Top 10 Most Anticipated New Board Games of 2024

It's only January but 2024 is already shaping up to be an incredible year in board games! We are excited to talk through our top 10 most anticipated games for the year. This year we're splitting our lists into new games and expansions, so keep a look out for that follow-up video.
Looking forward to a whole year of chatting board games with you all. What's your most anticipated of 2024?
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:45 Games we're STILL anticipating
01:47 Games we've previewed
02:45 Reminder: this list is speculative!
03:22 Maggie's #10
05:33 Amy's #10
07:43 Maggie's #9
10:02 Amy's #9 & Maggie's #8
13:02 Amy's #8 & Maggie's #7
18:01 Amy's #7
20:17 Maggie's #6
22:13 Amy's #6 & Maggie's #5
26:59 Amy's #5
28:30 Maggie's #4
30:27 Amy's #4
32:48 Maggie's #3
34:51 Amy's #3
37:16 Maggie's #2
40:38 Amy's #2
43:52 Maggie's #1
46:28 Amy's #1
51:07 Wrap up
Thanks for stopping by! We're Amy & Maggie aka ThinkerThemer. We're an Australian couple with two very different perspectives of what makes a great board game - Amy (Thinker) is all about the mechanics and enjoys tight, competitive games, and Maggie (Themer) is all about the storytelling and the theme of the game, and the 'world' that the designer is trying to create. Subscribe to our channel to hear us talk about these two elements of a game, and how well integrated we feel these are in delivering a cohesive and wonderful game experience.
#board games #tabletop games #thinkerthemer ❤🏳️‍🌈🇦🇺

[@hegemonicprojectgames771]

Thank you @ThinkerTheemer for including World Order in your Top-10 list of upcoming games. It is indeed a project we are very passionate about, and we want it to capture the world of International Relations in the best way possible. We plan to start revealing more information about the game soon so stay tuned! :)

[@mihirshahisme]

Raas as number 2 most anticipated, what !!! Wow !!! I need to wake up from the dream 😍. I am gushing, blushing, all types of ing 😍😍. Hope to not disappoint and yeah the game has become lot better both strategically and for ease of play since your last play 😊.

[@stevepettenon1]

This video was onpoint. Loved the natural humour and silliness, Maggie and Amy. ❤

[@ShmavinShmenhouse]

Bahahaha. Those outtakes had me laughing so hard my sides burning 🤣 (cut to: Maggie nailing it first time - comedy gold)

[@JackCaufman]

Restart will definitely be a big bang! I love the theme! I hope to see Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator :D .

[@YoriBekker]

Great video and great recommendations! Loved the mini bloopers and happy vibes😄

[@penny5636]

You really put a smile on my face this morning! 😊 hilarious! Thank you! Lots to look forward to….

[@izzybee6438]

Great list- quite a few I haven’t seen on any other lists that I’m excited for! Thank you for sharing

[@VincentDeloso]

Thank you Amy and Maggie for your videos. Looking forward to many of these games for the year. Hope you both have a wonderful year of gaming and can’t wait to see what gets covered 👏

[@melblack7412]

You guys gave me some laughs this morning 😂Thanks for sharing all of these and doing some of my research for me!

[@PastorDanplaysboardgames]

Thanks this is a great video! Through ice and snow I would like to try, right at the beginning of video you got me excited. The history of games by sea salt and paper , I didn’t know they had other games, so I’ll be looking into them , so great information in the middle. Great explanation of both convolution and spirit fire. I’ll be looking for these also ! Thanks again.

[@ryanflueger8027]

Love your videos. I end up making so many notes on your content! Thanks!

[@PlayerOnYourLeft]

What a great preview of games for the year ahead. Coincidentally, your content is always my most highly anticipated. 😊

[@scottrenfer2735]

Nice Lists! Spectral and Cafe Baras both look cool!

[@monicamurphy6552]

Another great video! I have a few of these games on my list as well. Love the highlights, Amy.

[@GamingRulesVideos]

I'm getting to play Civolution tonight! Very excited.

[@olloplays]

It was so much fun playing Avant Carde with you both at Gen Con! I cannot wait to get my copy!!

[@charnegooch4274]

Love this video...the two of you are so funny, natural, delightful! (Conservas sounds like a must have!)

[@olivertremel9869]

So lovely the two of you! Great!

[@dyerswoad7088]

Great list! I hadn't heard of any of them but now I'm getting excited for 2024 😁

[@Tablenauts]

I loved this video, and honestly, the whole struggle to say Inventions Evolution of Ideas I felt in my soul 😂. Sometimes words just don't work. Thank you for including that peak behind the curtain lol.

[@directordan3458]

Love how much I am Amy and my husband is Maggie 😆 however I have got Inventions Age of IDEAS at the top of my list! Also really excited for Wyrmspan…a heavier wingspan? And with dragons?? Yes please!

[@JonHook]

Great video. I got a lot of notes about games I can start looking forward to. I was a bit surprised that neither of Stefan Feld's new City Collection games, Kathmandu or Nassau, made the list. I'm really excited to learn more about Kathmandu.

[@ChristinaPlans]

Excited! Watching this now. Love your opinions.

[@leipergames]

Ooh, I have an idea for a game! Please manifest an IKEA themed game where you assemble polyomino furniture shapes which you then arrange in your own tiny apartment.

[@marekbugiel6893]

I enjoy listening to you a lot. Just sharing your opinion as a gameboards fans/geeks, without any unnecessary attempts to be cool. And so natural in it. Thanks!

[@darlene7165]

Great list!! I haven't even played Hegemony yet! Hope I can get a teach at DTW :)! Thanks for a another fun video!

[@darlene7165]

I also wanted to mention that I love your late night recordings! Thanks for the laughs!

[@TellingNoOne]

Capybaras in a coffee shop! That is definitely on my list! 🎉

[@leovincent6461]

great video! so many of these sound great and are not anything I've heard of before - the ones I'm mist interested in so far are Witchbound - sounds really cool, Clandestine, Spectral - looks amazing - love deduction games, and Spirit Fire - sounds amazing, great concept.... Thank you!

[@GamerPhysics]

Oh man, there are so many new games to think about this year! I haven't even had a chance to play Hegemony and they are already making something else that I find really intriguing.

[@davidripplinger8904]

One coming out this year you may not have heard of is Chains, which is a really well thought out disc golf simulation board game.

[@RedMountain111]

Spirit Fire and Civolution are also at the top end of games I'm looking forward to in 2024. Great list overall and you put some on my radar to be on the lookout for.

[@albertdommer4242]

Clank! Legacy is by far my favorite legacy game I've played. I can't wait for number 2!

[@SmoothGummi]

Have either of you had a chance to check out Mistwind by the creators of Sagrada? We were checking out a game at GenCon last year and ended up leaving to go to the table next to us because we were so taken by it. A really cool action selection system where it’s first come first serve, followed by a pickup and delivery round. Gorgeous components.

[@bettermoodboardgames]

Yass! Café Baras!!! So freaking cute. On my list as well! Along with Fromage and Conservas! I terribly want those games. Maggie I am very on par with your level of excitement on the regular! 😂 And Amy...when did you humbly give up and decide to have Maggie introduce the Evolution of Ideas instead of you?! 😂😂🤣 Lastly, with Raas and Spirit Fire, I am just so amazed at board games right now..how unique the themes are, just so amazing.

[@hugodasilva198]

Nice video ! I wanted to know, you have field of Arle behind you beside Feast for Odin, what's your opinion between the twos?

[@inspired2game]

I feel the same way as you Maggie about Spirit Fire!! It's my number 1 anticipated of the year! 😃

[@TabletopTurtle]

Tons of games that look good! Hopefully this year is a little better than 2023. Super excited for Inventions Evolution an Idea too and it's actually available on Tabletopia right now. Lacerda never misses!

[@est92797]

Great video...Are you two heading to this years Level Up retreat in three weeks?

[@df15ch13]

Manifesting our kinda games for us all in 2024!! 🙌🏼

[@tristancaneris6270]

Amy! I think i have your new favourite dish…. Cheese and anchovies! Slice of foccacia (preferably fresh home made) Layer of burrata 1-2 Anchovies Then drizzle with olive oil and some flakey sea salt. The bessssttt

[@ThinkerThemer]

This. Sounds. Amazing. 🤤

[@redbirdbluesong]

Very intrigued by Restart, World Order, Civilution and Spiritfire. I dont know if ill have the opportunity to play either of yhem, but i love that Hegemony and World Order allow people to explore the systems in place and I hope that we see more games like them and that explore alternative systems. My curiosity about Spiritfire stems from wanting that nonviolent, open world, exploration experience that's very hard to come by in gaming. Also very interested in Earthborne Rangers for this reason, since I'm a big fan of the Arkham Horror lcg, but I don't often want to go into that dark world- but I love the deck building. Would love to know if Maggie can compare Earthborne to Arkham (since it shares a bit of DNA)? Does Earthborne do what it aspires to?

[@biyukun]

I follow the mancala mechanism tab, on BGG so I've been watching for Clandestine, too! It first appeared like a year or more ago? Feels like it's been so long! There's also a mancala game called Garlic Girls which I think came out last year in ... Japan? I'm hoping it'll get an international release for the name of the game alone!

[@kaitievoice]

Added 2 of these to my must have list! Curious if you've had a chance to look at Conquest Princess: Fashion is Power.

[@ferrum5]

Excelente video. Maggie, ¿De dónde eres? Yo soy de Maracaibo, Venezuela. Amy, Restart looks amazing. Thank you for showing me that game. I put it on my wishlist.

[@kirkbeiser]

I need a new KTBG game. Love Fossilis and Wreck Raiders so I will be checking out Maple Valley, Cafe Baras and Creature Comforts. They do such fantastic work.

[@mzzabzzuzza4759]

13:48 genuinely laughed out loud at the start of take 4 :D

[@nirszi]

I think this list has the most games in common with my anticipated games. I have a feeling this year is going to be awesome.

[@SamiPaju]

I’m probably most excited about the new Martin Wallace game Steam Power(?), which is supposed to be a lot like Brass but a little lighter. Also looking forward to Inventions and Pampero.

[@MichaelCarl_MC]

Some of these looks very interesting. I kickstarted Fromage, but I really need to keep an eye out for Civolution.

[@StephenGrubb]

Can't wait for Clank AI 2. We loved the first one.

[@buddyberglund]

Well, Civolution certainly sounds intriguing. I love the idea of all the pieces of 4X games, with the definite exception of the eXterminate part. I hate games where you are attacking other players and destroying their stuff, so the idea of a 3X game that has everything but combat sounds perfect. However, I have actually never liked any Stefan Feld game that I've played, for some reason. Not sure what it is about his designs that just don't work for me, but I will be looking pretty closely at this one when it comes out. Maybe this will be my first favorite Feld game. Thanks for this list!

[@meenki347]

I already have the Restart home rules expansions for all my games. We play them and if we make a few rules mistakes on the first few turns? We play a quick game of Restart.

[@theunamiable]

I went in suspecting I wouldn't have much chance with any on the list, but Clank Legacy 2 may work out! (Then again, I have 7 games already ordered and supposed to turn up this year, and I am already pessimistic about those.) Which is not to say none on your lists sound cool! The time travel one especially sounds like something I'd grab in the hope someone would play it with me 😅

[@mattyweaves]

Thank you for this, I just added a bunch of games to my wishlist. My wife may not be very happy though. 😅

[@matt_stowball]

Yes! Sardines ftw!

[@Adam-pt3cb]

I have absolutely no space for any more games but I’m now quite excited for civolution.

[@bmrigs]

Solid collection of games behind them. Hegemony should of been on display since it was their no. 1 of 2023. 😉

[@pedrofanti]

I'm intrigued by Andromeda's Edge since Cryo is so good, but I'm cautious of the publisher because of their previous games. Can't wait for final Arcs. I admire Leder's "FOMO-less" campaigns, no stretch goals, no deluxe editions with KS exclusives. I skipped Zoo Vadis for now because the deluxe is too expensive while the retail feels incomplete, so at the end I end up just saving my coins. I'm glad Cascadero (same publisher) doesn't have a deluxe edition while still looking fantastic, but I'll still wanna play before getting it.

[@ericfugere7061]

You should check out Natera: New Beginning! :)

[@juleswatson7646]

Spirit Fire is totally the game made for Maggie! I think my most anticipated would have to be Wroth by chip theory games. Might not fulfil by the end of the year but one can hope!

[@martonferenci]

very interesting list! You will like Inventions and House of Fado is just like a mini Gallerist, a superb filler like Bot Factory...much much better than Mercado!

[@susanoerter1419]

things in rings sounds fun'''''' I've been in the mood for easy to teach games.

[@Trevin_Taylor]

Even knowing it wasn’t possible, the long pause on #1 made me think “it’s higher on her list” was coming.

[@jacobjslee]

No Unconscious Mind? Your preview video got me to pre-order it. Maybe it doesn't fit the criteria for this list?

[@terry3733H]

finally 😊 a capybara themed game! Online videos show them hanging out with monkeys, crocodiles, cats, dogs, rabbits, hens, eagles, llama, turtles 🤗 many birds rest on their heads as a pit stop 🤣

[@polfig7558]

I don't remember any of those being mentioned on any other channel...

[@hugodasilva198]

Yeah !!! =)

[@marcwarembourg1864]

Wow thank you maggie for your number one. I have the same hype and same expectations as you about spirit fire. The game I think I always wanted. You are an experienced player and got attracted by it. me I did not played board games before and got attracted too. And i start now to play other games to fill the time before i get Spirit fire. this game will be an amazing journey i think.

[@canderson5469]

More games for retirement island!

[@bearhustler]

Oh I wish I didn't know there was a new game fro the Hegemony people. My poor wallet !

[@enriquebonis6041]

Not Kelp in the top 10?

[@CarlosRodriguez-ez3ls]

What? No love for Kelp?