Top 10 Games of 2024

[@WatchItPlayed]

POOF! *COIN WAS MENTIONED. RODNEY APPEARS.* Excited Paula is playing a COIN game!

[@PaulaDeming]

you're the board game Bloody Mary

[@prufrock1977]

How have I never heard of this?!?

[@freeheeler00]

In your opinion, what's the best way to learn a COIN game? I have All Bridges Burning and Root. Both unplayed at the moment.

[@Centigonos]

@@freeheeler00 People Power (3p) and A Gest for Robin Hood (2p) both are good starting points.

[@RatBastardDan]

@@freeheeler00 I'd say if one particular conflict/setting jumps out at you, go for it and your enthusiasm for the material should help. I would add to @Centigonos and recommend Cuba Libre if you've got 4p instead of 3 or 2.

[@OnJoueTu]

As the author of Naishi and a lonnnnng time fan of yours, you made my day!!! (L)

[@PaulaDeming]

!!! It's a great game!!

[@MattyJude]

Contratulations on Naishi, it's a wonderful game. I bought two copies of it from France one for me and one for Paula.

[@OnJoueTu]

@@MattyJude Awesome! It's on it's way to the US soon. Stay tuned ;) (as well as a possible expansion maybe... but shhhhhhhut ;) )

[@myheartsathome1]

Hi Is it available in the US now? I am a teacher and also run a board game club at my school. I would love for my students to have a couple copy of this game. Looks great!!!

[@OnJoueTu]

@@myheartsathome1 not yet, but will be in 2025. Announcement coming soon 😜

[@Kojimalosophy]

18:40 ... Tom Vasel: "alright, hold my hat"

[@doggosplosion]

If you were going for matching the color of your ear rings, eye shadow, and headband to your #1 pick, stylishly played milady.

[@gurnblanston2848]

River of Gold and Fromage are the next two games on my must buy list.

[@PaulaDeming]

I really like them

[@CritsHappen]

Love it! So happy you liked Divinus so much! Great company to be a part of here.

[@RickKoeppen]

Ooo, love seeing Cities on the list! Also happy to see some love for River of Gold!

[@JonGardner]

“Not even Tom Vasel” 🤣

[@lavendar_lotus6884]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@electricalwell]

Awesome! Love that your outfit and makeup colors match your number 1 pick! 🤓

[@guandjs]

I really love River of Gold too! Happy New Year!

[@seanferguson6728]

River of Gold is terrific! We've loved playing it and it's my daughter's favourite game of the year too.

[@DaFees]

Just finished the video. Same high quality as always. Love the fun coincidence that your video dropped the same day as mine but your video is the one to watch for sure. :D Lot of solid games on your list, though, many that I didn't recognize. That said there is actually one game that crosses over between our lists which I thought was neat!

[@josephpilkus1127]

Paula, I absolutely love Gest of Robin Hood and River of Gold...great choices. If you're ever looking for another player, I'm The Professor out there. Also, great seeing you at PAX Unplugged in Dec.

[@icymallard3]

Ahh dang River of Gold is now high on my wishlist. Also I need that mug!

[@PaulaDeming]

isn't it so cute?

[@TheEscapistartist]

Great list Paula! You've got some games on here that I've not heard before or are not championed by other content creator top 10's.

[@PaulaDeming]

I'm so glad you enjoyed! I'm always fascinated by what crossovers everyone's lists have and what games are only talked about by one or a few people

[@robertthurman9866]

Always fun videos. Always a game or two no one else has ever mentioned.

[@WiseWizardGames]

awesome list, some of these games are new to me. We loved Cities and really really loved Rock Hard 1977 also from Devir in 2024. I really want to play Fromage, especially because I love to have cheese boards on my board game nights. - Deb

[@jokerES2]

v1 implies that there will be a v2, and maybe even a v1.5. It's like a Kemet Rulebook.

[@PaulaDeming]

hahah oh my gosh I forgot to change the title away from the file name

[@paulbuxton4844]

I don’t have any of these. My bank manager is going to question my choices…again! Need to bag War Story for sure. Thanks for a great video.

[@Izzboticus]

My game of the year is Civolution, which is definitely a heavy-weight Euro dice placement game. Love it. I'm excited about River of Gold. It's sitting on my shelf right now, waiting to be played.

[@PaulaDeming]

ooh I hope you enjoy River of Gold!

[@mattball6136]

Was this a good video? Yes Did I hear about some cool sounding games for the first time? Yes Was I constantly worried about the temperature of the tea? Yes Do I secretly wish I could game with Paula? Yes Lovely list! I especially liked the honorable mentions and will be diving deeper into those! My favorite of the year is Inventions followed by Wondrous Creatures. I enjoyed MLEM quite a bit, liked Fromage, Pampero, Andromeda’s Edge, Captain Flip, and Pixies Hated Arcs That rounds out my 2024 played list

[@PaulaDeming]

oh I've been looking at Wondrous Creatures and thinking that it looks cool. I'll have to check it out!

[@mattball6136]

@@PaulaDemingI definitely recommend it. In my mind, it’s kinda a lighter Ark Nova with worker placement added. Plus the art and components are fantastic

[@jenniferkuhn4054]

Great list! I now have 3 more games that I want 🙂 Divinus, A Gest of Robinhood and War Story Occupied France oh and River of Gold is a favorite of ours as well

[@BoardGameBlitz]

Oooh I've been interested in War Stories: Occupied France so it's exciting to hear it's one of your favorites of the year! But noted on not playing it with my young children 😆

[@DenisRyan]

The visuals and quality of the components for Intarsia is just off the wall gorgeous. It's a really, really great game. Though, for me, Loco Momo is the Azul replacement in my collection. I imported my copy from France in 2021. It's already sold 20,000 copies in Europe, but only started getting distributed in the US/Canada this summer. Well worth checking out.

[@PaulaDeming]

I'll keep an eye out for it, thanks!

[@DenisRyan]

@ I discovered it on Board Game Arena. But as soon I play had played it, I had to get a copy. Thankfully, it's easier to get on this side of the Atlantic now.

[@AhJong0]

Such high quality content, one of the pillars of modern excellent board game content creators 😊

[@PaulaDeming]

wow, thank you so much for the kind words!

[@jeffdeboer1175]

Very good watch! Entertaining and very unique choices, which I appreciate. Thank you. New subscriber.

[@PaulaDeming]

welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed the list and I hope you like the rest of the channel too!

[@tyleryoung3158]

River of Gold is outstanding. Great picks!!!

[@Dmoon1234]

I hope you post more videos. I enjoy your content and style.

[@carlosespada6350]

Thanks for the Intarsia info. Didn't knew it

[@samshea3753]

Great list, thank you! I will have to try War Stories.

[@VidGameReviews]

As a long-time fan of RPGs and strategy games, I feel like 2024 has been an exciting year for gamers, even if it didn’t quite hit the highs of 2023. That said, there were still some incredible standouts for me: "Legends of Arcanum Reborn," "Chronicles of Eldoria," "Realm Builders: The Forgotten Age," "Shadowstrike Tactics," and "Ascension of the Fallen." Out of these, "Shadowstrike Tactics" completely stole the show for me-its blend of tactical gameplay and gripping story is a masterpiece!

[@PaulaDeming]

oh I'll definitely have to check out Shadowstrike Tactics then! Thanks for the tip!

[@BirdsOnBoard112]

Great list! Thanks for some awesome recommendations, Paula 🥰

[@RobertoPanetta81]

Some great choices. I've really been enjoying The Gang. I'll have to seek out Naishi I'm hoping to try out Fromage soon. Hopefully Gems of Iridescia will make your 2025 list ;)

[@OnJoueTu]

@@RobertoPanetta81Naishi is coming to US in 2025 😜

[@Gtomer]

I made a group to play Divinus with but we only did two scenarios. The need to place a bunch of stickers in the middle of a scenario as well as at the start of a new one just each time stops the rhythm of the game for several minutes while everyone is waiting. The Kickstarter said there will be a way to change player count in the middle of the campaign but I couldn't get an answer about how to do that anywhere so we never continued. I guess you have to make sure 100 % sure that it's a game for your group because if someone drops out you'll have to restart.

[@PaulaDeming]

all super valid points for sure. I've been playing it 2-player so that makes it a little easier when it comes to gathering and maintaining a group

[@savasyn]

This list made it very clear to me how few games I've played that came out last year. Based on your list, I'm sitting at...zero 😞

[@PaulaDeming]

haha there are SO many games that come out each year! it's impossible to play everything and no need to pressure yourself to try!

[@gomezthechimp1116]

I haven't played any of those either.

[@CptBumFlufff]

Great list 👌

[@WhereMyMeepsAt]

Interesting list. But I love it. A couple added to the wishlist!

[@eVanDiesel]

Great list! Maaaaaaybe we'll have some crossovers!

[@xanadu1215]

Thank you. I, literally, have not played any of your game's top 10. Gotta spend MONEY!

[@PaulaDeming]

A lot of them are on Board Game Arena so you can try them out digitally for free!

[@JoshuaLivie]

I love the diversity of games here. This is the kind of list that draws me in because I find games I love, so the other games must be good.

[@PaulaDeming]

oh, thank you! I hope you DO find new games you love here!

[@ChristinaHeber-f6b]

Super excited to hear what you think!

[@jedfromyourlocallibrary]

Really want to check out Robin Hood and War Story with a buddy who I think would really vibe with both for different reasons 👀

[@EvangelionPower]

Legend says that Paula's tea is still too hot...

[@PaulaDeming]

it will never be cool enough ... just like me

[@PaulMazzoni]

Very cool list! I hadn’t seen most of these games on other’s lists (yes, sorry, I did watch other lists) so more to look into. But you capped it off making River of Gold your #1. Was also my fave of 2024. 😊 Did you try Captain Flip?

[@PaulaDeming]

Captain Flip was on my short list and just missed making it into my honorable mentions! It's so good!

[@jamescartwright1150]

Some interesting games there I've not heard of.

[@Skarpo89]

When you said not everyone can play all of them I immediately thought of Tom too 😂

[@chestersleezer8821]

Point to make about River of Gold it only has four clans and there are more clans out there so I expect that there will be some expansions for it. Really I want my Dragon Clan.

[@HungryGamerReviews]

Big fan of both River of Gold and Fromage. My biggest shame is not actually playing my Divinius last year.

[@PaulaDeming]

it's tough to get everything we want to the table

[@R1ma78]

I'm teaching Inori later this month at my FLGS. Lets see if it lives up to the hype 😆

[@PaulaDeming]

I hope you enjoy it!

[@armstronghawkins9183]

Flip 7 was the best, quick fun in 2024.

[@backskin]

ну наконец-то видео от Паулы!

[@TheOpGames]

What a great flipping list! 🤩

[@Jamienomore]

Very Good Informative Video. 🧸🧸

[@orangerful]

Really hoping someone brings 'Fromage' to Level Up this month because I want to play it so bad! The BGA version is fun, but it sounds like this has some great table presence too.

[@PaulaDeming]

oh for sure!

[@moo2k4]

If you want to play a gorgeous Euro game from 2024 then you neeeeeeeeeeeed to play Andromeda's Edge.

[@jrlonergan6773]

Great video

[@PaulaDeming]

hehe thank you!

[@patwells3580]

I LOVE Naishi, so much fun

[@larrytedmcbride]

I have War Story, but I've been putting off playing it. After hearing you cried, I'm playing it this weekend. And if I don't cry, I am going to make fun of you, hee hee.

[@PaulaDeming]

Fair

[@larrytedmcbride]

@@PaulaDeming and to be further fair, I do tend to at least tear up when a story grips me, so we'll see.

[@vanghard]

As a French, Between Viticulture and Fromage, I feel that we (the french) are wining a weird cultural boardgame momentum as a country .... A future game will be call Snail&Frog legs or Croissant&mille-feuille?

[@jacobjslee]

How many different 2024 releases did you play this year?

[@PaulaDeming]

According to BGStats, of the 287 unique games I played this year, 88 of them were 2024 releases!

[@jacobjslee]

@@PaulaDeming Thanks. Even if you played half that, it's still a respectable number. A different reviewer told me he played 87. I think knowing this number helps give me some context for the games you highlighted as your ten favourites as opposed to only playing twelve 2024 releases (like myself) and telling you my ten favourite.

[@HeyImBode]

I don't know if River of gold is a narrative-less game. I'm pretty driven by evocative games and I found it had just enough to provide something to chew on. Not a full meal story, but a nice snack. A region's gonna be organically bustling with frequent visitors and outposts getting settled, the others not so much. It's just the right amount for the scope of the game tbh

[@PaulaDeming]

This is a great point, honestly. Also I'm pretty sure it's based on the world/lore of Legend of the 5 Rings which is pretty darn narrative, really

[@KatAlysha]

Game #7 is calling to me! *Edit okay #2 is now really calling to me

[@PaulaDeming]

looks like we have some games to play together ;)

[@marcuzzzo93]

Can I please ask you to do this list before Christmas next year so I’ll just forward it to Santa? Thank you!!!! 😅

[@PaulaDeming]

hahaha

[@johnbrown6230]

River of Gold is excellent!

[@VonBlade]

Fromage was obviously designed with the people who make upgrade parts :D Lawks. Would cost a fortune to upgrade that. Anyway 1) I love these end of year lists. No matter how hard we try, we miss things. 2) Have you ever considered moving to iced tea? Might save the old inside of your mouth. (in character jesting)

[@PaulaDeming]

I grew up in the South so you'd think I'd be an iced tea fiend, but I just don't really like it

[@mlsanders4800]

You say you love cheese, and looking at you and listening to you, I believe you.

[@TheDavidPhillips]

I like to say "tablyooooouh".

[@aos-archive]

The fact we have to defend ourselves for having opinions like "I like this more than Azul" is dumb. I like Harmonies more than Azul.

[@TheDragonsTomb]

Very upset that Wonky didn't make the list.

[@PaulaDeming]

I've made a real oversight with that one.

[@dieterbohlen8316]

You are my favorite final girl … 😊

[@BrianMarcus-nz7cs]

😂 mrs Demming ,, you have 🐝 been a naughty lady , plz stand in the corner and stop drinking tea 😂 🍽️🦕

[@firefly24601]

We have a program at work called Tableau... and i can NEVER spell it right.

[@PaulaDeming]

I had to look it up every time I typed it while writing up my thoughts hahah

[@JasonOshinko]

chicken cordon tableu

[@PaulaDeming]

hahaha quality comment

[@txsportsfreak02]

i've heard good things about the jest of robin hood.

[@armstronghawkins9183]

We shouldn't Azul shame people. It's like how I can't name a single Taylor Swift song. They just haven't entered my orbit. I gotta try War Story.

[@PaulaDeming]

Azul is a GREAT game, no shame meant! Whether you know it or not (it's one that I know how crossed into a more mass market audience, but also it's impossible to know every game!)

[@armstronghawkins9183]

@@PaulaDeming I was just kidding. But I really don't know any Swiftie songs.

[@stephenjames2951]

Did really like gang

[@DownsideDown]

no steam on the hot tea

[@PaulaDeming]

that may be but the hot tea was NOT a bit (I mean, I turned it into one but it was legit - I burned the heck out of my tongue!)

[@laurencesingh3948]

As a primarily solo gamer who likes heavy-weight euros best, I thought 2024 was a little bit of a down year compared to 2023 and 2022. But I did still manage to find some gems that are among my all-time favourites: Shipwrights of the North Sea Redux, Sankore: the Pride of Mansa Musa, Ezra and Nehemiah, Windmill Valley, and Inventors of the South Tigris. Inventors is my favourite game from this past year. Brilliant design.

[@PaulaDeming]

I've heard good things about Inventors, I'll have to try to get my hands on it, I really like solo gaming as well

[@Zilong09]

Oh boy that intro. 😅

[@octavus4858]

Did not much any of mine! ) except Robin Hood)

[@BrianAshman]

So what didn’t you like that you played this year? I ask to learn more about you rather than say some games are bad.

[@bluedevil3d104]

Tableauooo

[@Slyfox1775]

A list of 2024 game I have zero interest in . Imop .

[@PaulaDeming]

we're all allowed to have different tastes and like different things. And luckily over a thousand games came out during the year, so there's lots of different games to choose from!

[@user-ne1vx7mj1b]

Paula you are simply brilliant

[@somefishhere]

Uuuuh the games I played the most of this year were Netrunner and Blood on the Clocktower, but I have tried 43 new games out of my 115 plays! I bought and want to play Kelp and Scout next! On your list I really want to try out The Gang; my friend group likes to be loud! The other would be Naishi. It seems two player mahjong coded?? I'd also love to try your top three at a convention but I'm unlikely to procure them for myself!! Hard to table if I also have to be the one teaching, aaaahhahaha

[@play-it-or-not]

When you said : « no one can play all those games » my immediate thought was « even Tom Vassel »? 😂

[@samirjafri191]

Actually, Tom readily admits that he misses a lot of games. For example, he has still never played Sea Salt & Paper (although his wife has).

[@icymallard3]

@@samirjafri191 i still haven't forgiven him for this one

[@ricardomatta15]

I also thought Tom Vassel, 😂