My Top 10 Favorite Games of 2024 (Mid Year)

In today’s mid-year video I discuss my favorite games I played for the first time in 2024, a mashup of various categories.
Ambassador Picks: Apiary, Distilled, Dune Imperium Uprising, Expeditions, The Fox Experiment, Fractured Sky, Let’s Go to Japan, Scholars of the South Tigris, Sky Team, Star Wars Unlimited, Spots, The White Castle, Ticket to Ride Legacy, Voidfall, Wyrmspan
Honorable Mentions: Balatro, Eastshade, The 7th Citadel, Flame & Fang, Star Wars Unlimited, Surfosaurus Max, Pixies, The Witcher, Harmonies, Charcuterie, Foundations of Rome, Faraway, Splendor Duel, Ito, Distilled
Top 10
10. Slay the Spire
9. Blue Prince
8. Stonespine Architects
7. Let’s Go to Japan
6. Dune Imperium Uprising
5. Bag of Chips
4. MLEM
3. Skyrise
2. Wyrmspan
1. The White Castle
00:00 - Introduction
02:28 - Top 4-10
21:00 - Top 3
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podcast link: stonemaiergames.com/about/pod...
Intro animation by Jeff Payne vimeo.com/jaaronpayne

[@paderball]

Now I'm feeling extra good about picking up The White Castle as a consolation for surgery last week even though I hadn't (and still haven't) played it. Much to look forward to!

[@jameystegmaier]

I hope you enjoy it (and that your recovery is going well).

[@nebelung1]

I see Balatro on the thumbnail, I click! I'm embarrassingly addicted to that game :D

[@jameystegmaier]

It's a delight to play. :)

[@matthewcarlyle2847]

Skyrise and White Castle top my list. I do wish Skyrise had some more secret goal cards -- the lack of variety really stood out at 4p, I felt -- but the spatial auction was a completely new-to-me mechanic that continues to impress each play. White Castle ... still can't believe how few turns I have, how much I get done, but also how I feel there was so much left on the table at game end to achieve. So deliciously frustrating and satisfying!

[@TheSludgeMan]

The White Castle is so fantastic! I can't wait to try the expansion.

[@steveskew1097]

The White Castle is so fantastic. It's all the fun of a big box game in a tiny box (too tiny IMO) but only having 9 moves make everything so meaningful.

[@pridas5202]

Wow, glad you enjoyed my Blue Prince recommendation! I truly think they have something special there. Just so you are aware, if you want to continue to play the game now the demo has ended you can do so by right clicking on the game in your steam library and going to the game files on your computer, then running it from there. Not affiliated btw, just love the game!

[@jameystegmaier]

Thank you so much for recommending it! I really like Blue Price, and I look forward to the full release.

[@shewatt]

Man The White Castle is so good! Excited to get the expansion! Devir has been killing it lately. I'm super excited for the new one "Cities" that should hopefully be hitting retail in the fall. It's for sale at GenCon, so usually retail is not too far behind. I definitely want to check out Stonespire Architects and Let's Go to Japan. I feel like my wife and I would really like these. Also need to get Wyrmspan to the table. Got it day 1, but haven't got it out yet. Love the videos!

[@jameystegmaier]

I'm glad you're enjoying The White Castle too, and I hope you have the chance to play those others soon. :)

[@ttocsisme]

Top 5 new to me this year in no particular order: Harrow County, Dorf Romantik board game, Jaws, Fast and furious, and wizards of the grimoire

[@JohnLudlow]

Flame and Fang is so good. I just wish there were a few more chapters

[@ivantintor1058]

Great video!!! Stonespine Architects has been on my wishlist a very long time 😅, i play at two players most of the time...maybe it's time to give it a chance 😬

[@jameystegmaier]

I'm really enjoying it, and I think the innovative 2-player draft works quite well.

[@ivantintor1058]

@@jameystegmaier thnx!!! And...any news about a Wyrmspan expansion? 😬

[@jameystegmaier]

@@ivantintor1058 The news we've shared so far is that we're working on a Wyrmspan expansion: stonemaiergames.com/e-newsletter/

[@kallethen9389]

My top 3 "new to me" games I tried this year so far that I would really like to play again are: 3) Quacks of Quedlinburg - It was very satisfying to see how far you can push your luck. 2) Amalfi: Renaissance - I really loved how your workers (the boats) pull double duty as your resources. 1) Brass: Birmingham - I was blown away at how elegantly the various mechanisms of this game interact and feed off each other.

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks for sharing your list! I need to look into Amalfi.

[@mcharlton1977]

Brass is just a great game. I realize there is a learning curve and such, but I just love every play of that game.

[@haloslippin6894]

If you like quacks, you should check out Taverns of Tiefenthal from the same designer. EXCELLENT game, though heavier for sure. But if you’re enjoying B:B then you’ll have no issues with the weight. It’s solidly medium.

[@jameystegmaier]

@@haloslippin6894 Thanks! I've played it; here's my video about it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKvXpqBrmrxlarMsi=uhUH6ytVaOczByP4

[@unclesamb]

My favorite new game this year has been Expeditions, which I have played more than any other game this year! I love the puzzle that every game presents and I can't wait for the expansion reprint. I've also loved Shipwrights of the North Sea Redux, Scout, Marvel Remix (the reskin of Fantasy Realms), Paperback, Ticket to Ride Legacy, and Apiary. And I just played Ra for the first time which was awesome!

[@jameystegmaier]

I'm so glad you're enjoying Expeditions!

[@asaswain1031]

The mechanics of Let’s Go to Japan remind me of Faraway, which is a recent favorite of mine.

[@paullumsden6093]

Just learned The White Castle. Cannot wait to play it. Looks like a very solid Euro.

[@AndrewWatsonChangingWay]

I'd say that "solid" is an understatement. Enjoy!

[@paullumsden6093]

@@AndrewWatsonChangingWay Yeah after setting up and reading the rules I was like "this is going to be good" very excited.

[@farisj]

I only have a few games 7W duel, terraforming Mars, and warps edge, thinking of getting viticulture or DI uprising, white castle also looks interesting

[@jameystegmaier]

Let me know what you think if you give Viticulture a try. :)

[@AeronwyD]

My favorites are Viticulture, Last Will (especially with Getting Sacked added in), Foundations of Rome, and Terraforming Mars Ares Expedition Crisis. I hope to try Wingspan and/or Wyrmspan soon, but don't own them. Online, I am *completely* addicted to Distilled.

[@jameystegmaier]

Thank you for sharing! Lots of great games on your list. :)

[@mcharlton1977]

White Castle is great. I loved Apiary as well. I'd give Wyrmspan a 7 out of 10. It seems long, though I played it at a Con twice with 5 players, so I realize this obviously turns it into a long game. I like heavy games and have played Nucleum several times this year. (Its 2023 game but talking about games I've played this year!). Thanks for sharing your thoughts and favorite games. I certainly value your opinion.

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and I'm glad you're enjoying Apiary (which would have been on my list too, but I played it before 2024).

[@stevenbonham7136]

I enjoyed Ezra and Nehemiah…but I have only one play. We’ve also played a lot of new to us Sky Team.

[@mkitten13]

I have only played a couple of 2024 releases so far, my country tends to take longer to get new releases, so I have managed to grab just AQUA, Blueprints of Mad King Ludwig & Wyrmspan so far. All three have been great, my favourite being Wyrmspan. As much as I have enjoyed Wingspan, Wyrmspan has much more been my kind of game, both thematically as well as mechanically. If I was to widen out to "new to me" games (only a handful more games would quality), then Turing Machine has been a big hit, I'm really impressed by that system and it has triggered an interest in deduction games (I hate the social deduction genre, so I had also kinda avoiding deduction games before this)

[@jameystegmaier]

I'm so glad you're enjoying Wyrmspan. :)

[@scyldscefing3913]

Darwin's Journey and Tales from the Red Dragon Inn would be two of my favorites so far this year.

[@jameystegmaier]

I'm curious to try Tales from the Red Dragon Inn!

[@olpindc]

Love new Jaime vids

[@icyskater9607]

My top five games I've played are: 1. Wyrmspan 2. Let's go to Japan 3. Aquatica 4.Bot Factory 5. Forest shuffle. I have the White Castle but haven't played it yet. I am excited to check it out.

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks for sharing your picks! I think we have similar tastes (though I haven't played Bot Factory).

[@icyskater9607]

@@jameystegmaier I prefer Bot Factory at 2 or 3 player. I found 4 player to be unforgiving if you make any mistake. Bot Factory is my transition into Kanban EV. I am trying to learn the rules for that one now then White Castle is next on the list.

[@DanaParedes]

I guess I’ve played 74 new to me games so far this year. My top 10 1. wild space 2. let’s go to japan 3. harmonies 4. fox experiment 5. ginkgopolis 6. fossilis 7. photograph 8. come sail away 9. faraway 10. evergreen

[@jameystegmaier]

That's a lot of games! I must admit I hadn't heard of Wild Space, but I'm glad you mentioned it--it looks amazing!

[@Bleuchz]

I actually uninstalled Balatro as I was playing it a bit too much lol. 5. Voidfall 4. Trio 3. Arcs (base game) 2. Leviathan Wilds 1. Slay the Spire. I think slay is a top 10 game for me. Leviathan Wilds and Arcs I need to explore more and am excited to do so.

[@jameystegmaier]

I'm excited to try Leviathan Wilds!

[@Jabree]

My top games so far: 1- Dune Imperium Uprising 2- Wyrmspan 3- Magic The Gathering 4- The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls 5- Scythe

[@jameystegmaier]

I'm honored that two of the games are ours! Thanks!

[@VikingKittens]

Top 5 Games New to Me in 2024 are: 5)Shipwrights of the North Sea 4)Fliptown 3) Captain Flip 2)Wyrmspan 1)Harmonies I have played and taught these to many and have wonderful gaming-moment memories!

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks for sharing! I'm glad you're enjoying Wyrmspan. :)

[@Oaklestat]

Skyrise is sooo good!

[@louiseubank9371]

Skyrise is excellent, thank you for telling me I'm not crazy!! I keep mentioning how much it reminds me of Ra and people look at me like I have 2 heads. Now I get to say "Jamey agrees with me, so go back to your home on wrong island."

[@jameystegmaier]

I absolutely agree that Skyrise has a similar feeling to Ra! :)

[@CloudBuilderMetba]

I have generally very different tastes than you, but I greatly appreciate how you explain your thoughts. I recently have gotten and loved Red Cathedral, and I have been on the fence with The White Castles. I know people keep mentioning the 9 turns, but how tight does it feel? I generally hate very tight/punishing euros, and I instead value tactical flexibility. My top 10 new (to me) games this year are (10 to 1): Knarr, The Red Cathedral, Blueprints of Mad King Ludwig, Evergreen, Sprawlopolis, A Gest of Robin Hood, Fliptown, Imperium, Vale of Eternity, and Leviathan Wilds.

[@jameystegmaier]

For me, The White Castle doesn't feel like a game with only a few turns (when I'm actually playing). I feel like I have plenty of time to do the things I want to do. It feels generous to me, not punishing. Thanks for sharing your list!

[@CloudBuilderMetba]

@@jameystegmaierthank you!

[@zacharymartin1477]

White cattle is so good.

[@AndrewWatsonChangingWay]

Using your criterion, my favorite games of 2024 include Istanbul and Orleans. Yes, I have a backlog! I have yet to play a 2024 release.

[@jameystegmaier]

That's great--nothing wrong with discovering older games!

[@404ErrorPage]

I've recently played Forest Shuffle and quite enjoyed it. I think it was released in 2023 though.

[@JerzyMuller]

This is a list of games that Jamey played for the first time in 2024, the release date does not matter 🙂

[@DanaParedes]

@@404ErrorPage That’s definitely one of my favorites just played it for first time last year. Also love your name 😂

[@ttocsisme]

I've only played it on Board Game Arena. It's been sold out everywhere. I've placed orders since it release. For now, I'm ok playing it on there. Wait for a sale at this point

[@polymossimal]

Was this video made before or after arcs?

[@jameystegmaier]

Before, but Arcs would not have appeared on my list. I'm glad I had the chance to play it, though!

[@bexserver]

My top 10, some new, some new to me. 1. Wyrmspan 2. Tokaido Duo 3. My Island 4. Flamecraft 5. Neoville 6. Qwirkle 7. Mr Jack 8. The King's Dilemma 9. Tropical 10. The Knights' Armour I got into the board game hobby because I started designing games and wanted to play as many as possible. Not long after getting into the hobby, I was taught Wingspan and thought it was a mechanically brilliant game, but never played it again. Not really by choice, it just never happened. Wyrmspan was a must have and it’d be in my top played games, my partner and I really enjoy Wyrmspan. Tokaido Duo is a fun 2 player take on Tokaido that brings something extra and different to the game to make it compact but still interesting and fun at 2p. My Island campaign was good fun, not too heavy like a legacy, but meaty enough to keep you wanting more. Flamecraft was new to me this year, a nice looking game and I enjoyed how the shops worked. I’ve had Neoville for some time but played it only recently - I enjoyed the push-you-luck aspect as well as area building. Qwirkle was a surprising one, I enjoyed the decision making on where/when to place your tiles, also helped me with some issues I’ve been having with one of my games. Mr Jack is a new one for me and really hit the sweet spot for my partner’s taste in games: 2p, Jack the Ripper, mystery. We really enjoyed this one, simple hidden movement done well. Was invited to join The King’s Dilemma with a friend group recently. I really liked the challenge/objectives and look forward to continuing it in the future. Tropical is a 2p I-cut-you-choose card game where players collect tropical fruit, similar sort of feel to Sushi Go. Playtested it with at playtest meetup in Melbourne, Aus. Fantastic decision making game and I’m looking forward to seeing it published. The Knights’ Armour is one of my games and I’m putting it on the list because I think it’s one of my best designs so far. It’s a set collection, hand management card game with some light engine building. Players collect sets of armour for one of the four houses of the realm and hand the set in for a reward from that house.

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks so much for sharing your list and why you're enjoying these games! I'm glad you celebrated The Knights' Armour on your list too. :)

[@levenzaha]

1. Wyrmspan (and I really disliked wingspan) 2. Patterns (a mandala game) - a wonderfully elegant 2p abstract that uses mandala scoring 3. A message from the stars - combination of a word game with a maths deduction game

[@scyldscefing3913]

White Castle is good, isn't it. That'll be my number 3.

[@ForAllTheMeeples]

2 Sky Team. 1 Wyrmspan.

[@ianwilz1979]

Dang Jamey, breaking all the rules…lol Some good games on that list. Was this just all games, or new to you, or games that were released in 2024?

[@JerzyMuller]

First played in 2024 from what he said at the beginning 🙂

[@ianwilz1979]

@@JerzyMuller thanks, I missed that. I started watching late last night after getting back from a manta ray night swim. I was tired.

[@StevenStJohn-kj9eb]

I've been blessed to play a lot of big/popular games for the first time this year, but the funny thing is, I have disliked many of them! Not sure why that is. Keeping it positive, the ones I liked that I played for the first time: Aquatica, Lost Ruins of Arnak's Lost Expedition campaign, Ultimate Railroads, Blitzkrieg, The Castles of Tuscany, Adel Verpflichtet (Hoity Toity), and Star Wars: The Deck Building Game. That order might be right too.

[@veithgarner9861]

@@StevenStJohn-kj9eb I love Ultimate Railroads! It’s my #2 game ever!

[@StevenStJohn-kj9eb]

@@veithgarner9861 I played German 3 times and have played Russian on boardgamearena. Hoping to have a chance to play Asian and American some day.

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks for sharing your favorites, Steven! I'm curious about Hoity Toity--great name for a game. :)

[@StevenStJohn-kj9eb]

@@jameystegmaier that one's a bit old school. Not the type of game I usually like, because you are secretly selecting your destination with cards and so it had a bit of bluffing to it. "You thought I'd go here but I went there instead!" But it's short and silly so it was entertaining.