The best games where you can perform an ability once per game 2025
Looking for a really good game where you can perform an ability once per game? Then we have just the thing for you: the list of the best once-per-game skill games 2025.
What are once per game skill games?
In games on this list, players have a special ability that they can use once per game.
Often, players receive bonus victory points if they don't use their once-per-game abilities during the game.
Examples of games where you can perform an ability once per game:
These abilities can be unique to them, like "feats" in Warmachine, or common to all players, like the special power cards in Finca.
List of the best once-per-game skill games 2025
The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth
A dark rumor arises from Mordor, and the time has come for the Fellowship to unite once more. Players can choose to defend the free peoples as the Fellowship of the Ring or pursue Frodo and Sam as Sauron, deploying their hordes at enemy city gates. The fate of Middle-earth rests in your hands as you navigate the three chapters of the game, strengthening your skills and gathering resources to achieve one of the victory conditions.
Nominated for 7 awards and won 1.
More details for The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth- 2 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
7 Wonders Duel
7 Wonders Duel takes the essence of the classic 7 Wonders and refines it for an intense two-player experience. It retains the thematic elements of building a civilization through acquiring various types of cards, but it introduces unique mechanics suited for a duel.
Nominated for 16 awards and won 9.
More details for 7 Wonders Duel- 2 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for 7 Wonders Duel
Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated
Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated is an innovative extension of the deck-building game Clank!, incorporating legacy-style elements. Players get the opportunity to establish and grow their own franchise of Acquisitions Incorporated, leading a team of intrepid adventurers on a quest for treasure and corporate fame. The game evolves uniquely across multiple play sessions, creating a personalized adventure campaign.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated- 2 - 4 Players
- 90 - 120 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Bomb Busters
- 2 - 5 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Wingspan
Wingspan is a captivating, competitive board game from Stonemaier Games, masterfully designed by Elizabeth Hargrave. It's a medium-weight, card-driven, engine-building game that stands out with its unique theme and stunning artwork, featuring over 170 bird illustrations by artists Beth Sobel, Natalia Rojas, and Ana Maria Martinez.
Nominated for 27 awards and won 16.
⭐️ Kennerspiel des Jahres 2019
More details for Wingspan- 1 - 5 Players
- 40 - 70 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Wingspan
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.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Lands of Galzyr- 1 - 4 Players
- 60 - 150 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Hero Realms
Hero Realms is a captivating, fantasy-themed deck-building game that builds on the mechanics of the highly acclaimed Star Realms. It offers a versatile gaming experience suitable for different player formats and styles.
Nominated for 5 awards and won 1.
More details for Hero Realms- 2 - 4 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
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.
⭐️ Kennerspiel des Jahres 2011
More details for 7 Wonders- 2 - 7 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Watergate
Watergate thrusts players into the historical tug-of-war between the Nixon Administration and a determined journalist from the Washington Post. This game recreates the infamous political scandal, requiring strategic card play and keen decision-making.
Nominated for 9 awards and won 4.
More details for Watergate- 2 Players
- 30 - 60 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Watergate
Lost Ruins of Arnak
Lost Ruins of Arnak is an adventurous board game that blends deck-building with worker placement, set on an unexplored island filled with remnants of an ancient civilization.
Nominated for 30 awards and won 14.
⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2021
More details for Lost Ruins of Arnak- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 120 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Under Falling Skies
Under Falling Skies is a solo board game with a focus on strategic defense against an alien invasion. It features a multi-mission campaign where players defend cities from extraterrestrial threats.
Nominated for 8 awards and won 4.
More details for Under Falling Skies- 1 Players
- 20 - 40 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Wyrmspan
Players take on the role of amateur dracologists in a vibrant world where dragons of all shapes and sizes soar through the skies. They will excavate hidden chambers in their sanctuaries to attract these magnificent creatures, allowing them to settle and combine powerful abilities. Inspired by the mechanics of Wingspan, the game introduces unique elements that create a distinct experience.
Nominated for 3 awards.
More details for Wyrmspan- 1 - 5 Players
- 90 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Samurai
Samurai is a strategic board game set in medieval Japan. It immerses players in a contest of influence and power among three key factions of the era: samurai, peasants, and priests.
Nominated for 3 awards and won 1.
More details for Samurai- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 60 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Samurai
Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a standalone adventure game that serves as a prequel to the highly acclaimed Gloomhaven. It's designed to be more accessible to a broader audience, with streamlined rules and an integrated tutorial.
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
Finspan
- 1 - 5 Players
- 45 - 60 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Gloomhaven
Gloomhaven is a Euro-inspired tactical combat game set in a persistent and evolving world. Players assume the roles of adventurers, each with unique skills and motives, as they explore dungeons, ruins, and engage in cooperative battles against automated monsters.
Nominated for 22 awards and won 10.
🔥 Deal: 5% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!
More details for Gloomhaven- 1 - 4 Players
- 60 - 120 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Hard to learn
Video reviews for Gloomhaven
Star Wars: Rebellion
Star Wars: Rebellion is a grand strategy board game set in the Star Wars universe, offering an epic conflict between the Galactic Empire and Rebel Alliance for two to four players.
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
Trek 12: Himalaya
Players engage in a dice and writing game with progressive difficulty levels. They aim to create chains of consecutive numbers from 0 to 12 and areas with the same number to score points.
Nominated for 2 awards.
🔥 Deal: 21% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!
More details for Trek 12: Himalaya- 1 - 50 Players
- 15 - 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Coffee Roaster
More details for Coffee RoasterCoffee Roaster is a unique solitaire pool-building game that immerses players in the art of coffee roasting. Through careful management of a variety of coffee beans, players aim to perfect the roast level of each bean type to achieve the highest quality of coffee. The game challenges players to balance the roasting process, managing not just the desired roast level but also the uniformity of the roast across all beans, while avoiding the pitfalls of smoke and burnt tokens that can spoil the batch.
- 1 Players
- 10 - 30 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
New York Slice
More details for New York SliceNew York Slice offers a unique twist on pizza making where players become chefs vying for the title of head chef at a prestigious pizza parlor. Through strategic slicing and selecting of pizza pieces, players attempt to create the most desirable pizza combinations while navigating the challenges of daily specials and avoiding dreaded anchovies.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for New York Slice
Finca
Welcome to the sun-soaked island of Mallorca, where the game of Finca unfolds against a backdrop of golden beaches, a light-blue sea, and abundant orchards. In this strategic board game, players take on the role of Mallorcan farmers as they endeavor to cultivate and deliver the island's finest fruits, including oranges, lemons, almonds, and grapes. The key to success lies in efficiently managing your resources and outpacing your competitors in the race to deliver your crops.
Nominated for 8 awards and won 3.
⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2009
More details for Finca- 2 - 5 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Wonder Book
Oniria is the world of an ancient dragon civilization, described as an idyllic paradise filled with wonders created by dragons and surrounded by a vibrant wilderness. The only portal to this world is the Wonder Book, an ancient tome that lies dormant in a forgotten tower, waiting for you.
Nominated for 1 award and won 1.
More details for Wonder Book- 1 - 4 Players
- 60 - 90 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Colourbrain
Not good at quiz questions? No problem. In this game, you receive all the answers before you start and just need to determine which of the eleven color cards in your hand correctly answers one of Colourbrain's clever questions.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Colourbrain- 2 - 12 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game
Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game is a semi-cooperative game that captures the tension and intrigue of the acclaimed Sci-Fi Channel series. It combines elements of mistrust, survival, and strategic gameplay.
Nominated for 11 awards.
More details for Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game- 3 - 6 Players
- 120 - 180 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Video reviews for Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game
Specter Ops
Specter Ops is a thrilling, sci-fi themed board game that plunges players into a tense world of stealth, strategy, and hidden movement. In this game, players are divided into two distinct roles: a solo secret agent of A.R.K infiltrating a high-security Raxxon facility, and the team of genetically modified Raxxon Hunters tasked with tracking down and capturing the agent. The game is reminiscent of classic hidden movement games like Scotland Yard, but with a futuristic twist.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Specter Ops- 2 - 5 Players
- 60 - 120 Minutes
- 9+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Specter Ops
Colossal Arena
Imagine yourself in a fantastical world where mythical creatures engage in epic battles for glory. But in Colossal Arena, you don't fight as a warrior; instead, you take on the role of a shrewd spectator and gambler. Your goal is to make strategic bets on the outcome of these battles, manipulating the odds and influencing the results. Will you emerge as the savviest gambler in the arena?
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Colossal Arena- 2 - 5 Players
- 40 - 60 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Anno 1800: The Board Game
Anno 1800: The Board Game is an immersive game that captures the essence of the popular Ubisoft PC game, Anno 1800. Players are tasked with developing their home island by building a robust industry, engaging in trade, and meeting the evolving needs of their population. The game emphasizes strategic planning and resource management, set against the backdrop of the 19th-century industrial revolution.
Nominated for 5 awards.
More details for Anno 1800: The Board Game- 1 - 4 Players
- 120 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Tapestry
Tapestry is a strategic board game designed by Jamey Stegmaier, intended for 1-5 players and lasting about two hours. The game invites players to weave the narrative of a civilization's journey from the dawn of humankind into the future, creating a unique and storied history that diverges from real-world events.
Nominated for 8 awards and won 3.
More details for Tapestry- 1 - 5 Players
- 90 - 120 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Medium difficulty
New York 1901
New York 1901 is a board game that transports players back to the early 20th century to partake in the construction of iconic skyscrapers in New York City's Financial District. This game combines elements of strategic planning and spatial reasoning, offering an engaging experience for those who enjoy city-building and real estate development themes.
Nominated for 6 awards and won 2.
More details for New York 1901- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 60 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Cóatl
The election of the Aztec High Priest is imminent, and candidates compete for prestige to win the favor of the gods. Players build the most beautiful feathered serpent sculptures called Cóatl, using colorful plastic tiles for the head, tail, and body segments. The game ends when a player completes their third Cóatl, and points are awarded for achieving goals; the player with the highest score becomes the new High Priest.
Nominated for 5 awards.
More details for Cóatl- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 60 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
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