Well, lookee here! if you’ve ever taken one look at a board game and just fallen in love with the art style then, careful, you might just add 5 new games to your collection by reading this blog, these are, in our opinion, some of the best looking games out there.
Wondrous World
This 2023 game is a stunner! It’s called EARTH and with just one look at the box you know this is all about the beauty of the planet that we call home.
More precisely EARTH focuses on the beauty of the natural world. Every card has a photograph of an aspect of our stunning planet, be it flora, fauna, terrain, climates, ecosystems or locations. With so many cards there is always something amazing to look at. The game itself relies on this huge amount of variability so that no two games are alike.
You are always looking for the best synergy with the options you have and the way it keeps you involved in other players’ turns is great. There is very little downtime in this game and like all the best games, repeated play brings new ideas and depth of strategy. To add to the beauty there are lovely trunks and canopy pieces that rest on the flora cards and you can optionally buy neoprene mats with stunning artwork on too.
Fantastical Fearsome Foes
Wingspan is a gorgeous game but some clever person at Stonemaier Games came up with the idea of swapping birds out for dragons and changing the game just enough to make it its own thing, and Wyrmspan was born.
If you’ve not heard of Wingspan, it deserves its own post (which we will get around to) but in it you are building a bird sanctuary and making habitats to attract birds. What you are doing in the game is creating a tableau of cards and making a system to create points to win the game.
We’re not here to talk about birds though, Wyrmspan has dragons! So many beautiful dragons… Skillfully sketched and creatively coloured dragons of all types… the game play is slightly more complex than its predecessor but a worthy successor.
With sultry shades and dynamic drawings this will surely please any lover of fantastical beasts, and let’s not forget those beautiful dragon eggs! *chefs kiss*
Peaceful Pilgrimage
Is Tokaido a game or an experience?
The simple answer is yes.
In this 2012 hit, a wistful wander along the East sea road of Japan is in order, the traveler who has the deepest experience will be declared the winner. The subtly textured background of this game creates a calming canvas on which a simple set collection game holds hidden depths.
Paint landscapes, meet interesting folk, collect novelties, visit temples, earn on a farm or relax in a hot spring. Each day will end with a meal you’ve not had before too, await your fellow travelers at the inn and then it’s off on your way again.
This is zen by design and great for beginners or experienced players alike. So popular a 2-player version has recently been produced and a slightly more advanced gamey version too, Tokaido Duo and Namiji respectively.
Anime Artisan Assistants
Let me tell you a story on how beauty begat a board game. Sandara Tang made a stunning piece of art… picture this… a waiter leaning over a table and a magical character seated at said table, looking on, very pleased with herself. On the table, a creme brulee and on the waiter’s arm a tiny dragon using their flame-breath to finish that tasty dessert. From this artwork going viral, the designer Manny Vega reached out to the artist and the world of Flamecraft was born.
Oh, soooo cute. The beauty here is the anime styling of cute artisanal dragons helping out in various shops. A colourful neoprene map of the town is the board and every single dragon is a different drawing and… the puns… Bravo, we tip our hat to those who made this game a joy to play through wordplay and stunning design.
Gorgeous Glasswork
Sometimes beauty is in simple graphic design and that’s what we have with Sagrada.
What could have been a dry and dull dice placement game is raised to levels of beauty with a theme of stained glass artists creating the windows of the Basílica de la Sagrada Família.
Numbers become shades and mixing this with translucent colourful dice makes this game a joy to play. The boards carry the theme in shape and art, even the tool cards are cleverly hand drawn and tie in perfectly.
Beauty in design is hard to pull off and when a game does it as well as Sagrada then it’s deservedly referred to as a modern classic.
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Every game is beautiful in its own way, let’s not forget the effort people go into when creating these little boxes of enjoyment. Beauty isn’t always on the outside, the joy things bring us is the true beauty of the hobby.