The best games from Mike Selinker 🇺🇸👨 2025
Looking for a really good game from game designer Mike Selinker 👨? Then we have just the thing: the list with the best Mike Selinker games 2025.
Who is Mike Selinker anyway?
Mike Selinker has been designing dice, card & board games since 1996. The game designer hails from USA🇺🇸, was born in 1970 and currently lives in Seattle, Washington, USA 🇺🇸. He is also known as Michael Selinker, Michael D. Selinker.
Selinker's first game "WoRDWeRX" he developed in 1996 at the age of 26 - so he has been designing games for over 29 years. Famous Selinker games are for example Lords of Vegas, die meisten Spiele der Pathfinder Adventure Card Game-Serie oder Betrayal at House on the Hill.
Active since childhood
Mike Selinker is a prolific game designer. He wrote for TSR, was creative director at Wizards of the Coast, held a leadership role at Avalon Hill Games, Inc. and is president of Lone Shark Games, a game company he co-founded with James Ernest. He began his career as a game designer with the publication of a Dungeons and Dragons crossword puzzle in Dragon magazine #100 at the age of 15. His puzzles and game articles now appear frequently in Games Magazine, the New York Times, and the Chicago Tribune. He is also known among the various game designers who play at trade shows as a good poker player - he has even written a book about playing poker.
How good are "Mike Selinker" games?
There are 4 games by Mike Selinker in our Top1000 games list, making Selinker the #61 best game author out of a total of 708 authors in our database.
More information about Selinker
More information about Selinker can be found on:
- Selinker's BGG profile
- Selinker's Twitter feed
- official Mike Selinker website
- german Wikipedia entry for Selinker
List of best games by Mike Selinker 2025
In this list we have listed the best board games that Mike Selinker either designed himself - or was involved in designing.
Unfortunately, not all of Mike Selinker's games are currently available. In the following list you can find all dice, board & card games by Mike Selinker that you can buy 2025:
Lords of Vegas
Lords of Vegas is a dynamic board game where players take on the roles of developers in a growing Nevada city, aiming to build the most profitable casinos along "The Strip." Starting with mere parking lots, players strategize to expand, reorganize, and gamble their way to success, aiming to score the most points by owning the most lucrative casinos and appointing the best bosses.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Lords of Vegas- 2 - 4 Players
- 60 - 90 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Lords of Vegas
12 Days
More details for 12 DaysThe holiday-themed card game transforms the famous song "Twelve Days of Christmas" into a fast-paced experience. Over twelve rounds, players try to re-gift unwanted cards while keeping strong cards to win the day and earn bonus points at the end.
- 3 - 5 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Unspeakable Words: Deluxe Edition
More details for Unspeakable Words: Deluxe EditionPlayers try to form words using letter cards from their hands, with each letter worth points based on its angles. Test the strength of your word against a 20-sided die roll; succeed to keep your sanity or lose it if you roll lower. The game features unique illustrations of terrifying characters from H.P. Lovecraft's works, enhancing its dark atmosphere.
- 2 - 8 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Betrayal at House on the Hill
Betrayal at House on the Hill is a suspenseful board game where players explore a haunted mansion they build themselves, filled with spirits and ominous omens. It's a great choice for an hour of entertainment at parties or casual gatherings.
Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.
More details for Betrayal at House on the Hill- 3 - 6 Players
- 60 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords – Base Set
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords – Base Set is a cooperative strategy card game set in the Pathfinder universe. Players embark on a fantasy adventure, facing various challenges and evolving their characters throughout the game.
Nominated for 8 awards and won 1.
More details for Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords – Base Set- 1 - 4 Players
- 90 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Mummy's Mask – Base Set
More details for Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Mummy's Mask – Base SetOn the brink of discovery, the ancient lands of Osirion are shrouded in the sands of time, concealing secrets and immense riches beneath the sunburned surface. As modern Osirion opens its tombs to outsiders for the first time in centuries, lost treasures and dark mysteries resurface. A group of heroes must confront terrible guardians, malevolent cults, and the burning desert sands to prevent the rebirth of an ancient tyrant.
- 1 - 4 Players
- 120 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Key Largo
More details for Key LargoPlayers are transported to the Florida Keys in 1899, where they search for treasures in shipwrecks before an impending hurricane strikes. The game features a dual mechanics system where players secretly plan their actions each day, such as diving, selling treasures, or hiring divers, while also managing limited resources to grow their wealth. The winner is the player with the most riches when the hurricane arrives and halts all dives.
- 3 - 5 Players
- 30 - 40 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Skull & Shackles – Base Set
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Skull & Shackles – Base Set launches players into a daring high-seas adventure, embodying pirates and outlaws in the notorious island chain known as the Shackles. This cooperative card game is set in the popular Pathfinder universe and builds upon the mechanics introduced in the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game series.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Skull & Shackles – Base Set- 1 - 4 Players
- 90 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Pirates of the Spanish Main
Pirates of the Spanish Main stands as the world's first constructible strategy game, inviting players into the swashbuckling world of piracy, treasure hunting, and naval combat. This innovative game allows players to assemble their own fleets of ships from collectible components and navigate the high seas in search of treasure and glory. With a unique mix of strategy, construction, and collectibility, Pirates of the Spanish Main offers an engaging experience for players looking to embody the adventurous spirit of pirates.
Nominated for 2 awards and won 2.
More details for Pirates of the Spanish Main- 2 - 10 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Yetisburg: Titanic Battles in History, Vol. 1
More details for Yetisburg: Titanic Battles in History, Vol. 1Forty years ago and seven Yetis... In the bloody fields of Pennsylvania in 1863, two great armies clashed to determine the fate of a nation. The South rose up, while the North responded with fierce determination, with powerful Yetis at the front and mighty Mastodons hurling boulders from behind.
- 2 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Core Set
More details for Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Core SetYour adventure begins here! The tower of Belhaim has just collapsed, its wizard is missing, and local goblins whisper the name of a long-dead draconic arch-nemesis. Players take on the role of heroes battling monsters, dangers, and traps in a cooperative strategy game for 1 to 4 players.
- 1 - 4 Players
- 90 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Wrath of the Righteous – Base Set
More details for Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Wrath of the Righteous – Base SetThe Abyss awaits! When the city of Kenabres is overrun by a horde of demons, only you can save the world. In this epic adventure path, players journey into the Abyss to battle the malevolent minions of the demon lord Deskari, evolving into mythical heroes who can face the greatest legends of Golarion.
- 1 - 4 Players
- 120 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Pirates: Quest for Davy Jones' Gold
More details for Pirates: Quest for Davy Jones' GoldPlayers embark on an adventure for the souls of brave pirates in a quest for Davy Jones' gold. The game focuses on the thrill of looting treasure, with ghosts and sea monsters threatening ships in dark, cursed waters. It features a customizable ship mechanic similar to other pirate-themed games.
- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 60 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Axis & Allies: D-Day
June 6, 1944, marks the dawn of a crucial day as Allied forces prepare to storm the beaches of Normandy, determining the fate of Europe. Players experience the largest amphibious invasion in history through detailed components, including a new fortification figure and a specially designed oversized game board. With a unique card deck introducing commands, tactics, and luck, players navigate various phases and strategies while controlling the destinies of major world powers.
Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.
More details for Axis & Allies: D-Day- 2 - 3 Players
- 120 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Cowpoker
More details for CowpokerCowboy Poker / CowPoker is a game for 2 to 4 live players, with four ranches in play and the rest controlled by automatic players called "Deadwood." Players control a ranch in a humorous cow town, and only cards from their ranch have effects. The game involves a series of card games where players aim to score points and form the best poker hands through strategic plays and winning tricks called "Gunfights" and "Roundups."
- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Veritas
More details for VeritasPlayers represent a "truth" that diligent, book-copying monks aim to preserve in dark medieval France. They place and copy book tiles in monasteries, collect stacks of books, and distribute them throughout France. As monasteries burn down each round, players can move through the ruins, speeding up travel on the board, while scoring points based on regional dominance. The first player to reach 100 points wins and becomes the dominant truth as the dark ages come to a close.
- 3 - 6 Players
- 60 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Simpsons Trading Card Game
More details for Simpsons Trading Card GamePlayers use a deck based on one of five characters from the TV show, including Bart, Homer, Lisa, Mr. Burns, or Krusty. The goal is to reach 7 points by participating in scene cards, with cards played considered either "completion" or "destruction" depending on their compatibility. Starter boxes are available for the first four characters, while Krusty's cards are found only in booster packs, which also feature foil versions.
- 2 - 5 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Thornwatch
More details for ThornwatchThornwatch is a graphic-novel adventure game for 2-5 players and a Judge. Players embody the Thornwatch, scarred veterans of the Eyrewoods, who manifest as spirits invoked by an ancient ritual. One player takes on the role of the Judge, guiding the narrative, while others play unique Thornwatch characters, facing challenges and uncovering new adventures through a dynamic storyboarding system.
- 3 - 6 Players
- 30 - 180 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Easy to learn
Dungeonville
More details for DungeonvilleFiese Verliese / Dungeonville is a dungeon-crawling card game for 2 to 5 players. Players take on the role of quirky wizards who control five dungeons around Dungeonville. They recruit adventurer groups to venture into the dungeons, earning points by defeating other groups in battle and eliminating other players' characters. Adventurers have a lifespan measured in minutes, and gold is used solely to hire more fools to die on your behalf.
- 2 - 5 Players
- 60 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Fightball
More details for FightballIn a distant future, players engage in a dangerous sport called Fightball, created by James Ernest. Brawlers from the streets have infused modern professional sports with chaotic elements, leading to a peculiar version of basketball where at least three balls are used, along with extreme violence and robot referees. The game is fast-paced, played over four rounds on a field made of 24 cards, where players score points through successful shots while contending with various card influences.
- 2 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Risk: Godstorm
More details for Risk: GodstormRisk: Godstorm offers a mythological twist on the classic Risk gameplay, integrating elements of religion, ancient culture, and the supernatural into the well-known formula of territorial conquest. Players take on the roles of priests from different ancient civilizations, including Greek, Celtic, Babylonian, Norse, and Egyptian, competing to dominate not just the ancient world but also the Underworld.
- 2 - 5 Players
- 120 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Axis & Allies
More details for Axis & AlliesAxis & Allies (2004), also known as Axis & Allies Revised Edition, is a refreshed version of the classic World War II strategy board game. This edition, the first by Avalon Hill, offers an immersive simulation of the global conflict, designed for five players but often enjoyed as a two-player game. Players represent either the Allies (USA, UK, Russia) or the Axis powers (Germany, Japan), engaging in strategic warfare across the globe.
- 2 - 5 Players
- 240 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Michelangelo
More details for MichelangeloPlayers act as assistants to Michelangelo, splitting their time between his workshop and the bustling political landscape of the Italian Renaissance. By helping Michelangelo, they earn money and points while also forming connections with some of the world's most powerful families.
- 2 - 5 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Gloria Mundi
More details for Gloria MundiGloria Mundi is a board game for 2-6 players set during the decline of Rome. Players act as Roman statesmen struggling for survival amidst cultural decay and political chaos. They must build their careers while managing resources and facing invading forces, aiming to escape further from the doomed city. The game ends when the West Goth reaches Rome or a player reaches the outskirts, with victory going to the one who has fled the farthest.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 60 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Medium difficulty
The Ninth World: A Skillbuilding Game for Numenera
More details for The Ninth World: A Skillbuilding Game for NumeneraThe Ninth World is a card game for 1 to 5 players that can be played competitively, cooperatively, or solo. Players assume the roles of a Nano, Jack, or Glaive, each described by an adjective, a noun, and a verb phrase. Characters explore the realm of the Steadfast or venture into the mysterious lands beyond, making strategic decisions to spend their skills wisely while competing for valuable cards. In cooperative mode, players work together against creatures threatening the city, while in solo mode, one must face the challenges alone.
- 1 - 5 Players
- 30 - 60 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Alpha Blitz
More details for Alpha BlitzAlpha Blitz features two distinct games. The first, Alpha, is a word game for 2 players using 98 letter cards and 10 lightning cards. Players form words with available letters, earning points based on the length and specific letters used. The second game, Blitz, accommodates 3-6 players, where players simultaneously reveal cards and race to name words using the shown letters, with points awarded based on the order of word submissions. The game concludes when certain letter stacks are depleted or covered with lightning cards.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Stonehenge: An Anthology Board Game
More details for Stonehenge: An Anthology Board GameStonehenge is a board game anthology featuring five distinct games designed by acclaimed authors, all utilizing the same components. Players can experience a magic game by Richard Garfield, a political game by Bruno Faidutti, a battle game by Richard Borg, an auction game by James Ernest, and a science fiction game by Mike Selinker. From racing through the ruins to various auction mechanics, these games promise to keep the experience of Stonehenge fresh for years to come.
- 2 - 5 Players
- 60 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Dealer's Choice: The Complete Handbook of Saturday Night Poker
More details for Dealer's Choice: The Complete Handbook of Saturday Night PokerWinning money is twice as sweet as earning it. Players seek a friendly way to test their luck with friends and enjoy the thrill of the game. Dealer's Choice serves as the ultimate guide to low-stakes poker, covering essential gameplay principles and offering tips for the perfect poker night, along with over 200 game variants, and illustrated with spectacular drawings by Phil Foglio. Enjoy the excitement of poker right at home, even without the five-million-dollar jackpot.
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Apocrypha Adventure Card Game: Box One – The World
More details for Apocrypha Adventure Card Game: Box One – The WorldPlayers can engage in the Apocrypha adventure card game cooperatively or with a game master in a role-playing format. Set in a world on the brink of an apocalypse, players encounter monsters visible only to their characters. The game features a rich narrative, deck-building mechanics, and character development, where players unlock fragmented memories that grant new powers. Each mission presents unique challenges and objectives, often involving the pursuit of hidden threats. The base box includes 584 cards, dice, rulebooks, and character tokens, with expansions adding further content and complexity.
- 1 - 6 Players
- 60 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Hard to learn
Harrow
More details for HarrowForget your future! Lose your shirt! All in one box! The Harrow Deck has long been a sacred tool of Varisian fortune tellers in the Pathfinder Chronicles campaign setting. Skilled users can predict harvest outcomes, guess the gender of unborn children, or provide insights into the near future. In inexperienced hands, it becomes a reckless gamble, a dangerous pastime for rogues to lose their hard-earned fortunes. Harrow features prominently in the second Pathfinder adventure path, "Curse of the Crimson Throne," allowing players to predict their future at least once in each episode. It is also a standalone card game created for use within or outside the Pathfinder setting, beautifully illustrated by Kyle Hunter.
- 2 - 9 Players
- 30 Minutes
- Immediately playable
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