Our favorite board games of 2022

We love board games here. Whether it’s a card game, board game, RPG, or something else entirely, there are tons of great board games out there with more to come. A few of us writers here at GeekTyrant have come together to list some of our favorites from the past year. Keep in mind that the game doesn’t have to be new in 2022, but it does have to be new to us. Let us know in the comments which are your favorites.

Tommy Williams

• Back window

  • Designer: Sala Prospero

  • Publisher: Funko Games

Back window it’s a really fun co-op game that reminds me a lot of another great game, Mysterium. One player provides clues to other players in the form of pictures. Of course, each image can easily indicate different aspects of the room, including the person or the roles of the characters. It’s a really fun game that tests your ability to communicate without words and your play partners’ ability to catch what you’re saying.

• 3000 scoundrels

  • Designer: Corey Konieczka, Unexpected Games

  • Publisher: Asmodee

3000 scoundrels it uses transparent cards very well and offers almost infinite replayability. Some of the card combinations are fun to play and some are really fun to read. Every time I’ve taken the game out to play, it’s been a really good time for everyone with a few different strategies you can aim for to allow for some different playstyles. The bluffing mechanic is well designed and doesn’t punish bad liars too much, while giving those who call the bluff a bit of a boost. It also works really well with two players for those game nights where nobody wants to come.

• Um, actually

  • Designer: Peter Nesbitt, Connor Reid, Mike Trapp

  • Publisher: Wiggles 3D

I love to watch Um, actually on Dropout and was thrilled when they launched Kickstarter for a game based on the show. I finally got my copy about a month ago and it’s so much fun. I will say that you have to have the right people to play with. I originally went to play with a few people which didn’t make it fun, but I pulled it off with other friends and it was a blast. The rules say the role of the host shifts with each question, but we were playing virtually so we played it with just one person acting as the host and it was a pleasure. I was the host and it was so much fun hearing what people were guessing for some of the questions where they clearly didn’t know the answers. Definitely a highlight for me and I’m excited to bring it out over the holidays.

Daniel Black

• Empire of Twilight

  • Designer: James Kniffen

  • Publisher: Fantasy Flight Games

I love complex and intense board games, but sometimes their sheer amount of rules never equates to impressive strategy, clever foresight, and adaptive gameplay. Basically, a good game should offer as many thoughtful choices as it does complex rules. Empire of Twilight it may seem a bit scary at first due to the multiple tabs, loads of symbols and unique factions. But that actual play and moment-to-moment gameplay is fast and consistent. I love how much this game encourages unique strategies for earning points based on which faction you are dealt or which boards you have. I loved the visual design, roll-and-write format, and thematic mechanics. This is hands down one of my new favorite games, sitting comfortably in my top 10 board games, and well worth your time and effort to learn and play.

Anna Williams

• Call of Cthulhu

  • Publisher: Chaosium

Call of Cthulhu it’s obviously not a brand new game in 2022, but it’s the first year I’ve finally been able to actually play it. After years of reading and listening to live plays of the game, I was finally able to get a group together to play some games and it was so much fun. It’s a surprisingly liberating game for people to run since the point is to drive your player characters insane or kill them. If you’re scared of killing player characters in other games, you have to give Call of Cthulhu an attempt to help you overcome that fear. I ended up having so much fun playing this game and after reading through many different scenarios and rulebooks, I have tremendous respect for the Chaosium team who help make this game possible. They really do a great job of helping you learn about historical context and how to help converse with your group about tackling difficult topics.

• CATAN: The dawn of humanity

  • Designers: Klaus Teuber, Benjamin Teuber

  • Publisher: CATAN Studio

Settlers of Catan is a classic game and was one of the games that introduced me to board games outside of Land of Sweets and Slides and ladders. While I like the original settlersI finally moved on to other games after not liking some of the expansions that had come out. The dawn of humanity changed for me. He has shaken up the game so much that it almost feels like a completely separate game. The board is so much more expansive that it feels like you really have room to play and someone can’t completely deflate you by cutting through your road system. I really enjoyed all the new looks and gameplay this brought, definitely making it one of my favorite games this year.

• The Great British Baking Show game

  • Designer: Frederica Scott Vollrath

  • Publisher: Ravensburger

The great British pastry show it’s one of my favorite shows of all time. This card game, while incredibly simple in concept, is really fun and easy to play with a group. Even though I decided to tweak the rules a bit with scoring, I still had a lot of fun. It works very well as a group game. You simply have a stack of ingredient cards and a picture of the thing you’re trying to make and you make it. Like I said, simple. There are ways to get more points and you are competing against other players to get a points bonus for finishing first. It’s just a nice and easy game to play with people who like games but won’t dwell on explanations that take more than 5 minutes to give.