My Top 10 Favorite Games of 2024

[@omarzgdz]

I was really surprised with how BIG 'Let's go Japan' is on the table. I expected a smaller setup while it turned out to be quite a table hog. One of the reason why unfortunately I did not grab it at Essen. I'd love to play it and I do like the core gameplay loop, but I literally wouldn't be able to fit more than 2 people setup on my table. The curse of tiny British houses :(

[@melissab9209]

I tried Mlem earlier this year on BGA and noped out of there so fast, for the exact reason you mentioned. The endless scrolling made it not fun. I'd be up for playing it on tabletop, though. The top 10 games I played in 2024 were Ark Nova, a Feast for Odin, Clans of Caledonia, Scythe, SETI, GWT, La Granja, Spirit Island and Black Forest. Honorable mention to Harmonies.

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks for sharing your list!

[@Ian-R-Wilz]

MLEM on BGA definitely isn’t as good with all the scrolling.

[@TheSludgeMan]

My favourite game this year was Shackleton Base. It's exciting, interactive and scales well, and as a product, it's affordable, beautifully produced and full of modular content.

[@AhmetUysal-x8q]

I only played it once so far but Dune War for Arrakis for me, interesting decisions throughout the whole game.

[@octavus4858]

Thank you for your games and happy new year! Interestingly I hear a lot from reviewers that Harmonies is an abstract game but I found it to be very theme rich.

[@jameystegmaier]

I agree that the elements of Harmonies are designed from a thematic perspective, and the final result looks like a topographic landscape, which is great.

[@mavweirdo]

I only managed to play 8 games from 2024 in 2024. So they were: 8. I Heart Manatees, 7. The Gang, 6. Gnome Hollow, 5. FantasyForm (a reimplantation of Spaceshipped by ButtonShy), 4. Star Tycoon, 3. Wyrmspan, 2. Creature Caravan, 1. River Valley Glassworks

[@evatar4052]

Nice picks! My honorable mentions: * Wyrmspan (only demoed a couple of rounds of in Essen) * Let's go to Japan & Harmonies (I know the rules of both but haven't actually played them 😂) * Creature Caravan (haven't got around to getting my copy to the table yet, but even more excited to after hearing this top10) * Nucleum (love the mechanics, the theme not so much) My top 5: 1. Unconscious Mind (very thematic heavy Euro, interesting mechanics&choices, beautiful components) 2. Windmill Valley (smooth mid-weigh euro with a cool double-gear action selection mechanic) 3. White Castle + Matcha (small box packs a lot of game) 4. Alchemists Kids (game progresses through 7 difficulty levels from simplified rules to a proper deduction game) 5. In the Footsteps of Darwin (great filler/kids/family - played with my 6 yr old a lot)

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks for sharing your list! This makes me even more excited to try Windmill Valley. :)

[@Stormlight8700]

Thank you for sharing your list, Jamey. I'd really like to play Creature Caravan, Leviathan Wilds, and Mistborn: the deck building game. I enjoyed playing The 7th Citadel in 2024. I'd like to play more games this year. I'm also glad that you know of Blue Prince.

[@jameystegmaier]

My pleasure! I hope you get to try Creature Caravan. :)

[@Stormlight8700]

@jameystegmaier I also hope you're all managing to stay safe, in what looks like terrible weather! (from the UK).

[@jonassandelin256]

Great list, wife and I need to get Harmonies. Our favorite games of the year are Creature caravan and Wyrmspan. We keep track of high and low scores, both those games are a ton of fun trying to beat each other's high score! Happy New Year

[@jameystegmaier]

I'm glad you're enjoying Wyrmspan! :)

[@Breyfunk]

2024 was such a great year in gaming! My top two were The Gang and Stamp Swap, but Wyrmspan, Cqution Signs, Leviathan Wilds, Cities, Stonespire Architects and Xylotaur are all great as well. Also, my copy of Slay the Spire is on its way!

[@jameystegmaier]

I'm glad you had a great year of gaming as well! Great picks--I'm looking forward to trying Leviathan Wilds (hopefully at Geekway).

[@Karak-Fak]

I like “best thematic game” category too. This year for me is Rock Hard ‘77. Almost too much theme haha Thanks for the video Jamey!

[@jameystegmaier]

I’m curious to try that one!

[@honeylady108]

So cool, I am literally playing Lets Go! To Japan while watching your video and there it is! I just learned it on Friday and will play a few more times today before I put it away. Love it, and the solo Travel Agent is a worthy opponent.

[@jameystegmaier]

That's great timing! I'm glad you're enjoying it too. :)

[@mattthompson9220]

Blue Prince really looks like it could take a Mad King Ludwig reskin real well!

[@Ian-R-Wilz]

We are in the midst of our 2024 lists on our channel right now so I won't spoil anything but we have already done our top new to us expansions (not just new in 2024). These were all tabletop based only. My #1 was Everdell: Mistwood because it makes the solo better. My #1 that came out in 2024 was Beacon Patrol: Ships & Shores because the asymmetric boat powers are great. Stacey's #1 also happened to come out in 2024 and that was River Valley Glassworks: RIver Glass & Other Sundries because it is a simple expansion to add in a littler variety with a little asymmetric scoring based on different criteria (there are 6 modules and you can play with up to 2 of them at a time). We also posted our top New-to-Us that came our prior to 2024: My top 3 were: World Wonders, Summer Camp, and Disney Animated Stacey's top 3 were: The Bears and the Bees, Summer Camp, and Can't Stop We still have our top 2024 games coming in 2 weeks and I might do a top 10 solo 2024 games. I think we are going to have a few crossovers on our lists for sure. I might do a BGA one but not sure if I have enough 2024 games played on there, although some 2024 games did make my top games I played in 2024 on BGA.

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks for sharing these picks! I'm curious to try Beacon Patrol at some point.

[@Ian-R-Wilz]

@ I think you would really like it.. it’s such a fun puzzle.

[@ludwigmises]

I haven’t played yet, but “Let’s Go To Japan” looks like great fun. Very clever mechanisms.

[@mckeoncrawford9262]

Love the video! Great work!

[@jamesmorgan1967]

I'm currently watching a solo playthrough of Creature Caravans. Looks like they are some juicy decisions to be made and the game is on my radar now! Standouts for me this year (not necessarily all published in 2024) have been: Draft & Write Records, Knarr, Fliptown (working my way through the new solo campaign), Seaside, Castle Combo, and Stupor Mundi (Euro game that I backed and can't wait for; game is available to be played on BGA). Tether is arriving today. I see that you recently did a video on that game.

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks for sharing your picks! I really like Seaside.

[@mkitten13]

My top 10 of 2024 releases: 1) SETI 2) Civolution 3) Unconscious Mind 4) Wyrmspan 5) Windmill Valley 6) Castle Combo 7) Saltfjord 8) Let's Go! To Japan 9) Beyond the Horizon 10) Sparks Honourable mentions: Shackleton Base, Minos & Blueprints of Mad King Ludwig 5 favourite new to me, non-2024 games: Great Western Trail: New Zealand Faraway The Vale of Eternity Tiwanaku Turing Machine

[@jameystegmaier]

I appreciate you sharing your list!

[@andrewwagner3462]

Based on your enjoyment of other tableau-building games, I think you'll really enjoy Wondrous Creatures! It's fantastic! And because of my love for that game, I'm confident I'll love Creature Caravan when it arrives later this month 😃

[@jameystegmaier]

I’m excited to try it!

[@twozsinapod]

My favorite new-to-me games in 2024 were: Art Society, Stonespine Architects, Let's Go! to Japan, Fromage, Caution Signs, Cabanga, Flip 7, Pies, Knarr, and Riverside. Seems like we have some similar tastes! I also have to throw a shout out to crokinole which was my most played (in person) but difficult to rank against other games. It was a great year for new games overall because even my 11-20 are fantastic: Mind Up, Cities, Harmonies, Odin, Pyramido, Castle Combo, Green Team Wins, Panda Royale, Bonsai, and River Valley Glassworks. I unfortunately haven't had a chance to play Stamp Swap or Wyrmspan still but they will be some of the next new games I get to the table! I can't imagine them not falling somewhere in my top 20 of 2024 once I get them played. Other 2024 games I hope to table soon are Windmill Valley, Creature Caravan, Wondrous Creatures, Nocturne, Wild Gardens, and the Cascadia: Rolling games.

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks for sharing your favorites from this year! I'm curious to try Cabanga, Pies, and Art Society.

[@levenzaha]

My favorite game of 2024 is A Message from the Stars It’s extremely creative and unique, combining logic deduction with word deduction. It’s also flexible, works great as 2p cooperative or competitive in teams. Out of curiosity , which NC cafe were you at where you played harmonies?

[@jameystegmaier]

I looked back through my Instagram to find it, and it was called The Kitchen Table at Relish: instagram.com/p/C95Yo0dyVia/?img_index=1

[@levenzaha]

@@jameystegmaier 30 minutes from my house. we love it - have found many a great game there. good to know they have Harmonies - will check it out. If you're there again, and feel like gaming with a fan, let me know :)

[@jameystegmaier]

@@levenzaha Thanks! It's possible I'll be back there in around 2 years--we do a family reunion in the Outer Banks every 2 years.

[@RubyRevolution2015]

Our favourites this year were 7th Citadel and Tainted Grail: Kings of Ruin. Really excited for Vantage to be our first Stonemaier game.

[@jameystegmaier]

Some pretty epic games there! Thanks for sharing. :)

[@susannaheisenbraun6635]

Your number one was a very fun surprise. Thanks for not spoiling your pick when I shared mine with you! Have you played Santa Monica? I’d like to try it, since I love Cat Lady and LG!tJ. Others I adored this year: Wyrmspan, Fellowship of the Ring Trick Taking Game, Vale of Eternity, Diatoms, Stamp Swap.

[@jameystegmaier]

I can honestly say I had my list ready before I heard your answer. :) Is there another country you'd like to see if they make a series of "Let's Go to" games? I have't played Santa Monica.

[@susannaheisenbraun6635]

@@jameystegmaierI would love to see a version of the game set in Italy, with train travel between Rome and Florence.

[@AeronwyD]

I adore Let's Go! to Japan so much! And I really enjoy MLEM on BGA. I had never heard of Caution Signs before and you are the second person *today* thas has that in their top 10! Clearly need to check that one out!

[@jameystegmaier]

I hope you have the chance to try MLEM on the tabletop--in my opinion, it's much more satisfying than the BGA version (though I appreciate the effort that went into putting it on BGA).

[@AeronwyD]

@jameystegmaier Most games are more satisfying on the table. Even something as simple as Mountain Goats is more fun with the pieces. 🙂

[@caroljohnson3686]

We matched on four games! Love Creature Caravan and Let's Go to Japan. The rest of mine are mid weight euros.

[@jameystegmaier]

Nice! :)

[@megabluejj678]

I have Windmill Valley ready for Geekway Mini for you and you know I’m open for Federation over BGA whenever you want! For your top ten, my favorites are MLEM, Harmonies and Let’s Go To Japan and I really want to play the Gang.

[@dranawor]

LOVE Windmill Valley. Probably my #1 for 2024 though there was honestly some amazing games to choose from. Such a fun feeling of progression and some really cool emergent combos as you play that you dont realize are possible when you first start playing.

[@jameystegmaier]

I'm really excited to play Windmill Valley! Thanks to Garrett for recommending it.

[@igelkott255]

Here's my top 10 for 2024: 1) Wyrmspan 2) Endeavor Deep Sea 3) Dungeon Kart 4) Fractured Sky 5) Skyrise 6) The Gang 7) Star Realms: Rise of Empire 8) Gloomhaven: Buttons and Bugs 9) Mistwind 10) River Valley Glassworks Wyrmspan is easily no 1 for the year. I enjoy it a lot. I can see Star Realms rising in the list as I've only played 3 games in the campaign so far.

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks for sharing your list. I'm very curious to try Endeavor Deep Sea, and I'm glad you've enjoyed Wyrmspan!

[@randito2387]

Dune Imperium: Uprising just dropped a new expansion just missing the 2024 cutoff -- it's called "Bloodlines."

[@chrismcpherson666]

Funny stat for me. I havent played any 2024 games. But still logged over 600 plays for the year, shared between approx 100+ different games. I looked at 2023 games and ive only played 2, because someone brought them to a game night i went to. Neither were popular games. I used to buy a lot of new games or at least new to me games but i had a large change in my life which affected my example of a family and that was also my main gaming group. Don’t worry, no sad story here! This forced me to find new ways to play games which now included more solo plays and also testing out some board game apps. Long story short, i thought i would never bother with or need board game apps, and to a lesser extent solo modes in games. I preferred playing with people and in person. That might still be the case, but i actually believe i get more plays in now and can also get games played at rocket speeds which is such a nice benefit. Just thought someone might find that interesting.

[@jameystegmaier]

Thanks for sharing this! I'm glad you were still able to find joy in games in a new way in 2024.

[@zmollon]

I keep thinking I must be playing something wrong because MLEM is also listed on Bitewings Games lists pretty often as being very solid, but I haven't enjoyed it my first two plays. Which of the expansions are the best ones to use?

[@jameystegmaier]

I've just played with the base game.

[@morganb2003]

I just received Let's Go to Japan for Christmas and looking forward to it. Do you think your pick as number one was meaningfully influenced by your recent visit? (I lived there for 10 years, so I'm already on board for the theme.)

[@jameystegmaier]

I would say that I can't disentangle the game and the trip, but I loved Japan before the trip, so I think the game still would have ended up really high on the list. In fact, even if the game were set in a completely different country, it still would have been high on the list--it isn't so much about where it's set as it is how it applies the theme in the mechanisms.

[@adamnettleton]

same for me Japan was my top of 2024

[@polixmetal]

Slay the Spire id the Best videogame adaptation

[@DTeazee]

I got that shirt!