The best games with dynamically changing start player 2025

Azul invites you to step into the captivating world of Portuguese artistry and craftsmanship. This board game draws inspiration from the introduction of azulejos, originally white and blue ceramic tiles, by the Moors. The tiles found a new home in Portugal when King Manuel I, during a visit to the Alhambra palace in Southern Spain, was enchanted by the exquisite Moorish decorative tiles adorning its interior. Filled with awe and inspiration, the king promptly ordered the embellishment of his own palace in Portugal with similar decorative tiles. As a skilled tile-laying artist, you are tasked with the prestigious mission of adorning the walls of the Royal Palace of Evora.

Players take turns drawing colored tiles from suppliers to place on their boards. Points are awarded based on how the tiles are arranged to decorate the palace, with extra points for specific patterns and completing sets. Wasted resources will reduce a player's score, and the player with the most points at the end wins.

PARKS is a visually stunning board game that celebrates the beauty and splendor of U.S. National Parks. With artwork from Fifty-Nine Parks, this game offers players a unique blend of strategy and adventure as they embark on a journey through nature.

Azul: Summer Pavilion takes players back to Portugal to embark on an artistic challenge of crafting a summer pavilion, a task assigned by King Manuel I. As master artisans, players must use their skills to construct the pavilion using the finest materials while efficiently managing their resources.

War Chest is a distinctive bag-building war game that requires players to skillfully manage their army both on and off the battlefield.

Lords of Waterdeep immerses players in the vibrant and politically charged city of Waterdeep, the Crown Jewel of the Forgotten Realms. In this strategic board game designed for 2-5 players, you assume the identity of one of the enigmatic Lords of Waterdeep, the city's clandestine rulers. As a Lord, you'll navigate a web of intrigue and compete with other powerful figures to exert control over this remarkable city. Let's explore the game's key features:

Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra is a visually striking and strategic board game designed by Michael Kiesling. It offers a unique twist on tile drafting, focusing on creating beautiful stained glass windows.

Queendomino is a standalone board game that builds upon the concepts introduced in Kingdomino. It offers a more complex and strategic experience, allowing players to create their kingdoms with an added layer of depth.

Pan Am is an engaging board game that immerses players in the era of pioneering air travel, where they compete to build and expand their own airline empires. The game cleverly integrates strategy, bidding, and economic elements, allowing players to navigate through the historical landscape of the aviation industry.

Mint Works is a compact and accessible worker placement board game, perfect for introducing new players to the genre and for gaming on the go. It stands out for its simplicity and portability, offering a straightforward yet engaging gameplay experience.

Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small offers a specialized, two-player experience derived from the popular Agricola game, focusing exclusively on the aspect of animal husbandry.

Fallout Shelter: The Board Game transports players into the universe of the beloved Bethesda Softworks mobile game, Fallout Shelter. Here, you dive into a post-apocalyptic world where, as a vault officer, your mission is to ensure the happiness and survival of your vault's dwellers. This worker-placement game for 2-4 players is all about strategic resource management, building, and decision-making to create the best possible future for those under your care.

Kanagawa is a beautifully crafted board game set in 1840 in the bay of Tokyo. In this game, players become disciples of the famed Master Hokusai, striving to learn and excel in the art of painting. As disciples, players must expand their studios, choose their subjects carefully, and pay keen attention to the seasons to create the most harmonious and compelling print, aspiring to produce their lifetime's masterpiece.

The Voyages of Marco Polo is a captivating board game that allows players to relive the epic journey of Marco Polo. Set in 1271, players follow Marco Polo’s path from Venice to Kublai Khan’s court in China, navigating through ancient cities and traversing the famed Silk Road.

Players engage in a sharp-witted sci-fi strategy game set in a dark yet whimsical universe. They take actions using versatile cards, set competitive goals each round, and prepare their fleets for battle, utilizing various dice to determine the outcome. The game features a hundred wooden ships and agents, 18 uniquely engraved dice, a beautifully designed board with six fields, and an extensive array of over 60 unique cards.

Nusfjord is a captivating strategy board game set in the serene fishing village of Nusfjord in the Lofoten archipelago of Norway. Players take on the roles of fishing company owners during a time when the industry was thriving, aiming to develop the harbor and the surrounding area.

Underwater Cities is a strategy board game where players become the world's brightest minds, tasked with creating the most livable underwater habitats. The game is notable for its card placement mechanism and offers a richly strategic experience that scales in duration with the number of players.

Lorenzo il Magnifico is a strategic board game set in the Italian Renaissance, where players embody heads of noble families vying for prestige and fame. This game is a blend of resource management, strategic planning, and careful maneuvering.

Set in colonial America in 1587, players assume the roles of a witch and a witch hunter in this expandable card game. The witch aims to complete a powerful ritual, while the hunter tries to uncover her identity and stop her. With unique sets of 50 cards each, players employ different tactics and strategies to outperform their opponent, all set against the dark illustrations that bring the fictional tale of the lost Roanoke colony to life.

Win duels by playing cards of equal or higher value to defend your hand or sacrifice your lowest card. When you're down to your last card, the lowest card wins the round and brings Tacocat closer to victory.

Village is a board game that captures the essence of life in a medieval village, where each player manages a family's journey through generations, seeking fame and glory in various ways. The game is renowned for its innovative handling of the passage of time and the inevitability of death, making it a unique and tactically rich experience.

Rococo immerses players in the lavish Rococo era during the reign of Louis XV, where they take on the role of managing a prestigious ball. The game blends elements of deck-building and resource management, requiring players to skilfully navigate the demands of dressmaking and event planning to gain the most prestige.

Agricola is a strategic board game where players become farmers aiming to build thriving homesteads. Manage resources, expand your home, and feed your family to win.

The Pillars of the Earth, inspired by Ken Follett's bestselling novel, is a strategy board game set in the early 13th century, centered around the construction of a grand cathedral in England. This game, part of the Kosmos line of literature-based games, challenges players to contribute to the cathedral's construction while vying for victory points.

Hallertau is set in the lush Hallertau region of Bavaria, Germany, around 1850, a pivotal time in its history as the largest hop-producing area in the world. Players take on the roles of village chiefs, striving to advance their village's prosperity and standing through agriculture and sheep breeding.

Russian Railroads is a strategic board game where players compete to build the most extensive and advanced railway network in Russia. The game combines worker placement with track building and resource management elements, offering players various paths to victory.

Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar is a unique board game that introduces a dynamic worker placement mechanism set against the backdrop of the ancient Mayan civilization.

Experience fast-paced action reminiscent of head-to-head arcade fighting games right on your tabletop. Players can choose from an ever-expanding list of unique characters, each equipped with their own deck of special and super moves. Match decks against each other in standalone games or across seasons featuring characters from various franchises.

The Atiwa Mountains in southeastern Ghana are characterized by steep hills and flat peaks, home to a vital evergreen forest reserve. This region faces threats from deforestation, bushmeat hunting, and mining activities. Players will build a community near the mountains, create housing for new families, and balance environmental concerns with resource management, aiming to harmonize the needs of both the community and nature for victory.

Caverna: The Cave Farmers is a worker-placement board game that builds upon the mechanics of its predecessor, Agricola. It combines farming and cave dwelling themes, where players manage a dwarf family and their expanding homestead.