While at PAX East recently, myself along with IGN’s own Seth Macy, toured the show floor looking at some stand-out board games that are worthy of inclusion on anyone’s game shelf (check out the video below). Between the free play area, the discount board game racks, and developer/publisher booths, fans of the hobby had a lot to choose from.
These five games left a strong impressions on me as I perused the show floor and I think that board game hobbyists should check these out and perhaps add them to their own game shelves.
Dice Throne
Gorgeous artwork, dice rolling, strategy, and one of the best storage solutions in a board game out there, Dice Throne delivers on nearly every front a board game should. This game, which I affectionately refer to as “Battle Yahtzee,” pits 2-6 players against one another or in teams, with each trying to be the last person standing. Each player assumes the mantle of a different character, complete with a unique set of skills, a deck of cards, and dice, which they will need to utilize to lead their way to victory.
At PAX, players got their first chance to get a look at and try out the upcoming Marvel X-Men season of characters consisting 8 new fighters, including of the likes of Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, and more. Just like the previous seasons of Dice Throne, everything is cross-compatible, so this upcoming mutant masterpiece is great for those who already have the Seasons 1 and 2 collections or are just getting into Dice Throne for the first time.
Dice Throne is still a relatively fast and easy teach (which is why we recommend it for those just getting into the board gaming hobby) that players younger and older can enjoy. It’s part of why we think this is a great option for folks looking to get into the board gaming hobby, and with the X-Men joining the fray later this year, there’s no better time to get into the game and start rolling those dice.
Mega Man Adventures
In a box resembling a classic NES cartridge, Mega Man Adventures from KESS Entertainment puts 1-4 players in the robo-shoes of Mega Man in an effort to thwart the villainy of Dr. Wily and his Robot Masters. Consisting of bots from the legendary Mega Man 1-3, players will work together, sharing resources and dice between each other to help get through their levels and the boss at the end. Each of the characters - Mega Man, Roll, Proto Man, and Rush - comes complete with their own deck of cards which tailors that character towards being better in one area over another (such as more cards that grant dice that have better odds of rolling the Buster or Jumping action).
Something I especially appreciate about Adventures is the flexibility it gives its players to not only let someone play through the game on their own, but also allows more experienced gamers to increase the difficulty. For fans of solo plays, Mega Man Adventures can easily be played by yourself thanks to the inclusion of the Dr. Light deck which will swap out the second player with the kind doctor himself. On the flipside, if you are looking for more risk and danger, the Dr. Wily deck is for you - adding in more dangers for you to contend with on your way to take out the nefarious evil doctor.
Folks looking for a fun cooperative board game that: 1) Is quick to play 2) Isn’t too difficult so it's good for kids or newer players - should give Mega Man Adventures a look. It’s a great time that wonderfully pays homage to the source material.
SolForge Fusion
As a longtime trading card game player (Magic: The Gathering, YuGiOh, Digimon, Final Fantasy TCG just to name a few) I am always on the lookout for a new game that catches my fancy. One of those at PAX was Stone Blade Entertainment’s Sol Forge Fusion - a card game the aims to meld the physical and digital realms of the TCG genre. Created by Richard Garfield (creator of Magic: The Gathering) and Justin Gary (previous MTG Pro Tour winner and a co-creator of the deck-building game, Ascension) paired up to forge a new card game, that game being SolForge Fusion.
What sets SolForge apart from its contemporaries is its approach to deck construction and booster packs. Each pack a person purchases is unique with algorithmically built cards where every card is unique and comes with a special QR code that can be redeemed for an identical digital version. Decks are composed of two 10-card sets with a selected hero character with unique abilities. Cards are played in lanes (similar to a MOBA) and can level up as the game progresses, getting stronger, with the end goal being to reduce your opponent's life points to zero. Matches play out rather quickly when compared to other TCGs out there, but what really sets Sol Forge apart is the integration with the digital space.
Stoneblade has created a digital rendition of Sol Forge Fusions that let’s you play the game and compete online which links to your own personal account that acts as your library of digital cards. With your deck in hand, Stoneblade offers a range of tournaments and events that you can take part in, my favorite being the Lore tournaments that allows your deck to help shape the world and narrative of Sol Forge itself. Justin Gary explained that the winners and biggest moments from these events will be written and shared on the game’s website as an ever-expanding tome of the events with your deck of creatures and heroes, being immortalized.
The digital Sol Forge Fusion client is currently available on Steam with a future plan to allow players to print out physical versions of the cards they obtain digitally, completing the physical-to-digital-to-physical cycle.
UniVersus
Once the cameras cut, there was still another day of PAX left, and that meant another day of exploring and discovering more tabletop goodness. These last two are games that weren’t featured in the video but still left a lasting mark on me and are ones that I think you should know about.
Crossovers are all the rage these days, whether it’s in movies, video games, or LEGO sets -- and Universus brings that idea into the realm of trading card games. As mentioned previously, I always have my eyes looking out for new card games that I can convince my friends to play with me and Universus scratches a similar itch that Magic does.
Universus pits teams of characters against one another from predominantly anime properties such as Vash from Trigun, Spike from Cowboy Bebop, Yusuke from Yu Yu Hakusho and more against one another, utilizing attacks and famous moments from their respective series to try and grasp victory. The newest set of Universus sees the game bring in some of the heroes Vax, Vex, Knott, and Jester of Exandria from the immensely popular actual play series, Critical Role.
Different from SolForge Fusion higher up, Universus may appeal to TCG players that are looking for a more in-depth, and classic, deck-building experience. Playing through and trying out Universus for the first time, it feels similar to Magic (tapping cards for resources, enhancing cards to deal with new threats from my opponent, etc) but the intricacies of how these systems are handled in addition to the mechanics are wholly Universus’ own make the game its own beast.
If the idea of having Vash hit Hiei with All Might’s Detroit Smash attack while getting buffed by Trinket from Vox Machina sounds exciting to you, then Universus may be right up your alley.
Hexopolis
Perhaps the most singular entry on this list is an abstract strategy game known as Hexopolis, designed by Andrew Coeytaux. Currently on Kickstarter, Hexopolis is a hex-based game of wits as you and another player construct the game board as you go, connecting (or blocking off) hex tiles that can be built outward or upward. The goal is to trap the other player’s token on a walled-off tile or manage to move your token onto theirs from a higher tower. Much like chess, Hexopolis is one of those games where the more you play, the more options you can see and the more situations you can find your way out of. Matches tend not to take to long, lasting maybe 15-20 minutes on the long end, or they can end right away. But either way, each time I played I always came away learning something.
What really drew me to Hexopolis though, before I had even sat down for my first game, was how the game looks. Currently in the board gaming world, there is a big push to make games with sustainable resources, reducing shrink wrap and plastic components if possible. Hexopolois takes this mentality to the extreme with all of its components (including the box itself with the special edition) made out of laser-cut wood. Every stackable tile, every connecting bridge, and the player tokens themselves are all wood. The presentation turns the game from being just another abstract game into an art piece that grows as you play--one that would look right at home in that cozy coffee shop downtown.
As a concept, Hexopolis is rather straightforward to pick up, but like any good strategy game, it provides players with room to learn and master. Plus, as an added bonus you can leave the game out since it can double as an attractive artsy table centerpiece.
The tabletop hobby looks to be healthier than ever with exciting new additions releasing all the time. If you haven’t before, take a walk around your local game store or the board game sections of Amazon (check out our guide on the best times of the year to buy some) and just see what looks cool to you and your group of players and give them a try. You never know what gems you may discover.
And since these games have been going up in price lately, check out the best deals on Magic: The Gathering cards and our best board game deals roundup to save a few bucks.
