Best Games of 2015! – The Dice Tower Awards
The best board games, card games, dice games, family games, and party games of 2015 have now been awarded!
Just a couple days ago, on July 9, The Dice Tower announced the winners of the Dice Tower Awards — the annual crowing of the best board games published.
With thousands of new games published each year, there’s always so many great games to choose from.
This year close to 100 people in the board game industry participated in the nomination and voting process. The majority of those voting are top board game reviewers, podcasters, and contributors from around the world.
And we love being a part of the selection and judging. We were also able to play a bigger majority of the nominated games than we have in years past. So it’s especially rewarding to see the results this year.
Without further ado, here are The Dice Tower Award Winners for 2015:
Best Board Games of 2015
- Game Of The Year: Pandemic Legacy: Season 1
- Best Family Game: Codenames
- Best Strategy Game: Blood Rage
- Best Two Player Game: 7 Wonders: Duel
- Best Cooperative Game: Pandemic Legacy: Season 1
- Best Party Game: Codenames
- Best Game Theming: T.I.M.E. Stories
- Best Game Components: Blood Rage
- Best Game Artwork: Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn
- Best New Designer: T.I.M.E. Stories
- Best Small Publisher: Stockpile
- Best Expansion: Ticket to Ride Map Collection: Volume 5 – United Kingdom & Pennsylvania
- Best Game Reprint: Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization
- Most Innovative Game: T.I.M.E. Stories
We’re not surprised at all that Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 won as Best Board Game of the Year. It’s been the talk of the industry for a very long time and has lived up to the hype.
Once again this year a game ended up winning in 3 categories — T.I.M.E. Stories. I wrote about my experience playing the first T.I.M.E. Stories game earlier this year at SaltCon. While I agree it’s definitely innovative, I’m glad it didn’t win for Game of the Year.
Since our family loves Ticket to Ride, we’re also happy to see that the UK & Pennsylvania map won for best expansion. We haven’t yet played it, but are itching to do so.
And we’re also big fans of Codenames and 7 Wonders Duel. But we also think you can’t go wrong with any of the games on the 2015 Nominees list either.
If you’re looking for great board games to play with your family and friends, this is a great list to go from. You can also check out The Dice Tower Award winners from years past:
2014 – Best Game of the Year Winner: Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game
2013 – Best Game of the Year Winner: Caverna: The Cave Farmers
2012 – Best Game of the Year Winner: Star Wars: X-wing Miniatures Game
2011 – Best Game of the Year Winner: Eclipse
2010 – Best Game of the Year Winner: 7 Wonders
2009 – Best Game of the Year Winner: Smallworld
2008 – Best Game of the Year Winner: Dominion
2007 – Best Game of the Year Winner: Race for the Galaxy
