Day 8 & 9 and our final day of Double Board Game Madness!
Today we're featuring our 4th & 3rd games from our Top 12 Favorite Games Countdown!!

As always, let us know which ones you love (or hate!) in the comments for your entry to tomorrows giveaway.

 

Game Grid's Top 12 Favorite Board Games
Number 4 & 3

Jordan Bird

4 - Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle

What Jordan enjoys most about this game:

I love Deck Building Games!
If you haven't played one of these games yet, you're missing out.
The basic formula for every deck building game is that each player starts out with their own deck of cards, usually with the same cards in them.
As you play the game, you'll use your cards to add new cards to your deck, building an engine of different cards that work well together and will help you win the game!

The Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle deck building game adds a couple of fun new aspects to the normal formula.
First, it's a cooperative game - you're all working together to defeat the Death Eaters before they win! This makes it a great deck builder for anyone new to that type of game. If you have a question about how something works, you can ask without giving away a strategic advantage. You can even play with your hands face up on the table and talk about the best way to play your turn!
Next, in addition to adding new spells and allies to your deck, some of your cards will give you attack power to defeat the death eaters or healing to keep your team from being knocked out - this gives you a lot of fun decisions to make about how you're going to specialize your deck and how the team is going to work together to win!
And finally the base game includes all 7 books so you can play through an entire campaign - or you can play through your favorite book in under an hour.

All around, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle is my go-to recommendation for Harry Potter Fans or any Family looking for a great co-op game.

Jordan's favorite memory of this game:

My mom is a great sport - she'll try just about any game that we bring over, but she definitely prefers to play games that aren't overwhelming and give you space to still talk to everyone you're playing with.
Because Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle is a co-op game, you're always engaged with the other players - no one is going silent for several minutes, planning out the perfect turn, instead you talk about how your team is going to play, making sure you've all got a plan for how to play. And if a grandkid decides that they need grandma to come play with them, someone else can jump in and take a couple of turns for my mom while she's being grandma :-)

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Family Games - (Catan, Ticket to Ride, etc...)
Co-Op Games - (Pandemic, Unlock, etc...)
Deck Building Games - (Dominion, Legendary, Mystic Vale, etc...)

This game is great for:

Family Game Night
Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
Holiday Get Togethers

3 - Century Series
(Golem, Eastern Mountains, Endless World)

What Jordan enjoys most about this game:

Century is amazing!
Each of the games is simple, quick and fun - and you can combine them together to add another layer of gameplay!
With Century: Golem, you're building an engine using cards to get gemstones, and gemstones to power up golems, earning victory points.
In Century: Eastern Mountains, you're now playing a tactical game, moving your caravan to different tiles, but still all in the pursuit of gemstones, golems and victory points.
Finally, with Century: Endless Worlds, you jump into a worker placement game - sending out your meeples to different tiles, which gives you gemstones. And, as you've guessed, gemstones get golems and victory points.

Each Century game gives you a well balanced experience, where it feels like each decision matters and you're always just one move away from catching up or falling behind as other players try to claim the golems that you have your eyes on.

Jordan's favorite memory of this game:

Even though I love each game in the Century Series (well, maybe not so much for Eastern Mountains - still good, just not my personal favorite of the three) one of the coolest things is that you can combine any two or all three of them together!
And, even better, it just adds to the options you have without making the game take too long.
Is it better to play a card or send a meeple to get a green gemstone?
Will it be faster to move my caravan or buy that new card?
Should I recall my workers or continue to play out my card engine this turn?

Really, just an excellent gaming experience all around.
If you already enjoy games like Splendor, Azul, Gizmos or Sagrada, you definitely need to give Century a try.

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Family Games - (Catan, Ticket to Ride, etc...)
Strategy Games - (Stone Age, Agricola, Terra Mystica, Scythe, etc...)

This game is great for:

Family Game Night
Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
Couples / Game Night with your BFF
 

Zach Bird

4. Unmatched

What Zach enjoys most about this game:

It's a reimagined callback to one of my favorite childhood games, Star Wars: Epic Duels.
I love the art, the different characters and universes that get pulled from, the combat system, the unique twists that each character gives.

Zach's favorite memory of this game:

Jenner and I played the Ingen vs. Raptors, him Ingen, me Raptors. The game has a unique way to determine line-of sight in that if a space you're on shares a color with the space your opponent is on then you can see them. At the start of the game I ran towards Jenner only to realize I had run into a cage that, due to this unique line of sight system, was in line of sight for Jenner's shots, but not technically adjacent (thematically he was up on the wall of the Prison, so it makes sense) meaning he was free to take shots at me without me being able to attack him back at all.
Even with that mess-up the game ended up pretty close, but he still nabbed the win.

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Family Games - (Catan, Ticket to Ride, etc...)
Strategy Games - (Stone Age, Agricola, Terra Mystica, Scythe, etc...)
Deckbuilding-ish. Like Smash UP

This game is great for:

Family Game Night, Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
Holiday Get Togethers
Babysitting or playing with Kids
Couples / Game Night with your BFF
Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)

3. Betrayal Legacy

Amazing game. Zach sleepy.

Zach's favorite memory of this game:

Betrayal Legacy was my family's introduction to the Legacy game type and we went all out on game nights by putting up spooky decorations, throwing on some haunting music, and even playing by candlelight. The story wrapped us in and we ended each session wanting to play another. We still haven't finished it -we just started in October- but I've enjoyed it so much it takes spot 3.

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Co-Op Games - (Pandemic, Unlock, etc...)
Strategy Games - (Stone Age, Agricola, Terra Mystica, Scythe, etc...)

This game is great for:

Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)

 

Skyler Hanks - Still not done with Top 10 :-(

 

Will Sawyer

4 - Century Series 
(Golem, Eastern Mountains, Endless World)

The Century games provide an experience that has yet to be matched by another game. Each game introduces a new, slightly more complex board game mechanic.

Spice Road introduces resource management. You collect resources, trade them for other resources, and use them to purchase cards that either give you more resources, or allow you more favorable trades. This builds until you can purchase victory points with those resources to win the game.

Eastern Wonders keeps the resource management from Spice Road, and introduces territory control. You move around the map placing down settlements that allow you different trade options. These settlements also accrue victory points, and make it more expensive for other players to place settlements down on that tile.

A New World drops the territory control, and introduces worker placement. You take
your actions by placing your meeples down on different locations that provide different results. You can gain and trade resources, take an action card, purchase victory points, etc. And each location can only harbor a certain number of workers, so you have to watch the order that your opponents might want to place as well.

The best part about all of this is they all act as expansions for each other, allowing you to play more complex games once you've mastered the basics, even going so far as to play all three at once in a game that combines the three main mechanics for a traditional euro-style game. With these three games, you have the means of playing a total of 7 unique board games, with a nice and smooth learning curve. Century is, in my opinion, the quintessential series for those wanting to get deeper into board gaming.

Will's favorite memory of this game:

My playthrough of the version of all three games combined was nothing less than epic. Maybe it was the build up to the finale, or playing this deep complex game that I didn't really have to take time to learn (because you've already been introduced to 80% of the rules used), or just the satisfying feeling of understanding how the mechanics should be used and capitalizing on it, but the mega-game variant is one of my favorite games of all time.

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Family Games - (Catan, Ticket to Ride, etc...)
Territory Control Games - (Risk, Axis & Allies, etc...)
Strategy Games - (Stone Age, Agricola, Terra Mystica, Scythe, etc...)

This game is great for:

Family Game Night
Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
Couples / Game Night with your BFF

3: Boss Monster

It's hard to choose between the aesthetic and the gameplay for my favorite aspect. I'm a sucker for retro games as nostalgia is one of my driving forces in life it seems, and this game hits too close to home. I mean, the games literally come in SNES and Game Boy style packaging. On the other hand, the two-player variant of this game can be extremely competitive and cutthroat. I'm talking Magic: the Gathering levels of strategy, except your cards don't turn to potato chips when they touch air.

Will's favorite memory of this game:

I was playing against my brother, and we spent the entire game trying to screw each other over, so by the time that the Epic Heroes showed up, neither of us could even come close to beating them, so the game quickly devolved into stalling the Epic Heroes trying to enter our dungeons longer than the other player could, because neither of us had a chance of winning by killing the Heroes at that point. I believe I ultimately died first.

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Family Games - (Catan, Ticket to Ride, etc...)
Card Games - (Scum, Dalmuti, Uno, etc...)
Deck Building Games - (Dominion, Legendary, Mystic Vale, etc...)

This game is great for:

Family Game Night
Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
Holiday Get Togethers
Couples / Game Night with your BFF

 

Joey (Jordan) Wheeler

4 - Star Wars Rebellion

If you've ever wanted to play the most iconic, thematic Star Wars game of all time, this is the game for you. I feel like I am in the Star Wars universe influencing and controlling the most iconic Star Wars characters. It is also awesome how different both sides of the conflict feel. When I play the Rebellion I feel completely outmanned and outgunned at the beginning of the game and have no idea how I will ever be able to combat the gigantic Imperial fleet, but the longer I hide and complete different missions the more steam I start to build up and the more confident I feel taking on the Empire in sabotage and direct space and ground combat. When I am the Empire I feel like there is no way in the world that the Rebels could ever take me on, but I still feel pressure to quash their rebellion quickly just in case. Also building a Death Star makes you feel so powerful!

Joey's favorite memory of this game:

I was playing as the rebels with my brother playing as the Empire. Now for context, this game generally lasts around 3 hours give or take. Within the first 3 rounds of the game, my brother had found my hidden base on Naboo, mobilized all of his ground troops to get there, and completely wiped me from the galaxy all within 30 or 40 minutes. He has refused to play the game with me since so that I will never forget the humiliation I experienced failing to get my rebellion off the ground in a game that I usually dominate the scoreboard at.

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Territory Control Games - (Risk, Axis & Allies, etc...)
Strategy Games - (Stone Age, Agricola, Terra Mystica, Scythe, etc...)

This game is great for:

Couples / Game Night with your BFF

3 - Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

It is hard to pick one single thing I like most about this game. I love the leveling up and progression of characters. I love the action mechanic of choosing between a top and bottom action each round and having to be careful with not using my powerful actions to quickly so that my character does not get exhausted. I love how tense each game feels without feeling overwhelmingly hard or easy. It's even fun in between scenarios to draw different events that happen in the city in the middle of two adventures.

Jaws of the Lion in particular has been an awesome version of Gloomhaven to help get my wife involved and enjoying the game. The Learn to Play Guide that they provide to read along your first 5 scenarios and add on additional mechanics each scenario is a great method to both teach and learn the game. And I love that I can use Jaws of the Lion characters in Gloomhaven of Gloomhaven characters in Jaws of the Lion. The amount of content I will have to go through in this game for the rest of my life is overwhelming but awesome for me.

Joey's favorite memory of this game:

Just recently, my wife and I fought the first boss in Jaws of the Lion. Her character is focused on manipulating the minds and actions of both friends and foes. She had an awesome turn where she forced a monster to walk through multiple damaging traps, attack his fellow monster, and end up in the perfect space for my character to stab the monster right in the back and kill him.

This type of combo play happens pretty frequently in scenarios too, and I love finding and seeing these combos between characters play out.

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Co-Op Games - (Pandemic, Unlock, etc...)
Strategy Games - (Stone Age, Agricola, Terra Mystica, Scythe, etc...)

This game is great for:

Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
Couples / Game Night with your BFF

 

Spencer Martin

#4 Captain Sonar

Captain Sonar is one of the best game I have ever played. If you are from the Lehi area you may have heard of the Space Center nearby. Captain Sonar is a multiplayer battleship experience. You work together with your team of up to four against a team of the same size to be the last ship standing.

Spencer's favorite memory of this game:

Each player has a specific role that they must fulfill for mission success. The Captain who moves the ship, one is in charge of munitions, one is in charge of listening in on the other teams movements and so on. If manning a ship is your dream, Captain Sonar is the game for you!

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Family Games - (Catan, Ticket to Ride, etc...)
Party Games - (Telestrations, Code Names, Apples to Apples, etc...)

This game is great for:

Family Game Night
Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
Holiday Get Togethers
 

#3 Cosmic Frog

Just look at the cover art for Cosmic Frog and you can see what a unique game it is. You take the role of a two-mile-tall frog with sole purpose of gathering resources for the mysterious First Ones. Because the land you are gathering is so chaotic, you are prone to mutations, making the game unpredictable.

Spencer's favorite memory of this game:

Cosmic Frog highlights one of my favorite aspects of strategy game: an unpredictable and changing game state. Even though your opponents have worked hard for their resources, you can attack them to gain the upper hand or even rob their vaults!

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Strategy Games - (Stone Age, Agricola, Terra Mystica, Scythe, etc...)

This game is great for:

Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
 

Chris Fajardo

4 - The Quacks of Quedlinburg

A unique twist on a deck builder. Every round you are pulling ingredients from your bag to add to your potion cauldron. As long as it doesn't explode you score both victory points and gold to buy more ingredients. If you fail then you can still pick one of the two. It is a very forgiving game to new players while still allowing for real strategy for the true gamers.

Chris' favorite memory of this game:

There is a real strategy to this game if you want to play it that way. Although it can be easily defeated by that one go-for-broke friend who always seems to be lucky. It makes for an exciting game that is different every time you open the box.

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Family Games - (Catan, Ticket to Ride, etc...)
Party Games - (Telestrations, Code Names, Apples to Apples, etc...)
Strategy Games - (Stone Age, Agricola, Terra Mystica, Scythe, etc...)
Deck Building Games - (Dominion, Legendary, Mystic Vale, etc...)

This game is great for:

Family Game Night
Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
Holiday Get Togethers
Couples / Game Night with your BFF

3 - Call to Adventure Stormlight Archive

Call to Adventure is phenomenal board game that lets you write your own story. Each act sees your character grow as you overcome challenges and earn abilities. The Stormlight Archive edition takes place on Roshar, a world written by Brandon Sanderson filled with powerful *SPOILER* and *SPOILER*. The artwork alone is worth the price of entry. Speak again the ancient oaths.

Chris' favorite memory of this game:

As someone who avidly reads the Stormlight Archive books. Being able to play as a *SPOILER* to bring down *SPOILER* speaks to me on levels few games can touch. This game is a love letter to anyone who reads Brandon Sanderson books.

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Family Games - (Catan, Ticket to Ride, etc...)
Co-Op Games - (Pandemic, Unlock, etc...)
Card Games - (Scum, Dalmuti, Uno, etc...)

This game is great for:

Family Game Night
Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
Holiday Get Togethers
Couples / Game Night with your BFF

 

 

NOW!
The moment we've been waiting for!!

17 Winners for Day 8 & 9 -

Brian Prue
Jordan Jensen
Charese Rencher
Sarah Walker
Redick Bickmore
Migual M (Discord)
Alyna Briscoe
Clint (Discord)
Taylor Gray
G Adam
Makayla Jensen
Porter G (007) (Discord)
Larry Kemp
Jacob Moreland Francis
Zack Green
coldasjonny
Jacob Swenson

Congrats!! 
We'll have a $20 Gift Cert with your name on it waiting for you or, if you're staying in for COVID, you can call in and we'll add the credit to your account.

Make sure to visit or call soon - If your gift is unclaimed by Christmas, it'll be "re-gifted" to another winner!

 

Don't forget, you can get extra entries to the giveaway for subscribing to us on Twitch and YouTube! 

 

 

Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas to you all again, we'll see you tomorrow :-)