12 years ago, I started working full time for the game publisher I cofounded, Stonemaier Games. As was the case before then–but especially after then–I play a lot of published games, both because I love tabletop games and because I have so much to learn from my peers.
As I do every year, today I posted a video showcasing my favorite games that were released or widely available for the first time in 2025.
Various Categories
Ambassadors (game): Emberleaf, Galactic Cruise, Fate of the Fellowship, Luthier, Moon Colony Bloodbath, Origin Story, SETI, Speakeasy, Tag Team, Vantage
Ambassadors (sequel/new edition): Above and Below Haunted, Clank Legacy 2, Everdell Duo, Finspan, Forest Shuffle Dartmoor, Formaggio, Duel for Middle-earth, Magical Athlete, Nemesis Retaliation, Santorini Pantheon, Battle of Hoth, Tokaido, Tokaido Duo, Unmatched TMNT
Ambassadors (expansion): Black Orchestra Resistance, Clans of Caledonia Industria, Wyrmspan Dragon Academy, Forest Shuffle Exploration, Lost Ruins of Arnak Twisted Paths, Sea Salt and Paper Extra Pepper, SETI Space Agencies, Tokaido Crossroads & Matsuri
Panelists
- Finspan (Skiler, family gamer)
- Symbiose (Kaitlyn, digital gamer)
- Vantage (Aryn, solo gamer)
- Sweet Lands (Dillon, heavy gamer)
—Sequel/New Edition: Rajas Cards & Karma, Farshore, Saltfjord, Forest Shuffle: Dartmoor
Honorable Mentions That Didn’t Quite Make the Top 10: Wondrous Creatures, Art Society, Wilmot’s Warehouse, Ostia, Mesos, Panda Spin, Millennia, Jingle Bell Roll, Apistocracy, Panda Royale
What were your favorite gaming-related products and new games of 2025?
Here is last year’s list, and here is my latest overall top 10 list.
While it’s hard for me to do an exact rank, Endeavor Deep Sea is probably my number one and Zenith is around 5. I have Here Lies but I haven’t played yet. Vantage is around number 10 and I have yet to play Origin Story multiplayer, only solo. I think it’s been a fantastic year for Stonemaier, Vantage was huge and I’m very glad it’s a success.
Other games in my top 10 more or less in order:
Endeavor Deep Sea
Star Trek Captain’s Chair
How to Save a World
The Anarchy
Sweet Lands
Tycoon Indian 1981
Zenith
Civolution
Minos
Vantage
There’s some great variety in your list! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Making a list is hard, so these are in randomish order, but with a clear number 1 – which is not a 2025 production, but new to me.
For context, I’m a solo gamer.
Honorable mention: Shallow Sea
LotR: The Fellowship of the Ring – Trick-Taking Game
It’s been many years since I read the books or watched the movies, the storyline in this game brings back nice memories.
Finspan.
My first Span game and I love it!, the automa is very well done. I’m at 33 plays now, quite crazy, so the expansion is obviously an auto buy 🙂
Final Girl: Shriek
A great addition to an excellent game, creative and immersive as ever.
The nod to other game board companies is a very nice touch, you’re featured as Slatemayor Games!
1. Detective: City of Angels (2019)
Very clever mechanics, great solo mode.
Artwork by Vincent Dutrait, amazing as ever.
* Recent releases I’m eyeing:
Vantage
(I was on the fence because of the sandboxy nature, but can’t resist my fascination any longer.)
Star Trek: Captain’s Chair
Shackleton Base
Endeavor: Deep Sea
Thank you for sharing! I also love The Fellowship trick-taking game and Finspan. Let me know what you think if you try Vantage! It’s as sandboxy as you want it to be: If you want to focus on the mission, you can definitely do that.