TOP 40-31

 

40. Pandemic Legacy

SPOT: 2024 >> 2025 +6

Publisher: Z-Man Games
Players: 2-4
Playing Time: 60 minutes
Mechanisms: Cooperative Game, Legacy Game, Action Point, Hand Management
Sleeves: TCG 63,5x88mm, OSRB 88x125mm

This spot is for the whole Pandemic Legacy series. I cannot replay Pandemic too much because once I win a coop game, I don't need to play it anymore. Legacy mechanism changed that completely. Each game is a new scenario with new problems to solve. A really good series that is totally worth the money investment.

 

39. Marvel United

SPOT: 2024 >> 2025 -3

Publisher: CMON
Players: 1-4
Playing Time: 40 minutes
Mechanisms: Cooperative Game, Hand Management, Variable Player Powers
Sleeves: TCG 63,5x88mm 

This is a cooperative game with a very easy rule set… which can make you think that the game is very easy. It can be, but with so many expansions there are bosses that will need a few tries and some specific combination of heroes. 
It's not a game that is played all the time but when it hits the table, it always stays for some 3-4 plays at least as it is so quick and players want to try new heroes and new villains.

 

38. World of Warcraft: The Boardgame

SPOT: 2024 >> 2025 -3

Publisher: Fantasy Flight Games
Players: 2-6
Playing Time: 180 minutes
Mechanisms: Area Movement, Dice Rolling, Team-Based Game
Sleeves: MUS 41x63mm, STN 57,5x89mm

This game is old and you can feel it just by reading the rulebook. But if you are a fan of WOW and you want to get some nice vanilla feeling, there is no better board game out there. 
The levelling up in this game is done right. It's one of the best there is. It makes the game go long but the difference between a level 1 character and a level 5 is huge. You really feel like a hero that spent hours levelling up and collecting new gear. 

 

37. The Red Cathedral

SPOT: 2024 >> 2025 -3

Publisher: Devir 
Players: 1-4
Playing Time: 80 minutes
Mechanisms: Area Majority, Contracts, Rondel
Sleeves: MEU 45x68mm

I couldn't believe that such a small box can contain so much game. I love big productions but I would trade many big boxes for such a meaty game. Every decision matter... a big game in a small box.

 

36. Dorfromantik: The Board Game

SPOT: 2024 >> 2025 -11

Publisher: Pegasus Spiele
Players: 1-6
Playing Time: 30-60 minutes
Mechanisms: Cooperative Game, Tile Placement, Scenario / Campaign Game
Sleeves: EUR 59x92mm

I'm not the biggest fan of tile laying games and I almost gave up on this mechanism. I'm not saying that Dorfromantik brought this genre back, but I can now see a light at the end of the tunnel. 
I really like the puzzle-ly twist to the mechanism where players cooperate and plan ahead (much ahead sometimes) to get the best score.
I don't see myself playing this game as an one-off, but I do plan to play a 2nd campaign somewhere in the future.

 

35. Trudvang Legends

SPOT: 2024 >> 2025 -3

Publisher: CMON 
Players: 1-4
Playing Time: 60 minutes
Mechanisms: Cooperative Game, Bag Building, Campaign Game
Sleeves: S70 70x70mm

A massive cooperative story telling game that kept us playing each weekend for months. I never saw my wife so invested in a game as this one. The story is great, the decisions matter and the gameplay is interesting.

 

34. The Quacks of Quedlinburg

SPOT: 2024 >> 2025 -3

Publisher: Schmidt Spiele
Players: 2-4
Playing Time: 45 minutes
Mechanisms: Bag Building, Push your Luck
Sleeves: USA 56x87mm

Push your luck at its best. You have the fate in your hands… but will you listen to the math or will you ask lady luck for one more favour (probably the 10th this game already)? There will be a lot of cursing and laughter at the table… just on the different sides of it.

 

33. World of Yo-Ho

SPOT: 2024 >> 2025 -4

Publisher: IELLO 
Players: 2-4
Playing Time: 45-90 minutes
Mechanisms: Grid Movement, Variable Player Powers
Sleeves: STN 57,5x89mm

This game is one big gimmick... but everybody needs such a game in their collection. Pirating around the seas with a phone instead of a wooden miniature? Getting nice graphics when fighting other players or monsters? This game has it all and is easy enough that the gimmick doesn't get in the way of »serious gaming«.

 

32. Books of Time

SPOT: 2025 NEW

Publisher: Board&Dice
Players: 1-4
Playing Time: 45-60 minutes
Mechanisms: Deck Building, Hand Management, Open Drafting, Set Collection, Solitaire Game
Sleeves: BST 80x120mm

A twist on the deck building genre. Instead of adding cards to your deck, you will add them to your 3 books. Which will be “read” with a later action and the page will be turned. Player will thus have 3 decks where one can be activated more frequently than the others and creating combos without the “luck of the draw” element.

 

31. Dungeons, Dice & Danger

SPOT: 2024 >> 2025 -3

Publisher: Alea
Players: 1-4
Playing Time: 45-60 minutes
Mechanisms: Roll&Write

I'm not a fan of roll and writes... they don't offer enough »game« for my taste, but this one is an exception to the rule. It lasts just long enough that you actually start feeling some consequences of your decisions and yet finishes in time that it's not a boring math exercise.