Top 10 Anticipated Board Games of 2026

0:00 Hello everyone. This is Cinema

0:02 and this is Joe Hennis

0:04 and you are watching Board Gaming Ramblings

0:05 and today we are giving you our top 10 anticipated games of 2026. This is kind of a weird list to make every year because in the beginning of the year we don't know too much about the year. So I have to look at every information I find. And I had to look at things I backed on Kickstarter, GameFound, other list, BGG, Facebook groups, all of these things to try to get information about these games. And do you know mostly anything except for the two things I told you about these games?

0:36 No.

0:36 Because you don't do the research, but you play the games.

0:40 I do.

0:40 Yes. So, these are 10 games. And of course, if we did this one in four months, it would look different because we would know more about the year.

0:48 Yes. And

0:49 we've had things on our top 10 anticipated before that has been there several times because it wasn't released the year that we thought it would be released.

0:58 I think all of these are coming this year. Also, if you're saying like, "Oh, where's Brass Pittsburgh? Where is the Danes?" Those are going to be crowdfunding games this year, which means they're not going to be delivered this year, which means they're not like anticipated for this year, but I can tell you both of them are already going to be for next year. and we are highly anticipated.

1:17 So, we don't really need to do the 2027. We can just like let you know now. Yeah,

1:21 we will do it next year as well. With that said, these top 10s are here for different reasons. They can be we have played it in one case. They can be designer, they can be we played other games from the same publisher. There's like different reasons, but most of them are pretty shallow. So, this is not going to be a video where really let you know a lot about most of these games because for most of these games, we don't know too much.

1:46 Uh, but it's just like a fun way to look at the year.

1:50 Yeah.

1:50 Look at games we hope will be good.

1:52 Uh, and as we know, the beginning of the year is always slow for releases. So, we I I enjoy looking at what will be

2:00 when we come to the the other half of the year, which is the new releases part of the year.

2:06 Yeah. We especially like to have something to look forward to. Yes.

2:09 And I think we all do.

2:11 Yes. With that said, let's talk about these games. I'm going to begin this time with number 10 because this is would never have been on your list. If you we made one of our own list, this would never have been on.

2:21 I don't think so.

2:22 And it's Blood Rage Wala. I really like Blood Rage. The more I play Blood Rage, which is very seldom because you don't like it too much. I like it more and more. I think it's a really really good design. It is one I will always enjoy to play. So, Blood Rage Vualhalla, I I want to play it. I don't really I backed it. I saw all of the debacle about the map, so they're going to change stats, but I don't know everything about the different decisions. I'm kind of It's weird because in one like one one part of me is like I want to know everything about this thing. Yeah.

2:55 Another part of me is I want to be surprised when I play it. Oh, yeah. I want to read a rule book. I want to do all these things and be like, "Oh, this sounds like a cool change. I don't need to know everything.

3:05 But is it like a new version of the original game or is it like a sequel with some new mechanism? Like do you have any information?

3:12 There is a lot of information because this was a game found. Did I read all that information? No, I didn't.

3:17 But if you want to

3:18 you can but basically I think like it is a tweaked version of Blood Rage.

3:23 Okay.

3:23 So, but I think like

3:25 the cards are going to be different, the monsters are going to be different, the ability is going to be different. So it is like it is blood rage but with new cards, new strategies, new things that you can do.

3:35 Cool.

3:36 That is kind of the thing. Let's move on to number nine. Do you have a number nine?

3:39 Yeah, we have a number nine. True. It's a Revenant. And this is a game set in the Voidfall universe.

3:46 Yes. Do you like Voidfall?

3:48 Yes, I really do.

3:49 And what I don't particularly like is like things being in the same universe.

3:54 Yes. as one thing.

3:56 I'm pretty happy with most things being in the same universe because that's where I am. I'm in this universe. I'm very happy you're in the same universe. I don't like things being in the same universe.

4:05 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But like when it's very like well-known universes like Harry Potter for example, um then I'm then I get it. But like it's in the same genre like

4:19 the voidfold universe

4:20 is one thing. Well, yeah, I really like voidfold,

4:23 but they always have to be the second one. Like if Harry Potter, the second book was like, I don't want it to be in the same universe. But then with the fifth one, oh, it's okay now that it's a first time universe because it always started with being only one thing and then they made more things in the same universe.

4:36 That makes sense.

4:37 It's not like these 10 books came out at the same time being in the same universe.

4:40 Okay, I guess it has to be like that.

4:42 Yes.

4:43 Well, when they release their fifth game in the world, I will love it. This is a not that heavy game it seems like. And it's about

4:54 guiding your fleet to safety because there's

4:58 an athlete.

4:59 Athlete. Yes. You're not owning it but you're influencing it and you're trying to because it's going to be battles.

5:09 Yes. So you're trying to

5:12 kind of save the most important people that like that like you the most. Yes.

5:18 So, I'm very um I'm curious about how they're resolving this mechanically because that seems like a little chaotic game. I'm not sure how that lands with me. Yes.

5:31 But I really like Voidfall.

5:33 Number eight is Manila from Stefan Belt. Stefan City Collection has been up and down for us. This is a new version of Americo is a game that we liked.

5:44 Yeah.

5:44 But it was too long. Yeah. Like it was one of those games where the fourth round in the game I was like but I have done everything. What am I supposed to do now? And I hope that Manila is going to change that and make the the core gameplay loop of Americ. I don't remember. I think I did. Did I read anything about it? No. because I am great at sharing information.

6:11 Well, we know America from before though, so it's

6:16 but I could have read the changes and learn more about that. That doesn't wouldn't harm me in any way. There's also going to be a new version of In the Air the Dragon, which I was thinking of putting on the list, but In the Dragon is already a fantastic game, which I really like. So, I that's I'm I'm anticipated seeing how it is, but it's not. This was the one I chose because of the game I felt needed more changes to be a good game for me.

6:40 Mhm. Um, number seven is Emerald Echo. Oh,

6:44 and this is from the same publisher that made the Emerald Flame for example. It is very intricate puzzle games.

6:54 Yes. Post Curious is the name of the company. They also made the the smaller ones like uh in Light in the Mist and Morrison Game Factory, which I love.

7:05 The uh Ministry of Lost Things, which you play the first one of, which is really good.

7:09 Mhm. So, this is

7:13 kind of a more accessible, approachable version of

7:16 It seems like we haven't played it.

7:18 Yeah. Of their like more intricate ones because Yes. As you said, you they made the smaller ones too, but we have some of the uh like more longer experiences upstairs partially looked into.

7:33 Yes,

7:34 it is a beast.

7:35 Yeah, those are like 10 hours, 10 12 hours. This one I think is going to be around 4 hours depend that's what they said around 4 hours and seems like a more accessible bigger game as you said which I think is great

7:46 because it's it's hard to find a time to play those 10-hour long games. Yeah. even though they are very very rewarding and very fun when you do so. Number six is a game that we have already covered on the channel. Uh I'm very excited to play it more. We played it cooperative. It's Calypso and I also actually already played a competitive mode, but you didn't. And I think you're going to love it.

8:08 Okay, cool.

8:09 Because Calypso is for me uh one of the better You love spatial puzzles. You love Thailand. And Calypso was one of the better spatial puzzle games I've played in a long time. I'm not gonna try to hype it too much for you, but it was You are very much into those kind of games. I am too. You like them usually even better than me. So, I think that this is one that you are hopefully going to love as much as my first impressions of it when we get the actual game this year.

8:37 Mhm. I'm really looking forward to that one. Number five is Sale Legacy.

8:42 You will legacy. No, I tried to find a joke. If I couldn't, you can continue.

8:46 Sale Legacy. Well, Sail is a two-player trick taking game. Yes. A cooperative one. Uh, so I'm looking forward to see how the legacy version changes the original game. I We have not played it a lot though.

9:01 Did you did the original? No, a couple of times. It's very small. It's like a all play box.

9:06 The same legacy

9:08 is not small.

9:09 Oh, how big is it?

9:10 I saw the box at Spiel and I think it was like this big. How do you need that much space?

9:16 Because it's like I think there's like you have you're playing 35 plus scenarios

9:22 and there are branching story lines. So you will be able to there's there are things that will change how the game plays and how the game ends and where you go and all things like that. So for me always it's a legacy aspect that makes me go like I want to see what this is all about because I like legacy. I I will I'm happy there is not like 10,000 legacy games each year anymore. But I really enjoy a good legacy game.

9:44 Yeah.

9:45 Now we're into the top four and we are getting into also the part of the games. It's weird because these games I know very little about most of them but still there's very very highly anticipated because of factors that I will let you know. I will not keep it a secret because that would be a very weird thing to do. Number four is a Prague unseen. H this is a worker placement game. That's I know. And it als it says like you can build your own worker placement spaces. I don't know what they mean about that but it sounds interesting like it sounds like hopefully there will be interesting ways not just not just like a l water deep thing where is I I build this building. It would be cool if you could like uh customize what you want to build. That's what I'm hoping for. I don't know what it is. It is made by the same designer who did Forestry, which was a game I really loved from last year, and also a couple other designers, which I I've forgotten what they made, but also played a couple of games that they made as well. Um, it it's a longer game. It's just like a two-hour play time on BG, which I hope also means it's a a heavier game. It's a fun theme.

10:50 you're in the 19th century of like a alternative Prague where there are mythical beings and all of that that you I don't know if it's based on like a story or um it's from Prague that would be cool but from what I've seen which is very little I am very excited to see more and that is why I am anticipating it.

11:12 Let's move on to number three.

11:13 Yeah, that is Ash's Blackout Protocol. is from Paralo Games and is the successor to Phoenix.

11:22 New Horizon.

11:22 New Horizon. And we love Phoenix.

11:25 Yes.

11:25 New Horizon.

11:27 Uh it is

11:28 not old Horizon.

11:30 Uh it is a worker placement game where you're upgrading your workers. So

11:35 that's Phoenix New Horizon. Yes. Not this one. I was

11:38 So you're you're like moving your workers through a tech tree kind of thing. And I don't know anything about Ash's Blackout Protocol, but if it's in the same vein

11:51 as Phoenix New Horizon,

11:54 it seems like it had uh some of the same kind of mechanisms. You are uh it's basically after a little bit I think that was like two years later where you are trying to gather uh survivors and get them into shelters. That's like the main kind of thing about always in the Phoenix New Horizon [clears throat] universe. It's horrible. Boo in five games is going to be fine. But there was I think it it seems like if I remember correctly from what I read that you're doing actions on your playerboard with these different survivors and you will also be building shelters. You'll be moving your um camp around the map and also a van that you can move around the map. So there's going to be like map movement with probably different actions, different things being available depending on where you are. And also then you have the worker placement or like the action selection which seemed like it was more like this is my action selection, this is your action selection. So it seemed like it had some very interesting mechanisms and I'm very excited to see what they have come up with.

12:50 Yeah.

12:50 Next up is number two. Number two is going to be Nia. This is from Danny Garcia and Deir Games. And this is mostly here because of Danny Garcia. Deir usually make great games. Yeah,

13:02 it goes a bit up and down throughout the year, but like the big games from them are usually games we really enjoy. And this one, weirdly enough, it's very a theme and a mechanism based on that theme that makes me have it on the list.

13:14 Yeah.

13:15 The theme is like you are archaeologist and you are trying to find out what happened with these ancient tribes.

13:22 Yeah.

13:22 But the thing that makes it very interesting is that you're not just playing as the archaeologists, you're also playing as the tribes. So, it's like a not a time travel game, but you are doing stuff in the past that might I don't know how, but it might then affect the present.

13:39 Yeah. When you said that to me, I was thinking about uh an acrony a little bit. And I would also sent back to a memory of us playing Terramara, which is also has a like a time mechanism that sounded interesting. was not that exciting I think but like playing with time also that time you killed me like that those tend to be very unique.

14:06 Yeah, this sounds different because in all of those like in anacrony you're kind of like

14:11 borrowing you're you're borrowing from the future like that's kind of thing you're doing so it's kind of like a depth kind of thing here. It sounds like it will be I don't know but it sounds like it will be like two different things that you are playing.

14:23 Yeah. and it might have something to do with each other, but it sounds very interesting and I'm excited to learn more. There's only one more game on the list. And what can it be? Maybe soon I will let you know. We will let them know.

14:35 No.

14:35 No. Okay, that's going to be the end of the video. But before that, number one,

14:40 let them know. Do it.

14:41 It is of course a great library.

14:43 Yes, which we sadly didn't play the prototype. We would have loved to do that.

14:47 Yeah, this is the new Vitala game. We are always looking forward to his games because he's an amazing designer and this is no exception to his like

14:57 way of making games because he says he says so himself but the themes the theme come first and then the gameplay mechanisms are built around that to fit the theme. So it makes it makes for them to be very unique and thematic games that I think and also it make great games not just thematic ones.

15:20 Yes. Mostly great

15:21 and also heavy games.

15:23 Mostly great games.

15:25 I feel like the last one speak easy was really good. So I'm excited to see this one. It looked very different

15:30 and also good because Inner Tool has done the artwork.

15:34 Yeah, it looks really good.

15:35 And then it looks good. Yes. Those are 10 games that we are anticipating for in this year.

15:39 We were anticipating.

15:40 Yes, that was the word. I was trying to to salvage my sentence, but I couldn't. And then you helped me not salvage it. So that is the way I speak my English language. But yeah, those are 10 games that we are excited to find out more about and also of course play during the year. H hopefully it's going to be a good year for games. We have also all the other great games on our shelves that we might be able to play a couple of those as well throughout the year. That's the goal. If you enjoy what we do, you can

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16:08 Yay. Thank you so much for watching. I'm Johannes.

16:10 I'm Cinema.

16:11 And you've [clears throat] been watching Board Gaming Ramblings. And bye-bye.