2025 was a banner year for the gaming world. Whether you’re a fan of pure strategy, wacky atmospheres, or intense cooperative gameplay, here’s a selection (in no particular order) of the titles that graced our gaming tables this year.
This ranking is presented in no particular order , because each of these games shines in its category and deserves its place.
Toy Battle
Toy Battle is a super-fast 2-player fighting game where you lead an army of wacky toys in a strategic and explosive battle.
Why is it a must-have?
Awarded the As d’Or “Game of the Year” 2026 , it manages to condense all the excitement of a miniatures game into games of only 15 minutes, thanks to the combined talent of Paolo Mori and Alessandro Zucchini.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for children aged 8 and up, and for parents who want dynamic, fun and fast-paced duels with immediately accessible rules.
Flip 7
FLIP 7 is a thrilling card game for 3 or more players, based on the “stop or go” mechanic where you have to take risks to turn over the right cards without messing up.
Why is it a must-have?
Created by Eric Olsen and Catch Up Games, it promises laughter and maximum tension thanks to a simple but devilishly addictive system, where luck can change at any moment.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for livening up your evenings with friends or family from age 8 onwards with quick games (20 minutes) full of twists and turns.
Sankoré
Sankoré: The Pride of Mansa Moussa is an expert management game where 1 to 4 players run the prestigious university of Mali in the 14th century to spread knowledge across West Africa.
Why is it a must-have?
This is a strategic gem signed by renowned authors (Fabio Lopiano and Mandela Fernandez-Grandon), offering a dynamic stock selection system and fascinating historical depth served by the magnificent illustrations of Ian O’Toole.
Ideal for: 1 to 4 players, fans of expert and strategy games.
Agent Avenue
Agent Avenue is a 15-minute tactical duel for 2 players where you must recruit secret agents using a clever “I share, you choose” mechanic.
Why is it a must-have?
Published by IELLO, this game shines with its formidable simplicity and constant psychological tension, forcing each player to anticipate the opponent’s intentions in order to secure the best characters.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for duos who enjoy fast-paced card games, featuring an original animal theme and rules that can be learned in less than two minutes.
Zenith
Zenith is an award-winning tactical strategy game where 2 to 4 players compete for control of a 5-planet system through diplomacy and technological advancement.
Why is it a must-have?
It’s the grand prize winner of the 2026 As d’Or “Initié” award , guaranteeing a deep yet accessible gaming experience. Its reputation rests on a perfect balance between pure tactics and interaction, supported by a modern art direction that has already won over critics.
Ideal for: Competitive duos or 4-player team games .
Take time
Take Time is a cooperative deduction game with limited communication where 2 to 4 players must collaborate silently to place their cards while respecting the constraints of 40 evolving clocks.
Why is it a must-have?
Considered one of the great successes of 2025, this title renews the genre of “shared silence” (like The Mind ) by adding a campaign of 10 envelopes to unlock that reinvent the rules and the challenge at each stage.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for groups of friends or families who enjoy taking on collective challenges based on logic, synchronization, and mutual understanding without a word.
Tag Team
Tag Team is a 2-player fighting game that blends auto-battler and deck-building, where you form a duo of fighters to unleash explosive combos.
Why is it a must-have?
This title from Scorpion Masqué succeeds in adapting the sensations of fighting video games into a fast, tactical and intensely nervous board game.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for competitive duos aged 10 and up who are looking for strategic and programmed confrontations in tense 20-minute sessions.
The Druids of Edora
Druids of Edora is a strategy game for 2 to 4 players where you play as druids in the heart of an enchanted forest, collecting runes and resources to perform prestigious rituals.
Why is it a must-have?
Signed by renowned author Stefan Feld and published by Alea, this title offers remarkable tactical depth, providing a demanding mystical journey with perfectly oiled mechanics.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for passionate players aged 14 and over who enjoy strategic challenges and dice management.
Finspan
Finspan is an underwater collection and tableau-building game for 1 to 5 players where you build your own game engine by observing over 135 species of fish.
Why is it a must-have?
The newest addition to the famous Wingspan range , it retains the scientific and visual excellence of its predecessors while offering a more accessible and immersive experience in the heart of the oceans.
Ideal for:
This title is ideal for nature lovers and families aged 10 and up who want to discover the depth of engine-building through games of about an hour.
Eternal Deck
Eternal Decks is a cooperative card game for 1 to 4 players. Join forces to overcome increasing challenges in a mysterious world dominated by Eternals, creatures with mystical powers.
Why is it a must-have?
This title stands out for its tactical demands and unique blend of deck-building and limited communication, offering an intense collective challenge where every card played is a crucial choice.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for puzzle and cooperation enthusiasts aged 10 and up who enjoy solving complex and strategic puzzles as a team.
Rebirth
Rebirth is a strategic tile-laying game for 2 to 4 players in which you play as clan leaders tasked with restoring the lands and castles of a futuristic Scotland in harmony with nature.
Why is it a must-have?
Signed by the legendary Reiner Knizia, this title revisits the classic tile-laying genre with rare elegance, combining fluid mechanics with a magnificent and hopeful “solarpunk” universe.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for Eurogames enthusiasts aged 10 and up who are looking for a deep yet soothing tactical challenge through games lasting approximately one hour.
Daybreak
Daybreak is a cooperative game for 1 to 4 players where you collaborate to decarbonize the planet and build societies resilient to global warming.
Why is it a must-have?
Designed by Matt Leacock (the author of Pandemic ), this prestigious title won the Kennerspiel des Jahres 2024 and was nominated for the As d’Or “Expert” in 2025 for its ability to transform a complex ecological challenge into an exciting and necessary playful experience.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for groups of players aged 10 and up who enjoy collective strategic challenges and want to explore environmental solutions through a rich and rewarding game engine.
Slay the Spire: The Board Game
Slay the Spire: The Board Game is a cooperative deck-building game for 1 to 4 players where you play as unique heroes climbing a perilous tower to eliminate the villain.
Why is it a must-have?
It is a faithful and brilliant adaptation of the cult video game, successfully transposing its addictive combo system and powerful relics into a rich physical experience with generous components.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for strategy and deck-building enthusiasts aged 12 and up who want to experience the intensity of the original “roguelike” in solo or cooperative mode.
SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence is an expert Eurogame for 1 to 4 players in which you lead a space institution tasked with analyzing the solar system in search of traces of extraterrestrial life.
Why is it a must-have?
A true declaration of love for scientific exploration and astronomy, this title stands out for its thematic realism and strategic depth, which has been rewarded with several awards, offering a pleasant management and technology experience.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for expert players aged 14 and over who are looking for an immersive and complex scientific simulation during intense sessions that can last up to 160 minutes.
Stupor Mundi
Stupor Mundi is an expert game for 1 to 4 players in which you play as vassals tasked with developing your kingdom and building your castle within the empire of Frederick II.
Why is it a must-have?
Signed by Nestore Mangone (author of Darwin’s Journey ), this title offers rich and strategic hand management, inviting you to recruit allies throughout the Mediterranean to optimize your structures and influence.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for passionate players of complex strategy games aged 12 and up who enjoy deep optimization challenges during sessions of approximately 150 minutes.
KIKAI : Bricolage Heads
Kikai – Bricolage Heads is an asymmetrical strategy game for 2 players featuring a brother and sister in a street art competition inspired by urban Japan.
Why is it a must-have?
It offers a unique mechanical blend of tactical placement and optimization, all enhanced by a singular artistic direction at the crossroads of manga and European comics.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for two players aged 12 and over looking for a creative, tense and original duel during sessions of approximately 90 minutes.
Leaders
Leaders is a strategic 2-player head-to-head game in which you recruit unique champions and maneuver on a grid to capture the opposing leader.
Why is it a must-have?
It is a game that shines with its simplicity and tension: here, there are no massive armies, but pure tactical thinking where audacity and placement make all the difference to win this palace duel.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for duos aged 10 and up who are looking for a fast-paced, exciting, and highly replayable puzzle challenge in just 20 minutes.
Saltfjord
Saltfjord is a strategy game for 1 to 4 players in which you manage a 19th-century Norwegian fishing village, developing its trade and technologies.
Why is it a must-have?
Based on the dice-rolling mechanics of the famous Santa Maria , this title has been completely redesigned and enhanced to offer a deeper management experience, driven by an immersive historical and maritime theme.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for expert players aged 14 and over who enjoy optimization, worker placement and tableau-building during sessions of approximately 90 minutes.
Flatiron
Flatiron is a strategy game for 2 players that immerses you in early 20th century New York to participate in the construction of the famous iron building.
Why is it a must-have?
Designed by the talented duo behind The Red Cathedral and The White Castle , this title offers remarkable tactical depth while remaining more accessible. Enhanced by Weberson Santiago’s unique artwork, it shines with its action optimization system and the constant tension of monitoring the opponent.
Ideal for:
This game is ideal for pairs of experienced players who enjoy building efficient game engines, managing their public image, and tackling demanding placement challenges in fast-paced, tense games.
Civolution
Civolution is an expert-level Eurogame for 1 to 4 players, where you guide the evolution of an entire civilization through a complex and evolving technology tree.
Why is it a must-have?
This is the latest masterpiece from Stefan Feld ( The Castles of Burgundy , Marrakesh ). A true event in the world of games, the game uses an ingenious dice selection mechanism to trigger actions on an impressive central board, offering almost infinite strategic depth.
Ideal for:
This title is ideal for expert players aged 14 and up who are looking for a dense, rich and highly rewarding management experience, with epic games that can last up to 2.5 hours.
What is the best board game of 2025?
Whether you enjoy expert strategy , deckbuilding , historical management , or cooperative experiences , this selection covers the must-have gems for a year full of discoveries.
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🧸 Toy Battle : the best of tactical combat.
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🃏 Slay the Spire : the king of deckbuilding finally on the tabletop.
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🏺 Sankoré : the masterpiece of strategic management.
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🌊 Saltfjord : the best of dice drafting and optimization.
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🏛️ Civolution : The Civilizing Experiment by Stefan Feld
- 🚀 SETI : the ultimate scientific immersion in space
- 🏴 Rebirth : the renewal of tile placement by Knizia.
👉 And you, what game was your biggest favorite in 2025?
