Top 5 Board Games Designs

Board games aren’t just about winning (unless you’re very competitive). They wake up your brain, spark friendly rivalry and keep things social. Part of the joy comes from the pieces themselves; sliding a token, drawing a card or flipping a tile is simple but surprisingly satisfying.

The best part? For designers, tabletop games are a crash course in creating visuals that not only look good but also support how a game plays. This year I dove headfirst into the hobby and quickly got hooked. My criteria for adding games to my shelf has always leaned towards design: Is the story compelling? Do the visuals, layout and typography bring the theme to life? Are the materials high-quality? Could the box sit on my coffee table as easily as it does on my game shelf?

Here are the top five games that inspire me as a designer:

Snakes of Wrath

Snakes of Wrath is a two-player, tile-laying game with quick rules and plenty of strategy. You’ll build, heal and stab your way to victory, and with double-sided tiles the game can flip in an instant with a surprise steal. It’s simple to pick up yet layered enough to keep you hooked.

What grabbed me first was the Edwardian-inspired art that still feels fresh and breaks from the mold of typical board game aesthetics. On my table, it’s stunning; 90 resin tiles, wooden racks and canvas sack make it feel premium, while the official unofficial strategy guide extends the storytelling with smart typography.

For game designers, this game isn’t just pretty, it’s intentional. The team at Young Jerks tied visuals and mechanics together, so every detail works in harmony, making Snakes of Wrath both beautiful and rewarding to play. 

Desperate Oasis

I might be on a West Coast Games streak, but they’re absolutely killing it. Desperate Oasis, their second release, is again designed by Young Jerks with illustrations by Brett Stenson. This game pits two players against each other for control of desert sanctuaries. Gameplay centres on grouping animal cards to show strength, with special rules that let you manipulate positions and keep each match fresh and competitive.

The desert theme is brought to life through Stenson’s gorgeous mid-century illustrations, but the charm goes deeper. Personality shows up everywhere, from clever jokes in the box to the witty rulebook and card details. My favourite card? The Egyptian Jerboa, worth just one point, but capable of toppling the Desert Elephant at five, because yeah, elephants are scared of mice. Compact and travel-ready, it delivers big on storytelling, design and replay value, offering plenty of inspiration for designers.

Vicious Gardens

“Wow, what a gorgeous game.” That was my first thought before backing Vicious Gardens on Kickstarter. As a gardener, I was already intrigued, but this one delivered so much more.

The game mixes the coziness of gardening with the thrill of sabotage. You get to grow plants, harvest them for points and mess with your neighbours in a surprisingly cut-throat way. Ross Bruggink, co-founder of Buddy-Buddy, nailed the design. From the gold-embossed sleeve and metal tokens to the painted wooden pieces and expansion-ready boards, every component feels premium.

Bruggink’s mid-century illustration style is colourful and approachable without being overwhelming. Quirky touches, like plants named Fuzzlesquash, add charm and keep the theme alive. For designers, Vicious Gardens is a masterclass in clarity, hierarchy and storytelling. My partner and I return to it often because it’s not only gorgeous, it stays fresh with expansions.

CULTivate

I admit I have a soft spot for mid-century illustration, and CULTivate fits the bill perfectly. Designed by Austin Foss, Jenna Radtke and Jake Sells (and now published through Atlas Games), the game casts players as cult leaders filling their compounds with quirky followers. Each recruit brings unique abilities, but grow too powerful and rivals will sabotage, convert or trigger an investigation.

The charm is in how visuals and mechanics align. Cartoonish artwork paired with tongue-in-cheek copywriting keep the cult theme satirical and approachable instead of dark. Thick components, wooden meeples and clean layouts make it easy to follow.

It’s quick, clever and packed with personality. For designers, CULTivate is proof that humour, clarity and thoughtful visuals can elevate even the quirkiest themes into a polished play experience.

Fuego

Fuego is a compact game that pulls its look straight from vintage matchboxes. Designed by Jason Hager and Darren Reckner (Durdle Games) and produced by Keymaster Games, the box itself is a clever matchbox design with an embossed strike pad, fiery illustrations and bright colour. Even the rulebook is titled How to Start a Fire.

The linocut-style illustrations are striking (pun-intended), and the components feel great in your hands; thick card stock, silky cards and wooden flame tokens give it a premium touch. Gameplay is mega quick to learn but has smart twists like low cards earning more flames and the “Match!” mechanic flipping a round in an instant. Compact and endlessly replayable, Fuego shows how thoughtful details can turn a simple card game into a design standout.

Board games have become more than a hobby for me. They’re a reminder that design is at its best when it balances beauty, function and storytelling. My top five picks prove that thoughtful visuals, clever mechanics and tactile details can turn a simple pastime into an experience people remember… I sure ain’t forgetting these games anytime soon. 

For designers, there’s inspiration everywhere: in the clarity of a rulebook, the corresponding illustrations or the way a box tells a story before it’s even opened. The lessons carry beyond the tabletop into branding, packaging and game play.

I may have started with zero games last year, but collecting has shown me how much design thinking lives in this medium. Whether you’re here for strategy, social play or great visuals, these games show that design isn’t just seen—it’s played.