Make sure you also check out my 2022 #Boardgames By the Numbers posting…
Candidates for “Boardgame of the Year” are taken from those items “new to me” in 2022 regardless of actual year of publication. I consider two categories; “Expansion of the Year” and “Boardgame of the Year.”
2022 Boardgame Expansion of the Year
Nominees
- AuZtralia: Revenge of the Old Ones (SchilMil Games, 2022)
- AuZtralia: TaZmania (SchilMil Games, 2022)
- No Motherland Without: Designer Expansion/Upgrade Kit (Dan Bullock, 2022)
- Root: The Clockwork Expansion 2 (Leder Games, 2021 – Delivered 2022)
- Root: The Marauder Expansion (Leder Games, 2021 – Delivered 2022)
- Root: Riverfolk Hirelings Pack (Leder Games, 2021 – Delivered 2022)
Winner
No Motherland Without: Designer Expansion/Upgrade Kit (Dan Bullock, 2022). I doff my cap to Dan for publishing this small upgrade/expansion for his game No Motherland Without: North Korea in Crisis and Cold War (Compass Games, 2021). I commented before on the core game that many of the in-box markers got “lost” in the sea of red board color. While the game is very playable, the color dissonance is a bit of a a nuisance. The upgrade components that Dan produced through The Game Crafter are not only more color-friendly, they also are wood (vice cardboard) and make the game feel that-much-more luxurious. The bonus cards don’t hurt either…
2022 Boardgame of the Year
For my Boardgame of the Year I am actually going to subdivide the category into Children’s/Family Boardgame of the Year and Boardgame of the Year (less Children’s/Family Games). I think it is unfair to compete children’s games against standard boardgames.
Nominees
- 1st and Roll (R&R Games, 2018)
- 2 Minutes to Midnight (Plague Island Games, 2022)
- Cuba Libre (GMT Games, 2013)
- The Field of the Cloth of Gold (Hollandspiele, 2020)
- Flag Dash (PieceKeeper Games, 2016) – FAMILY
- Magic Mountain (AMIGO, 2021 – 2022 Kinderspiele des Jahres winner) – CHILDREN’S
- The Missions: Early Christianity from the Crucifixion to the Crusades (White Dog Games, 2020)
- Reality Shift (Academy Games/Apollo Games 2022)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars – A Pandemic System Game (Z-Man Games, 2022)
- Star Wars: Jabba’s Palace – A Love Letter Game (Z-Man Games, 2022)
- Star Wars: Unlock! (Space Cowboys, 2020)
- SUM8 (Turnup Games, 2022)
- Tongues Out! (Blue Orange Games, 2022) – CHILDREN’S
- Yut Nori (Traditional Korean Game)
Children’s/Family Boardgame of the Year
Winner – Tongues Out! (Blue Orange Games, 2022). A simple memory game made memorable by the incredibly cute rubber Pugs that stick their tongue out when you squeeze them. I took this game to South Korea and played with my 6-year old grand niece who speaks very little English. The Pugs drew her interest and she quickly was able to not only grasp the rules, but “strategize” her play and in the end (and very legitimately) she cleaned my clock.
Boardgame of the Year (Less Children’s/Family Games)
Winner – Reality Shift (Academy Games/Apollo Games, 2022). A 3-D racing strategy game. Good mix of racing sports and strategy that not only challenges you to think ahead, but also forces you to visualize the possible changes of game board.
Feature image courtesy RMN
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