The Best Board Game Covers of All Time

[@pikkdogs]

I would like to see this done again, but with a game store owner, Tom, an art critic, and a board game artist voting. That would be interesting.

[@TheZiggylives]

Thank you, Dice Tower, for putting this together. I may not have agreed with all of the winners, but I had fun! We are lucky to have so many examples of great board game art!

[@runwin3]

I would also add that some of these covers are simply stunning when viewed in real life. Viewing on a computer screen doesn’t do some of these covers justice.

[@VaultBoy13]

I think that's one of the problems the Etherfield cover had. It looks much better in person than the image being used.

[@spencernewman7041]

Yeah that definitely effected some covers more than others. Rising Sun for example. I always thought the cover was just okay, but the gameplay seemed interesting and when I got my hands on a copy I was shocked at how much better the cover looked in person.

[@RadeTcg]

Wingspans cover is more eye catching then people think. Our eyes are less attracted to busy things so the negative space does well. Plus our eyes are attracted to red so the bird stands out

[@grantofat6438]

THAN

[@fonsly5077]

Couldnt agree more, its a simple but engaging design, that sells the games idea and art amazingly

[@GrandElemental]

Meltscape is also eye catching.

[@JamesOrr1987]

This and the worst cover vids are some of the best entertainment I've seen. So much fun!

[@JonTalbain777]

I was essentially out of board games, and what brought me back was that Everdell cover. I saw it, immediately looked up a review (Zee's), reconnected with The Dice Tower, went all in and effectively got back into the hobby, much to my wallet's dismay. It called to me and I'm not even sure why, as objectively I think On Mars is the best board game cover I've seen. My top five from this list were: 1. Everdell, 2. On Mars, 3. Weather Machine, 4. Leaving Earth, 5. Wingspan.

[@trevorfranklin3536]

I think that’s my top 5 as well, except replace wingspan with Formosa tea. I know what you mean about Everdell. On mars is more striking to me, but no other cover draws me in like Everdell. It compels me to play.

[@waiting4more]

I feel like they lose the thread of the competition at times...this is supposed to be beautiful/best covers, and Wingspan is beautiful. It's like they were arguing that a simple cover is boring, but that just isn't true and isn't true for most people. Simple art is incredibly elegant at times, and certainly can be beautiful.

[@chessthecat]

I think your opinion is colored by your thoughts on the game. The artwork is not unique or intriguing. The color palette is too muted. There's not a lot of texture. Think of all the birds of the world and you can picture 100 better covers in your head. If someone handed that cover painting to me as a print and without me knowing it was a game I'd toss it. It's entirely boring. It belongs next to a "Live Laugh Love" sign in a wine mom's kitchen.

[@searose6192]

@@chessthecatI disagree. I haven’t played Wingspan (though I did try out the app) and I like that cover a lot. It is so eye catching. Amongst all the dark, chaotic and color saturated covers in game stores, Wingspan is the one that jumps out and says “come look at me! I’m pretty!” I think that perhaps you might be forgetting that this is not “most beautiful piece of art for your wall” it is “most beautiful *GAME COVER* “ and as far as game covers go, Wingspan is very pretty. It’s simplicity is what makes it stunning.

[@Jagkt]

Almost all of the best covers I was thinking of were mentioned in the video :) Except for: - Oath - Tapestry - Brass Lancashire - Kanban EV - Escape Plan - Dixit

[@corgas2838]

Ive always thought that the monster on the Sleeping Gods cover looks a little dorky and looks slighty annoyed that theres a boat above it. Reminds me of that meme of that guy pointing to a butterfly.

[@RealBakedShark]

Thank you! It bugs me so much, he looks out of place

[@stevenmill9887]

Mike on a box cover would win every time 😍

[@Alittlefruitgoesalongway]

If Mike was on that faces game cover, it would've been on this list instead of the bad list.

[@jasonjanisewski78]

Inis not even being in the field is an Absolute Crime

[@dancondonjones]

The newer cover, maybe. The original was hideous.

[@jasonjanisewski78]

The Best Inis Cover is the original English one done by the famous Painter that has the girl in red with people around her and wispy clouds in the sky. It is stunning in person. Easily 1 of the great covers of all time

[@dancondonjones]

@@jasonjanisewski78 that’s the one I was thinking of. Really ugly cover. It would have fitted in the other list.

[@jasonjanisewski78]

Considering that my comment is the most liked comment in the entire comment section, you are in the vast minority and most people consider it an All Time Great Cover. I have multiple games on this list and they are nowhere in the same league. As an example, the Inis Cover is like 100x better than Mysterium

[@dancondonjones]

@@jasonjanisewski78 congratulations I guess

[@jflartner117]

re: Aquatica vs Abyss - it's always interesting to me (but not shocking, because I do it too) when people are shocked -- as many of the crew were at the responses to this pairing -- that their position on a very subjective question isn't validated by others. That being said, the question here is "Which is more beautiful?" and while both of these pieces of art are well done, neither are particularly compelling to me. And I would rather look at the seascape than the off-putting close up of a not-sure-what-it-is creature.

[@WhatUpRob]

22:31 Formosa Tea, I’d never seen that game before and instantly my eye was caught by that cover. Very nice in my opinion.

[@WhatUpRob]

44:10 Planetarium, once again a stunning cover of a game I’ve never heard of anywhere! Wow that is very nice.

[@preymantisss]

RE: Leaving Earth. I love how the moon looks like a bow and the rocket and fire/smoke look like an arrow being shot up into the night sky.

[@pooyaostadpour5298]

I know it's a matter of taste, but I'm a little disappointed with many of the choices and tons of misses. I would have changed more than half of those covers. I nevertheless enjoyed as always and the winner is such a gorgeous cover. -as a side note to Roy, if he's reading this, I think the contrast was off on the screen. I double-checked some of these covers on bgg and regained my faith in what I originally thought they looked like, which were a little different due to brightness/saturation issues. Particularly Merchants of the Dark Road 35:49 is dark and dim and the details are not visible. Yet again, kudos to you Roy and love how skillfully you put all these together.

[@daanjanssens4266]

For me it would have been Scythe. Everything on that cover 'covers' the entire game. The letter C as a scythe, the balance of farming on the foreground while there is battling in the distance. How the warfare is undeniably present, but not on the main focus. Just like the game itself.

[@g8kpr3000]

Actually the letter C has a Sickle. Lol

[@no_activity]

Yes, the artwork is the best that I own.

[@TheRASDEL83]

Chris going "also that's a moose... how do you fight against a moose?... you get in low, go for the jugular" and Zee going "WHAT?!" Was golden... I know it was an elk but Chris timing was great... plus... Elk or Moose... it would be the same strategy just saying😅

[@virgilalighieri7192]

To quote Brennan Lee Mulligan "If you see an elk, you think 'That's a really big deer.' If you see a moose, you think 'Dear God, that's a monster from the dawn of time.'"

[@rontalkstabletop]

#SaveAtlantisRising

[@adpayne91]

Would like to have seen Endangered. It is such a striking cover and connects the player to the emotion that they feel during gameplay.

[@ApesAmongUs]

Only 15 minutes in and some of them seem really sold on combining as many strong colors as possible all at once and opposed to a uniform color scheme with a few strong highlights. Many of the ones they were advocating for, I would describe as garish.

[@boardgamesonthemoon]

Was just thinking about Leaving Earth and how much I wish I had a complete version of that game, love that cover (and especially the cards inside)

[@dougsundseth2303]

I find it fascinating how many of these covers have very static compositions. Primary subjects seem to be placed dead center on the covers. And in a case like Planetarium, where you have a very strong dynamic imbalance, the result is a huge win. Many of these pieces are not good cover art, even when the piece is good art when standing alone.

[@bibleboardgames]

Thank you, Dice Tower! A Very interesting topic! Enjoyed tapping into the artistic realm.

[@ko9]

Spoiler alert: I couldn't disagree more with the poll for Abyss v Aquatica! What were people thinking.. 😮

[@oddaudiocrafting]

Granted, I'm only 4 pairings in and it seems like the bias for games you like and are familiar with will obviously be stronger for this "beautiful" list than the previous "ugly" list. I have played Aquatica and not Abyss. By art, I would say Abyss is objectively the better art -- but still am emotionally drawn to Aquatica as beautiful and even more "pretty". But, that's also the difference between some definitions of "beautiful" vs. "best art". There is amazing art that I would not consider beautiful -- and, technically, they are asking for "most beautiful".

[@eliumeldritch]

Probably the exact same thing you were just opposite. 😉

[@holgerchristiansen4003]

I would have voted for Aquatica without hestation. The cover for Abyss wouldn't ever get me to play the game or even get close to it. It might be artistically well done - I don't dispute that at all - but it also turns me away from the game immediately!

[@Montag451]

Well, I haven't played either but am familiar with them. Aquatica 100%. Abyss has a neat cover, but it feels like a gimmick and if it wasn't for the designer, I don't think it would have worked that well. The cover tells you nothing about the game whatsoever (not even the title!). In my opinion, it is objectively a bad cover.

[@kyle88740]

Also why not Abyss vs King of Tokyo: Dark Edition for similar composition themes?

[@Mancupcake]

I'm so glad you're finally using overhead mics! A little echoy, but hugely improved overall!

[@PandaPandaPandaism]

How can this even be a legit contest without the Cosmic Frog cover?

[@kirbyrock5]

How is Oath not on this list. I'm in shock. The use of color on that cover is incredible.

[@duncancole1742]

I'm baffled that Planetarium got as far as it did. Sure it's a striking image but I found it got less interesting the more I saw it.

[@frolic838]

I love that Planetarium made it. From the moment that game arrived on my doorstep, I LOVED it. I actually had it displayed for quite some time. The fact that the game is about creating and seeding planets ... it's really evocative.

[@josephread8414]

I don't really see why Everdell is so loved, the yellow washes out so much of the background. As for what was missing I've always really liked the Cry Havoc cover but Gale Force Nines version of Dune is just so striking.

[@ryanthered5915]

art vs design considerations is the key determining factor. uniqueness is another

[@jonpaget]

Brilliant contest to watch! Discussion, great art and unpredictable public voting!

[@trevorfranklin3536]

I’m really enjoying these voting videos. Some I loved were knocked out early, but I do think the best cover won. Before I played Everdell, I saw it as a beautiful cover. After I played Everdell, the cover now immediately draws me in and makes me want to play, because it so accurately reflects the feeling I get when I dive into that game world.

[@dougwarr9459]

Either of the Brass games Birmingham/ Lancashire should have been in there!!!!

[@SteveRB511]

I really enjoyed this exploration of board game cover art. There is so much that affects a person's response to art including color, texture, style, media, theme, and the incorporation of other graphic design elements (fonts, logos, etc.) that it can generally be quite subjective so it was interesting to see how people responded to the different covers. The selections for this video were very good and I would like to see more of this including other artists such as Kwanchai Moriya (Capital Lux, Falling Skies, Catacombs, ...), Satoshi Matsuura (Hidden Leaders), Tara McPherson and Scott Hartman (Dreamwell), Jacqui Davis (Euphoria), whoever created the Mythic Mischief cover, Gjermund Bohne (Riverside) ... and so many more. This could be a fun series. (Most of the games I own are an art collection as well as being games.)

[@steamvent]

Kwanchai is a favorite of mine, and I really dig the Dreamwell art.

[@eliumeldritch]

Alternative sagrada, a stain glass window being installed with light rays coming through

[@hanseathl]

I like the Everdell Cover but compared to Scythe it is not even close. However, very fun show to watch. Thank you!

[@Bllurr1]

The more people there are at the table, the harder it is for Tom to wrangle the chaos.

[@jflartner117]

geez the people who expect full on movie budget production sound on these videos crack me up

[@spencernewman7041]

A game not listed that I would have loved to have seen is the cover for King of Tokyo Dark Edition.

[@warlorddk2070]

Yeah I feel like a lot of these are determined by how much people enjoy the game more than the actual coverart

[@brucebush5744]

Ahh well - it’d be boring if we all agreed about everything, especially when it comes to art. Everdell and Sleeping Gods wouldn’t get close to my top 100.

[@BreezingThrou]

I wish there was a way to use the box art for Everdell for the big box. Many great boxes lost to the expansion or big box issue over the years.

[@blakebatchelor7930]

Great video guys. You should do another one of these for sure. For me scythe or root would have won it. Contenders for next time... Cthulhu death may die, unconscious mind, and my favorite cover I've ever seen is dune war for arrakis.

[@freeheeler00]

What does the Dice Tower have against a Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher???

[@daanjanssens4266]

Game covers that would have beaten *almost every covers in this video, for me: MIND MGMT, That Time You Killed Me, Horrified, Kings Dilemma and without a doubt: Unmatched Cobble & Fog (close to perfection if you ask me)

[@JuliuszCovers]

"Seasons of Love" - that’s a second time I hear Tom making a Broadway reference in a video. Waiting for more! :)

[@koalabrownie]

Next time you could have a wildcard where the top 4-5 losers compete for one last spot.

[@monoludico6166]

Before seeing the video, mine is: 1. Brass Lancashire Scythe Brass Birmingham Trajan The Lord of the Rings LCG Ultimate Railroads Arkham Horror 2nd ed. On Mars War of the Ring 1st ed. 10. Terraforming Mars

[@ScytheNoire]

Roy used the wrong cover for Dwellings of Eldervale. Should have used the limited edition Croc cover.

[@Lordbeanis]

How was Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn not on this list. It is one of the most striking covers ever

[@BC_VORTEX_CHANNEL]

When is the voting show for prettiest marble?

[@stevewithington1787]

Some amazing covers here. Had a feeling whoever came out on top of the Everdell/Scythe matchup would win the whole thing. Surprising omissions from the 64 were Brass: Birmingham, Lisboa and Kanban EV (though I suppose four Lacerda/O'Toole titles might have been asking too much). My top five from the ones chosen were Scythe, Everdell, Weather Machine, Formosa Tea and On Mars. As entertaining as the bad covers video was, this was far more fun.

[@landonyoung1982]

Who is hammering! Lol. You guys did great keeping your composure.

[@ericlavallee4505]

Great work Dice Tower! I would have love to see "Covert" in there!

[@89taklung]

For the future, because you can definitely do this a couple of times and then have the winners of these fight against each other: Darwins choice has a great cover ISS vanguard is gorgeous Fractal into the void, noz out yet but looks cool Call to adventure Mind Mgmt Transmission Dixit Oath Callico Dreams Make it happen n.n

[@deathm00n2]

Late to the video, but my favorite cover was not here and to me is better than any one shown and it is Brass Birmingham. It is such a beautiful piece of art, with the reflections in the puddle and the white box

[@hanseathl]

I fully agree with Zee on the Sagrada Cover. The most generic angle of view they could find.

[@ianw0ng]

surprised no one brought up that everdell cover looks inspired by wind in the willows.

[@KevBotron1000]

I’m boggled that people like the Oceans cover. It looks like a Lisa Frank story exploded.

[@djmurp2]

Lots of pretty, cartoony, and colorful. And water, lots of water. 😂 Interesting list

[@eastargamemanufacturing6914]

Very interesting introduction! Great to see Etherfields and Flamecraft two board games. 😉

[@Draffut2003]

Mike could find 30 better covers, but was wrong almost every round, lol. I want to see his top 64.

[@Draffut2003]

I see this as "You put both box covers in front of me, I have 0 idea about either game, which do I want to try based solely on the cover" Everdell loses in the second round and every one afterwards.

[@Straddllw]

I went through the poll and my top 8 after matchups were: Aquatica, Everdell, FermosaTea, Mysterium, On Mars, Rococo Deluxe, Sleeping Gods, Unfathomable

[@Alittlefruitgoesalongway]

I don't quite see the appeal of Everdell. It's good, but to me it just doesn't stand out. The colors seem to blend in, and while it's very well done art, at a glance it looks similar to others I've seen. The striking look of Etherfields, the beautiful art and kind of hazy aspect to the On Mars cover, the perspective and view of Formosa Tea, and just the striking quality of Sleeping Gods are all covers I would easily have chosen over Everdell personally. So it's really quite subjective, and here the match ups can create quite a difference as well. Just interesting to watch I suppose.

[@ianw0ng]

baffled that planetarium kept winning. it's just an image of a planet. cant even see the fonts that well it's so dark.

[@Syobnaf]

Out of these Oceans, Weather Machine, and Formosa Tea are my favorites

[@matchfixer]

1:05:33 what a take

[@dancondonjones]

I tried to vote for Vengeance in the original Facebook poll, but the poll had stopped accepting new entries by the time I go there. That cover is awesome. Days of Ire was robbed. That cover looks so iconic. No idea how Mysterium made it that far. The cover is okay, but really nothing special.

[@rpriske]

WOW! Saying Wingpan should get blown away by Yamatai? I am now saying Wingspan is amazing but Yamatai is actively bad.

[@Tzimisce25]

19:50 I expected Feudum in the other competition :P 49:00 Same for Root :D

[@jace76ful]

Where was twilight imperium 4th edition??? That cover is lovely.

[@middleclassboardgamer]

I'm commenting during the first round, but since they're going in alphabetical order, it would seem Brass: Birmingham has been left out of the competition, therefore this whole thing is invalid.

[@atatski1]

Salty that Inis(original) is not in contention… also escape plan, beyond the sun, euphoria, public market(port), solarius mission are some of my fave and worth including.. i hope they do this again..

[@DrowsyKaiju]

I would have had King of Tokyo: Dark Edition and Dinosaur World as contenders

[@dougwarr9459]

Yes, KoT Dark I agree!

[@sidetracksbgc]

Zee is hands down my favorite person on the Dice Tower channel but he’s totally wrong on the Wingspan cover. It’s elegant and striking. Chris is absolutely right.

[@heathwashburn194]

No Kwanchi Moriya? He's done some great covers.

[@rexology_bg]

Dual Powers: Revolution 1917 should have been on there...or at least something.

[@ko9]

Agreed, he's my favourite board game artist.

[@melissalobegeier6420]

Kwanchi Moriya was there. He did the cover for Days of Ire which got voted out in the first round.

[@heathwashburn194]

@@melissalobegeier6420 Oh good catch! Many of his other great covers probably would have fared better.

[@armstronghawkins9183]

I think you folks should change the name of these challenges to "Best Game Cover ART of All Time". There's...a difference. Feels like everyone is just responding to the art 70% of the time. Sagrada, though not deserving much praise in any discussion, is a better cover design than Root. Root has great art. Some of it's on the cover. But that is bad design on the cover. The box with the title smack in the middle, alone, is enough to knock it out of any competition. But...the art that is on the Root box *is* great. But it ain't a great cover. SImilarly, Wingspan IS a better cover than Yamatai. And the Rising Sun cover is a WAY more sophisticated cover design than Zee's critique of ONE of the art elements implies 1:16:16

[@brucebush5744]

Yep - very much with you on this one. Wingspan is a far better design for a board game cover than Everdell - simple, striking, unique. Whether you’d prefer to have the subtler complexity of Everdell to look at on a poster on your wall is a different matter altogether.

[@Jammonstrald]

Babylonia is the one cover I thought of off the top of my head that wasn't included in the list. It's a gorgeous cover.

[@makareno89]

You should do another bracket with the choices you thought should have gone through. For example Lacrimosa vs Atlantic Rising or Nemo's War vs Rising 5

[@ko9]

I'm missing Pilgrim from this list, I think that's a stunning cover. If you don't know it, give it a look, gorgeous!

[@john-qz3fu]

The art is great on that cover. I would love to play the game. Nick Case's tales of the northland noggin the nog is fantastic.

[@the128boy]

Windward! Not even included for voting??

[@TeChNoWC7]

The worst board game covers vid is easy to agree with lol, but I have very different tastes to the ones that generally get picked for best eg bright vibrant cutesy artworks ad infinitum. Give me some dry historical euro artworks anyday, or something with some character, not just glitz and glamour!

[@michelvoortman4725]

Wingspan stands out. Same goes for Azul or Power Grid. They stand out in a store between a dozen other games.

[@oddaudiocrafting]

Suddenly Planitarium is on the BGG hotness list... wonder why...

[@robertsilver6181]

Best cover I think, and I know add it to the poll next, but its probably too new anyway, but iss vangaurd!! That cover is so insanely beautiful!!!

[@Jammonstrald]

Formosa Tea got done dirty. It was the best cover in the whole video.

[@spc4lf_874]

Def need a round 2 of this and then the winner of this video against the winner of round 2!

[@VorpalSlade]

I completely agree with Tom on Mike's reversal of opinion, the Root art style is incredible but the composition is so flat, especially compared to Etherfields. The latter winning the poll is the moment I knew for sure that the audience were voting 'properly' rather than voting for their favourites.

[@jpotter2086]

There are frequent threads in wargaming forums about cover and map art. Numerous stunning examples from over the decades (in a few cases, centuries!), and around the world.

[@halojill4937]

What about the pearl expansion for Res???? That is breathtaking! And would have been a fun face off to Dive!

[@Roufus55]

First three votes just shot my confidence in any of the votes.

[@searose6192]

Tokaido is the only one of those “mostly white” covers that I really like.

[@ScytheNoire]

How were Kanban EV and Brass not here? Seriously.

[@HashStrid]

New quest for el dorado is really nice

[@MartyKane217]

How the heck is Tapestry not on this list? I hate the game but I love the art.

[@petervedder1428]

I've always liked the box for Kingsburg (1st edition)

[@koalabrownie]

The purple and red on Dwellings of Eldervale kill the cover for me. Just looks like a big mess. Also that split-tail bird on the Wingspan cover is super cool, why are people hating on it?

[@michelvoortman4725]

Abyss, Everdell and Mice and Mystics all have very nice art. And Ryan Laukat games. Now let me check the video. I dunno about covers.