The best games released in 2010๐ 2025
Looking for a really good game from the year 2010? Then we have just the thing for you: our recommendation list with the best board games that were newly released in 2010.
More lists from similar periods
A list with the best games from other years can be found at the end of the page.
In addition, we have created several more lists of card & board game awards:
- The Best Games by Decade.
- The best board game awards
- The best current games-new releases
- The best classic games
List of the best new games releases in 2010:
7 Wonders
In 7 Wonders, you step into the role of a leader of one of the seven great cities of the Ancient World. Your objective is to gather resources, establish commercial routes, and assert your military might. The game is not just about managing resources but also about building an architectural wonder that will stand the test of time.
Nominated for 34 awards and won 20.
โญ๏ธ Kennerspiel des Jahres 2011
More details for 7 Wonders- 2 - 7 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Kariba
More details for KaribaAll the animals are thirsty after an adventurous day in the savanna, so they've all wandered to the watering holes. Each animal wants to drink first, but beware! The elephant frightens the lion, the lion scares the zebra, and the zebra startles the antelope. Anything can happen, as even the antelope can scare the elephant. The player who scares away the most animals wins.
- 2 - 4 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 6+ years old
- Immediately playable
Time's Up! Family
More details for Time's Up! FamilyPlayers form teams of two or more and engage in a charades-based party game. Before the game starts, each player selects cards featuring familiar objects, crafts, and animals, which are then mixed into a stack for three rounds. Team members take turns giving clues to help their partners guess as many words as possible within 30 seconds, with each round introducing new rules for how clues can be given.
- 4 - 12 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Cabo
More details for CaboThe goal is to minimize the total value of your cards, but you don't know how many cards you have at the start. You can use specific cards to look at your own card, spy on your opponent's card, or swap a card with them. When you think you have the lowest value, you can call "Cabo" to end the round, but the other players still get a chance to play.
- 2 - 5 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Ghost Blitz
Ghost Blitz is a fast-paced and exciting game that tests your reflexes and ability to recognize shapes and colors. The game revolves around Balduin, the house ghost, who has accidentally created a set of puzzling photographs with his enchanted camera, leading to a spirited game of quick thinking and fast grabbing.
Nominated for 6 awards and won 1.
๐ฅ Deal: 13% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!
More details for Ghost Blitz- 2 - 8 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Anomia
Anomia is a fast-paced card game that tests players' ability to quickly recall random information under pressure. The game draws on players' knowledge of various categories like food, music, and more. Gameplay involves drawing cards and facing off with other players in a battle of quick thinking when matching symbols are revealed. Players must rapidly provide examples of the category on their opponent's card, with successful answers winning them the card. The challenge intensifies with wild cards that create unexpected matches and cascading face-offs triggered by card exchanges.
Nominated for 4 awards and won 3.
More details for Anomia- 3 - 6 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Hanabi
Hanabi, named after the Japanese word for "fireworks," invites players to collaboratively create the perfect fireworks display. In this cooperative game, the goal is to arrange cards on the table in the correct order to achieve a stunning pyrotechnic spectacle. However, there's a catch - players must hold their cards so that they are visible only to their teammates. To succeed, you'll need to provide hints to your fellow players about the numbers and colors of their cards, working together to avoid mistakes and complete the fireworks show before running out of cards.
Nominated for 7 awards and won 3.
โญ๏ธ Spiel des Jahres 2013
More details for Hanabi- 2 - 5 Players
- 25 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Mountain Goats
Mountain Goats is a dynamic and competitive board game where players strive to maneuver their goats to the summits of various mountains to score points. The game combines elements of timing and strategic positioning with direct player interaction, as players can knock each other's goats off the peaks, requiring them to restart their ascent.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Mountain Goats- 2 - 4 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Snake Oil
Snake Oil offers a refreshing twist on party games, where creativity, quick thinking, and persuasive skills reign supreme. Players transform into cunning salespeople, concocting bizarre products from a random assortment of word cards to pitch to various "customers" drawn from a deck of unique character cards. The aim is not just to sell a product but to tailor the pitch to the whims and needs of an ever-changing clientele, ranging from pirates to zombies.
Nominated for 1 award and won 1.
More details for Snake Oil- 3 - 10 Players
- 20 - 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Animal Upon Animal: Balancing Bridge
Players stack animals in this exciting game for 2-4 participants aged 5 to 99. Flamingos, giraffes, panthers, bats, and iguanas embark on an adventurous journey across a shaky hanging bridge. Each player has three secret stacking tasks involving specific animals, and the first to complete these tasks skillfully wins the game.
Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.
More details for Animal Upon Animal: Balancing Bridge- 2 - 4 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 5+ years old
- Immediately playable
Commands & Colors: Napoleonics
Commands & Colors: Napoleonics transports players to the tumultuous battlefield of the Napoleonic era, offering a unique blend of historical accuracy and strategic gameplay. This game pits the French army, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, against the forces of the British Empire, capturing the intense rivalry and the grandeur of Napoleonic warfare.
Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.
More details for Commands & Colors: Napoleonics- 2 Players
- 90 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Forbidden Island
Forbidden Island is a visually captivating cooperative board game that sets itself apart from traditional competitive games. In this thrilling adventure, players must join forces and collaborate to achieve victory instead of competing against each other. The goal is clear: work together as a team to secure a win.
Nominated for 14 awards and won 5.
โญ๏ธ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2011
More details for Forbidden Island- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Forbidden Island
Lords of Vegas
Lords of Vegas is a dynamic board game where players take on the roles of developers in a growing Nevada city, aiming to build the most profitable casinos along "The Strip." Starting with mere parking lots, players strategize to expand, reorganize, and gamble their way to success, aiming to score the most points by owning the most lucrative casinos and appointing the best bosses.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Lords of Vegas- 2 - 4 Players
- 60 - 90 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Lords of Vegas
Zombie Dice
Zombie Dice is a fast-paced, easy-to-learn dice game that encapsulates the thrill of being a zombie hungry for brains. It's a game of risk and reward, where players push their luck to devour as many brains as possible.
Nominated for 3 awards and won 1.
More details for Zombie Dice- 2 - 99 Players
- 10 - 20 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Survive: Escape from Atlantis!
More details for Survive: Escape from Atlantis!The 2010 edition is more than just a reprint of the original Survive! from 1982. It combines the original gameplay with new figures and rules from Waddington's Escape from Atlantis. Additionally, it includes the Dolphins & Dive Dice mini-expansion that was removed from the 30th Anniversary Edition released two years later.
- 2 - 4 Players
- 45 - 60 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Battle Sheep
Battle Sheep, formerly known as Splits, is a light-hearted yet strategic board game where players aim to spread their flock of sheep across the pasture to occupy the most territory. The game is known for its simple rules, quick gameplay, and fun theme, making it a great choice for families and casual gamers.
Nominated for 4 awards and won 2.
More details for Battle Sheep- 2 - 4 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 7+ years old
- Immediately playable
Toddles-Bobbles
More details for Toddles-BobblesA fun and dynamic game develops imagination and attention. It's suitable for young children and those young at heart, providing fun for all ages.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 4+ years old
- Immediately playable
Mr. Jack Pocket
Mr. Jack Pocket is a compact and strategic card game adaptation of the well-regarded board game Mr. Jack. Designed by Bruno Cathala and Ludovic Maublanc, this game transforms the original board game's concept into a more portable format. It involves deduction and strategy, set against the backdrop of a Victorian-era mystery. The game cleverly uses a grid of street cards, with characters like Holmes, Watson, and a dog maneuvering around to catch the elusive Mr. Jack.
Nominated for 3 awards.
More details for Mr. Jack Pocket- 2 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Dragonheart
Dragonheart is a captivating card game set in a vibrant fantasy world filled with dragons, knights, and other mythical beings. In this duel of wits and strategy, players embody the roles of dragons seeking treasures and dragon hunters aiming to thwart them. The game's mechanics are straightforward yet engaging, requiring players to play cards with matching motifs onto corresponding areas of the board.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Dragonheart- 2 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Dragonheart
Hoot Owl Hoot!
Players aim to return all the owls to their nest before sunrise marks the start of a new day. To set up, place the sun token on the first space of the sun track and distribute three cards to each player from a deck of fifty, which includes 36 color cards and 14 sun cards. Players must develop a strategy by keeping their cards visible, and they can move owls by playing their color cards or sun cards to advance the game.
Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.
โญ๏ธ Nominated for Kinderspiel des Jahres 2013
More details for Hoot Owl Hoot!- 2 - 4 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 4+ years old
- Immediately playable
Ascension: Deckbuilding Game
Ascension: Deckbuilding Game, initially released as Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer, is a fast-paced card game that combines strategic deck-building with dynamic gameplay, created by renowned Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour champions.
Nominated for 3 awards.
More details for Ascension: Deckbuilding Game- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Easy to learn
Alien Frontiers
Alien Frontiers is a competitive board game where players vie to colonize an uncharted planet. As deep space colonists, players must skillfully manage resources, expand their fleet, research alien technology, and establish colonies to gain control of the new world.
Nominated for 6 awards.
More details for Alien Frontiers- 2 - 4 Players
- 90 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Julius Caesar: Caesar, Pompey, and the Roman Civil War
Two players control the armies of Julius Caesar and Pompey during the Roman civil wars (49-45 BC). As they vie for control of Rome, players engage in a card-driven block game to move, seize territories, or play events on a Mediterranean map featuring 13 victory point cities. Take charge of veteran legions or train new ones and strategize your path to becoming the emperor of Rome.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Julius Caesar: Caesar, Pompey, and the Roman Civil War- 2 Players
- 60 - 180 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Elements
More details for ElementsElements, also known as Khmer, is a bluffing and deduction game for two players featuring just sixteen cards. Each player aims to determine the best moment to end the round to secure a win by having a higher sum than their opponent without exceeding the total played on the table. Players can take various actions, such as playing or removing cards, finishing the round with a knock, or folding if they believe they will lose.
- 2 Players
- 10 - 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space
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.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space- 2 - 8 Players
- 20 - 45 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Onirim
More details for OnirimOnirim is a solo or cooperative card game that takes you on a journey through a mysterious labyrinth of dreams. As a Dreamwalker, your objective is to find the oneiric doors before you run out of dreamtime and become trapped in the labyrinth forever. The game is an intriguing blend of strategy and luck, with a compelling theme that immerses players in a world of dreams and nightmares.
- 1 - 2 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Onirim
Catacombs
Catacombs is a unique blend of action and strategy, set in a dark and treacherous catacomb full of monsters and a formidable Catacomb Lord. This dexterity-based board game pits one player, the Overseer, who controls the dungeon's monsters, against the other players who control four heroes with distinct abilities.
Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.
More details for Catacombs- 2 - 5 Players
- 30 - 60 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Sandwich
Players collect ingredients to prepare the best possible sandwiches, or at least the least unappetizing ones. Each player starts with nine face-down ingredient cards, which include both traditional and unusual options. After selecting ingredients and creating sandwiches to share with neighbors, players taste each other's creations and score them based on their appeal. The player with the most points after three rounds wins.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Sandwich- 3 - 6 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 6+ years old
- Immediately playable
11 nimmt!
Players take on the role of competitors in a game where cards are numbered from 1 to 100, each featuring a certain number of bullheads. Starting with ten cards, players aim to play their cards to win rounds; the player who discards all cards scores zero points, while others lose points based on the bullheads on their remaining cards. Instead of multiple rows, cards are played onto a single stack, needing to be within ten points of the top card; failing to do so means picking up the stack, thereby increasing the number of stacks as the game progresses.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for 11 nimmt!- 2 - 7 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Haggis
Haggis is a strategic card game that belongs to the climbing game family, sharing similarities with games like Zheng Fen and Big Two. It combines various elements from these parent games, such as card combinations, bombs, and scoring based on both cards in hand and cards collected in tricks. A distinctive feature of Haggis is the inclusion of equally distributed wild cards and a betting mechanism where players wager on being the first to deplete their hand of cards.
Nominated for 3 awards.
More details for Haggis- 2 - 4 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Easy to learn
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