9 Best Latest Board Games of 2025 Reviewed
Check out the latest board games that had us laughing, shouting, and plotting revenge. These newest titles will shake up game night!
9 Best Latest Board Games: Our Top Picks for 2024! If you’re looking for the latest board games, we’ve done the hard part and played them all (yes, even the ones where we lost terribly). We focus on games that bring something fresh to the table—unique play, cool themes, and rules you can learn without needing a nap after. We also make sure they’re fun to play with friends, even that one friend who tries to flip the table. Get ready to hear about our favorites from the latest board games and why they deserve a spot in your next game night.
On this list:
9 Heat: Pedal to the Metal
This one gets our engines roaring! ‘Heat: Pedal to the Metal’ throws us into 1960s racing where the cards in your hand almost feel like hot potatoes. We picked it for our latest board games list because we love the simple rules, yet every turn keeps us sweating. The push-your-luck and hand management thing can have you zoom ahead or spin out like our friend Sam did (Sam always drives risky). The table presence is big, and the game feels zippy even with newbies. If you ever wanted a game to make you yell at cardboard cars, this is your winner.
8 Earth
‘Earth’ builds a strong case for its spot in our latest board games hit list. This one lets us grow our very own ecosystem, and believe me, when Tim made a forest with just cacti and frogs, we were…concerned. The game has a bunch of cards, so it never feels the same twice. You get to build your own little planet, feed animals, and laugh at your friends when their plans go wrong. It’s cozy and clever, and we always finish with a new fact about plants. No, seriously. It’s like a low-key science lesson mixed with rampaging plant powers.
7 The Fox Experiment
Ever wanted to breed foxes for traits? Us neither, but here we are. ‘The Fox Experiment’ feels like a genetic dice romp. We picked it for our latest board games showdown because of how different it is. You get to roll dice, mix up fox DNA, and try not to make a weird abomination (looking at you, Sarah’s all-ear fox!). It’s fast to teach and has enough depth to keep the table joking about “designer foxes.” The art is adorable and the game is sneakily educational, which is a bonus when you want to justify game night as ‘learning.’
6 The White Castle
No, this isn’t about cheeseburgers. ‘The White Castle’ is about managing your resources and climbing to glory in Edo Japan. It’s one of the latest board games that had us bickering over who got the best spots in the palace. The rules are crisp, and the game gets going quick. We love the feeling of building something with every turn, and it comes with some surprisingly cutthroat moments (our group nearly flipped a table over a last-minute move!). Want a solid euro with a cool theme? This is an easy pick.
5 Mischief & Malice
This one is wild. ‘Mischief & Malice’ is a party game from the latest board games set, where you try to outwit your friends, and trust us, things get sneaky. Bluff, steal, and make alliances that break faster than New Year’s resolutions. We love it because no one can stay mad for long, and every play is a fresh round of chaos (especially when our group’s resident saboteur, Jake, gets going). The rules are light, so you get right into the fun with any crowd—a great icebreaker.
4 Sky Team
Ready for a co-op that makes you sweat like a nervous pilot? ‘Sky Team’ puts two of you in a cockpit and expects you to land a plane together. We added it to our latest board games list because of its fun puzzle and the hilarious chaos when your buddy suddenly forgets which button does what (no, Sarah, not the landing gear yet!). It’s tense, quick, and always ends with whether you landed like pros or ended up in the bushes. For a solid two-player experience, this one sticks the landing.
3 Barcelona
If you like city building and pretty boards, ‘Barcelona’ is a solid new addition to the latest board games pile. Here, you plan streets, build fancy buildings, and try to stay ahead without annoying your friends (good luck). It’s a euro that’s not too heavy, and the colorful tiles make our table snap with awesomeness. We picked it because every game feels different, thanks to the action choices and sneaky moves from other players. Great if you want a game that makes you think without making your brain explode.
2 Knarr
‘Knarr’ lets you set sail as Vikings, which sounds epic already. We love that it’s one of the latest board games that’s quick to pick up but still offers lots of sneaky decisions. Recruit a crew, trade, and race for glory. We had someone table-flip when their boat didn’t quite make it (no tables were harmed, but egos were bruised). The art is pretty cool, and the rounds zip along. If you’re after a game for family or friends with a dash of strategy and luck, this one stands tall.
1 Ticket to Ride: Legacy – Legends of the West
We crown this the king of the latest board games. ‘Ticket to Ride: Legacy – Legends of the West’ brings all the train fun you know, but with story and campaign play. Our group spent weeks playing, unlocking new boards, and—no joke—arguing over which routes were best (Ted still insists his route was actually faster). The legacy mechanics mean things change every game, and you open new stuff each time. It’s like getting a present every session! If you love classic Ticket to Ride and want something fresh that hooks new and old players, grab this. This is why we call it the best!
