My Favorite Games of All Time (21-30) as of 2025

Welcome to this week’s gaming post! This is the second post in my four-part series as we count down my top 40 games this year. If you missed last week’s list, then I recommend you check that out here. There are a few games that have fallen, a number that have remained steady, and two new games to the list in today’s batch. I’m really enjoying this series so far, so without further ado, let’s jump into the games.

I’ve always enjoyed the hand management system in Concordia. However, it hasn’t made it to the table recently, which is likely the reason it has fallen so much. Another medium-weight euro with smooth gameplay, I really should try to get this game out again soon.

People often mention the card draw luck in Viticulture as the reason why they dislike the game; however, as long as I’m playing with the Tuscany expansion, and with no more than four players, I’m able to look past the game’s flaws. It helps that the game is themed around running an Italian vineyard. 

Campaign games will always struggle to hold their ranking for me because I only have so much time to dedicate to these style of games. I really enjoyed my playthrough of Sleeping Gods: Distant Skies, even if the later part of the game had its flaws. I haven’t found the time to return since though, which is why it’s fallen so much. I also need to find time to play the first Sleeping Gods. Overall, I still really enjoy the Sleeping Gods system, as the sense of exploration is excellent since you’ll only see a small fraction of the game’s content in a single playthrough.

Arguably the most surprising new edition to this list, Bomb Busters is amazingly addictive (shout out to our board game friends who introduced us to this!). This cooperative game where players are attempting to “clip” all of the wires before the bomb explodes by matching tiles from your hand with others at the table. I’ve had sessions where our gaming group will plan to only play a game or two and before we know it, this game will have dominated the entire game night because of the excellent “one more game” feeling. There are also 66 different missions in the core box that offer different challenges to keep repeat plays feeling fresh. If you’re looking for a light, cooperative game, I can’t recommend this Spiel des Jahres winner enough.

I wouldn’t consider myself a big fan of the Lovecraftian genre; however, I love the mix of storytelling and deckbuilding in Arkham Horror: The Card Game. I’m still working my way through latest expansion, The Drowned City, but at this point, there is easily enough released content to date to keep anyone who’s a fan of Living-Card-Games (LCGs) busy for quite some time.

Even though the theme is almost entirely nonexistent, I really enjoy the mix of worker placement, where all players are using the same dice values, combined with the engine-building in Lorenzo il Magnifico. Additionally, the Houses of Renaissance adds some nice variety that keeps me wanting to return. The game can feel punishing at times depending on the luck of the dice, but that doesn’t keep this game from still being one of my favorites.

The Gallerist has one of the most unique themes in a board game. Your job is to take on the role of art dealer, museum curator, and artists’ manager as you attempt to run the most successful gallery out of the group. I particularly enjoy how you can invest in an artist early in their career and then profit once they become more notable. The game is also striking on the table with the majority of art pieces in the game are from real world artists from around the world.

I’ll admit, the more I play Wingspan, the more I’m able to notice its flaws. There’s a fair amount of luck, and I’m not entirely convinced that all of the birds are entirely balanced. However, I still enjoy the game, particularly at two or three players. The card art for the birds in the game is also gorgeous. Personally, I find the Oceania expansion to be essential.

Civolution is very much a flawed game. The game can run long, be difficult to teach, and there’s a fair amount of luck from dice. However, it’s still one of my favorite sandbox style games. There’s so much variety that each play is guaranteed to feel unique. Unfortunately, due to the issues above, I’ll likely end up playing this game more often solo than multiplayer, but even then, it’s still a favorite of mine. If you’re interested in my full thoughts on the game, pros, cons, and all, then you can read them here.

I love the simultaneous gameplay in Earth. Another tableau, engine-building game, the game manages to provide plenty of interesting tactical decision-making without overstaying its welcome. I have yet to try the first expansion Abundance, and I’m aware that there’s another expansion planned to release next year. However, even with just the base game, I don’t imagine I’ll get tired of Earth anytime soon.

With that, those are my top 21-30 games as of 2025, and stay tuned for the next batch! Let me know what some of your favorite games are, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of the games I’ve mentioned or future content suggestions in the comments below. Happy gaming!

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