Welcome to our 13th annual Board Game Quest Board Game Awards. Each year, we take some time to honor the best and most creative new tabletop games from the previous year. For those wondering, why we wait until the following year to announce our winners, it’s to give us a chance to check out the games that come out later in the year (like Essen and PAX Unplugged releases).
This year, we have a total of 12 award categories that cover a broad spectrum of gaming. Our editorial team has spent a ton of time playing games and has chosen a group of titles from last year that we consider really outstanding. It’s from among these nominations that we will choose a winner. However, since we wouldn’t be doing this without you, our awesome readers, you also get a vote!
Below is a poll for each of the 12 categories for which you can vote. Our readers here will collectively get one vote, and along with each member of our editorial staff, the winner will be chosen. The voting will be open until April 15th, 2026, and the winners will be announced shortly after.
Congratulations to all of this year’s nominees!
2025 Board Game Award Nominees
Best Cooperative Game
Eternal Decks
Designer: Hiroaki Yamamoto
Hiroken
Vantage
Designer: Jamey Stegmaier
Stonemaier Games
Arydia the Paths We Dare Tread
Designers: Cody Miller, Ira Fay
Far Off Games
Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era
Designers: Josh J. Carlson, Michael Gernes, Logan Giannini, Ryan Howard, Salem Scott, Josh Wielgus
Chip Theory Games
Boss Fighters QR
Designers: Michael Palm, Lukas Zach
Pegasus Spiele
Most Innovative Board Game
Moon Colony Bloodbath
Designer: Donald X. Vaccarino
Rio Grande Games
Baseball Card GM
Designers: Matthew & Garrett Weaver
Weaver Media Group, LLC
Vantage
Designer: Jamey Stegmaier
Stonemaier Games
Boss Fighters QR
Designers: Michael Palm, Lukas Zach
Pegasus Spiele
Light Speed Arena
Designers: Leonardo Alese, James Ernest, Tom Jolly, Emanuele Santellani
Tablescope
Best Production Values
Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era
Designers: Josh J. Carlson, Michael Gernes, Logan Giannini, Ryan Howard, Salem Scott, Josh Wielgus
Chip Theory Games
Sweet Lands
Designer: Totsuca Chuo
Uchibacoya
Galactic Cruise
Designer: T.K. King, Dennis Northcott, Koltin Thompson
Kinson Key Games
TEND
Designer: Max Anderson, Zac Dixon, Austin Harrison, Toby Sarnelle
IV Studio
Hot Streak
Designers: Jon Perry
CMYK Games
Best Thematic Game
Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era
Designers: Josh J. Carlson, Michael Gernes, Logan Giannini, Ryan Howard, Salem Scott, Josh Wielgus
Chip Theory Games
Moon Colony Bloodbath
Designer: Donald X. Vaccarino
Rio Grande Games
Galactic Cruise
Designer: T.K. King, Dennis Northcott, Koltin Thompson
Kinson Key Games
Unmatched Adventures: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Designers: Darren Reckner, Jason Hager
Restoration Games
Spooktacular
Designer: D. Brad Talton, Jr.
Level 99 Games
Best Card Game
Moon Colony Bloodbath
Designer: Donald X. Vaccarino
Rio Grande Games
Eternal Decks
Designer: Hiroaki Yamamoto
Hiroken
Tag Team
Designers: Gricha German, Corentin Lebrat
Scorpion Masqué
Citizens of the Spark
Designers: Philip duBarry
Thunderworks Games
Fliptoons
Designer: Jordy Adan, Renato Simões
Thunderworks Games
Best Strategy/Euro Game
Galactic Cruise
Designer: T.K. King, Dennis Northcott, Koltin Thompson
Kinson Key Games
Star Trek: Captain’s Chair
Designer: Nigel Buckle, Dávid Turczi
Wizkids Games
Kinfire Council
Designer: Kevin Wilson
Incredible Dream Studios
Deckers
Designers: Richard Wilkins
Pegasus Spiele
Forestry
Designers: Michal Peichl
Pink Troubadour
Best Game From a Small Publisher
Galactic Cruise
Designers: T.K. King, Dennis Northcott, Koltin Thompson
Kinson Key Games
Baseball Card GM
Designers: Matthew & Garrett Weaver
Weaver Media Group, LLC
Eternal Decks
Designer: Hiroaki Yamamoto
Hiroken
Regicide Legacy
Designers: Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, Andy Richdale
Badgers From Mars
Deep Regrets
Designer: Judson Cowan
Tettix Games
Best Two Player Game
Star Wars: Battle of Hoth
Designers: Richard Borg, Adrien Martinot
Days of Wonder
Tag Team
Designers: Gricha German, Corentin Lebrat
Scorpion Masqué
Toy Battle
Designer: Paolo Mori, Alessandro Zucchini
Repos Production
Flamecraft Duals
Designer: Manny Vega
Cardboard Alchemy
Duel for Cardia
Designers: Faouzi Boughida, Mathieu Rivero
Hans im Glück
Best Solo Game
Star Trek: Captain’s Chair
Designer: Nigel Buckle, Dávid Turczi
Wizkids Games
Small Time Heroes
Designer: Drew Corkill
Best With 1 Games
Corps of Discovery
Designer: Jay Cormier, Sen-Foong Lim
Off The Page Games
Unstoppable
Designer: John D. Clair
Renegade Games
The Last Lighthouse
Designer: Scott Almes
Button Shy Games
Best Reprint/Reimplementation
Magical Athlete
Designers: Richard Garfield, Takashi Ishida
CMYK Games
Puerto Rico 1897: Special Edition
Designer: Andreas Seyfarth
Awaken Realms
Calimala
Designers: Fabio Lopiano
ADC Blackfire Entertainment
Marvel Dice Throne: Missions
Designer: Gavan Brown, Nate Chatellier
Roxley
Deckers
Designers: Richard Wilkins
Pegasus Spiele
Best Casual Game
Hot Streak
Designers: Jon Perry
CMYK Games
Railroad Tiles
Designer: Hjalmar Hach, Lorenzo Silva
Horrible Guild
RA and Write
Designers: Reiner Knizia
25th Century Games
A Wayfarer’s Tale: The Journey Begins
Designer: James Emmerson
Wayfarer Games
Magical Athlete
Designers: Richard Garfield, Takashi Ishida
CMYK Games
Game of the Year
Vantage
Designer: Jamey Stegmaier
Stonemaier Games
Eternal Decks
Designer: Hiroaki Yamamoto
Hiroken
Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era
Designers: Josh J. Carlson, Michael Gernes, Logan Giannini, Ryan Howard, Salem Scott, Josh Wielgus
Chip Theory Games
Star Trek: Captain’s Chair
Designer: Nigel Buckle, Dávid Turczi
Wizkids Games
Arydia the Paths We Dare Tread
Designers: Cody Miller, Ira Fay
Far Off Games
Note: Whichever game wins Game of the Year will automatically be removed from any of the above categories except Best Production Values. Our reasoning is that if a game wins Game of the Year, chances are it should win any of the other categories by default. That just seemed a bit redundant. If a game wins Game of the Year, you know it is really good.
