Best in Tabletop 2025

Apparently upwards of 8,600 tabletop games and expansions were released in 2025. If every tabletop editor on the site published one review a day for a full year we would still come up short to that number. "Why bring this up?" you say, "you are just trying to trigger my FOMO, aren't you?" No, we just want to communicate that the list of games that our Tabletop team has compiled as their favorite games they played in 2025 is by no means a comprehensive list of the best games released last year. Enjoy!

Chris Wyman, Tabletop Editor

Magic: The Gathering - Avatar: The Last Airbender

"Avatar: The Last Airbender is as perfect of Magic set as there can be. The mechanical design creates a Limited environment with a myriad of deckbuilding choices. The new mechanics are fun and powerful while also reflecting the beloved show. This set also masters the difficult task of being an entry point for new players while also offering interesting choices for veterans. I have a quibble with the bonus sheet artwork, but otherwise, the set features a beautiful window into the world of Avatar. Hands down, Avatar: the Last Airbender is my favorite set of 2025."

Magic: The Gathering: Avatar: The Last Airbender review

A perfect balance of all the elements

GAMINGTRENDChris Wyman

Chris Hinkes, Tabletop Editor

Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship

From our review: "The thought that there are three difficulty levels above the standard difficulty is mindboggling. I love this game. This has to be the best alternate version of Pandemic out there and the theme oozes in every turn and move the players take. Each of the objectives take storylines straight out of the source material and the events added to the player deck add more thematic flavor. This is a game you have to play multiple times in order to get the flow of everything, but the sheer volume of character and objective combinations make this game one that will be different every time you play."

Chris's other pick:

Onward

Nick Dubs, Tabletop Editor

Sprocketforge

From our review: "Sprocketforge's regular mode threads the needle of being a heads-down Euro with meaningful player interaction deftly enough that you can drop it in front of almost any group and nobody's going to make anyone else miserable, but anyone trying their best to optimize their own game is forced to constantly factor in their opponents' board states." Note: SprocketForge is an Editor's Choice Award Winner.

Nick's other picks:

Heat: Tunnel Vision
Persuasion
Unmatched: Battle of Legends, Volume 3
Raising Chicago

Dan Hinkin, Lead Tabletop Editor

Galactic Cruise

From our review: "Galactic Cruise is a fantastic gaming experience that combines beautiful design, strategic gameplay, and hours of variability in a well packed box. The game begs to be played again and again."

Dan's other picks:

The Hobbit: There and Back Again
Corps of Discovery
Starfinder 2E - Player, GM, Alien Cores
LOTR: Fate of the Fellowship
Vantage

Andy Giovanni, Tabletop Editor

Spooktacular

From our review: "I absolutely love this game. Not only does it have plenty of strategic depth and character variety, Spooktacular is incredibly accessible and can be played in just 45 minutes with a lightning-fast teach. It’s no surprise that the game sold out on the very first day of Gen Con, but keep your eyes peeled as it should be back in stock soon."

Andy's other picks:

Moon Colony Bloodbath
Sanctuary
Epochs: Course of Cultures

John Farrell, Lead TTRPG Editor

Daggerheart

From our review: "Daggerheart emerges as a polished, inventive contender in the fantasy TTRPG space, marrying elegant mechanics with a strong narrative ethos. Its Hope and Fear dice system adds real tension and storytelling depth to every roll, while the streamlined presentation and card-based abilities improve accessibility and engagement. Though still rooted in a combat-heavy framework and reluctant to fully leave D&D’s shadow, it surpasses 5E in cohesion and player-focused design."

John's other picks:

Lord of the Rings Trick-Taking Game
Let us Build a Tower
Dracula vs. Van Helsing
Leviathan Wilds

Alec Kozak, Hobby Editor

Star Wars: Shatterpoint

From our review: "Shatterpoint is a tabletop skirmish game that excels at playing into and making the most of its Star Wars theme. Gameplay is fast, dynamic, and full of combo potential that rewards player knowledge. It might have more randomness than some players prefer, but it provides a deep layer of strategy for those who can learn to deal with it. For Star Wars fans of tabletop miniatures games, it’s a must-play."

Alec's other picks:

Halo: Flashpoint: Feet First Into Hell (ODST)
Borderlands: Mr. Torgue's Arena of Badassery Board Game
Golden Paints SoFlat Acrylics
Trench Crusade

Randy Gregory, Lead Hobby Editor

Army Painter Masterclass: John Blanche sets

From our review:"By embracing the artwork and guidance of John Blanche, Army Painter has crafted a flawless set of paints, allowing painters to get at the heart of grimdark. These stand well on their own or compliment your existing paints."

Randy's other picks:

Marvel Crisis Protocol
Dirty Down Rust
Goblin Hobbies Stamper
AK Interactive Quick Gen

Mark Julian, Lead Tabletop Editor

Toy Battle

From our review: "Toy Battle is a fast and fun head-to-head battle that players, young and old, can enjoy. With very simple rules and tons of variety in the box, you can get playing right away and enjoy it for a long time. It will have you playing just one more game long after you thought you’d be done."

Mark's other picks:

Star Wars Shatterpoint
Lorcana
Battle for Hoth
LOTR Trick Taking Game

Johnny Leech, Tabletop Editor

Magic: The Gathering - Final Fantasy

From our review:"The Final Fantasy set is a love letter to the entire Final Fantasy series. The set has some hiccups with uneven power levels in its creatures and some of the bonus sheet artwork, but the vast majority of the set is fun and well-designed. Summons are an interesting innovation for creatures, and the rest of the set mechanics do a good job of oozing what Final Fantasy is. If you’re a Final Fantasy fan or a Magic: The Gathering fan, there’s an amazing game within this set."

Johnny's other picks:

Trench Crusade
The Crooked Moon
Warhammer 40k Imperial Knights: Knight Questoris Release
Villainy Ink - Goons Grime

D&D Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set

Steven Starkey, Lead TTRPG Editor

Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Heroes of the Borderlands

From our review:"This is the best D&D starter set yet. With all of its impressive components, easy use, quick reference cards without heavy reliance on flipping through the book, and reusability going forward, this accomplishes the mission of starting players out in D&D. The player boards and all the cards and tokens streamline learning the game and the group to the game in short order… even though the DM still has to prepare more. Even as an experienced DM of many years and with bookshelves full of multiple editions of D&D and other games, I found the components in this set extremely useful in introducing my 12-year-old and her friends to the game."

Steven's other picks:

Undergrove
Wyrmspan
Cascadia
Little Alchemists

Raven Winters, TTRPG Editor

Pathfinder: Lost Omens Tian Xia World Guide

From our review: "The Tian Xia World Guide is simply amazing, if you’re a fan of Pathfinder lore this is the book to get. This is the book to get even if you’re not a fan of the canon lore because there is so much to use here and all of it is fantastic."

Raven's other picks:

Outgunned
Pokemon TCG Black and White

Mike Dunn, Tabletop Editor-in-Chief

Sanctuary

When Sanctuary was announced I off-handedly dismissed it as an attempt to simplify the Ark Nova for a more casual audience, and while I would say it does that to an extent, imagine my surprise to find out that it doesn't leave more experienced players, or indeed lovers of the original game wishing they were playing Ark Nova instead. Sanctuary is a surprisingly good distillation of its big brother, eliminating a lot of the fiddliness but retaining enough complexity to hit the spot in that uniquely Ark Nova way. Keep an eye out for our review soon!

Mike's other picks: