1. Luthier

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/371330/luthier
BGG Rating: 8.2 | Best with: 3 players | Playtime: 120 min | Weight: 3.75 | BGA: ❌ NO
Mechanisms: Worker Placement, Engine Building, Set Collection, Contract Fulfillment
Genre: Euro, Thematic, Economic
Country of Origin: USA

2. Galactic Cruise

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/391137/galactic-cruise
BGG Rating: 8.4 | Best with: 3 players | Playtime: 120 min | Weight: 3.98 | BGA: ✅ YES
Mechanisms: Worker Placement, Engine Building, Resource Management, Contract Fulfillment
Genre: Euro, Sci-Fi, Strategy
Country of Origin: USA

3. Moon Colony Bloodbath

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/425549/moon-colony-bloodbath
BGG Rating: 7.6 | Best with: 4 players | Playtime: 70 min | Weight: 2.17 | BGA: ❌ NO
Mechanisms: Dice Rolling, Area Control, Modular Board, Simultaneous Action Selection
Genre: Sci-Fi, Tactical Combat, Competitive
Country of Origin: USA

4. Hot Streak

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/446497/hot-streak
BGG Rating: 8.0 | Best with: 5–6 players | Playtime: 20 min | Weight: 1.23 | BGA: ❌ NO
Mechanisms: Press Your Luck, Dice Rolling, Set Collection, Variable Player Powers
Genre: Family, Party, Tactical
Country of Origin: USA

5. Sweet Lands

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/425445/sweet-lands
BGG Rating: 8.2 | Best with: 2 players | Playtime: 150 min | Weight: 4.14 | BGA: ❌ NO
Mechanisms: Area Control, Engine Building, Resource Management, Set Collection
Genre: Euro, Economic, Strategy
Country of Origin: USA

6. ANTS

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/446699/ants
BGG Rating: 7.8 | Best with: 3 players | Playtime: 90 min | Weight: 3.67 | BGA: ❌ NO
Mechanisms: Worker Placement, Action Drafting, Set Collection, Route Building
Genre: Strategy, Thematic (Ant Colony), Euro
Country of Origin: USA

7. Finspan

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/436126/finspan
BGG Rating: 7.7 | Best with: 2–3 players | Playtime: 60 min | Weight: 2.34 | BGA: ❌ NO
Mechanisms: Set Collection, Tile Placement, Drafting, Pattern Building
Genre: Euro, Family, Tactical
Country of Origin: USA

8. Feya’s Swamp

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/438442/feyas-swamp
BGG Rating: 7.6 | Best with: 4 players | Playtime: 90 min | Weight: 3.09 | BGA: ❌ NO
Mechanisms: Action Selection, Tile Placement, Route Building, Variable Player Powers
Genre: Adventure, Strategy, Thematic
Country of Origin: USA

9. Railroad Tiles

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/418062/railroad-tiles
BGG Rating: 7.6 | Best with: 3 players | Playtime: 30 min | Weight: 1.71 | BGA: ❌ NO
Mechanisms: Tile Placement, Route Building, Set Collection
Genre: Transport Strategy, Euro
Country of Origin: USA

🔥 Just Missed the Top 9 (But Very Close)

These 9 games didn’t make the final Top 9, but were extremely close contenders:

• Molly House

• The Voynich Puzzle

• Deep Regrets

• Countryside

• Forestry

• Vantage

• Shallow Sea

• The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era

• Toy Battle

✅ Final Structure:

9 Best Board Games of 2025 + 9 Close Contenders = 9 + 9