The best board games of 2024 so far

polygon.com:

The early portion of the year is always slow for tabletop releases. The deluge begins in the summer once convention season kicks off and then carries on through the holidays. Despite the transition period we’re now in, there has been a small collection of exciting new games that have emerged. These six titles contain innovative ideas, creative adaptations, or clever twists on existing systems.

This list is not ranked. Instead, titles are offered in alphabetical order.

Publisher CMON Games is best known for its enormous, sprawling miniatures games. Dune: War for Arrakis is no different, offering a two-hour epic battle for control of Arrakis. One player takes on the role of the Harkonnens, while the other wields the might of the Atreides. You will gather spice with harvesters, maneuver troops such as the Fremen and Sardaukar, and seek to fulfill ancient premonitions.

This game is highly asymmetrical, playing similarly to designers Marco Maggi and Francesco Nepitello’s previous board game, War of the Ring. Just like that Lord of the Rings epic, Dune: War for Arrakis is a rich and evocative experience that teases out dramatic moments that could have appeared in the book. While this is primarily a two-player game, it does support up to four players with a team format. This game has arrived at a perfect time, releasing in tandem with the fantastic new film and standing tall on the table like a Fremen atop Shai-Hulud.

Prices taken at time of publishing.

• 2-4 players, age 14+

• Playtime: 120 minutes

• Similar games: War of the Ring, Star Wars: Rebellion

“Gloomhavenmeets Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” is quite the pitch. In Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs, a single player controls a shrunken hero in search of a solution to their plight. The magical spell can only be removed by Hail, the Aesther recluse renowned for her exploits in the original Gloomhaven storyline. You will battle insects and obstacles along the way, ultimately either finding success and lifting the curse, or