Best Board Games 2023: 8 New Titles To Try This Year

A new year means endless new opportunities to spruce up your game nights.

In 2023, the board game scene is bigger than ever. It seems like in this fast-paced digital world; people are starting to feel more nostalgic about the table-top games that they loved as a child.

The good news for gamers is there’s plenty of new and exciting concepts to try out.

Whether you’re looking for a co-op board game that reminds your family how to work together as a team or something that’s going to make you laugh out loud, you’re sure to find something here.

Here’s a handful of the best board games 2023 has to offer, and why you should give them a go.

Looking for the best single player board games? Check these out. 

1.  One Night Ultimate Werewolf – Best for Adult Parties

If you’re looking for the best party board games in 2023 start with One Night Ultimate Werewolf.

This fun and exciting game is a bit like Clue in the sense that everyone has information that no-one else knows.

You receive a role at the start of the game from a selection of village residents.

You can also be one of the werewolves hoping to prey on those innocent victims.

Throughout the night, you play your moves secretly, while the rest of your party try to figure out who amongst you is a monster.

The fun in the game lies in both making accurate deductions that make you feel like Sherlock Holmes and lying through your teeth to protect yourself.

There’s even a chance that there are no werewolves in your game at all!

If you’ve played One Night Ultimate Werewolf before, try the latest options “One Night Ultimate Vampire,” or “One Night Ultimate Werewolf Daybreak.”

2. Betrayal at House on The Hill – Best Co-Op Game

If tricking and deceiving your family doesn’t sound like your idea of fun, why not try working together instead?

Another board game with distinctly gothic undertones, Betrayal at House on The Hill is a suspenseful team-focused experience.

The game is designed for at least 6 players (over the age of 12). Each game lasts for around an hour, so don’t expect to zoom through.

During the game play, you’ll be able to explore a creepy old house on the hill, triggering unique scenarios as you go along.

Although the game starts off with everyone working together to complete the same mission, things can change.

In the end, someone may turn on you, so it’s difficult to know who to trust. Just keep in mind that it can take a while to pick up the rules.

Read our in-depth guide on how to set-up and play Betrayal at House on the Hill.

3.  Gloom – Best for Families

If your family usually makes each other miserable at family gatherings, you might as well make a game out of it.

One of the best board games for 2023, Gloom is all about making your group miserable.

The idea is to take turn playing cards to make members of your Gothic family live the most terrible life possible.

Eventually, you kill your family off and earn points depending on how oppressed they were when they were alive.

It sounds pretty macabre, but don’t be put off. It’s actually a lot of fun when you start playing.

As one of the most unique new board games for 2023, Gloom encourages you to make your family miserable with absolute glee.

It’s a great way to make your friends and loved ones laugh by being as sadistic as you possibly can.

4.  Codenames – Best for Strategy Lovers

Finding the best party board games in 2023 can be tough. Sometimes, it seems like everything relies on trivia or just plain silliness.

However, Codenames is a game that takes a different approach.

With Codenames, one player invents a single-word clue to guide their teammates towards specific word cards that have been laid out on a grid.

The clue word can be anything.

For instance, you might choose a word that rhymes with the word you want your teammate to find.

Or you can use a synonym. However, you’re not allowed to explain your word.

The great thing about Codenames is that it’s both fun and challenging at the same time.

Coming up with clues isn’t as simple as it seems.

Since it’s quite tricky, we don’t recommend playing this game when you’re in the middle of a drunk party night.

However, for a way to wind down after dinner, it’s a significant bit of fun.

For the latest 2023 experience, try the all-new Codenames Duet version, with cooperative game play and 400 new words.

Related: Check out more great strategy board games for the bar.

5.  What Do You Meme? – Best Party Board Game

When it comes to choosing the best party board games of 2023, What do You Meme is a strong contender.

This year, there are multiple new expansion packs available for the game, so you can transform the game however you like.

Although this game isn’t for kids, you can play with teenagers and young adults pretty easily.

If you don’t mind your loved ones getting a bit rude, then this is a title that will have them shrieking with laughter in no time.

What Do You Meme comes with 435 cards, including 360 caption cards, and 75 photo cards.

You can also buy plenty of “Fresh memes” to add to the mix. The game works like this.

Every player gets 7 caption cards, and they take turns matching those cards to a specific picture.

The funniest or best meme wins the round.

Related: Check out more fun party card games for adults.

6.  Boss Monster 2 – The Next Level – Best Retro Game

You could argue that Boss Monster is more of a card game than a board game.

However, the fact that you have to lay so many cards out in front of you means you can’t exactly play it on the go.

For that reason, we’re going to include it on our list of the best board games for 2023.

Boss Monster is a game that’s ideal for anyone who loves video games but needs a break from the screen.

The original title and the second edition are very similar in the way that they work.

The idea is that you build a dungeon out of the cards you choose, which you then use to attract and kill adventurers.

You’re the big bad boss at the end of the dungeon that the heroes have to get past.

It’s a simple game, but it’s a lot of fun. What’s more, the artwork is brilliant. It does remind you of retro video games.

We recommend playing this game with at least 4 people. You can use it as a warm up to your full board-game evening.

Related: Check out more retro board games for a fun night.

7.  Smart Ass – Best Speed Game

Sometimes, your game nights can get out of hand if you let them.

If you don’t want to spend hours around the dinner table, or crouched over a deck of cards, then Smart Ass is great for you.

Designed for children of the 90’s, this fast-paced experience will keep your whole team on their toes.

Remember, you’re allowed to yell out answers and gain points, even when it isn’t your turn.

Smart Ass comes with a board, six playing pieces, and 411 question cards. You can play with up to 6 people, and we recommend sticking to ages above 12.

The aim of Smart Ass is to make your way around the board by answering as many questions as you can.

When a clue is read out, everyone can scream out the answer at the same time. This isn’t going to be a quiet game by any stretch of the imagination.

However, it is a great way to break the ice and get people engaged on somewhat dreary game nights.

You’re sure to have plenty of laugh-out-loud moments as you compete to be the ultimate “smart ass.”

8.  Quarter Life Crisis – Best for the Younger Generation

Finally, we come to one of the best board games for 2023 if you’re looking for a bit of playful parody.

Released by Hasbro Gaming, Quarter Life Crisis is similar to The Game of Life. The biggest difference is that you’re playing through the common pitfalls and challenges of being a young millennial.

From failed relationships to agonizing debt, this game captures the hilarious, yet accurate strife that the younger generation deals with today.

You start the game with 500k worth of debt. To win, you need to be the first person to pay off what you owe.

This is much harder than it seems.

You’ll struggle to hold onto a job, choose between your relationship and your career, and even lose access to Wi-Fi.

The game is best-suited to groups of 2 to 4 players, and it’s not ideal if you’re easily offended!

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What do you think are the best board games for 2023?

Are there any new titles that you tried out this year that you can’t wait to share with friends?

Let us know in the comments, and happy gaming!