The Best Games from Days of Wonder 🇺🇸/🇫🇷🏢 2026

Heat: Pedal to the Metal is a dynamic and strategic racing board game that simulates the thrill and intricacies of car racing. It offers players a chance to experience the excitement of racing while managing crucial elements like speed, car upgrades, and varying track conditions.

Players embark on twelve journeys through North America as 19th-century pioneers. Starting on the East Coast, they face challenges while aiming to complete ticket objectives and develop new skills to overcome unexpected events and rivals. As the campaign progresses, players unlock new rules and content, creating a uniquely tailored experience that evolves with their choices, resulting in a game that can be enjoyed for a lifetime.

Ticket to Ride: Europe invites you to embark on an exhilarating train adventure through the heart of Europe. From the historic streets of Edinburgh to the vibrant city of Constantinople, and from the sunny shores of Lisbon to the grandeur of Moscow, you'll traverse the great cities of turn-of-the-century Europe. Whether you're a seasoned gamer or a family looking for a fun challenge, this game, like the original Ticket to Ride, offers an elegantly simple gameplay experience that can be mastered in just five minutes.

Ticket to Ride: London brings the classic gameplay of the Ticket to Ride series to the vibrant city of London in the 1970s. This edition offers a fast-paced, streamlined experience on a condensed map of London, allowing players to complete a game in just about 15 minutes.

Ticket to Ride: New York is a fast-paced, compact variation of the beloved Ticket to Ride game series. Set against the backdrop of Manhattan, this version offers a quick and streamlined playing experience, perfect for both fans of the original game and newcomers. With a focus on the bustling streets of New York City, players race to complete taxi routes and reach destinations in a condensed version of the classic gameplay.

Memoir '44 is a historical board game that recreates some of the most iconic battles of World War II, allowing players to engage in strategic warfare with a focus on simplicity and historical accuracy.

Gambit 7 is a unique trivia game where knowing the answer isn't necessary to win. Players write down their answers to a numerical question simultaneously, then bet on their own or others' responses. Points are awarded for correct answers or for betting on the winning player, with the one accumulating the most points after seven rounds declared the winner. More fun is experienced with larger groups, and teams can be formed when playing with more than seven participants.

Players collect train cards and claim routes on a map of Europe, connecting cities shown on their tickets. Each player starts with four colored train cards and two tickets, aiming to connect the cities on the tickets with a continuous route. The first player to solve six tickets wins, or if someone places all twenty of their trains, the player with the most completed tickets is the winner.

Players collect train cards and claim routes on a map, aiming to connect the cities shown on their tickets. The game board features a map of the United States with cities connected by colorful paths. Players start with four colored train cards and two tickets, and they must connect the specified cities using their trains to complete the tickets and score points. The first player to complete six tickets wins, or the game ends when all train pieces are used, with the highest score determining the winner.

Players dive into the 17th-century Amsterdam, a bustling hub of global trade. Each player starts with a supply of 16 wagons and must collect transport cards, claim routes, and fulfill trade contracts to score points. The game ends when a player has two or fewer wagons left, leading to a final tally of points based on routes claimed and contracts completed.

Five Tribes: The Djinns of Naqala is a strategy board game set in the mystical land of Naqala. Designed by Bruno Cathala, it puts a unique spin on the traditional German-style worker placement games.

The game features familiar mechanics such as collecting cards, claiming routes, and drawing tickets, set against a 1960s San Francisco backdrop for quick play sessions lasting 15 minutes. Each player starts with 20 Cable Cars, two transport cards, and one or two destination cards representing locations in the city. Players take turns drawing cards, claiming routes by discarding matching cards, or picking up souvenir tokens by building routes to popular sites. The game ends when a player has two or fewer Cable Cars left, after which players tally points for claimed routes, completed destination cards, and collected souvenirs. The player with the highest score wins.

Quadropolis is a competitive city-building game where players strategically construct their own metropolises while vying for various urban structures like shops, parks, and public services. The game is characterized by its unique architect placement mechanic and the strategic allocation of resources.

Welcome to the city of culture, art, and music! Explore Unter den Linden and dive into the vibrant capital of Europe. Players compete to visit the city's most famous locations and complete their destination cards. The victorious player utilizes Berlin's trams and ventures underground to incorporate a subway system into their routes.

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

Corinth transports players to the bustling market of ancient Corinth, where they compete as traders vying to claim the title of the savviest merchant under the Mediterranean sun. This roll-and-write game draws inspiration from Yspahan, focusing on dice-driven actions to collect and trade goods like Persian carpets and Egyptian spices.

Players collect parade car cards and claim routes on the board to connect locations like the mad scientist's lab, the gingerbread house, and a lonely barn. The game features a city map with colored paths linking specific sites. Players can either draw two parade car cards or discard cards to claim a route by placing their ghost trains; they must play matching cards based on the route's color and length to complete their connections.

Shadows over Camelot is a unique blend of cooperative and semi-cooperative gameplay set in the legendary world of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. It combines hand-management and deduction, suitable for 3–7 players.

Gang of Four is an exciting game of cunning, strategy, and power. The goal is simple: be the first to get rid of all your cards and rise to the highest authority. However, a strategic misstep can lead to dire consequences in the struggle for survival.

BattleLore is a strategic board game that creatively blends historical and fantasy elements, set against the backdrop of a Medieval Europe Uchronia during the Hundred Years War.

The purchase of this legendary map was a stroke of genius. Legendary underwater wrecks await divers, and players must assemble the right crew of divers, sailors, and archaeologists to race to these sites. They will explore the seas, take risks, and seek to become the wealthiest diver among them.

Pirate's Cove is a thrilling board game of adventure and piracy on the high seas. Players take on the roles of daring pirates, each striving to become the most famous and feared buccaneer in the world. The game is a blend of strategic navigation, fierce combat, and treasure hunting, set against the backdrop of a legendary pirate haven.

Cleopatra and the Society of Architects is a visually striking and strategically engaging board game designed by Bruno Cathala and Ludovic Maublanc. In this game, players take on the roles of architects in ancient Egypt, competing to construct the most magnificent parts of Cleopatra's palace. The game stands out for its three-dimensional palace components, offering a vivid and tactile board gaming experience.

Players take on the role of mayors competing to create the best pioneer settlement. They develop land along a river, gather resources, and build structures while exploring the frontier. Every decision matters in this fast and simple tile-laying game, culminating in a victory for the player with the most impressive settlement.

Colosseum casts each player in the role of a Roman impresario during the grand era of the Amphitheatrum Flavium, the Colosseum. Tasked with producing spectacular events to attract the most spectators, players must skillfully manage resources, enhance their arenas, and enlist top performers to earn wealth, glory, and the coveted title of Grand Impresario.

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.

Set against the backdrop of Paris on the eve of the French Revolution, players compete as royal jewelers selling rare gems to the queen and her court. Amidst the intrigue of the Louvre, players must wisely spend their hard-earned ducats to acquire beautiful gemstones or the favor of various courtiers. After three years, the jeweler with the most valuable sales and wealth earns the prestigious title of royal jeweler and a place at court.