The best Board Games for Hardcore Gamers 2023

Do you prefer playing complex and involved games? Is your idea of a perfect weekend a trip to Flippin' Burgers followed by a long game of board games with friends? This list is for you.

Insider tip: Blood on the Clocktower

Attached is the list of the best board games for gamers that you can buy 2023:

This list was last updated on December 4, 2023. We compared 79179 board games for this list and selected the top 30. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. Forgotten Waters

    All details for the board game Forgotten Waters and similar games

    Nominated for 8 awards and won 1.

    More details for Forgotten Waters
    • 3 - 7 Players
    • 120 - 240 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  2. Dune: Imperium

    All details for the board game Dune: Imperium and similar games

    Nominated for 19 awards and won 7.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2022

    More details for Dune: Imperium
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  3. Terraforming Mars

    All details for the board game Terraforming Mars and similar games

    Nominated for 27 awards and won 14.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2017

    More details for Terraforming Mars
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 120 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

    Video reviews for Terraforming Mars

    • YouTube Review for the game "Terraforming Mars" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  4. Mansions of Madness: Second Edition

    All details for the board game Mansions of Madness: Second Edition and similar games
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 120 - 180 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  5. Destinies

    All details for the board game Destinies and similar games

    Nominated for 8 awards and won 3.

    More details for Destinies
    • 1 - 3 Players
    • 90 - 150 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  6. The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth

    All details for the board game The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth and similar games
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  7. The Castles of Burgundy

    All details for the board game The Castles of Burgundy and similar games
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 70 - 120 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  8. Star Wars: Outer Rim

    All details for the board game Star Wars: Outer Rim and similar games
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 120 - 180 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  9. Ark Nova

    All details for the board game Ark Nova and similar games

    Nominated for 18 awards and won 8.

    More details for Ark Nova
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 90 - 150 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Hard to learn
  10. Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

    All details for the board game Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion and similar games

    Nominated for 13 awards and won 5.

    More details for Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 30 - 120 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Hard to learn
  11. Zombicide: Black Plague

    All details for the board game Zombicide: Black Plague and similar games
    • 1 - 6 Players
    • 60 - 180 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  12. Brass: Birmingham

    All details for the board game Brass: Birmingham and similar games

    Nominated for 13 awards and won 7.

    More details for Brass: Birmingham
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Hard to learn

    Video reviews for Brass: Birmingham

    • YouTube Review for the game "Brass: Birmingham" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Brass: Birmingham" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  13. Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan

    All details for the board game Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan and similar games
    • 2 Players
    • 180 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  14. Sleeping Gods

    All details for the board game Sleeping Gods and similar games

    Nominated for 13 awards and won 4.

    More details for Sleeping Gods
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 1200 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  15. Gloomhaven

    All details for the board game Gloomhaven and similar games

    Nominated for 22 awards and won 10.

    More details for Gloomhaven
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Hard to learn
    👍 Good price!143€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for Gloomhaven

    • YouTube Review for the game "Gloomhaven" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Gloomhaven" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  16. Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated

    All details for the board game Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated and similar games
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 90 - 120 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  17. The 7th Continent

    All details for the board game The 7th Continent and similar games

    Nominated for 17 awards and won 2.

    More details for The 7th Continent
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 5 - 1000 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  18. Nemesis

    All details for the board game Nemesis and similar games

    Nominated for 8 awards and won 3.

    More details for Nemesis
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 90 - 180 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  19. Scythe

    All details for the board game Scythe and similar games

    Nominated for 21 awards and won 10.

    More details for Scythe
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 90 - 115 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
    👍 Good price!69€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for Scythe

    • YouTube Review for the game "Scythe" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  20. Star Wars: Rebellion

    All details for the board game Star Wars: Rebellion and similar games

    Nominated for 15 awards and won 4.

    More details for Star Wars: Rebellion
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 180 - 240 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Hard to learn

    Video reviews for Star Wars: Rebellion

    • YouTube Review for the game "Star Wars: Rebellion" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  21. Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy

    All details for the board game Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy and similar games
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 60 - 200 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Hard to learn
    👍 Good price!118€ atAmazon.de
  22. Lost Ruins of Arnak

    All details for the board game Lost Ruins of Arnak and similar games

    Nominated for 26 awards and won 10.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2021

    More details for Lost Ruins of Arnak
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 30 - 120 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  23. Concordia Venus

    All details for the board game Concordia Venus and similar games

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Concordia Venus
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

    Video reviews for Concordia Venus

    • YouTube Review for the game "Concordia Venus" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Concordia Venus" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  24. Twilight Struggle

    All details for the board game Twilight Struggle and similar games

    Nominated for 6 awards and won 5.

    More details for Twilight Struggle
    • 2 Players
    • 120 - 180 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Hard to learn
  25. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases

    All details for the board game Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases and similar games

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 3.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 1985

    More details for Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases
    • 1 - 8 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
    👍 Good price!50€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases

    • YouTube Review for the game "Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  26. Beyond the Sun

    All details for the board game Beyond the Sun and similar games

    Nominated for 6 awards.

    More details for Beyond the Sun
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  27. Descent: Legends of the Dark

    All details for the board game Descent: Legends of the Dark and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    🔥 Deal: 37% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!

    More details for Descent: Legends of the Dark
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 120 - 180 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
    🔥 Great price!77€ atAmazon.de
  28. Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game

    All details for the board game Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game and similar games

    Nominated for 14 awards and won 4.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2019

    More details for Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 120 - 180 Minutes
    • 16+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

    Video reviews for Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game

    • YouTube Review for the game "Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  29. Puerto Rico

    All details for the board game Puerto Rico and similar games

    Nominated for 12 awards and won 8.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2002

    More details for Puerto Rico
    • 3 - 5 Players
    • 90 - 150 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  30. Grand Austria Hotel

    All details for the board game Grand Austria Hotel and similar games
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

    Video reviews for Grand Austria Hotel

    • YouTube Review for the game "Grand Austria Hotel" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English

Didn't find the game you were looking for?

We're positive that you'll find it in one of our other lists! To make the search easier for you, we split our website into different categories. The following board game categories will help you find the right list: