10 Most Beautiful Board Games

2. Photosynthesis

But thing is, when people walk past Everdell they’re wowed, sure, but people can at least tell, oh that’s a boardgame, it’s got cards and workers and bits.

People see photosynthesis and they are bound by the law to stop and ask questions.

It’s a game of competitive trees, boardgaming’s got EVERYTHING.

Each player has their own supply of cardboard trees of a certain colour in varying sizes. You’ll be placing these trees on the board so that yours catch the most sun, whilst also leaving other players trees in shadow, depending on the position of this sun tile, which only slightly looks like the gaping maw of pacman reading to devour the forest and cool that’s tonight’s nightmares taken care of. It’s a perspective hopping blockade-style joy, catching sun, buying seeds, adding trees to the gameboard, creating not only this clever 3D puzzles that shifts and changes each turning of the giant pacman mouth, but also this lush colourful forest canopy.

It is stunning to look at when you’re deep in the game, but also simple enough to teach the family with intuitive thematic mechanics. Strong recommend.