
Defusing bombs is stressful and hard. Fortunately, you and your team are all cute animals! Bomb Busters is a game where you have to team up to cut numbered wires, except you do not know the numbers of your teammates’ wires. However, with your tools, and the way you line your wires in order, you can get the job done. Just be careful not to cut the red wire!
Ages 10 and up. 2 to 5 Players.
Co-Op
*Captain Sonar*
This is a game where teamwork is at a maximum and subtle communication is key. Best played with four to a team, players work together to crew a submarine. The key is that each team has someone who needs to hear the other team, so communication has to be careful as to not give away your location, but also clear enough so your team are all on the same page. Great teambuilding exercise, and a good opportunity to do sailor voices.
Ages 14 and up. 2 to 8 Players.
*A Message from the Stars*
Oft-requested at board game night, A Message from the Stars is a game of alien translation via basic math. The goal is for the “alien” to work with their team to communicate their six secret letters. However, these letters are assigned different values, so you have to figure out not just the letters but which value they have. Another great communication game with a lot of puzzle solving.
Ages 11 and up. 2 to 8 Players.
Easy to Learn
*Space Base*
An engine-building game full to the brim with sci-fi references, Space Base is easy to learn, but hard to master. The key feature of the game is how you can split the roll of two dice to better benefit you, (for example, using dice rolls of 3 and 4 by themselves rather than as 7) and that leads to a lot of strategic upgrades based on your individual playstyle. Space Base is also really relaxed and a good game for chatting while you play.
Ages 14 and up. 2 to 6 Players.
2025 Release
*Sausages*
Sausages is a game where one player asks another a question, and they get a response of “Sausages”. If one side laughs, the other gets a point. That simply is it, that is the core premise of Sausages, and it is some of the most fun one can have in a social setting. Add in additional modifiers (for example, “ask in a fake accent”) and a question like “why should you never wake up a sleepwalker?” becomes a comedic minefield. Fun for the whole family, Sausages became my favourite release of 2025 very easily.
Ages 5 and up. 2 or more Players.
Eat, play, and be merry, and may your 2026 be jolly and bright.
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