Top Games of 2025 (Way Too Early Edition)

Tonight is our annual end of the year Build-Your-Own-Pizza party with SneauxBunny’s best friends. Seven or eight couples each year celebrate the end of the year by watching college football, chatting around a fire pit, and having a friendly competition as to who can come up with the wackiest / best pizzas. 

Last time, we made a Tasso and sausage sauce piquant pizza that was delicious, and this year we are making two pizzas: an apple pie cobbler dessert pizza and a chicken sausage pizza from our favorite local meat market. 

Unfortunately, none of the other couples are board gamers, so this will be another NYE where we don’t play games. Of course, I always bring a party game or two stashed in the truck — just in case someone asks, “Hey, does anybody have a party game?” 

But since I’m likely to be getting a break from teaching games, it gives me the chance today to put together my annual “Way Too Early” top board games post. (You can see my 2024 list here: https://boardgamegumbo.wordpress.com/2024/12/31/way-too-earl…)

In 2025, I played 94 new games, which is a little down for me. (I normally play between 120-160 new games each year). Travel and work got the best of me, and missing out on attending Dice Tower Con, GEN CON, and BGG CON means I missed a good chance to play 20-30 new games. 

So, yes, this is a “way too early” list because there are at least two dozen games from my want-to-play list of 2025 releases that I have not played or even seen on the table. I’ll revise the list when we do our annual Fleur du Ludo awards in the summer. 

But until then, let’s get to the list of games, in no particular order:

Vantage

Stonemaier Games published their first open world board game, and it was very divisive here in the Gumbo. Players in Acadiana either loved it or hated it, strangely enough, for the same reasons. I’ve played it 16 times now and I’m still finding cool things when I play. I’m a big fan of the dice challenge system, I love discovering new twists to the world, and I really like the freedom that the game provides. This is Jamey Stegmaier’s best design in years. 

Speakeasy

After a couple of unfortunate misses, Vital Lacerta is back with one of his best ever games. Speakeasy is not only gorgeous, it’s not only an intricate little puzzle, but it’s also one of the most thematic euros I’ve played in years. (2024 was a better year for thematic euros, but there are some strong contenders this year.) Speakeasy has a good chance of being our favorite game if we can get it to the table a few more times. 

Galactic Cruise

Another pretty thematic euro, with a worker placement mechanic that I really dug. We joked that this is Disney Cruise In Space the board game, and that’s what it feels like. There are a lot of moving pieces, but I’m hoping that with more plays the theme shines through. 

Moon Colony Bloodbath

Moon Colony has been my front-runner for best game experience of the year, because it has everything I love about gaming. Breezy turns, engine building (and destroying), and humor. At the end of every game, a story is told, and sometimes we spend more time laughing and moaning about what just happened than we do playing the game. 

Luthier

Want an absolutely gorgeous euro about making musical instruments? Of course you do, that’s why you are here. Luthier is another hit from Paverson Games, this time with a unique theme. I only have one play, so not sure where this one will fall. It will definitely be played a few more times between now and the summer. 

Spooktacular

Another huge surprise. My friends know that I do not gravitate to these kinds of games, but Level 99 surprised the heck out of me with an absolute hoot of a game. Players are movie monsters in a movie theater trying to score points by attacking the movie patrons. All the classic movie monster tropes are here. I loved my one play and can’t wait to play more. 

Unmatched Adventures: Teen Age Mutant Ninja Turtles

I’ve got a half-dozen plays so far of this new entry in the co-op Unmatched Adventures series. As good as Tales to Amaze was, the Turtles version is even better. But, wow, is it hard! Funnily enough, I have only played as Michelangelo and haven’t tried the other turtle heroes yet. Time to rectify that soon, cause it’s pizza time! 

Tag Team

What a surprise this was. I get a lot of small box games for review that end up as enjoyable experiences but that turn out to be ultimately forgettable. Not Tag Team. It’s a smash up your decks auto battler with so many cool combos and mind games that we have yet to get tired of playing it. And wait, there is more content on the way? Count me in. 

The Hobbit: There & Back Again

Someone please declare the “age of crappy IP games” over and done. There are so many good games based on existing IP now that the old adage does not fit anymore. The Hobbit is a roll-and-write from Reiner Knizia that is mathy (of course) but also surprisingly faithful to the book. Players go through a series of adventures based on the novel that really feels thematic and very competitive. 

Map Masters

And finally, the game that will definitely make my top games of the year. Map Masters is another hit from Captain Games, the Belgian publisher that had the awesome Duck & Cover release last year. It’s a step up slightly in weight from that game, but still appropriate (I think) for family gamers. More importantly, this “five card dungeon run” game is a blast to play. 

So that’s our early look. We still have lots of games that we have not been able to play yet. So, I am not ready to declare my favorite games of the year just yet. But let us know if there are any early favorites for you so we can try to get those to the table.

Thanks again for reading Board Game Gumbo this year. We’ve had a lot of fun exploring so many great releases, and even more importantly, visiting with the Chat Krewe on our Twitch Tuesday nights and at conventions and local meet ups. If you are heading to Southern Board Game Fest in March, let’s play a game! 

Until next time, laissez les bon temps rouler!
— BJ from Board Game Gumbo

** Some of the games mentioned were provided as complimentary copies by the publishers or designers. **