25 Cool Tabletop Games You Might Not Know About

• 1

  Agricola

  

  In Agricola (Latin for "farmer"), you're a farmer in a wooden shack with your spouse and little else. On a turn, you get to take only two actions, one for you and one for the spouse, from all the possibilities you'll find on a farm: collecting clay, wood or stone; building fences; and so on. You might think about having kids in order to get more work accomplished, but first you need to expand your house. And what are you going to feed all the little rugrats?

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• 2

  Dominion

  

  You are a monarch, like your parents before you, a ruler of a small pleasant kingdom of rivers and evergreens. Unlike your parents, however, you have hopes and dreams. You want a bigger and more pleasant kingdom, with more rivers and a wider variety of trees. You want a Dominion. In all directions lie fiefs, freeholds, and feodums. All are small bits of land, controlled by petty lords and verging on anarchy. You will bring civilization to these people, uniting them under your banner. But wait. It must be something in the air, several other monarchs have had the exact same idea. You must race to get as much of the unclaimed land as possible, fending them off along the way. To do this you will hire minions, construct buildings, spruce up your castle, and fill the coffers of your treasury. Your parents wouldn't be proud, but your grandparents, would be delighted. 

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• 3

  Dead of Winter

  

  Dead of Winter puts 2-5 players in a small, weakened colony of survivors in a world where most of humanity is either dead or diseased, flesh-craving monsters. Each player leads a faction of survivors with dozens of different characters in the game. Dead of Winter is a meta-cooperative psychological survival game. This means players are working together toward one common victory condition - but for each individual player to achieve victory, he must also complete his personal secret objective. This secret objective could relate to a psychological tick that's fairly harmless to most others in the colony, a dangerous obsession that could put the main objective at risk, a desire for sabotage of the main mission, or (worst of all) vengeance against the colony! Certain games could end with all players winning, some winning and some losing, or all players losing. Work toward the group's goal, but don't get walked all over by a loudmouth who's looking out only for his own interests! Dead of Winter is an experience that can be accomplished only through the medium of tabletop games. It's a story-centric game about surviving through a harsh winter in an apocalyptic world. The survivors are all dealing with their own psychological imperatives, but must still find a way to work together to fight off outside threats, resolve crises, find food and supplies and keep the colony's morale up. Dead of Winter has players making frequent, difficult, heavily- thematic, wildly-varying decisions that often have them deciding between what is best for the colony and what is best for themselves. 

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• 4

  Twilight Struggle

  

  Twilight Struggle seeks to capture the feeling of an earlier era. It's a two-player game simulating the forty-five year dance of intrigue, prestige, and occasional flares of warfare between the Soviet Union and the United States. Twilight Struggle recreates the conflict between the most powerful nation states the world has ever known. The scope of the game covers the entire world as it was found in 1945. Players move units and exert influence in attempts to gain allies and control for their superpower. 

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• 5

  Android: Netrunner

  

  Set in a cyberpunk future, Android: Netrunner is an asymmetrical Living Card Game that pits a megacorporation and its massive resources against the subversive talents of an individualistic runner. The Corp tries to score points by advancing agendas, and the Runner tries to score points by breaking through the Corp's defenses to steal valuable data. The first player to seven points wins the game, but not likely without first suffering some brain damage or bad publicity.

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• 6

  7 Wonders

  

  You are the leader of one of the 7 great cities of the Ancient World. Gather resources, develop commercial routes and affirm your military supremacy. Build your city and erect an architectural wonder which will transcend future times.

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• 7

  Survive: Escape from Atlantis

  

  In this game, you try to lead your people from the sinking central island of Atlantis to the safety of one of four islands nearby. Your people can get there quickly by boat (if they find one) or more slowly by swimming. But it will be a perilous journey as they must avoid Sea Serpents, Whales, and Sharks. When the volcano on Atlantis explodes, the game is over. The player with the most survivor points wins. 

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• 8

  Civilization

  

  Build an empire to stand the test of time. Sid Meier's Civilization: The Board Game gives you complete control of an entire civilization. Players take on the roles of famous historical leaders, each in charge of a unique civilization with their own abilities. Explore a module game board and follow one of four paths to victory as you work your way through the ages. Based on the acclaimed Civilization video game franchise designed by Sid Meier, Civilization: The Board Game similarly puts players in control of a burgeoning empire. Through strategic planning and precise execution, players can mold the civilization of their dreams. Can you build the most powerful army to dominate your opponents? Or will you focus on advancing your technology to someday travel to the stars? However you choose to lead your civilization, greatness is always within reach. 

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• 9

  Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia

  

  In Euphoria, you lead a team of workers (dice) and recruits (cards) to claim ownership of the dystopian world. You will generate commodities, dig tunnels to infiltrate opposing areas, construct markets, collect artifacts, strengthen allegiances, and fulfill secret agendas. 

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• 10

  Firefly: The Game

  

  In Firefly: The Game - based on the popular Firefly television series - players captain their own Firefly-class transport ship, traveling the 'Verse with a handpicked crew of fighters, mechanics and other travelers. As a captain desperate for work, players are compelled to take on any job - so long as it pays. Double-dealing employers, heavy-handed Alliance patrols and marauding Reavers are all in a day's work for a ship's captain at the edge of the 'Verse. Firefly: The Game is a high-end thematic tabletop board game from Gale Force Nine (GF9) and the first in a series of tabletop hobby board games and miniatures games from GF9 set in the Firefly Universe. 

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• 11

  Warhammer Quest

  

  Join forces with legendary heroes to brave the many dangers of a cavernous dungeon. Wield potent weapons and magic. Conquer hordes of vile monsters. Discover fabulous treasures! Warhammer Quest: The Adventure Card Game is a cooperative game of heroic dungeon adventures for one to four players. Players assume the roles of some of the Old World's most iconic heroes, then venture into the shadows to battle ghouls, Goblins, Skaven, giant bats, swarms of rats and other monsters. Can you survive their relentless onslaught? Can you press deeper into their lair to find the evil villain that drives them forward? There are only two ways for your quest to end - in death or in glory. 

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• 12

  Heroes Wanted

  

  In Heroes Wanted, players will play costumed superhero-hopefuls, attempting to fulfill their dreams of becoming a member of Zeta City's exclusive crime fighting super team, The Champions of Zeta City. Each time you play, you will choose a scenario and face a different villain (or villains), but the objective remains the same: gaining as much fame as possible by KO'ing minions, completing headlines, and thwarting the villain. At the end of each game, the superhero with the most fame is the winner and joins the prestigious ranks of The Champions of Zeta City. 

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• 13

  Merchant of Venus

  

  The galaxy is bursting with opportunities for savvy space traders to exploit, and the race to profit blasts off in Merchant of Venus. Discover new alien cultures and learn where you can get rich selling their goods in this board game of interstellar trade and exploration for 1-4 players. From your First Contact with alien cultures to the establishment of trade routes and spaceports, your quest for cash demands you keep on the move. Successful traders will quickly locate fast and reliable trade routes, timing their purchases and sales with the interest in the market. Featuring a double-sided board, Merchant of Venus offers rules for both Richard Hamblen's classic game and Rob Kouba's re-imagined version. Space traders, get your ships ready for launch because it's time to engage in some wild entrepreneurship. 

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• 14

  Colt Express

  

  It is 1899 and the Union Pacific Express is headed to the Nice Valley Coal Company to deliver their payroll and 47 passengers. Suddenly the train is attacked by thievin' bandits! Will the outlaws keep their cool or will Marshal Samuel Ford save the day and prevent the robbery? Players will plan ahead and play cards to steal the most loot, shoot their opponents, move around the train and elude Marshal Ford. Will you be the richest bandit in the outlaw gang? 

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• 15

  City of Remnants

  

  In City of Remnants players take on the roles of gang leaders each one with unique qualities and motivations. Players will struggle to control the city but only the winner can decide the city's future. Many paths to victory lay before you. Bid for gang members who provide a variety of shady skills. Get an edge with weapons and other sundrys from the black market. Build districts that can provide you with advantages production and income but beware because a greedy opponent might sweep in and take over the work of your own hands. 

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• 16

  Small World

  

  In Small World, players vie for conquest and control of a world that is simply too small to accommodate them all. Designed by Philippe Keyaerts as a fantasy follow-up to his award-winning Vinci, Small World is inhabited by a zany cast of characters such as dwarves, wizards, amazons, giants, orcs and even humans; who use their troops to occupy territory and conquer adjacent lands in order to push the other races off the face of the earth. Picking the right combination from the 14 different fantasy races and 20 unique special powers, players rush to expand their empires - often at the expense of weaker neighbors. Yet they must also know when to push their own over-extended civilization into decline and ride a new one to victory! 

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• 17

  Discworld: Ankh-Morpork

  

  Welcome to Ankh Morpork the oldest, greatest, and most odorous city on Terry Pratchett's Discworld, a place where trouble is always in the cards. Be one of seven personalities vying for ultimate control of this proud and pestilent city, using your cunning and guile to complete your secret agenda. Along the way you'll encounter wizards, assassins, watchmen and thieves, all of whom will affect your fortunes and continually change the fate of this mercantile metropolis. Each visit to Ankh Morpork promises a unique player experience, combining rich visual styling's and multifaceted gameplay. 

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• 18

  The Golden City

  

  From far away the adventurers come to the island with the golden city in its center. Having just arrived to the island, the first shops are opened directly at the coast. From there, it is possible to open up others in the villages along the street connections. That's worth it because by that you'll get goods, keys, money and concessions which you need for getting ahead. And finally, someone will be able to establish himself in the Golden City and thus get the most precious trading contracts. 

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• 19

  Acquire

  

  As a powerful real estate tycoon, there are only seven hotel chains in the world worthy of your attention. You must vie against other businesses to manipulate construction, capitalize on mergers buying, trading, etc. 

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• 20

  Alhambra

  

  In Granada, one of the most impressive building projects of the Middle Ages has begun the construction of Alhambra. A palace, fortress, and a small city, all-in-one. Alhambra is made up of the world's most beautiful gardens, pavilions, chambers and towers. The most prominent builders in all of Europe and Arabia want to demonstrate their skills in building Alhambra. Employ the most talented teams of builders to construct your Alhambra. Hire stonemasons from the north and gardeners from the south, who all want a fair wage and insist on being paid with their native currency. With their help, towers can be constructed, gardens designed, pavilions and mezzanines erected, and manors and royal chambers built. Compete against your opponents to build the greatest and most impressive Alhambra. 

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• 21

  Bang

  

  When a man with a pistol meets a man with a Winchester, you might say that the one with the pistol is a dead man, unless his pistol is a Volcanic, In the wild west, the Outlaws hunt the Sheriff, the Sheriff hunts the Outlaws, and the Renegade plots in secret, ready to join one side or the other. Before long, bullets start to fly, Which gunmen are Deputies, ready to sacrifice themselves for the Sheriff? And which are the merciless Outlaws, looking to gun him down? 

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• 22

  Atlantis

  

  You control a faction in beautiful Atlantis, the glorious civilization built upon the sea. No other city rivals its power. None command such riches. Now, the link between the land and your beloved home of Atlantis is crumbling. You must race to move your people along the great bridge to the mainland before it disappears into the thundering waters below. Picking up artifacts as you move, you must be wary of creating gaps in the bridge. For as the gaps proliferate and widen, those behind you face a costly-even perilous-journey to safety. So, flee with care and cunning. Be the first to guide your people to their new haven. 

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• 23

  Set

  

  Race to find as many SETs as you can—the player with the most SETs at the end of the game wins! Play SET solo or with as many people as you can fit around the table! It's perfect for travel, parties or as a quick after-dinner game. Fast-moving and fun, SET is a perfect for any get-together with family and friends! It's triple matching mania that anybody can play, but nobody can stop! SET, although made as a game of fun, has a ton of educational value. 

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• 24

  Hanabi

  

  In this challenging cooperative card game, players work together to launch a spectacular firework display. Trouble is, it's dark out, so you can't really see what you are working with. Each player holds their cards so that only the other players can see them. They must give each other vital information and remember all the information received. Then use the information to choose which cards to play. Helping each other play the right cards at the right time is the key to creating an unforgettable show and avoid being booed by the audience. 

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• 25

  Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game

  

  Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game is an exciting game of mistrust, intrigue, and the struggle for survival. Based on the epic and widely-acclaimed Sci-Fi Channel series, Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game puts players in the role of one of ten of their favorite characters from the show. Each playable character has their own abilities and weaknesses, and must all work together in order for humanity to have any hope of survival. However, one or more players in every game secretly side with the Cylons. Players must attempt to expose the traitor while fuel shortages, food contaminations, and political unrest threatens to tear the fleet apart. 

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