My Top 10 Favorite Modern Classic Board Games

[@adpayne91]

Great list. Would love to see an updated version of this list

[@osk3i]

List starts at 7:20 :)

[@BrentMulvey]

Thank you so much!!!!!

[@TheRASDEL83]

And so he said... Let there be light!... Thank you!!!

[@gustavofaria5511]

Jamey Top 10: 10. King of Tokyo 9. Pandemic 8. Codename 7. Dominion 6. Splendor 5. Ticket to Ride 4. Carcassonne 3. Lords of Waterdeep 2. 7 Wonders & 7 Wonders Duel 1. Patchwork .... My top 5 (I started playing board games recently): 5. Ticket to Ride Europe 4. 7 Wonders Duel 3. Carcassonne 2. Concordia 1. Lords of Waterdeep

[@feytertom]

great list (yours)! happy whenever I see others appreciating Concordia - such a great game despite a "dry" theme :)

[@tylerthomas9872]

I always enjoy your videos! Thanks for making them.

[@hawkeye137137]

Man, I love Lords of Waterdeep. It was the first "gamer" board game I've owned and since then it has a very special place in my heart. It is one of my most favourite games ever.

[@mattkutrik]

Same with me (holds a special place in my heart). It's the first game I bought and brought out with non-board game type people. It only took one game being played for others to want to jump in and play. This was back in the beginning of 2013. Still enjoy playing it.

[@xGarrettThiefx]

I love Lords of Waterdeep, bought it when it first came out and still play it to this day, The game got better and better as we played more and more often. The game is simple but deep and the Skulls expansion made it even better !

[@mikebruner1937]

Great list Jamey! I haven't played all of those on your list but the one's that I have played I have rather enjoyed. Nice job as usual.

[@charlottemalone7375]

I enjoy your Sunday Sitdowns very much. Can’t recall if I’ve ever commented before. But please continue. 😁

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks, Charlotte! I will. :)

[@MjrLeegInfidel]

I love how much effort you put into this list. I'm glad to see a lot of these on here.

[@feytertom]

I always home in on these videos whenever they release - keep making them please :)

[@nightflare5155]

Hi Jamey, just wanted to say that I’m loving Wingspan. I got it on Friday, learnt it while at my mums house on the same night and taught her how to play, along with my sister and girlfriend. We must have played at least 15 games over the weekend while I was there. Everyone loved it and all wanted to play again immediately after we finished. I’d only ever played Carcassonne with my mum previously. My new favourite game out of the 40 or so that have. Thanks for the vids and the great work that you do. Cheers,

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks James! I'm glad Wingspan gave you a chance to connect with your family. Perhaps it'll be on a "modern classics" list someday. :)

[@ericc.1370]

Hey James, I had a very similar experience when I introduced my parents to Wingspan. They’d play a lot of Azul or Jaipur when it was just the two of them, but they both were replaced with wingspan almost immediately. The game was a birthday gift for my mom at the end of January, and they’ve played it so much the deck is wearing out.

[@jameystegmaier]

@@ericc.1370 That's awesome, Eric! It might be time to sleeve those cards. :)

[@aholger]

Thanks for all the informative videos, Jamey!! One easy way to identify games like these would be to go to advanced search on boardgamegeek and search for games with e.g. avg rating of 7.5 or higher, weight 2.5 or lower, published in 2000 or later, then sort results by number of voters. That returns this list: 1. Pandemic 2. 7 Wonders 3. Dominion 4. Codenames 5. Ticket to Ride: Europe 6. 7 Wonders Duel 7. Lords of Waterdeep 8. Stone Age 9. Patchwork 10. Star Realms Azul will be breaking into that list soon enough.

[@LucasGentry]

That is a phenomenal idea for a top 10 list. Apparently, Modern Classics are some of the games I play the most.

[@draheim90]

Really interesting idea. I reverse engineered some criteria for what would make a game a modern classic based on your list and then adjusted them a bit according to how I would determine if a game is both a modern classic and a gateway game: 1. Released since 2000. 2. BGG weight below 2.5. 3. Over 50k ratings on BGG with an average > 7. 4. Can feasibly be played in under an hour with its ideal player count. 5. Available new for under $50 US when in print. The games that fit these criteria as far as I can tell: Pandemic, Codenames, Azul, Dominion, Patchwork, Carcassonne, Splendor, Ticket to Ride, King of Tokyo, 7 Wonders/7 Wonders Duel, Dixit, Citadels, Love Letter. I could see including Catan but it’s relatively expensive, takes longer, and almost 30 years old now. Also Cascadia is a candidate but only has around 13k ratings on BGG currently. I thought about making the price cutoff $40 but then TTR and 7W would have been excluded which didn’t feel right. Similarly, thought about having the weight criterion be < 2 but then 7W/7WD, Dominion, and Pandemic wouldn’t have made it. Small World, Lords of Waterdeep, and Wingspan were just below the weight threshold and fit all the other criteria but I don’t think under an hour is reasonable for a 3-4 player game of them and they are arguably a small step above "gateway".

[@jameystegmaier]

I like those parameters!

[@scottwerner6595]

I haven’t had a chance to play it yet, but from what I’ve been hearing Wingspan is already looking like a modern classic and probably also a gateway game. I hope the industry takes notice that a board game (especially non-Euros) don’t have to have a fantasy, sci-if, military, or post-apocalyptic theme to be a hit.

[@CheeseDud]

3 years later, I’d say you were absolutely correct

[@anthonywestbrook2155]

"Splendor: it's engine building at its core." I'd love a top ten list of games that best capture a single mechanic like that (and are still really fun). They'll probably combine with one or two other mechanics like "set collection" or "hand management", but only as little as needed to really exemplify their key mechanic. Like I'd say Sushi Go is more of a pure drafting game than 7 Wonders.

[@FernsLifecom]

Excellent top 10!!! Thanks again Jamey! I always love your videos! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! :D

[@musicforall1859]

Great video. I played for the first time yesterday Obscurio. Obscurio kind of mixes the storytelling of Dixit through images with the clue giving from Deception:MIHK. We had such a great time with my group playing Obscurio. Social Deduction game. Plays up to 8 people and we played it actually with 8. Was fantastic. I believe this game has the potential to become a classic

[@annereynolds7930]

When I introduce people to the hobby, they generally come in having already played Catan. Beyond that, the list tends to include Carcassonne, Sushi Go!, Ticket to Ride, and Cards Against Humanity. From there, we generally move into Pandemic, 7 Wonders, and either Splendor or Century: Spice Road. I often hear Lords of Waterdeep brought up as a modern classic, and I can see the argument for it. The same thing goes for Dominion, although my enthusiasm for that game as a modern classic began to wane after the 4th expansion (or so). Now there are so many exceptions and new rules that I don't think it works well.

[@leehutchings9069]

By the number of plays with my family, our top 10 would be: 10. Carcassonne 9. Alhambra 8. Kingdom Builder 7. Pandemic 6. Sagrada 5. Azul 4. Splendor 3. Dominion 2. 7 Wonders 1. Ticket to Ride (or one of its variants)

[@nicoledigruber8965]

Great topic. One clue I found is whether the game can be picked up in the larger book retailers that have board games. (UK). They usually have Pandemic, Carcassone and Ticket to Ride in their assortment. Usually also Risk in some version and a themed Cluedo version. To me that shows which games make it from nieche game store to wider audience.

[@nicksims2827]

I’d expect to see Santorini on the Azul list of future classics. Low player count, but fits everything else and the god cards allow progression from beginner to more advanced in a very neat way

[@willbeplayin]

All those first few games you've mentioned, Castles Of Burgundy, Roll for the Galaxy and Dead of Winter are incredibly popular among the gamers I know and in the local board game cafe too. Here's a top 10 from the top of my head. Also Lords of Waterdeep has had a monumental part in some gamers gamer career as being one of the first "hit" games for their group, as it was for mine. 10. Pandemic 9. Ticket To Ride 8. Codenames 7. King of Tokyo 6. Carcassonne 5. Viticulture 4. Love Letter 3. Lords of Waterdeep 2. 7 Wonders 1. Azul

[@StevenStJohn-kj9eb]

First of all: That's my shirt!! Really interesting list. When I think of "modern classic" I think I also mentally include that the game innovated in some way - either did something first that other games would copy, or did something maybe not first, but so well, that other games copied. Like Dominion with deck building, or 7 Wonders with drafting, or Puerto Rico with phase selection. (Or Magic with card collecting - knowing you like that game, I was surprised it wasn't on your list because it seems to hit all of your requirements.) It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on the great innovating games of all time, since it wasn't a factor in this list. Much less well-researched than your list, here's my top 10: Honorable mention - Tsuro, Pandemic, Carcassonne, Catan, Ticket to Ride, Blokus, 7 Wonders 10. Citadels 9. Puerto Rico 8. Splendor (though will Century: Spice Road become a classic?) 7. Azul 6. Dominion 5. Forbidden Island 4. King of Tokyo 3. Stone Age 2. Lords of Waterdeep 1. Castles of Burgundy

[@lauriemiles1842]

I would offer a modern classic gateway game that is very new - My Little Scythe! Several members of my family have been put off the heaviness of Scythe, but have loved My Little Scythe, which then opened them up to playing Scythe

[@rpgabriel]

Hi Jamey, greetings from Brazil. Do you have any video or interview somewhere that you tell the story of how you became game designer? Also, how you designed your first "breakthrough game" (that one that really got your name famous)? Thanks!

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks Rony! I wouldn't say that I'm famous, but I do have a number of interviews on this subject: stonemaiergames.com/about/jamey-stegmaier/

[@tombosco6238]

I totally agree with your choices of Codenames, Pandemic, and Dominion. I feel Love Letter is more of a modern classic and would have definitely made my top five. Thanks for the videos!!

[@refreshdaemon]

I don't have quite as rigorous a means of defining "modern classic", but I guess I'd think of the games that I always see being played at larger mixed group game nights, which typically feature games that are easier to grok. Probably the ten most popular games I still see being played in my larger community when I attend game nights are: Codenames, Splendor, Carcassonne, Dominion, The Resistance/Avalon, Catan, Ticket to Ride, Wits and Wagers, Dixit, and Forbidden Desert. Honorable mentions to: Sushi Go!, Monopoly Deal, Bang! (and the Dice Game version), and Munchkin. Azul still hasn't made inroads into game nights I attend yet, but I do imagine that it will get there once a regular includes it in their kit. Codenames is probably in its own league since I see it being played even at non-game specific parties. Part of this is because each of these games are owned by multiple people in my network and all of them are easy to teach, so they capture new players (who often go on to buy the games themselves). I do think mass market availability is important when it comes to whether these games spread widely or not. Lords of Waterdeep, lovely as the game is, simply doesn't see as much growth in my groups because you have to go to specialty shops to get it, instead of being able to impulse buy it at Target or Walmart while you're out buying household goods or groceries.

[@Superslemmet]

Would be a bit odd to log games of Mysterium, though I do agree it's great for newbs and vets alike. :) King of Tokyo (or New York in my case) was actually left on the shelf for quite some time in my home, but by a fluke we played it when we had an hour to fill out. We had a blast! Somehow we had gotten the idea that it was just Yahtzee with a reskin, but it was certainly not. Really fun for everyone except those who hate dice. In my town, it seems like everyone has a box of Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, Agricola (though superseded by Caverna), Powergrid and Ticket to Ride in their homes.

[@caroljohnson3686]

Interesting topic for a list! Other ones I could see popping up based on partially what my son can handle (feel like he's a good gage for family and accessibility): Century, Santorini, 5 Minute Dungeon or Marvel, and maybe a dexterity game. Top of my head I'm thinking Rhino Hero Super Battle or IceCool. I'm guessing a lot of people don't log their plays on BGG with those.

[@mkitten13]

I think in terms of the weight you went by, Ticket to Ride and Kingdomino would have to be my top 2 picks. Ticket to Ride just has so much opportunity to expand on, as each map brings something new to the table while still following the same base formula. Kingdomino is just elegant in its design, and once you start the 2 player advanced rules, you really don't want to go back. I'm surprised neither Dixit nor Sushi Go made the list. I guess you decided to choose 7 wonders over Sushi Go, but I have to say that Sushi Go probably has the wider appeal due to its simplicity and cutesy design. And Dixit is the ultimate party game. I do think Azul will probably gain modern classic status (though I personally much prefer Sagrada, I can understand that Azul has the wider appeal).

[@mcintyredeanna]

Curious, we have Kingdomino on our list to purchase (we're lucky enough to have a toy and have store nearby with open copies of all the games they carry and enjoyed playing it). One of the managers suggested we may enjoy Queendomino more as there are added components. Have you played Queendomino and if so, what are your thoughts re. which one to purchase and why? I appreciate your input if you have the time. :)

[@mkitten13]

@@mcintyredeanna I think you're going to have one of two reactions to Queendomino. Either you're going to be the one who thinks Queendomino is the game Kingdomino should have been (the gamers version), or you're going to be the one who thinks it takes away from the elegant simplicity of Kingdomino. Think King of Tokyo vs King of New York type of comparisson. For me personally, while I usually always prefer the more complicated version, for some reason I ended up being more drawn to regular Kingdomino. Queendomino definitely is a good design, it has more options (you have a new land type where you buy bonus tiles to place onto them, and you have tiny people tokens that you use to tax lands to earn money, plus you compete to control the queen which can earn you another crown on a chosen plot, and you can also deny opponents certain bonus tiles by paying the dragon to remove them), and if someone wants to play it, I will. I haven't mixed the two games as of yet (which allows you to build 7x7 grids with more than two players). I should point out that I for the very most part treat regular Kingdomino as a purely 2-player game, and I always want to play it with the advanced 7x7 grid rules (I like that version best since you kind of get the best of both worlds - all tiles remain in use so you always know the tile you want will show up at some point, you get two drafts a round and as bonus; more freedom of placement with the bigger grid). If you play with more players more often, you might reach a different conclusion. Hope I helped :)

[@billyguinigundo4849]

"Modern classic" without Catan is like Hamlet without Hamlet. Regardless of logged BGG plays, I would argue that Catan gets played more than every other game mentioned combined. It's not my favorite but to leave it off a list with Carcassonne, Dominion, 7 Wonders, TTR does the list a disservice.

[@jean-raphaelpaquet4968]

For what it’s worth, in my game group, out of 7 or 8 regular player, I think we have 5 copies of catan... but we haven’t played a game in 5+ years. I think maybe it hasn’t aged well? Most people I know hate the trading mechanic and will cite it as a reason not to play Catan.

[@annereynolds7930]

@@jean-raphaelpaquet4968 I don't know that it hasn't aged well, per se. So many non-hobbyists play Catan (and don't log plays on BGG). Across multiple gaming groups from the '90s, we played Catan obsessively. After 100s of plays, though, it was a bit played out. Then we finally moved on to other games. But how many games have you played 200-300 times? Catan and Carcassonne fit that bill for my friends and me. BTW, Gloomhaven is getting there for me as my # of plays gets closer and closer to 100 plays.

[@billyguinigundo4849]

@@rmsgrey I think that's what I was hinting at to the extent that Catan is "a" if not "THE" standard reference game, thereby making it worthy of a spot on a list of "modern classics." And to be fair, I see it not making it on a "favorite" list as a personal opinion. But to the extent that play as measured by BGG, especially in this case, is not fully indicative of overall plays, then I think that criterium could/should be altered in this example.

[@RossEphgrave]

I haven’t played all these but I have a few that differ.... unfortunately I’m a newbie to the non- traditional American classic genre. My list would contain Catan Traders and Barbarians, Carcassonne plus expansion packs for a broader game, SAN Juan - a must have for any gamer, Castles of Burgandy, Quiddler Dominion Intrigue, Marvel deck building game and believe it or not a cute family game called Treasure Fighting Ghost Hunters but we add a few family rules that include keeping score of the treasure tiles to add some competition to what is a strong cooperation game - great game to play with kids.

[@nicktrkulja]

Jamaica is an awesome modern classic. Quacks of quedlinburg is going to be such a loved game in the future. Colt express, barenpark and new York slice too. As a general rule - anything designed by Phil Walker-Harding

[@jonathanmcanulty5142]

Great list! Lords of Waterdeep is a little surprising as being evergreen, as is Patchwork, but all the ones you mentioned are definitely on my list of "classics in training" (as I call them) and are all on my list of games I prefer to use to introduce people to designer boardgames.

[@xabulense]

Azul Patchwork Stone Age Santorini Jaipur Sushi Go Las Vegas Arboretum Ticket to Ride Sheriff of Nottingham

[@laartwork]

A game that fits except got overlooked by everyone (possibly because of theme) is SEELAND . You can still purchase it in Amazon and if you live this list here is a more Eurostyle gateway + game that introduces a rondell mechanic. It's one of the few games that I can think of that works great as a couples night, game night (up to 4) or family easily played by 8 year olds. Plays in under an hour and has one of the cleanest overall design (like a good euro should) but surprisingly historically thematic. Its discontinued so pick up while you can.

[@Pryde551]

Great topic for discussion. Considering the part where you discuss logged number of game plays, I have one comment on why some of the data may be skewed. I felt like I did a good job of logging all my plays on BGG, but then you mentioned the low numbers for The Resistance. I probably have 20+ plays of The Resistance, but I have only logged two plays. So it had me thinking why? When I looked at my list, it appears that what I consider "party" style/beer and pretzel types of games like that including Red Dragon Inn, Werewolf and Sushi Go, I have not been logging. Maybe it is because of the short and numerous back to back game plays. Possibly because they seem less serious, although still fun to play. However longer, more in depth games I play such as This War of Mine, Mage Knight, Tzolk'in, Near and Far, etc I always log. I wonder if many other people who typically log game plays, maybe don't do party types of games or games that play super fast. Thanks for thought provoking content!

[@Cloudrule]

This is great content! A lot of these characteristic patterns are described in Garfield et. al.'s Characteristics of Games

[@jamesabele]

I really like your definition of modern classic, and I'm inclined to agree with you that stats lie a bit for these types of games. Listen to your gut on this category too. I love thinky hobby games, but I've certainly been honing my collection recently more towards things I can play with many people of all stripes, games with enough meat to both appeal to me and with enough streamlining and looks to be a great teach and first experience. i certainly think logged plays is deceptive with this category, due to who you play these games with and who is initiating them. And some "modern classics" are ignored by hobbyists via burnout, but are still amazing for any new to you player. I also think you could swap a few of your games with similar well-loved analogs if building a collection based on your top 10. With that in mind, here were my thoughts on my collection as I watched your rundown (I own 6/10): 10) KoT. own it. love it as a filler closer, like to start with everyone getting 3 or so energy to spice up the action. like the hearts+secret powers and costumes expansion, but not needed. suffered from burnt out in the early years, but never parting with this. 9) Pandemic - Not as big a fan of base as others, but certainly classic. i had a copy of Forbidden Island, now have Forbidden Desert, and interested in the forthcoming North America Hot Zone, too soon? Ive wanted to always play legacy and I know its "omg amazing" , but never had the right group and time. I think my wife may finally be game once the real world isn''t so similar. We played Horrified recently, and its the real placeholder for this in my house, and certainly is built to be classic! 8) Codenames. own it. played it with casual non gamer friends, at vacation homes, and about to run a game on work team concall. 100% classic. 7) Dominion. own it. blew my mind and got me into boardgames from mono Magic gamer. Don't play it much anymore, too much front loaded vs tactical gameplay for me, but a classic. launched a million ships! I prefer Ascension as an app, or Shards of Infinity face to face for pure deckbuilding these days, but man, that new Animals expansion looks great! 6) Splendor - first one I don't plan to own, but I get its appeal. There are other engine builders I greatly prefer and I own many flavors, but generally want this genre to have more going on.than this. I hear some mention Century: Golem Edition as filling a similar spot? 5) Ticket To Ride - own it. I don't play this much anymore, but have had it forever, and its a fine intro to hobby gaming. But im more likely to pull a different gateway out these days. Ive played USA way more than any other, but feels pretty basic, I wonder if Europe is what Id greatly prefer if push came to shove? or NYC tightness? classic...but what else could we play? set collection rummy at its core. 4) Carcassonne - own it. love it, it can be casual or cutthoat. its pleasant to play with good decisions. Modern euro games aren't as interactive as this one, still holds up! Classic+1+2 expansions is great, but i also have Hunters and Gatherers and the wood box City, both of which are great contained versions too! 3) Lords of Waterdeep - don't own it. the intro worker placement game. I loved the theme and worker class meeples, but disliked the forced adventure mechanic quite a bit. Stone Age was my intro to the genre, so is what I hold out as a classic replacement in my collection. Enough so i upgraded to the new anniversary edition. When you use its new modules and a few other promos i have, it has just enough extra going on that I still like teaching this to others occasionally and exploring the new mini modules. I bet there is a better intro worker placement than either of these these days however, I wonder what will hold this slot as a classic in 10 years? 2) 7 Wonders. I own duel, and love drafting. This still has staying power and helped launch a million ships. 100% 1) Patchwork! this one shocked me, didnt realize it was so classic. the only one from your list i have not played. Could this be just a placeholder for a decent abstract strategy with positional gameplay? Azul certainly fills a similar "table time" slot in that vein. I also LOVE Rumis, which plays a similar role in my collection, and hooked many casuals to ask me about other games. Rumis is criminally underrated, and that the jungle theme and multiple boards really helps vs the bland Blokus 3d treatment. I also like Taluva. But looks like i need to get a copy of this, huh? How many abstract placement games should one own to allow enough variety without so many you develop no mastery, which helps these games shine?

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks James! That's tough to say about abstract games--I'm not sure there's an exact number! My rule of thumb is to keep games I actively play at least once a year.

[@allfunandgames]

Surprised no Dixit on this list, otherwise great work as always.

[@echirellė]

I realized after you named Patchwork number 1, I really need to check it out! My top 10 may not be from the same parameters as you used. Top 10 Clans of Caledonia Blood Rage Castles of Burgundy Brass Birmingham Great Western Trail Shakespeare Orleans Scythe Bastille Terra Mystica

[@eduardovieira7333]

I believe that Azul is an instant modern classic. I would not need 5 years to put it on a list like this.

[@gaillardlionel]

Puerto Rico should be there for sure, what a classic... Azul will be one day... Lost cities and Survive are games that get played again and again in my family and with my visiting "non-gamer" friends, not sure if that make them classics but they are popular.

[@andrewwalsh9849]

Puerto Rico is probably just considered an actual classic at this point.

[@deanmuramoto4796]

My modern classics are Archaeology, Adventure Land, Guillotine, Lost Cities Board Game, Lords of Waterdeep, Catan, Ascension, Alhambra, Carcassonne, and Ticket to Ride Europe. Maybe My Little Scythe, Azul, and Century Spice Road.

[@tiagoazevedosoares]

I LOVE your t-shirt!! :)

[@eltcommonplace]

For me Hanamikoji, Takenoko and Bang the Dice Game should be some of my considerations for modern classics. I consider from that list Splendor also (although was replaced by Century). The new ones I think for the future would be: Century or Gizmos, Reef, Sagrada, Azul Stained Glass, The Mind.

[@AnimeLoftus]

I think Caper is fantastic as a two player only drafting game. It MIGHT be a classic?

[@darinlagarry3091]

Patchwork Kingdomino Onirim 7 Wonders Runebound Battle line Dixit Cat lady Lords of water deep Catan

[@dork9368]

i think without a doubt my favorite "modern classic" type game to have at the table is carcassone. the cleanliness, the simplicity, just enough randomness, and a beautiful package all make for a great time. however, i don't think many people outside the hobby know about it. i would agree that ticket to ride is on this list, but i would argue that it's probably the top game. ticket to ride has risen to similar heights of classic milton bradley games, at least in my own anecdotal experience. the game i'd say is missing from this list is betrayal at house on the hill. i can understand you excluding it due to it's theme, but i'd say it's more tongue and cheek and another example of a game that is so well known it's hard to escape.

[@MrMpa31]

In my opinion BGG is a terrible source to find "modern classics". Only the heaviest of gamers post on or even know of that site. A classic to me appeals to a much broader audience.

[@deltari1105]

I can understand your point of view, but where I live for the world of board game people are divided in what you call "heavy gamers" or just monopoly people. I want to add also that I cannot see how king of Tokyo or ticket to ride or lords of water deep can be considered heavy (unless you use heavy to talk about people that play a lot and not at heavy difficult games).

[@rollingwithrob6579]

Although you are right on saying only the more dedicated of the hobby would use or log on bgg, there is no way to source numbers for "regular" players other than sales. Plays are a better way to measure longevity and activity which would be a major factor for what would be deemed a classic.

[@kenrickcarlsonkeh191]

I was expecting to see Stone Age as part of the top 10. Made me think how the availability of the game in stores affects these kinds of lists.

[@jameystegmaier]

Me too! But it hardly appeared on any of the BGG "most played" lists I scoured (last 5 years), so it didn't apply for the top 10.

[@smeyer3103]

Next time you do this list you need to walk into a Target/Walmart and check out what they are selling on their shelves. That will give you a much better idea of what has gone "borderline mainstream". King Domino should have definitely been on this list. I have seen and know parents that buy this hand-in-hand with Uno and Monopoly.

[@pablodopacio]

Hi Jamey! I also noticed another common thing between them. Even though all of them are boardgames, except 2 of them all those games don't have boards! :)

[@jameystegmaier]

Great point! Of the top 10, the games with boards are Patchwork, King of Tokyo, Pandemic, Lords of Waterdeep, and Ticket to Ride.

[@zdd9583]

1 Patchwork 2 Stone Age 3 Odin 4 Carcassonne (City) 5 Robo Rally 6 Pandemic 7 Mission Red Planet

[@kisonzo]

7 Wonders Ticket to RIde Carcassonne Sushi Go Splendo Machi Koro Jaipur Pandemic Codenames Sagrada

[@falconashek8913]

My top ten classics are #1:Pandemic, #2: Dice Masters: Battle for Faerûn, #3: Warmachine: High Command, #4: Smash Up, #5: Boss Monster: The Dungeon Building Card Game, #6: Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game, #7: Tiny Epic Galaxies, #8: Level 7 [Omega Protocol, #9: Tiny Epic Defenders (1st ed), #10: Zombies!!!

[@ambrosehuang897]

Surprised Catan didn’t make it. I guess not modern enough? It’s just a classic but maybe not modern classic. I mean I don’t play it that often anymore myself but it was my first foray-gateway-into...well, modern games, as I would guess is true of most people of a certain age.

[@jameystegmaier]

Me too! But I was surprised by how rarely it appeared on the "most played games" lists on BGG.

[@republikadugave420]

My top 10 in no perticular order... Puerto rico Ticket to ride 7wonders Carcassone Evolution Sushi go Dixit Tokaido Galaxy trucker Suburbia

[@bdizzle2144]

I own all but LoW and I'm single. Coincidence? No, not it is not.

[@nuuqbgg]

Having all these amazing games have nothing to do with someone being single or anything else. If nothing they can change that state :)

[@funkoxen]

no its not. Lords of Waterdeep brings all the girls to the yard.

[@Akihito007]

Loved Arkham Horror but man that and "easy rules" don't mix. Loving the living card game version even with me getting my butt kicked so far on "easy" lol.

[@Alfaddur]

Where is SMALWORLD ??? ;)

[@Cornchps827]

No five tribes!? 😕

[@jameystegmaier]

Nope! Though it's all subjective, of course. What's your list?

[@Stormmover]

I like Horrified.

[@joelfrench9007]

Happy saint patricks day!

[@davehaynes9136]

Smash Up!

[@Old_Dirt]

Tidy Cat

[@ktotheramer]

Woah, BIG kitty!

[@odsonic]

wheres lords of vegas...or shadows over camelot...cosmic encounter....deception....

[@jameystegmaier]

0 of those games met the objective classifications I listed in my video.

[@odsonic]

@@jameystegmaier would santorini be classified?

[@jameystegmaier]

@@odsonic It was close to some of my metrics, but not all of them.