The best games by Philippe Keyaerts 🇧🇪👨 2026

Small World is a board game where players compete for control of a tiny world, using unique fantasy races and special powers.

In Evo, a board game set in prehistoric times, players guide a species of dinosaurs through survival and evolution challenges. As controllers of these dinosaurs, or Dinos, players navigate changing climates, acquire genes, mutate their species, and compete with other creatures to become the dominant species. The game requires strategic movement, fighting, reproduction, and evolution, with each turn comprising six phases. Players earn mutation points to adapt their Dinos for survival, but must balance spending these points as they also contribute to the final score. The game's endpoint is marked by a meteor strike, adding a sense of urgency and unpredictability to the gameplay.

Small World of Warcraft is a strategy board game that combines the mechanics of the beloved Small World game with the rich fantasy universe of Blizzard Entertainment's Warcraft. This fusion creates a dynamic game of area control and conflict, where players lead various iconic races from the Warcraft universe to expand their empires across the fantastical world of Azeroth. With a mix of strategy, luck, and diplomacy, players vie for dominance in a land where there's not enough room for everyone.

The second edition of Evo invites players to control a nomadic tribe in symbiosis with a primitive reptilian species. They navigate the wilds of Kumgath and apply their biological knowledge to help their mounts adapt and survive against a hostile environment and competing species. Players earn mutation points, and the one with the most points at the end wins.

Vinci draws inspiration from games like History of the World, challenging players to navigate through various European civilizations to amass the most points. Each civilization comes with its unique powers, allowing players to expand their empires and strategically outmaneuver their opponents. The essence of the game revolves around the judicious management of civilizations—knowing precisely when to let one decline in order to adopt another more advantageous one. This tactic is key to accumulating points and achieving victory.

Olympos is a dynamic board game by Philippe Keyaerts, the designer behind the acclaimed Small World. Set in a mythic interpretation of ancient Greece and Atlantis, Olympos offers a streamlined yet deep civilization-building experience, condensing expansive gameplay into a brisk 60-90 minutes suitable for 2-5 players. Described as a "gamer's game" despite its shorter duration, it challenges players to strategically expand their territories and develop their civilization through innovative mechanics and thematic elements.