7 Best Board Games of 2022: 2025 Top Picks
Looking for the best board games of 2022? We sampled dozens, laughed lots, and found our top picks for epic game nights.
The hunt for the best board games of 2022 gave us some wild game nights and even wilder arguments. When picking these seven gems, we focused on easy rules, replay value, and making everyone at the table actually want to play again. Our picks deliver laughs, groans, and those sweet moments where you regret trusting your so-called friends. Whether you love animals, tricky puzzles, city building, or just yelling when someone blocks you, the best board games of 2022 have something for every group. If you like fun and a little bit of chaos, you’re in the right place!
On this list:
7 Ark Nova
We picked Ark Nova because who doesn’t want to build the best zoo while wrangling cards and hexes? It stole our attention faster than a monkey swiping a banana. The gameplay is deep, but the turns are quick. Everyone around the table gets busy with loads of combo moves and animal facts. We ended up debating the ethics of housing crocodiles next to penguins. It’s a brain burner but fun, and it keeps new players engaged despite the hefty rulebook. If you want a 2022 game that’s smart and makes you feel like you’re achieving something, this is a must. Plus, we’re all secretly hoping to own a kangaroo, so the theme is a bonus.
6 Planet Unknown
We had to put Planet Unknown on this list of best board games of 2022 after our first play ended in a chorus of ‘let’s do that again!’ It has that Tetris-y fun of puzzling your planet, plus a wild lazy Susan in the middle of the table. It’s pure joy and sometimes pure rage when your friend spins it the wrong way. The tile placement is great for both newbies and seasoned players, since you’re mostly working on your own board. The scoring keeps things close, so no one gets bored. We laughed so much trying (and failing) to terraform a perfect planet. Awesome replay value too.
5 Cascadia
We think Cascadia is one of the best board games of 2022 because it let us pretend we were outdoorsy for a night. It’s easy to learn and the puzzles are fun. You draft tiles and animal tokens to build your own patch of Pacific Northwest. Somehow, our forests always had way too many bears, which made for some silly jokes at our table. The art is super pretty too, which makes grandma happy. It’s one of those games where you can chat, snack, and still feel clever. We even managed to play it with kids and they picked it up fast. A hit for families and friends.
4 Flamecraft
Flamecraft swept its way onto our table and stayed for weeks. Every time we thought, ‘let’s try something new,’ someone yelled, ‘Dragons!’ and back it came. This game is about making shops more magical with the help of tiny, adorable dragons. It is colorful, quick, and so inviting for new players. The theme is silly and light, so there’s no cutthroat strategy—just a bunch of friendly competition for the best bread-baking dragon. We found it perfect for unwinding after a long day, and there’s enough decision-making to keep things interesting. Plus, the art is so cute, it makes us hungry for pastries every time.
3 Return to Dark Tower
Return to Dark Tower had us all feeling like heroes. It’s a giant, glowing, electronic tower in the middle of the table—what’s not to love? We spent a whole night trying (and failing) to save the kingdom. The app keeps things exciting and builds tension. There’s a nice mix of old-school adventure and modern game design. It works as a team game, so you’ll end up talking strategy, and maybe arguing, hoarse from cheering or groaning. This game is made for memorable moments and big drama. Plus, watching the tower spew skulls is still a highlight for us weeks later.
2 Turing Machine
Turing Machine made us all feel like codebreaking geniuses—or total dunces, depending on the turn. It’s a wild logic puzzle where you race to crack a code using punch cards. There’s no waiting around, as every player works at the same time. We had a blast trying to out-clever each other, and the game is super quick to set up. It’s got a fresh mechanic that’s hard to find anywhere else, and always had us reaching for ‘just one more round.’ It’s portable, so we bring it to every game night. No one’s phone battery survived, but our brains got a nice workout.
1 Heat: Pedal to the Metal
Heat: Pedal to the Metal is the best board game of 2022 in our book, without a doubt. We put this racing game on the table, and suddenly everyone at our house was yelling, leaning across the board, and swapping stories about go-kart disasters from childhood. The action is fast, the choices are tough, and you feel like a daredevil every lap. New players can grasp the rules in five minutes, but there’s enough strategy to keep gamers happy. We played it over and over—every race feels different, and nobody storms off because of random luck. It’s pure fun and the best ‘ready, set, go!’ energy from 2022.
