The best games released in 2022πŸ“† 2026

Looking for a really good game from the year 2022? Then we have just the thing for you: our recommendation list with the best board games that were newly released in 2020.

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:

List of the best new games releases in 2020

This list was last updated on June 28, 2026. There's also a print version for this list .
  1. HITSTER

    HITSTER

    With HITSTER, the ultimate music card game, you can instantly throw a party! Listen to over 100 years of fantastic hits, arrange them chronologically on your music timeline, and relive unforgettable memories. The first player to collect 10 hits is crowned the HITSTER.

    All details & rating
    2–10 30 min 16+ Immediately playable
  2. MicroMacro: Crime City 3 – All In

    MicroMacro: Crime City 3 – All In

    MicroMacro: Crime City – All In is the latest installment in the MicroMacro: Crime City series, offering players a new district of the black-and-white, crime-ridden metropolis known as Crime City to explore. This edition comes with a fresh, large city map that connects seamlessly with the maps from previous games, presenting 16 new and more complex crime cases for players to solve.

    All details & rating
    1–4 15–45 min 12+ Immediately playable
  3. Ready Set Bet

    Ready Set Bet

    Players and their friends head to the races to cheer and bet on their favorite horses, with outcomes determined by dice rolls. The game is played over four rounds, each consisting of a race followed by a betting resolution. Players can place their betting tokens freely on the board during the race and earn money based on their bets, with a chance to gain a VIP club card for greater winnings in subsequent races. The player with the most money after four rounds wins.

    All details & rating
    2–9 45–60 min 10+ Immediately playable
    + 22 β‚¬ above the best price
    46 € at Amazon*
  4. Sea Salt & Paper

    Sea Salt & Paper

    Sea Salt & Paper is a set collection card game that combines strategic decision-making with the excitement of timing your moves just right. Similar to Rummy in gameplay, it involves collecting sets of cards to score points, while also navigating the timing of when to end the round for optimal advantage.

    All details & rating
    2–4 30–45 min 8+ Immediately playable
  5. Heat: Pedal to the Metal

    Heat: Pedal to the Metal

    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.

    All details & rating
    1–6 30–60 min 10+ Easy to learn
  6. Dorfromantik: The Board Game

    Dorfromantik: The Board Game

    Dorfromantik: The Board Game transitions the charming and strategic essence of the beloved video game into a tactile family board game experience. Designed by Michael Palm and Lukas Zach, this game invites up to six players to collaboratively construct a picturesque landscape using hexagonal tiles. Players aim to satisfy community demands while strategically extending rivers and tracks, and optimizing points through clever area enclosure with flags.

    All details & rating
    1–6 30–60 min 8+ Easy to learn
    1 β‚¬ below the next retailer
    25 € at Amazon*
  7. Splendor Duel

    Splendor Duel

    Splendor Duel is an intriguing two-player game that builds upon the foundation of its predecessor, Splendor, enhancing it with new layers of strategy and competitiveness. Designed specifically for two players, this standalone game maintains the core elements of Splendor while introducing novel twists and mechanics, making it more dynamic and interactive.

    All details & rating
    2 30 min 10+ Easy to learn
    + 8 β‚¬ above the best price
    25 € at Amazon*
  8. Phantom Ink

    Phantom Ink

    Renowned mediums compete to decipher a secret object and prove their connection to the "spirit world." The first team to identify the secret object wins.

    All details & rating
    2–8 10–15 min 13+ Immediately playable
    + 3 β‚¬ above the best price
    20 € at Amazon*
  9. Next Station: London

    Next Station: London

    Next Station: London invites players to take on the role of project managers tasked with the ambitious job of redesigning London's iconic underground network. The game challenges players to strategically optimize connections, incorporate as many of the city's landmarks as possible, and efficiently use the tunnels under the Thames, all while adhering to the city's specific requirements.

    All details & rating
    1–4 25–30 min 8+ Immediately playable
  10. Clank!: Catacombs

    Clank!: Catacombs

    The catacombs of the skeleton dragon Umbrok Vessna are mysterious and dangerous. Portals lead you through the depths of the dungeon, while shrines offer great riches to fearless explorers. Each trip into the catacombs is unique as you tile the dungeon layout, and you can play with the new dungeon deck or incorporate cards from previous games.

    All details & rating
    2–4 45–90 min 13+ Easy to learn
    + 10 β‚¬ above the best price
    70 € at Amazon*
  11. Spots

    Spots

    Players roll dice and place them on dog cards during their turn. Dice that cannot be placed are buried in their garden. If too many dice are buried, the player goes bankrupt. Completing 6 dogs wins the game!

    All details & rating
    1–4 25–30 min 10+ Immediately playable
  12. Fun Facts

    Fun Facts

    Each round, a question is placed in the center of the table, such as "How long is the perfect nap?" Players secretly write their answers on colored arrows and place them face down on the table.

    All details & rating
    4–8 30 min 8+ Immediately playable
  13. Star Wars: Jabba's Palace – A Love Letter Game

    Star Wars: Jabba's Palace – A Love Letter Game

    Jabba's lair is a place of danger and deception. Players compete with members of the Rebel Alliance and the residents of Jabba's Palace, using the abilities of iconic characters while trying to outsmart their opponents. The game retains the simple and fun mechanics of the original, introducing Agenda cards that offer new victory conditions and additional strategic depth.

    All details & rating
    2–6 20 min 10+ Immediately playable
  14. Lands of Galzyr

    Lands of Galzyr

    Lands of Galzyr is an adventure game set in an open and persistent world where players' actions have consequences in both current and future sessions. Players take on the roles of cunning adventurers, navigating the lands, completing quests, and striving for fame and prestige. Each game continues from where the last left off, thanks to a clever save and load mechanism, allowing for seamless play even with different players in between sessions.

    All details & rating
    1–4 60–150 min 14+ Easy to learn
  15. Azul: Master Chocolatier

    Azul: Master Chocolatier

    Players take turns drawing colored tiles from suppliers to place on their boards. Points are awarded based on how the tiles are arranged to decorate the palace, with extra points for specific patterns and completing sets. Wasted resources will reduce a player's score, and the player with the most points at the end wins.

    All details & rating
    2–4 30–45 min 8+ Easy to learn
  16. Green Team Wins
    3–12 15 min 10+ Immediately playable
  17. Catch Sketch
    3–6 20 min 10+ Immediately playable
  18. Trekking Through History

    Trekking Through History

    Players embark on a three-day journey through human history, traveling through time to experience significant moments from the past. Each day represents a round in which players choose historical events to spend hours on, gaining advantages like ticking off points on their itinerary and collecting time crystals to manipulate the space-time continuum in future turns. Points are also earned for visiting events in chronological order, and the player with the most points after three rounds wins.

    All details & rating
    1–4 30–60 min 10+ Easy to learn
  19. Kites - Time to Fly

    Kites - Time to Fly

    The sun is shining, the wind is blowing, and it's time to gather your friends to fly some kites! Players collaborate to keep all their kites, represented by colorful hourglasses, in the air by playing cards, flipping the hourglasses, and coordinating with each other. If any hourglass runs out, a kite crashes, adding a fun challenge to the game. Play all the kite cards in the stack to achieve a collective victory!

    All details & rating
    2–6 10 min 10+ Immediately playable
    + 4 β‚¬ above the best price
    19 € at Amazon*
  20. Wandering Towers

    Wandering Towers

    Players aim to bring all their wizards home to the Raven Castle before their opponents. The game board is set up in a circle with towers placed in a specific order, and each player starts with a certain number of wizards and movement cards. Players move their wizards or towers based on their played cards, capture opponents' wizards to fill their potion bottles, and ultimately try to place their last wizard in the Raven Castle to win. The game can also be played in teams with a variant that adds various spells.

    All details & rating
    1–6 30 min 8+ Easy to learn
  21. Akropolis

    Akropolis

    Akropolis is a strategic board game set in ancient Greece, where players take on the roles of skilled architects competing to build the most prestigious city. The game focuses on urban planning, resource management, and tactical tile placement.

    All details & rating
    1–4 20–30 min 8+ Easy to learn
  22. Secret Identity

    Secret Identity

    Players must guess their opponents' hidden identities while trying to make them guess theirs. At the start of each round, a key card indicates your character from eight on the table. Using double-sided "Picto" cards, you give hints about your identity while trying to deduce others. New characters appear each round, adding variety, but your supply of Picto cards is limited. After the fourth round, the player with the most points wins.

    All details & rating
    3–8 20–40 min 10+ Immediately playable
  23. Quacks & Co.

    Quacks & Co.

    It's race day in Quedlinburg, and with the right mix of food and luck, you ride your mount to victory and win the golden cauldron. Players build their own bag of tiles throughout the game, drawing them to advance on the race track. They will collect resources, gain bonuses, and strategize until someone crosses the finish line first.

    All details & rating
    2–4 25 min 6+ Immediately playable
  24. Long Shot: The Dice Game

    Long Shot: The Dice Game

    Get ready for the racetrack! Players develop strategies and test their luck in an exciting race with eight horses. You will buy horses, place bets, influence the race, and use special abilities, while dice rolls determine horse movements and your options each round. Once three horses cross the finish line, winnings are tallied, and the player with the most money is declared the winner. Will you play it safe or take a risk for big rewards?

    All details & rating
    1–8 25 min 14+ Easy to learn
  25. Mindbug: First Contact

    Mindbug: First Contact

    Mindbug: First Contact is an innovative and strategic duel card game where players summon unique hybrid creatures to battle their opponent. However, the twist lies in the Mindbug cards, which can turn the tide of the game by allowing players to take control of an opponent's creature.

    All details & rating
    2 15–25 min 8+ Easy to learn
    + 8 β‚¬ above the best price
    22 € at Amazon*
  26. Foxy
    1–5 15 min 8+ Immediately playable
  27. Planet Unknown

    Planet Unknown

    Planet Unknown is a competitive and strategic game for 1-6 players set in a future where Earth's resources are depleted. Players are tasked with developing the most efficient and habitable planet among a series of newfound worlds. Using polyomino-shaped tiles, each representing vital infrastructure, players work to efficiently cover their planets and build an effective support system for life.

    All details & rating
    1–6 60–80 min 10+ Easy to learn
  28. Port Royal: Big Box

    Port Royal: Big Box

    Port Royal: Big Box includes the base game and its two expansions, offering new graphics and artwork. It also features Gambler promo cards and the standalone game. This edition will be released in Germany in January 2022.

    All details & rating
    1–5 20–50 min 8+ Easy to learn
  29. Bohnanza: 25th Anniversary Edition

    Bohnanza: 25th Anniversary Edition

    The 25th Anniversary Edition includes a new bean variety and three game variants, one featuring a collector's coin. Players plant and harvest bean cards to earn coins, managing their hand without changing the order of cards. On their turn, a player lays down cards, trades with others, and eventually collects coins based on their beans before the game concludes with a final harvest.

    All details & rating
    2–7 45 min 10+ Easy to learn
  30. Wingspan Asia

    Wingspan Asia

    3rd Expansion

    Wingspan Asia is the third expansion of the acclaimed game Wingspan, introducing a captivating collection of Asian bird species to the existing lineup. This expansion not only adds diversity with birds chosen from over 2,800 species native to Asia but also brings versatile gameplay options.

    All details & rating
    1–2 40–70 min 10+ Medium complexity
    + 4 β‚¬ above the best price
    32 € at Amazon*

Frequently asked questions

Which game ranks first on this list?

HITSTER currently tops our list. The ranking is derived from player community ratings and is recalculated continuously.

How many players do the games on this list support?

Most games on this list support 2 to 5 players. The exact player count is listed with each game.

What age are these games suitable for?

Publisher age recommendations on this list start at 6 years. Each game carries its own age rating.

How long does a game take?

A typical game takes about 25 to 30 minutes. Each game's playing time is listed individually.

Didn't find the game you were looking for?

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