Has a board game ever made you say, “Whoa, that’s cool!”? Well, buckle up, because you’re about to. It’s 2024, and tabletop gaming has evolved far beyond the basic, “roll the dice and move that many spaces” or “draw a card, play a card” mechanism.
Some of the most common game mechanisms are worker placement, card drafting, area control, and deck-building, but there are so many others as well. With so many board game designers experimenting with new ways to play, there are bound to be several games that stand out from the crowd. Here are a few that break the mold in gameplay.
Updated on May 22, 2025, by Vaspaan Dastoor:Board games fall under certain genres, or are even a mix of a few. But what truly sets a good one apart is how its mechanics are incorporated into the genre, while adding something new. With that in mind, we’ve updated this list with a few more entries.
Monopoly: The Lord Of The Rings Edition
Go to Mordor
While most Monopoly editions are mere reskins of the original game, there are a few collaborations that yield some fun and interesting ideas. The Lord of the Rings Edition of Monopoly takes into account the One Ring and the effect it has on people. It does so with a unique Ring of Power mechanic, which gives you special powers, but corrupts you the longer you hold on to it.
Monopoly: The Lord of the Rings is probably one of the best editions of the classic game to ever be created. This is not my LOTR bias speaking, but a result of the craftsmanship that has gone into the game. The tokens are intricately crafted, featuring the nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring. When not used for the game, they’d make great display pieces for a fan of ther series.
However, the standout feature is the Ring of Power mechanic, which is unique to this edition of the game. Depending on which player possesses the Ring, they receive special abilities that will help them in the game. However, there’s a chance that the Eye of Sauron will land on you, spelling Doom. It also includes a special feature where player progress gets the ring closer to Mount Doom, but if the Eye sees you, you’ll have to move it back to the start and lose progress on the quest.
Descent: Legends Of The Dark
Digital Descent
Descent: Legends of the Dark is an RPG like any other. It has a map, character classes, multiple campaigns to choose from, and any other staples you may think of. However, what sets it apart from ther crowd is its companion app. Not only does it offer convenience in terms of setup, calculating damage values, and presenting story bits, but it also encourages newer players to try out something more complicated.
It’s not that hard to imagine an app that brings convenience to your life in terms of travel, food delivery, or dating - so why not for Tabletop games too? Descent: Legends of the Dark features a companion app that will do all the hard work and calculations for you. Not only that, it will direct story beats based on the decisions you make, and also tell you what possible moves you can make.
Sail
Small Box, Big Adventure
Sail is a trick-taking card game that allows players to navigate the turbulent waters on a ship and attempt to outmaneuver the Kraken.
While there are a multitude of trick-taking games on the market right now, Sail blows the competition out of the water with two unique twists - it’s only for two players AND it’s cooperative. Players are also limited in the information they can communicate to each other. The goal of the game is to reach the edge token without getting destroyed by the Kraken.
Stonemaier Games Apiary
Bees In Space
In Apiary, players select a faction and attempt to gather resources in order to build their individual colony. This game involves tile placement and worker placement mechanics.
Besides the quirkiness of the theme, Apiary’s mechanics have a fun twist on worker placement. Each player’s worker bees have four sides labeled one through four. Most bees begin the game at level one. If another player has placed their bee in a spot you desire, you can “bump” the bee by taking the place. The other player’s bee is returned to them and they are able to “level up” their bee, which is a major benefit. However, once the bee reaches level four, it goes into hibernation and cannot be used.
Raiders Of The North Sea
Double The Actions, Double The Fun
In Raiders of the North Sea, players take on the role of Vikings as they sail between villages and pillage to their hearts' content. The winner is the player who collects the most victory points.
Get ready to plunder and pillage in this Viking-themed worker placement game. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill worker placement mechanic. When players place a Viking on a spot on the board, they take the action indicated, then remove a Viking from a different location and perform THAT action also. In Raiders of the North Sea, players are competitively striving to build the best crew, pillage settlements, and earn victory points.
The Fox Experiment
Roll Dice, Create Cuteness
The Fox Experiment involves selecting foxes that will breed the best traits. The game is based on the Russian Domesticated Fox Program developed by a scientist in the 1950s.
Dice, worker placement, roll-and-write, and foxes. This game has it all. It’s not often that a game uses the roll-and-write mechanic in a full board game. With The Fox Experiment, players select a male and female fox and roll the colored dice that correspond to their traits such as friendly bark, or a long bushy tail, and mark the results on the pup cards. At the end of the round, the players newly made pups go back into the pool and other players will have a chance to breed your pup. Players continue to collect traits and make upgrades on their player boards. The person with the most victory points from meeting goals, conducting experiments, and getting friendly fox traits is the winner.
Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar
Plan Ahead To Please The Gods
Players act as Mayan tribes in Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar. The game is a worker placement with end game bonuses.
Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar has a mechanic that few board games were able to replicate well. The board features six gears with a number of spots where players can place their workers. On their turn, players can either place a worker or pick up a worker. At the start of each round, the central gear is rotated one “day” causing the workers to be rotated to the next section. The longer players leave workers on the gears, the better the action becomes. Actions are performed when the players retrieve a worker. Players work towards pleasing the gods by building monuments and developing technologies. The game ends once the central gear has made a full revolution. The player with the most victory points wins.
Conclusion
It is always impressive to see what new twists game designers can bring to their creations. Experimenting with new mechanics isn’t always successful, and sometimes it can ruin the game. But the best designers find a way to balance the quirky and find a sweet spot, creating a solid, engaging game.
Monopoly Go Board Game
On the go
As popular as Monopoly is, Monopoly Go took the digital board game space by storm. It even received a card game that many casual tabletop fans love. So it only makes a sense that it also be adapted into a board game. While it follows the basic concept of the original game, Monopoly Go Board Game features four mini boards and even a bank heist system.
The Bank Heist feature isn’t exactly new - we all nicked a few dollars when no one was looking - but this official route adds a bit of excitement to the formula. Sabotage your opponents' progress right in front of their faces!
Star Wars Labyrinth - The Last Jedi
Mysteries of the Force.
Jedi temples hold a lot of secrets, but can be deadly for those untrained in the ways of the Force. This unique board is made out of 34 squares that are constantly moving to create a living maze. You’ll have to tink fast and plot a route before the maze shifts again, hampering your progress.
Mazes are the worst nightmare of the directionally challenged. So, imagine what a living maze would feel like. You’ll have to trust in the Force if you’re going to get through the maze and find what you’re looking for. The constant shifting means that no two games will be the same.
FAQ
How many different board game mechanisms are there?
Since the hobby is ever-changing, so are the mechanisms. The most common board game mechanisms are deck-building, worker placement, tile placement, action selection, deduction, drafting, auction, betting, bluffing, area control, hidden movement and so many more. The list goes on and on.
What makes a board game good?
A lot goes into creating a board game, but to make a good game, designers must consider their players. A good game will be engaging, have some type of theme and has rules that can be learned by reading the rulebook. Many people have varying opinions on the definition of a “good” game, but the best way to determine a good game is by asking individual players, “Did you have fun?”
