After a period of instability, board games are officially back. In 2024, we’re set to see a massive raft of them launching to high anticipation – some of which have been in development for years, and others which come as major surprises.
Amongst the pack, we have some holdovers from 2023 – The Dark Quarter, The 7th Citadel, and others – as well as bright, new contenders. There’s some board games set for Kickstarter, some retail releases, and others in-between. Following a blockbuster year for board games, there’s every chance 2024 will continue to deliver great, complex experiences, and a hearty amount of fun.
Here’s all of our most anticipated board games for 2024.
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The 7th Citadel
The 7th Citadel is the long-gestating sequel to blockbuster adventure game The 7th Continent. If you’re somebody who loves a good RPG or narrative-style board game, this is one title you’ll want on your list for 2024. Here, you play as a wanderer discovering a post-apocalyptic, medieval fantasy world filled with danger. On each turn, you’ll be able to move through a magical world, with each tile revealing quests, choices and items to uncover. Sometimes, your choices will lead you to ruin. Other times, you’ll find great bounties.
The surprise here is what makes this series so much fun – and so replayable. No two games are the same, whether you’re playing alone or in a group, and you never know what you’ll encounter on each turn. After several delays, expect The 7th Contintent to formally launch in 2024.
The Dark Quarter
The Dark Quarter is a fantasy RPG board game that comes from the makers of Chronicles of Crime, Lucky Duck Games. Like its past creations, The Dark Quarter is heavily narrative focused, although it seems to be far more sprawling than its predecessors. In the game, you play as a detective from the magical Beaumont Agency, which works to control the streets of New Orleans as supernatural beings and magical forces gather. You’ll need to strengthen your hero in this adventure, and use their unique skills to corral the magic of the French Quarter back to where it belongs.
As you travel, you’ll be exploring a beautifully-designed map, investigating clues, taking down monsters, and working to solve deep crimes. You’ll also be able to control the action with a companion app that helps to set the mood of the game, and record your choices. Like The 7th Continent, this board game has been delayed a number of times – but it’s expected to finally launch at the tail end of 2024.
Critter Kitchen
Critter Kitchen is an adorable, food-themed board game where you control a group of food chefs (all cutesy animals) gathering ingredients to create high-star dishes, and impress hungry critics. Beyond its neat theme, what is most appealing about Critter Kitchen is its wonderful artwork. Each dish in the game looks mouth-watering, each animal companion looks like a friend, and towns you’ll visit are brought to life in colourful, delightful shades.
This game looks perfect for those enjoy Flamecraft or Wingspan, or any food-themed board game. While its current release date of December 2024 means we may see the game launching closer to 2025, we can always hope it makes the yearly cut-off, and that we’ll be crafting delicious dishes before the year is over.
Talisman: The Magical Quest Game – 5th Edition
Talisman: The Magical Quest Game – 5th Edition isn’t technically a new release for 2024 – it’s a re-release of classic board game Talisman. But given we haven’t seen a whole new edition of Talisman since 2007, it’s certainly a very exciting prospect. This upgraded re-release of original game has been developed by Avalon Hill (HeroQuest, Betrayal at House on the Hill) so we know there’s prestige behind the the title.
More to the point – Talisman gameplay remains beloved for a reason: it’s classic, and has stood the test of time. With artwork and a light redesign, brand new players can finally be sucked into Talisman, and enjoy the gameplay loop in more modern fashion. This version of the game is targeting a July 2024 release.
Elden Ring: The Board Game
Elden Ring: The Board Game completed its Kickstarter campaign in 2022, and it’s now heading for release. Even as someone who didn’t love the Elden Ring experience, the board game looks like it’ll be a smashing romp. Early glimpses at gameplay have revealed it plays out a bit like Gloomhaven, with plenty of opportunity to explore map tiles, fight enemies, and eventually conquer a sweeping campaign.
You’ll start this board game in Limgrave, and then work your way across the map to the Weeping Peninsula, Stormveil Castle, and beyond, encountering beloved and hated Elden Ring enemies the entire way. Per details revealed on Kickstarter, the game’s campaign could take more than 90 hours to complete – so if you’ve got your eye on this upcoming release, make sure you set aside ample time to jump in.
Cascadia: Rolling Hills and Rolling Rivers
Flatout Games (Calico, Cascadia, Verdant) is back at it again in 2024, with the dual releases of Cascadia: Rolling Rivers and Cascadia: Rolling Hills. These “puzzly flip-and-roll-and-write” games are small box experiences that task players with rolling dice, collecting wildlife, and completing mini habitat cards to create their own unique natural environments (on paper).
The difference between the two upcoming sets is down to nature theme. Rolling Hills features grassy plains, mountains, and wilderness while Rolling Rivers features more water environs and forests. In either game, you’ll go through a similar gameplay loop, meeting new creatures, and creating your own mini animal paradise. While the Cascadia: Rolling series has only just hit Kickstarter, Flatout is planning to launch the games in Q3 2024.
Maki Master
Maki Master is an upcoming revamp of the 2008 classic Wasabi with a fresh new art style and tweaks to gameplay. It’s lighter-touch than some of the other board games on this list, but it looks perfect for friendly gameplay, and more approach tabletop gaming sessions.
As you play through Maki Master, you’ll need to place sushi ingredients on a board, using your wits to build out set recipes and score points. If you can line up your ingredient cards correctly, you’ll be well on your way to sushi victory. Beyond have neat tile-laying gameplay, Maki Master also looks great, and seems very fun. It’s always good to have light multiplayer board games in your collection – and Maki Master looks like it’ll neatly fit the bill. It’s aiming to launch in the later half of 2024.
Spectral
Spectral from Bitewing Games is a wonderfully gothic-looking social deduction game which invites players to explore Spectral Manor – a haunted location where treasure is rumoured to appear at midnight during the mysterious Crimson Moon. But it’s not just treasure that comes with exploring Spectral Manor, as you’ll also have to deal with ghouls and ghosts as you attempt to seek your fortune.
Players control bands of treasure hunters in this game, working to figure out the location of treasure while also surviving boobytraps, and bluffing their way through the mansion. Importantly – everyone is competing in the adventure, so it’s best to keep the mansion’s secrets to yourself, even as certain doom threatens. With a strong theme and clever gameplay, Spectral is certainly a board game to watch in 2024.
Dead Cells: The Rogue-Lite Boad Game
Dead Cells, the popular roguelike adventure game is being adapted into a snazzy-looking board game, set for release in 2024. In this version of the Dead Cells story, players will choose one of the four Beheaded, and explore a vast island filled with unique enemies and loot. As described, the gameplay is as follows: “Explore. Kill. Die. Mutate. Repeat.”
As players explore unique biomes, they’ll nab special upgrades, discover equipment and weapons, find hidden secrets, and (hope to) survive against hordes of mutated horrors. Based on early looks, this board game has plenty of depth, with opportunity for each run to strengthen your strategy. Expect Dead Cells: The Rouge-Lite Board Games to release in the later half of 2024.
Mycelia
Mushrooms are super cool. Terrifying, but cool. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about them, then Mycelia is the upcoming board game for you. This “strategic mushroom game” is all about growing your own “mushroom kingdom” and leading your flock through a life cycle of birth and decay. When you grow mushrooms, you’ll earn points, and when you spore your mushrooms to expand your kingdom, you’ll earn even more.
Each player is essentially competing to grow and spore their own mushrooms, expanding their fungi dominion. Beyond a very cool theme, Mycelia is defined by neat mechanics and a wonderful visual art style that makes the entire experience look part-board game, part-science experiment. Keep an eye out for Mycelia when it debuts in the later half of 2024.
Meadow: Adventure Book
Meadow: Adventure Book is an upcoming Meadow spin-off that transports players to a lovely meadow, where they will “explore journeys through different scenarios.” Not much is known about the board game other than its late 2024 release date, but it’s certainly an intriguing prospect. In the base version of Meadow, players wander through fields, collecting snapshots of the creatures and plants they meet along the way.
The adventure book version of the game will feature a notebook and board game with a “legacy-like experience” as players journey through various scenes, likely collecting memories of cool sights and sounds in their journey. Stay tuned for more news about Meadow: Adventure Book.
Skyrise
Skyrise, described as “a game of auctioning and artistic egos” has a touch of BioShock Infinite about it. In this game of deduction, you are a visionary contributing to the creation of Skyrise – a glorious city in the sky. In your role, you must win auctions to claim building sites, and then establish buildings based on demand and city objectives.
It’s a very cool hook, and one that feels unique. Bidding is rarely used as a board game mechanic, and it seems to be well-implemented in this upcoming game. That’s not to mention that Skyrise looks absolutely phenomenal, with a very neat game board designed to reflect a floating city. Keep an eye on it as it launches in early 2024.
Wyrmspan
For those who enjoyed Wingspan, there’s fantastic news on the horizon: developer Stonemaier Games is on the cusp of releasing a pseudo-sequel, Wyrmspan. In this game, you are an amateur dracologist studying the world of dragons, and building out a sanctuary for them. In rounds of play, you’ll establish a system of caves and entice dragons to occupy them, providing them with all the supplies they need.
As detailed by Stonemaier, Wyrmspan is directly inspired by the mechanics of Wingspan, with the major differences being its creatures, setting, and other tweaks. Beyond these, you can expect similarly gorgeous art, moreish gameplay that’s quick to learn but hard to master, and great multiplayer engagement. At this stage, Wyrmspan is aiming to release by March 2024.
Cryptid Cafe: The Chef’s Apprentice
Like mushrooms, cryptids are also very, very cool. In Cryptid Cafe: The Chef’s Apprentice, it’s your job to embody a cryptid line cook as they set about plating up the perfect, most hideous dishes for hungry customers. The placement and preparation of your dishes is key to victory, with strategy needed to ensure you’re placing the right dishes, and maximising your scoring potential.
The competitive gameplay of this Cryptid Cafe adventure looks fantastic, with delightfully gooey, hideous foods defining your journey to the top of the chef ladder. Keep your head on straight, and you just might earn enough points to gain the title of head chef. As announced, this board game is set to launch in mid-2024.
If you’re looking for more board game recommendations, check out the following GamesHub features:
- The best story-based adventure board games
- The best tabletop games to bring out at a party
- The best co-op board games for two players
- The best solo board games for single players
- The best puzzle board games to play solo or with friends
- The most relaxing board games for quiet afternoons
- The 8 best dungeon crawler board games for adventurers
- The best spooky board games to play this Halloween
- The best board games for beginner players
