6 Best New Board Games 2023 Reviewed for 2025
Looking for the hottest new board games 2023? We tried them all—these picks guarantee fun, laughs, and hours of friendly chaos.
The 6 Best New Board Games 2023: Fun, Fresh Picks for Everyone!
Every year brings a fresh stack of cardboard dreams, and 2023 did not disappoint. We spent way too many evenings munching snacks and arguing over rules to find the absolute best new board games 2023 has to offer. We focused on games that work for both new and seasoned players, offer repeat fun, and look great on the table. Whether you love a brain-burner or something light-hearted, this list covers all moods and tastes—without making you feel like you need a PhD to set up a game night.
On this list:
6 The Fox Experiment
We picked The Fox Experiment because it’s cute, clever, and teaches you stuff without trying too hard. It came out in 2023 and puts you in charge of breeding foxes with cool traits. The dice-rolling makes things wild, and our group kept yelling ‘mutation!’ way too many times. This game hits just the right note if you want something new but not too chaotic. It’s easy to learn even if half your table zones out during rule explanations (looking at you, Dave). New board games 2023 lists should always include a game like this for families and nerdy friends alike.
5 After Us
After Us caught our eye (and then punched us in the brain). It’s a deck-building game set after humans are gone, and apes rule the world. You build up your tribe, manage resources, and try not to feel weird about rooting for monkeys. We spent most of our first game accidentally sabotaging each other, but that only made us laugh more. This one stands out in the new board games 2023 crowd for its wild theme and sharp, quick turns. Plus, our friend Max was convinced he could win by hoarding bananas. He could not.
4 Mischief & Malice
The name alone got us to try this. Mischief & Malice puts you in shoes of sneaky goblins plotting to outwit each other. It’s got bluffing, silly traps, and backstabbing galore — or as we call it, Tuesday. Every turn, someone tried to convince us their move was ‘for the greater good’. Lies. It’s a blast if you want something a little more chaotic and the art is bright and goofy. A great pick for new board games 2023 if you love laughter and don’t mind getting betrayed by your best mate.
3 The White Castle
We knew The White Castle would be on our new board games 2023 short list after only one play. This is a worker placement game with a nice mix of thinking and acting fast. The turns go quick, and there’s always that ‘ahh, why didn’t I do that?!’ moment. The samurai theme and colorful boards made it look fancy, but the rules clicked fast. We loved how every move felt important. Also, never trust Steve to guard your castle — he fell asleep on the job every single turn.
2 Fit to Print
Fit to Print had us all pretending to be old-timey newspaper editors (no printer jam in sight, thank goodness). It’s real-time tile-laying chaos. Everyone scrambles to fit stories, photos, and ads to make the best front page. Rounds are short, and someone always ends up with a newspaper that would never pass spell check. It’s frantic, funny, and one of those new board games 2023 has brought us that work well with both casual and serious gamers. Pro tip: Don’t let your cat help arrange the tiles.
1 Revive
Revive is the stand-out for us and wins the ‘best of the best new board games 2023’ prize. Imagine rebuilding civilization after an ice age, exploring unknown lands, and doing it all with smart, twisty mechanics. Every time we played, we found a new way to win (or lose, let’s be honest). The asymmetric powers keep things exciting, and there’s so much stuff to unlock that we almost forgot dinner was burning in the oven. Revive has that perfect mix of easy-to-learn rules and deep, strategy-packed gameplay. That’s why it’s our top pick — it keeps everyone at the table hooked and hungry for more.
