The 137 favorite games of Quinn from SU&SD 2026

Deception: Murder in Hong Kong offers a riveting game of deduction and deception designed for 4-12 players, providing an immersive experience in approximately 20 minutes.

Illusion is a visually stimulating card game that challenges players to question their perception of color. The game's simple rules allow for immediate gameplay, making it accessible and engaging. Players must discern and compare the proportions of colors on different cards, testing their ability to accurately perceive and estimate color quantities. It's a game of visual judgment and quick thinking, asking players who can truly trust their eyes and who has the right perspective to see through the illusions.

In Taj Mahal, players are immersed in the setting of northwest India at the beginning of the 18th century. This period marks the decline of the Grand Moguls' rule, presenting an opportunity for Maharishis and princes to assert control over the region. The game revolves around gaining influence through various strategic moves.

To win, players must get rid of their cards before everyone else, and unlike most games, they can cheat to discard cards from their hand. However, one player acts as the guardian, and if they catch someone cheating, that player must keep their original card and take one of the guardian's cards while also becoming the guardian themselves.

Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space is a suspenseful card game set in the dark and treacherous confines of a space research ship afflicted by an alien plague. This game uniquely combines strategy, bluffing, and a claustrophobic science fiction theme.

In this latest collaboration between Bruno Cathala and Ludovic Maublanc, players must buy the favor of the gods in their race to be the first player to build two cities in the Ancient Greek island group known as the Cyclades.

Players flick lightweight, hollow cubes across specially made rubber mats in a dexterity-based game. The objective is to defeat the opponent's king while managing risks, as cubes can be trapped in enemy territory. Each cube has unique abilities, and players strategically build their armies using a point system to select and position their cubes before battle.

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.

During the time of King Arthur, knights showcased their skills and bravery in tournaments across the land. Players assume the role of a legendary figure, battling opponents with weapon cards, including arrows, swords, deception, magic, and alchemy. The player with the highest health at the end of the game is declared the tournament champion.

Players take on the roles of rabbits and moose while a hunter strolls through the forest. They must try to look like animals that the hunter won't shoot at. By wearing makeshift rabbit ears or moose antlers, both players and spectators enjoy the lively competition.

Mafia de Cuba sets players in Havana, 1955, where they find themselves among don Alessandro's "faithful" henchmen at a pivotal moment. The game begins as the Godfather leaves his prized cigar box, laden with diamonds hidden beneath a layer of cigars, in the care of his associates while he attends to urgent matters. This box becomes the center of intrigue, as players decide whether to betray the trust placed in them or remain loyal to the mafia's code.

Tash-Kalar: Arena of Legends is a captivating game of magical strategy and tactics, where two to four players assume the roles of summoners in an epic arena battle. Each summoner, either working alone or in teams, demonstrates their mastery of magic by deploying minions to create complex patterns, summoning powerful beings, and outmaneuvering their opponents.

Spain, 16th century. Players are powerful ship owners seeking wealth from the newly discovered New World. The goal is to charter fleets of caravels to collect valuable goods, including legendary Inca relics, and trade to build the best sets that expand their business empire and increase their wealth.

Merchants & Marauders offers an immersive experience of the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy, where players choose the life of either a powerful merchant or a fearsome pirate, each path filled with adventure and peril.

Sidereal Confluence: Trading and Negotiation in the Elysian Quadrant stands out as a unique game for 4-9 players, blending intense trading and negotiation with a deep strategy that spans across a galaxy of diverse alien races. Players engage in a dynamic economy where resource management, technological development, and cooperative yet competitive trading are crucial to forging a civilization that dominates the galaxy. Each of the nine alien races offers a distinct play experience, with asymmetrical abilities and economic needs that necessitate savvy negotiation and trade to thrive. The game encourages players to strike deals for resources, technologies, and colonies, with victory points awarded for technological advancements, efficient economic management, and contributions to galactic progress. The remastered edition enhances this experience with improved components, a streamlined teaching guide, and a rulebook designed for easier learning and engagement.

Scrabble is a classic and highly popular word game that challenges players to create words using letter tiles on a gameboard. It combines elements of vocabulary skill, strategy, and spatial reasoning.

Vinhos is an intricate trading and economic board game centered around the theme of winemaking in Portugal, a country renowned for its wine production.

Players enter the land where Excalibur was forged, building on the innovative mechanics of Tournament at Camelot. They assume the roles of legendary figures, battling opponents with weapon cards like arrows, swords, deception, magic, and alchemy, while also engaging in informal diplomacy and alliances. The game concludes when one player is defeated, with the highest health remaining declaring victory.