Best Board Games of 2015 | Top 20

These are the best board games of 2015. You remember that year, Hamilton is blowing people’s minds, Deflategate happens, Uptown Funk and Hotline Bling are dominating the radio, people can’t tell if a dress is blue or gold, Back to the Future Day happens, Jon Snow gets some unfortunate news, people are up in arms about Cecil the lion, Ashley Madison is hacked, Mad Men ends and so does Jon Stewert’s 16+ year run on the Daily Show. There is always plenty of good and plenty of bad, but for now at least, here is some good. Below please find the best board games of 2015.

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#20 | Raptor

Just making the cut of the best board games of 2015 is a game about a dinosaur. Raptor is a card-driven boardgame with tactical play and some double guessing. Mamma Raptor has escaped from her run and laid her eggs in the park. A team of scientists must neutralize her and capture the baby raptors before they run wild into the forest. Players use their cards to move their pawns (scientists on one side, Mother and baby raptors on the other) on the board. This strategy game fit for the family is for 2 players and will last about 25 minutes.

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#19 | Mombasa

In Mombasa, another game just making the list of the best board games of 2015, players acquire shares of chartered companies based in Mombasa, Cape Town, Saint-Louis, and Cairo and propagate trading posts of these companies throughout the African continent in order to earn the most money. The game features a unique, rotating-display hand-mechanism that drives gameplay. Each round players choose action cards from their hand, then reveal them simultaneously and carry out the actions. For 2 – 4 players and will last about 75 – 150 minutes.

FOR MORE: Buy Mombasa on Amazon

#18 | Fury of Dracula

The third edition of Fury of Dracula features all-new art and graphic design crafted to complement the game’s intuitive, thematic mechanisms. Rounds are now broken into day and night, with hunters taking actions during both, while Dracula can act only at night. Combat is now more streamlined and decisive, and new rumor tokens allow Dracula to mislead hunters and extend the terrible reach of his influence. The fourth edition uses miniatures and some other rules instead. For 2 – 5 players and will last 2 – 5 hours. Not only is this entry on the list of the best board games of 2015 about a cool well-known character, but it is a fun game that can stand on its own.

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#17 | Between Two Cities

Between Two Cities is a partnership-driven tile-drafting game in which each tile represents part of a city: factory, shop, park, landmarks, etc. You work with the player on your left to design the heart of one city, and with the player on your right to design the heart of another city. At the end of the game, each city is scored for its livability. To win, you have to share your attention and your devotion between two cities. For 1 – 7 players and games clock at a quick 25 minutes. As for this list of the best games of 2015, it is hard to be satisfying at 7 players and they have done it.

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#16 | XCOM: The Board Game

In XCOM: The Board Game, you and up to three friends assume the roles of the leaders of the elite, international organization known as XCOM. It is your job to defend humanity, quell the rising panic, and turn back the alien invasion. To win, you must make strategic use of the resources available to you. You must attack alien UFOs, assign soldiers to key missions, research technology, and defend your base — all while trying to keep the world safe. Games are for 1 – 4 players and will last about 1 – 2 hours. In case you didn’t know, this entry on the list of the best board games of 2015 is based on an award-winning strategy console game.

FOR MORE: XCOM: The Board Game Page | Games Like XCOM: The Board Game | Buy XCOM: The Board Game on Amazon

#15 | Trickerion: Legends of Illusion

Trickerion is a competitive Euro-style strategy game set in a fictional world inspired by the late 19th-century urban life and culture, spiced with a pinch of supernatural. Players take on the roles of rival stage illusionists, each with unique traits. They are striving for fortune and fame in a competition hosted by a legendary magician, looking for a successor worthy of the mighty Trickerion Stone. This card and board-driven strategy game is for 2 – 4 players and will last about 1 – 3 hours.

FOR MORE: Buy Trickerion on Amazon

#14 | Potion Explosion

The rules are always the same: Take an ingredient marble from the dispenser and watch the others fall. If you connect marbles of the same color, they explode and you can take them, too! Complete your potions using the marbles you collect, and drink them to unleash their magical power. You need to be quick and you’ll need to brew the most valuable potions. This pattern recognition puzzle game is for 2 – 4 players and will run about 30 – 45 minutes. It is great seeing magic represented on the list of the best board games of 2015 with this game and the list item prior.

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#13 | Grand Austria Hotel

Starting to get into the elite of the elite on the list of the best board games of 2015 is Grand Austra Hotel. In the thick of the Viennese modern age, exquisite cafés are competing for customers. Inspiring artists, politicians, and tourists from all over the world are populating Vienna and in need of a hotel. This is your opportunity to turn your little café into a world-famous hotel. Hire staff, please guests, and gain the emperor’s favor. Only then will your café become the Grand Austria Hotel. This dice rolling, hand management strategy game is for 2 – 4 players and will last about 1 – 2 hours.

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#12 | Champions of Midgard

Champions of Midgard is a Viking-themed, worker placement game with dice rolling in which players are leaders of Viking clans who have traveled to an embattled harbor town to help defend it against the threat of mythological Norse beasts. By defeating these epic creatures, players gain glory and the favor of the gods. When the game ends, the player who has earned the most glory earns the title of Jarl and is recognized as a champion of Midgard! For 2 – 4 players and will last about 1 – 1.5 hours. Easily one of the most epic games on the list of the best board games of 2015.

FOR MORE: Champions of Midgard Page | How To Play Champions of Midgard | Champions of Midgard Review | Games Like Champions of Midgard | Buy Champions of Midgard on Amazon

#11 | Raiders of the North Sea

Raiders of the North Sea is set in the central years of the Viking Age. As Viking warriors, players seek to impress the Chieftain by raiding unsuspecting settlements. Players will need to assemble a crew, collect provisions and journey north to plunder gold, iron and livestock. This dice rolling hand management worker placement strategy game for 2 – 4 players that will clock in at 60 – 80 minutes. Another back to back topic on the list of the best board games of 2015, Vikings are a hot theme.

FOR MORE: Raiders of the North Sea Page | Games Like Raider of the North Sea | Buy Raiders of the North Sea on Amazon

#10 | The Gallerist

Right in the middle of the list of the best board games of 2015 is The Gallerist. Combining the elements of an Art dealer, museum curator, and Artists’ manager, you are about to take on that job! You will promote and nurture Artists; buy, display, and sell their Art; and build your reputation. As a result, you will achieve the respect needed to draw visitors to your Gallery from all over the world. Build your fortune by running the most lucrative Gallery and secure your reputation as a world-class Gallerist! This strategy game is for 1 – 4 players and will run about 60 – 150 minutes.

FOR MORE: The Gallerist Page | Games Like The Gallerist | Buy The Gallerist on Amazon

#09 | The Voyages of Marco Polo

In The Voyages of Marco Polo, players recreate the journey of 17-year-old Marco Polo in 1271, with each player having a different character and special power in the game. The game is played over five rounds. Each round, the players roll their five personal dice and can perform one action each turn with them such as get resources, buy or travel. This strategy game is for 2 – 4 players and will last about 40 – 100 minutes.

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#08 | Star Wars: Armada

In Star Wars: Armada, you assume the role of fleet admiral, serving with either the Imperial Navy or Rebel Alliance. You assemble your fleet and engage the enemy. Using the game’s unique maneuver tool, you steer your capital ships across the battlefield, even while squadrons of starfighters buzz around them. Then, as these ships exchange fire, it’s your job to issue the tactical commands. This thematic war game is for 2 players and will run about 2 hours per game. There is always a great Star Wars game on the lists and the list of the best board games of 2015 is no different. Armada is a great new game from the stoic franchise.

FOR MORE: Buy Star Wars Armada on Amazon

#07 | T.I.M.E Stories

T.I.M.E Stories is a narrative game, a game of “decksploration”. Each player is free to give their character as deep a “role” as they want, in order to live through a story, as much in the game as around the table. But it’s also a board game with rules which allow for reflection and optimization. There are various missions for the characters to go on and the object is then to complete it in as few attempts as possible. For 2 – 4 players and will take about 90 minutes. If you like being taken on a ride versus making all the decisions, this game on the list of the best board games of 2015 is for you.

FOR MORE: Buy T.I.M.E Stories on Amazon

#06 | Tiny Epic Galaxies

In Tiny Epic Galaxies, each player controls a galactic empire, aiming to expand their influence by acquiring highly contested planets and increasing their cosmic armada. The game revolves around an innovative dice-rolling combo mechanic. The number of dice you roll is determined by the strength of your galaxy. Each die is engraved with symbols representing the various actions you can take. Games are for 1 – 5 players and will last about 30 – 45 minutes.

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#05 | Blood Rage

In Blood Rage, each player controls their own Viking clan’s warriors, leader, and ship. Ragnarök has come, and it’s the end of the world! It’s the Vikings’ last chance to go down in a blaze of glory and secure their place in Valhalla at Odin’s side! For a Viking, there are many pathways to glory. You can invade and pillage the land for its rewards, crush your opponents in epic battles, fulfill quests, increase your clan’s stats, or even die gloriously. For 2 – 4 players that will run 1 – 1.5 hours. Easily the top area control game on the list of the best board games of 2015.

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#04 | Mysterium

In Mysterium, one player takes the role of ghost while everyone else represents a medium. To solve the crime, the ghost must first recall (with the aid of the mediums) all of the suspects present on the night of the murder. A number of suspect, location and murder weapon cards are placed on the table, and the ghost randomly assigns one of each of these in secret to a medium. This deduction party game is for 2 – 7 players and will last around 40 minutes. For mystery, deduction and group gaming, look no further than this number four entry on the list of the best board games of 2015.

FOR MORE: Mysterium Page | How To Play Mysterium | Games Like Mysterium | Buy Mysterium on Amazon

#03 | 7 Wonders Duel

We normally would not add a followup to the list of the best board games of 2015 , especially so high, but with what 7 Wonders Duel accomplished, they deserve it. The game is similar to the original 7 Wonders but is different in that the game is solely for two players, with the players not drafting cards simultaneously from hands of cards, but from a display of face-down and face-up cards arranged at the start of a round. As in the original game, each card that you acquire can be built, discarded for coins, or used to construct a wonder. This card-drafting civilization-building game will run about 30 minutes.

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#02 | Pandemic: Legacy Season 1

Getting silver on the list of the best board games of 2015 is a legacy one (means continues overs multiple plays of a game). Pandemic Legacy is a co-operative campaign game, with an overarching story-arc played through 12-24 sessions, depending on how well your group does at the game. At the beginning, the game starts very similar to basic Pandemic, in which your team of disease-fighting specialists races against the clock to defeat four plagues before they get out of hand. Then this adds quests, objectives and a campaigning system. The game is for 2 – 4 players and will last about 1 hour.

FOR MORE: Buy Pandemic: Legacy Season 1 on Amazon

#01 | Codenames

The top spot on the list of the best board games of 2015 is earned easily by one of the best party games of the decade, Codenames. Two rival spymasters know the secret identities of 25 agents. Their teammates know the agents only by their CODENAMES. For the game, two teams compete to see who can make contact with all of their agents first. Spymasters give one-word clues that can point to multiple words on the board. Their teammates try to guess words of the right color while avoiding those that belong to the opposing team. This epic party game is for 4 – 12 players and will last about 15 minutes.

FOR MORE: Codenames Page | How To Play Codenames Pictures | Codenames Pictures Review | Games Like Codenames| Buy Codenames on Amazon