Tabletop Games

The best board games of 2016

The Board Game Geek community weighs in on the best of the best

By Charlie Hall@Charlie_L_Hall Mar 9, 2017, 9:32am EST

a photo of miniatures from the board game Scythe — *Scythe*

Charlie Hall is Polygon’s tabletop editor. In 10-plus years as a journalist & photographer, he has covered simulation, strategy, and spacefaring games, as well as public policy.

Over the past few years the team at Board Game Geek has grown to become a powerful force in the tabletop space. It boasts an exhaustive database on games, both new and old, that is constantly refreshed by its well-informed community. This week, that community finished voting on the 11th annual Golden Geek Awards, and the big winner is Scythe by Stonemaier Games.

Scythe won in five different categories including game of the year, strategy game of the year and solo game of the year. It’s a complex, Euro-style title that wowed us at this year’s Gen Con, thanks in part to its stunning art.

Other big winners include Fantasy Flight Games’ Star Wars: Rebellion, a taut two-player game which we also enjoyed but faulted for its poorly constructed manual. Thankfully, there are a selection of helpful player aids and guides over on Board Game Geek to get you started. Mechs vs. Minions, from League of Legends developer and publisher Riot Games, also won for best cooperative game.

Here's all the winners, by category. We’ve linked to related previews and other stories here at Polygon throughout. For more details and links on all of the games, check out BGG's original post here.

Board Game of the Year

Winner — Scythe

Runner Up — Terraforming Mars

Runner Up — Star Wars: Rebellion

A battle on the planet Naboo in Star Wars Rebellion. The board is filled with plastic miniatures, including rebel commandoes, storm troopers, and AT-AT. — *Star Wars: Rebellion*

Two-Player Game

Winner — Star Wars: Rebellion

Runner Up — Arkham Horror: The Card Game

Runner Up — Hero Realms

Artwork & Presentation

Winner — Scythe

Runner Up — Mechs vs. Minions

Runner Up — Inis

Card Game

Winner — Arkham Horror: The Card Game

Runner Up — Sushi Go Party!

Runner Up — Clank!

Yes, *Mechs vs. Minions* is technically Riot’s second game.

Cooperative Game

Winner — Mechs vs. Minions

Runner Up — Mansions of Madness: Second Edition

Runner Up — Arkham Horror: The Card Game

Expansion

Winner — 7 Wonders Duel: Pantheon

Runner Up — T.I.M.E Stories: A Prophecy of Dragons

Runner Up — Dead of Winter: The Long Night

Family Game

Winner — Codenames: Pictures

Runner Up — Imhotep

Runner Up — Quadropolis

*Captain Sonar* is a four-on-four, real-time submarine strategy game. No, really.

Innovative

Winner — Captain Sonar

Runner Up — Scythe

Runner Up — Vast: The Crystal Caverns

Party Game

Winner — Codenames: Pictures

Runner Up — Captain Sonar

Runner Up — Secret Hitler

secret hitler trump — The team behind *Secret Hitler* sent a copy of their game to every U.S. senator.

Print & Play

Winner — Star Trek: The Dice Game

Runner Up — Mini Rogue

Runner Up — 30 Rails

Solo Game

Winner — Scythe

Runner Up — Terraforming Mars

Runner Up — Arkham Horror: The Card Game

Strategy Game

Winner — Scythe

Runner Up — Terraforming Mars

Runner Up — Great Western Trail

*Mansion of Madness: Second Edition* from Fantasy Flight Games requires a companion app, available free on Android, iOS and Steam.

Thematic Game

Winner — Scythe

Runner Up — Star Wars: Rebellion

Runner Up — Mansions of Madness: Second Edition

Wargame

Winner — Falling Sky: The Gallic Revolt Against Caesar

Runner Up — Liberty or Death: The American Insurrection

Runner Up — Comanchería: The Rise and Fall of the Comanche Empire

Best Podcast

Winner — Shut Up & Sit Down: The Podcast!

Runner Up — Rahdo Talks Through

Runner Up — Ludology

*Twilight Struggle*, available on Steam.

Best Board Game App

Winner — Twilight Struggle

Runner Up — Patchwork

Runner Up — Mansions of Madness