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Every FromSoftware SoulsBorne DLC Ranked

FromSoftware has finally announced the first DLC expansion for Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree.

While we only know that the new expansion is officially being developed, FromSoftware has a history of releasing substantial expansions that are rich with both new areas and bosses as well as new story content. They are often essentially mini sequels to the base game that usually finish the game’s story and hide the true ending.

With this in mind, we ranked all the past FromSoftware DLC for Dark Souls and Bloodborne and revisited the expansions from a studio that has arguably done DLC better than anyone else. Check below for our ranked list of FromSoftware DLC.

Spoilers for Dark Souls and Bloodborne DLC below.

7-6.) Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Old Iron King and Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Sunken King

As a Dark Souls 2 apologist, my main criticism with the Dark Souls sequel comes down to balance issues. While Dark Souls 2 would end up pioneering some of the open-world elements of the game that we’ll see later on in Elden Ring (Dark Souls 2 co-director Yui Tanimura will go on to co-direct Elden Ring alongside Hidetaka Miyazaki), Dark Souls 2 also felt bewilderingly difficult in a way that was neither fun nor particularly rewarding.

The DLC for Dark Souls 2 suffers from the same problem, and in fact adds some of the most frustrating areas in the entire Dark Souls series, that are as tedious as they are narratively fascinating. Whether it’s Shulva, an underground city built to worship a poisonous dragon, but also features incredibly annoying platforming and hidden switches. To Brume Tower, a beautiful fortress guarded by several gameplay-modifying enemies called Ashen Idols.

While I personally preferred the darker aesthetics of Sunken King, which takes place in a series of Mesoamerican-inspired pyramids in a sprawling underground kingdom, both DLC seem to take the most joy in seeing just how aggravating a Souls area can be.

Along with the Crown of the Ivory King, Crown of the Sunken King and Crown of the Old Iron King make up the Lost Crown Trilogy for Dark Souls 2, and the first two DLC are placed at the bottom of the rankings for the same reason as why Dark Souls 2 is often remembered less fondly than the other two games in the trilogy.

5.) Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel

The first of two Dark Souls 3 DLC, Ashes of Ariandel revisits the concept of painted worlds first introduced in Dark Souls 1.

While The Ringed City sets the stage for the final act of the Dark Souls trilogy, the initial DLC takes place in a relatively small and sparse world. The Snowfield area is simply a large open field populated by tough warrior enemies, and while it’s gorgeous, feels largely optional, Though does feature a great twist on a fan-favorite boss fight from Dark Souls 1.

The real heart of the DLC doesn’t appear until you meet Sir Vilhelm and Sister Friede at the Cathedral. FromSoftware seems to make up for the DLC’s lack of enemy variety by putting an exciting, three-phase boss battle within the chapel walls. The only other area is a PvP arena behind a very cool boss fight, set in an area that almost feels like an homage to the final fight in Metal Gear Solid 3.

One note, when players finally face Sir Vilhelm, he delivers a blistering meta critique at the player accusing the player of needing to “unearth every secret” even if it ends up destroying the world. The idea that the inhabitants of the Dark Souls world knows that progressing through the game means only certain doom for both the world and its residents appears to be the main theme of both Dark Souls 3 DLC, and a wonderful bit of meta storytelling.

4.) Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Ivory King

The final DLC in the Dark Souls 2 DLC trilogy stands apart from the previous two in terms of both what it adds to the Dark Souls story and having an amazing final boss fight.

Whereas the Sunken King and Old Iron King DLC employed new mechanics to primarily up the difficulty, the Ivory King DLC feels like a fully-fleshed location thanks to the frozen kingdom of Eleum Loyce.

From the moment you step foot into Eleum Loyce, every challenge keeping you from progressing is tied to the tragic story of Alsanna and the Burnt Ivory King. Its main gameplay twist, which involves rescuing several imprisoned knights of Eleum Loyce, builds towards one of the most unique boss fights in the series which takes the concept of fighting multiple bosses at once and flips it on its head so that the player employs a small army to take on the main enemy.

While they rank bottom of our list, the Lost Crown Trilogy was still an ambitious series of DLC that added a proper narrative thread that bridges the events between Dark Souls 1 and 2. Manus, the main boss of the first Dark Souls DLC, casts a large shadow over the events of Dark Souls 2 and its expansions. While the disjointed nature of Dark Souls 2 ultimately backfires, the idea that the Dark Souls universe is comprised of countless kingdoms and cultures, across so many different eras and time is probably Dark Souls 2’s greatest contribution to the series as a whole.

3.) Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City

Dark Souls 3 is on a mission to put an end to the events that started in the first game. The second DLC, The Ringed City is meant to serve as the penultimate chapter of the Dark Souls trilogy, with the player venturing into the Ringed City, the kingdom of the Pygmy Lords first revealed in Dark Souls 1.

The Ringed City ranks up there with some of the best cities introduced in the Souls series. The walls of the kingdom can be seen caving in on themselves as if being sucked into a vortex, possibly a reference to Junji Ito’s tragic town in Uzumaki.

The enemies that roam the city are both dynamic to fight against and striking in their design, such as the angels of death literally guarding the skies and raining down hellfire, or the Judicators who summon the spirits of armies to defend the city. Then, when the player finally travels deeper into its walls and past time and space itself, they’ll face off against one of the best sword-to-sword enemies in the game that is both a remix of one of Dark Souls’ best DLC bosses, Artorias of the Abyss.

The real gems hidden in The Ringed City DLC are how it converges the longstanding storylines of the Dark Souls series. There’re factions that cling to the cult of Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, and like in the Ashes of Ariandel, The Ringed City is home to one of the game’s great NPCs who will put the player on trial for all their ambitions. As a bookend to the series, The Ringed City is a triumph and as narratively straightforward as you can get in the Dark Souls series.

2.) Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss

The first DLC released in the Souls series, Artorias of the Abyss would introduce the template for all Souls DLC. When FromSoftware integrated the DLC content directly into the base game, adding a hidden portal that players need to find in order to even access the DLC, it opened up a world of possibilities for the Souls franchise. Suddenly each new Dark Souls game was hiding a pathway to some potential new area and questlines that would be introduced later via an expansion DLC.

Everything else, like a difficult doorkeeper boss, dedicated PvP area, would go on to become FromSoftware staples. And of course one of the best (and most tragic) boss fights in the entire series is tucked away in the expansion. Crucially, the new area of Oolacile also introduced Manus, Father of the Abyss, whose influence would extend through the series all the way to Dark Souls 3.

With Artorias of the Abyss, FromSoftware showed that it wasn’t just releasing DLC to extend the shelf life of its games. The DLC expansions in Dark Souls are transformative, finishing crucial storylines while also flexing the studio’s world-building muscles. The boss fights are also almost always some of the best in the series or at the very least the most difficult.

1.) Bloodborne: The Old Hunters

In the Cathedral Ward, past the gravestones, an eldritch abomination will transport you to The Hunter’s Nightmare, an epitome of FromSoftware’s ambitious achievement that is Bloodborne.

The Old Hunters DLC is a perfect, three-part play that takes the Hunter through a true, Lovecraftian nightmare that becomes more sinister the deeper players go. The Hunter’s Nightmare begins as if it were just another new Ward to explore. But once players get past Ludwig, they’ll find Bloodborne’s darkest secrets hidden away in the Old Hunters DLC.

The Astral Tower, a research facility used for human experimentation, is one of the most disturbing sources of lore FromSoftware has ever created, culminating in a boss fight against the truly unforgettable Lady Maria. A duel-style boss that FromSoftware truly loves to add to its DLC expansions.

Once Hunters get past her, FromSoftware puts to rest any question that it’s a Lovecraftian horror game by directly adapting Lovecraft’s ‘The Shadow over Innsmouth.’ The fishing village from Lovecraft’s famous novella is recreated here. Wading through the oppressive fog and rain, the mazelike village, with the terrifying moon hanging low, too low, overhead, the Fishing Hamlet is a little nightmare made real.

The Old Hunters DLC takes Bloodborne and distills it into its most perfect form. Even if only The Old Hunters DLC was released, Bloodborne would still be considered a masterpiece, but because — like all FromSoftware DLC — it builds on top of such a solid foundation, it completes a game that was already firing on all cylinders and shows that when FromSoftware releases and expansion, it’s not optional content but essential.

We’ll have to wait and see what FromSoftware does with the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, but with such a rich pedigree of expansions already under its belt, the bar is certainly high for the first Elden Ring expansion.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN’s Senior Features Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Best Xbox Series X/S Accessories 2023

You’ve got the Xbox Series X/S, and now you’re ready to grab the best accessories to make playing even more enjoyable. Sure, many Xbox One products are compatible with the latest console, but there’s something to be said for the newer peripherals that let you take full advantage of everything the Series X/S has to offer.

There are a number of excellent gaming headsets and quite a few controllers. While an immersive experience in flying, fighting, or racing games, can be found in specialty controllers, like flight sticks, racing wheels, and fight sticks. That makes choosing reliable Xbox Series X/S accessories a tad tricky, which is why we are here to help. From controllers and headsets to storage and charging stations, we’ve compiled a list of the best options while keeping in mind quality, budget, and functionality.

TL;DR – These are our picks for the Best Xbox Series X/S Accessories:

Xbox Wireless Headset

Best Headset for Xbox Series X/S

It’s hard to beat the Xbox Wireless Headset, a gaming headset that is literally made for Xbox, even matching the design while costing under $100. Thanks to Xbox Wireless connectivity, pairing to your console is simple and leaves more USB ports free for other accessories, and Bluetooth or a USB-C dongle lets you listen on a host of other devices. However, since you’ll always be listening wirelessly, we would’ve loved a slightly longer battery life, though 15 hours should last through most marathon gaming sessions.

In terms of performance, the Xbox Wireless Headset keeps up with the best of them, even supporting Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, and DTS Headphone:X, making it easier to hear and place sound cues in games. The Xbox Accessories App also allows you to adjust the EQ presets, making the audio customized to your ears. And the headset itself offers nifty rotating dials on the ultra-soft earcups to control volume and game/chat balance, making it intuitive and easy to use, a boon during tense game moments.

Xbox Core Controller

Best Controller for Xbox Series X/S

The Xbox Core controller is as close to perfection as you get, offering superb value in a comfortable and familiar ergonomic form factor. This version keeps the same highly responsive, satisfying to-press buttons, triggers, and bumpers but sees a few minor improvements, like a share button, textured grip, and an easier-to-use, more tactile D-pad. Many of those buttons are also remappable, and you can even make the controller uniquely yours by visiting the Xbox Design Lab to give it personalized coats of paint.

Support of the Xbox Wireless protocol means you won’t have to jump through hoops when using the Core controller with your Xbox, while multi-device connectivity with both Bluetooth and a lag-free wired USB-C are ready for when you want to switch to a PC. The only real place we can fault this gamepad is its seemingly archaic use of AA batteries, but you can always use that USB-C to skip the battery hassle altogether.

Logitech G923 TrueForce

Best Racing Wheel for Xbox Series X/S

Sure, your average gamepad can handle racing and driving games, but for a richer and more immersive experience, you want a steering wheel and a full set of metal pedals. The Logitech G923 gives you both for under $400 and is the best option available for Xbox. Its gear-driven force feedback wheel is realistic enough, though it’s not the most nuanced and can be noisy.

Adding to the realism of the Logitech G923 is a programmable dual-clutch system, a premium brushed metal build and automotive-style leather stitching on the wheel. A “TrueForce” feature is even available for compatible games that helps to simulate things like engine revs, terrain changes, and weather conditions. The wheel also rocks all the Xbox console controls for easy navigation and handy extras like a 24-point selection dial and LED rev indicator lights.

MAYFLASH F500 Elite

Best Fight Stick for Xbox Series X/S

Xbox’s selection of fight sticks is somewhat limited, but fortunately, the tournament-grade MAYFLASH F500 Elite works seamlessly with the Xbox Series X/S. Just plug your Xbox controller into the fight stick via USB, and you’ll get to enjoy the authentic arcade-style feel and high-end Sanwa components in all your favorite fighting games. Those components include nine wildly responsive buttons and a perfectly precise joystick for pulling off combos and smashing opponents.

The MAYFLASH F500 Elite may have rather subdued looks, but it’s super comfortable to use and feels secure thanks to two metal panels that help increase its almost seven-pound weight. Another handy design feature is the easy-to-open compartment for storing cables, and it’s even ready for modding out. Plus, you aren’t limited to using your Xbox, as you’re good to game on your PS5, PC, Mac, and Switch, making the $150 cost very digestible.

Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick

Best Flight Stick for Xbox Series X/S

When you’re ready to take it to the skies, grab the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick. It offers an ergonomic, ambidextrous grip and eight axes with contactless hall effect sensors to deliver excellent precision and an immersive, realistic flying experience. More than just a stick but not a full-on HOTAS, Turtle Beach includes a multifunction throttle and flap levers to control the engine power and activate secondary controls.

Once you get the hang of the stick and throttle, there are 27 programmable buttons and switches to figure out, including an 8-way digital POV hat and rapid-fire trigger to easily takeout enemies in games like Star Wars Squadrons. You’ll also find an integrated OLED Flight Management Display, allowing you to tune performance and swap profiles to fit your game’s needs. All this functionality comes in a surprisingly sturdy, streamlined design that won’t be a massive eyesore in your living room and is available at a relatively affordable midrange price.

Razer Universal Quick Charging Stand

Best Controller Charger for Xbox Series X/S

As we mentioned, the Xbox Core controller is a bit behind the times with its use of two AA batteries giving you 40 hours of playtime, rather than a rechargeable one. The Razer Universal Quick Charging Stand skirts around this issue by first providing a rechargeable battery, so you don’t have to buy one separately, and then including a stand to make juicing up a breeze.

This stand comes in multiple color options to match the controller, while a magnetic contact system ensures it won’t dismount or disconnect at every knock or bump. There’s even overcharge protection in place to prevent overheating and short-circuiting. Given the name, Razer’s Universal Quick Charging Stand can also get that rechargeable battery back to full in less than 3 hours. And though you don’t get as much playtime out of each charge as the AA batteries, you won’t need to scavenge for them around your home every couple of weeks.

Seagate Storage Expansion Card

Best Storage Expansion Drive for Xbox Series X/S

The Xbox Series X comes with a 1TB internal SSD drive, and the Xbox Series S offers a 512GB drive, which is hardly enough in the gaming world, especially for those with an Xbox Game Pass subscription. Unlike the PS5, you don’t get a second internal SSD slot to add in some speedy storage. Instead, Microsoft lets these consoles expand storage with memory card-style SSDs that easily slot into the back of the Xbox without needing a USB port.

Our favorite one of these cards is the Seagate Storage Expansion Card, increasing memory up to 2TB. It’s designed specifically for the consoles, offering seamless integration into the Xbox Velocity Architecture. You’ll find this plug-and-play option delivers fast, lag-free read and write capabilities, letting you focus on your game rather than being distracted (or frustrated) by sluggish transfer speeds. However, since it is an SSD, it ain’t cheap, with the 2TB capacity setting you back over $350.

Michelle Rae Uy is a freelance tech and travel writer, part-time production editor, and a full-time traveler from Los Angeles, California. She currently splits her time between Los Angeles, London and the rest of the world. Follow her on Instagram @straywithRae.

Image Credit: Annalee Tsujino is a multi disciplinary designer and illustrator. Check them out on Instagram @antsu_illustrations.

IGN UK Podcast 686: Sons of the Final Fantasy

Matt P has played some of Final Fantasy 16 and is loving it so far, and Jesse and Dale are equally in love with Sons of the Forest. We also chat about the first episode of Mandalorian season 3 and spend the last section of the podcast diving into a spoiler-filled chat about Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.

Got a game for us to play, or just want to tell us the weirdest thing you’ve eaten for breakfast? Drop us an email: ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.

IGN UK Podcast 686: Sons of the Final Fantasy

Nintendo Takes Wii U Versions of Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon Offline Over Security Issues

Nintendo has taken the Wii U versions of Mario Kart 8, and Splatoon offline as it attempts to fix a security issue “related to online play”.

As spotted by VGC, the following maintenance post related to the Wii U games’ online functionality appeared on the Nintendo website at 4:30 GMT (8:30 PT) on Friday, March 3.

“This network service is currently unavailable due to urgent maintenance required to fix a vulnerability related to online play,” it said. “We do not yet have information on when network services can be restored. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

At the time of writing both games are still offline, and no timetable has been given for when the issue will be resolved.

Nintendo did not identify the cause of the security concern. However, established dataminer OatmealDome suggested in a tweet that the games could have been taken offline out of fear of a network vulnerability called ENLBufferPwn.

According to the twitter thread, the insidious vulnerability allows attackers to take over another player’s console simply by connecting to them online via multiplayer matchmaking.

OatmealDome notes that multiple Wii U, Switch. and 3DS games have been patched to protect users from attack, but that “Splatoon 1 and Mario Kart 8 did not receive any”.

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer

Metroid Fusion Joins Nintendo Switch Online Next Week

Metroid Fusion is joining the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy Advance library next week.

Exactly when the game will arrive is a little unclear, however, as a tweet from Nintendo (below) has a March 9 release date, while a press release from the company states March 8. IGN has reached out for clarification on this release date.

Metroid Fusion will be the first additional Game Boy Advance game added to the Switch Online collection after Nintendo launched the service alongside six titles in February. As the fourth game in the 2D Metroid Saga, the entire collection will now (sort of) be available on Switch, with the exception of the original game’s remake Zero Mission.

IGN awarded Metroid Fusion a 9/10 in our review, and we also placed it on our Top 25 Nintendo Game Boy Advance Games of All Time list.

“Intelligent Systems put together a fantastic adventure on the Game Boy Advance that not only will please those Samus fanatics that were itching for a continuation of her 2D adventures, it will most likely generate interest in gamers unfamiliar with the series to seek out Samus’ previous games,” we said at the time.

Users will need both Nintendo Switch Online and the Expansion Pack before they’re able to download Metroid Fusion and the rest of the Game Boy Advance Games, but all of this can be done from the Switch Online app on the console itself.

Also available in the collection is Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, WarioWare Inc.: Mega MicroGames, Kuru Kuru Kuruin, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Minecraft 1.20 Update Titled Trails and Tales, Gives Us Camels

Minecraft has revealed new details about its upcoming 1.20 update, which is now titled Trails and Tales.

The new version is set to introduce a handful of fresh features, including a new biome, a new friendly mob, and more. The developers said this expansion is “all about self-expression through representation, storytelling, and worldbuilding.”

Arguably the biggest addition is the Cherry Blossom Biome, a new biome bringing a matching colored wood set and leaves along with it. Pigs, sheep and bees will inhabit the Cherry Blossom areas.

Beyond that, Trails and Tales will introduce a new friendly mob in the form of camels. Players will be able to ride camels and use their Dash ability to cover ground quickly. Plus, two players can ride a singel camel at the same time. There’s also a brand new ancient animal called the Sniffer, which will sniff out buried seeds and help players find decorative plants.

The new items in Trails and Tales largely revolve around customization. Players will be able to create hanging signs, chiseled bookshelves, armor trims, and more to reflect their own personal style. The developers also hinted that the new archeology system could uncover “exciting hints of a forgotten past”, meaning this could be a lore-heavy expansion. Version 1.20 is set to come out sometime in 2023.

For more, check out the 10 best Minecraft house ideas to build yourself, or read our list of the 10 best survival games.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Why Genshin Impact’s Newest Character Has the Community Up in Arms

Since her announcement in January, fans of HoyoVerse’s open world RPG Genshin Impact have eagerly awaited Dehya, the game’s latest playable character. Unfortunately, though, she hasn’t quite lived up to players’ expectations.

Yesterday, Dehya made her debut as a playable character with the release of Genshin’s Version 3.5, and players were quick to notice her seemingly underpowered skillset. Despite her 5-star status, Pyro Claymore wielder Dehya has some of the lowest attack stats in the game (even lower than many of her 4-star counterparts), and requires a pretty specific build and team composition to succeed.

At the end of the game’s current version, Dehya will also become obtainable at all times (unlike most of the game’s 5-star characters, who are often only available for three weeks at a time). This also means that players who wish for limited characters regularly will likely get stuck with Dehya instead, leading the community to push for improvements to her skillset.

Of course, Genshin Impact’s community has taken this to heart — Dehya’s dedicated Subreddit is now filled with many players emailing HoyoVerse to ask for a better skillset and others offering build advice to hopefully make Dehya worthwhile. Some players who main other characters with imbalanced kits have even offered their condolences and shown solidarity.

Before Dehya’s unfortunate introduction to the world of Teyvat, we gave Genshin Impact a 9 in our 2020 review, praising its jam-packed open world and element-based combat. Since the game’s launch, Genshin Impact and its community have seen a lot of changes, including the introduction of a long-awaited element, plans for an anime adaptation and the Player’s Voice Award at the Game Awards 2022. Keep up with Genshin Impact’s latest events with IGN’s 3.5 event guide, and learn more about Deyha with her new story quest.

Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN who loves all things indie and Nintendo. Outside of IGN, they’ve contributed to sites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazollner.

Resident Evil 4 Devs Reveal the Hurdles Facing a New Chainsaw Controller

While horror classic Resident Evil 4 is getting a big makeover this month, don’t expect the same treatment for the game’s iconic Chainsaw Controller.

The Resident Evil 4 Chainsaw Controller came at a time when many gaming companies were experimenting with different types of weird controllers and peripherals. A product of the early 2000s, the gore-covered gamepad was designed for 2005’s original Resident Evil 4 on Nintendo GameCube.

The design is unforgettable from the moment you lay eyes on it. The bright yellow, bloodstained base is fitted with all the buttons you’d expect from a GameCube controller, and it’s connected to the chainsaw’s giant, bloody, purely cosmetic blade. With the Resident Evil 4 remake set to come out this month, naturally we thought it was fitting to ask Capcom about a potential return for the Chainsaw Controller.

“So first of all, thank you for remembering the controller,” Capcom producer Yoshiaki Harabayashi told IGN. “I mean, it was a great controller back in the day, but unfortunately we’re not able to recreate the Chainsaw Controller now.”

“I mean, one of the things that’s stopping us is that we’re releasing the game on so many platforms right now, so that’s a hurdle for us. And of course, the team focused a lot on the actual development of the game, so that took a lot of the time. So unfortunately, no Chainsaw Controllers as of now.”

Resident Evil 4 launched as a console exclusive on the GameCube, meaning the Chainsaw Controller only had to come in one version to match that console’s button layout. We loved its design and packaging back in the day, but its clunky control configuration and off-balance analog sticks made it less than ideal for actual play.

Resident Evil 4 is coming to PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on March 23. For more, check out our full Resident Evil 4 interview with director Yasuhiro Ampo and Capcom producer Yoshiaki Harabayashi, where we learned about parrying, new finishing moves, optional side quests, and more.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

The Best Board Games to Play in 2023

What are the best board games to play? It’s a more complicated question than it might seem at first blush. What do we mean when we talk about an “all time” great in any medium? It’s got to be something that’s stood the test of time, like all our picks for the best classic board games. But at the same time we need to steer away from games that have become diminished by over familiarity and shift into new and exciting territory. We also want to include things that have been acclaimed as top of their particular tree at one time or another, to give some historical perspective.

That’s the thinking we’ve brought to the list below, a mixture of board games once seen as the best ever, together with some close pretenders that have earned their spot through novelty or popularity. They’re all great in one way or another, so whatever you pick you can’t go wrong. Here are the best board games to play in 2023.

TLDR: The Best Board Games

Don’t have time to scroll? Here are all the games you’ll find below.

Cosmic Encounter

Lots of games that revolve around grabbing territory tend to involve the kind of tentative alliances and festering enmities that mimic real-world diplomacy. Back in 1977, the designers of Cosmic Encounter had a brainwave: why not get rid of the territory and cut to the chase? The result is this hilarious game of shifting alliances where every player has a game-breaking alien power to leverage in the race to win colonies on five of your opponent’s planets. Crammed with variety, tactical decisions and more dramatic reversals than a prime-time soap opera, Cosmic Encounter may be the only negotiation game you need.

Gloomhaven

The current king of the board gaming pile got that way through an ingenious bit of genre-blending. If you like old-fashioned dungeon crawls with a strong narrative, well, the 95-scenario campaign of fantasy adventure has you covered. If you’re a sucker for tactical combat then its cunning, card-driven face-offs against a staggering variety of foes will thrill you. But if you want heavyweight strategy then deck-building and resource gathering over the campaign plus the in-scenario exhaustion mechanic gives you plenty of meat. Truly all things to all gamers — even fans of the best solo board games — Gloomhaven deserves its staggering level of acclaim. And if the cost is a bit much, Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion offers a smaller campaign at a much smaller price tag. And not for nothing, both of these iterations also made it on our best board games for adults list as well.

Pandemic Legacy: Season 1

If combat-based narrative campaigns aren’t your thing, how about working together to purge the world of infectious diseases? Building on the success of the original Pandemic, this introduces “legacy” concepts to the game, in which components are added or removed as you progress through the game, based on your decisions, successes and failures. After a few plays, your copy will be a unique record of your group’s play. So in addition to offering a very personal tale to engage you, Pandemic: Legacy also individualizes your strategic experience. It’s a magical combination that has spawned two further seasons, creating an epic arc of story and strategy to enjoy with a gaming group or even as one of the best family board games.

Twilight Struggle

Billed as a cold war simulation and with bullet-pointed rules, Twilight Struggle can appear daunting to the uninitiated. But there’s a reason it was widely acclaimed as the best game of all time after its 2009 release. Players have hands of event cards that replicate key moments from the conflict, keyed to either their side or their opponent. If you play an opponent’s card you can still make moves on the board but their event also occurs. This makes every hand a thrilling, tactical dance of play and counterplay as you try to move your plans forward while also nullifying enemy events. In addition to the superb strategic workout, you might even learn some history too with this war board game.

Agricola

Another game that spent its time in the “best game ever” limelight is this unlikely game about farming. Stepping back from the theme, however, growing a family to work on a family farm is a dead ringer for the popular Worker Placement mechanism. As a result, Agricola conjures a real sense of growing and developing your humble plantation into a thriving stead, with plenty of interesting strategic bumps to navigate along the way. Its particular genius is its huge decks of cards, only a handful of which are used in each game, which ensures lots of strategic variety and allows you to tailor things like complexity and interaction to your group’s tastes.

The Castles of Burgundy

Coming into this game of estate-building in medieval France you could be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed by the options to grow your castle. Fortunately, it’s a dice-based game where the roll each turn limits your choices of where you can take actions. But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a random game: rather, the dice are there to keep throwing you curveballs you have to dodge around as you build a strategy. A classic case of having too much to do and too little to do it with, every action of every round feels weighted with impossible priorities, keeping you stretched right up until the points are tallied.

Lords of Waterdeep

By marrying the sensibilities of Dungeons & Dragons with the mechanics of modern board games, Lords of Waterdeep made a smash hit to last down the ages. Players take the roles of power brokers in the Forgotten Realms’ biggest city, hiring adventurers to defeat perils threatening Waterdeep while building new facilities in the town. It’s these additions that take this unusually thematic worker placement game to the next level, with the new buildings entering play ensuring that new strategies are required each time. Throw in a modicum of minor “take that” cards to spice things up and you’ve got a brilliant game with very wide appeal.

Ticket to Ride

One of the few hobby board games to cross over into full mainstream sales, Ticket to Ride is a steaming success story. It’s a combination of familiar concepts with players collecting cards, like a Rummy game, in order to try and claim matching routes on a map of the US. But beware: it’s a tight board with relatively few potential connections between the cities that you’ll need in order to complete your allotted routes. And if another player gets there first, you’ll lose potential points instead of gaining them. Easy to learn and exciting to play and with a wide variety of versions and expansion maps, Ticket to Ride is great fun for all ages. It also works well as a two-player board game, or with a group.

Concordia

While conquest games involving ancient Rome are ten a penny, Concordia instead has you manoeuvring a noble family to gain wealth and contacts during the height of empire. Play is conducted using a deck of action cards that you can expand, using wealth from your trades, as the game progresses, allowing you to tailor your strategy accordingly. But the kicker is that your final scoring is also depending on those cards, with different cards earning you points in different ways, from goods in your storehouse to colonist pieces on the board. This creates a fascinating, rich, wheels within wheels layer of strategy, while the resource management elements also let you mess up your opponent’s plans while advancing your own.

Summoner Wars 2nd Edition

Collectible games wax and wane in popularity and print status, which makes even classics like Magic: the Gathering hard to include in this kind of list. Summoner Wars, however, with its clever blend of card and board-based gameplay has an evergreen sense about it and, best of all, its collectibility comes in packages. So if you tire of facing off the six included factions against one another, you can just add more to your collection. By forcing players to use cards both as units and currency, it keeps everyone making knife-edge decisions as they maneuver round the board and roll off against opposing units in their quest to kill the enemy summoner, right up until the on-board death.

Codenames

Blasting onto the scene in 2015, Codenames changed the face of party games forever. In place of trivia quizzes or trivial tasks, it challenged players to come up with clues to interlink a series of apparently unconnected words. So you might link “Trip”, “Rome” and possibly even “Embassy” with the clue “Holiday”. The concept proved so accessible and addictive that it launched an entire new genre of synonym-based word games, each giving different spins on a similar formula. But for ease of teaching and wideness of enjoyment, the original is still the best.

Looking for more ideas not covered herer? Check out our rundown of the best board games for kids.

What to Consider When Shopping for the Best Board Games

There’s so much choice in modern board gaming that picking a game can be overwhelming, not to mention expensive! So to help winnow down the selection, here are a few things to look out for when making your picks.

Perhaps the most important one is whether it’s likely to see much play. Aspects of this are fairly obvious: whether it appeals to your friends, what’s the target age, if it’s a long game, will you have time for it, and so on. But there’s still more to these facets than may be immediately apparent. You may feel comfortable learning a very complex game, for example, but will your fellow players, and will you be able to teach it? Do you want a game to play with your partner, or your wider family, or does it need to be flexible enough to cater for both crowds?

Even then, these are often vexed questions. The play times listed on box sides are often hopelessly optimistic. Similarly, a game’s advertised player count can be very different from the ideal. A good tool to clear this up is the game information database boardgamegeek.com. If you search on a game there then, at the top of the page you’ll find, beneath the player count, a “best” suggestion for the optimal player count according to the site’s users.

There are other many other considerations. Some games take up a lot of table space, for example, which is no good if you play on a coffee or card table. Others can take a long time to set up and put away. These issues are often mentioned in a review if they’re problematic. And they can stack: you may be able to play a much longer game, for example, if you have space to pause and leave it out on the table to resume later.

Some genres of game require greater research than others. Increasingly, games are being released as lifestyle choices with a steady stream of expansions and new content. Which is great if it appeals to you, but you need to know what you’re getting into. Other games merge into miniature modelling which is a whole other hobby in it’s own right. Editions and versions are another thing worth checking out as many modern games come in standard and deluxe editions or may, in fact, be reprints of older titles.

You also need to think about how a game might fit in with your existing collection, both aesthetically and physically. For the former, consider what makes it different enough, mechanically or thematically, from games you already own to make it worthwhile. For the latter, remember that board games are big, and you’ll need to find space to store it!

Collecting and playing board games can be a very enjoyable and rewarding hobby. Good luck!

Elden Ring Finally Gets Some Cool Toys of Melina, Raging Wolf and Vyke

Bandai Namco sent us some of the first Elden Ring action figures, the S.H. Figuarts Festering Fingerprint Vyke and super-deformed Figuarts Minis of Melina and Raging Wolf. Vyke will run you around $75, while the Minis are both $30. A variety of toy and collectible sites have had them up for pre-order for a while, and will likely start shipping soon.

Vyke, who appears as an NPC invader in-game and whose armor is being worn by the Tarnished on Elden Ring’s box art, includes his war spear, a fire effect to recreate the frenzyflame thrust attack, and four interchangeable pairs of hands (one pair of first, one pair open, and two pairs for holding the spear at different angles.) Data-miners have dug up unused assets that suggest Vyke originally had a much larger role in Elden Ring’s story, but currently, the game’s cover model and first official action figure feature a random dude who jumps you outside an abandoned church.

Melina and Raging Wolf each include one interchangeable arm – Melina’s is outstretched, Wolf’s is holding a sword. Though the Minis are articulated, the proportions and sculpted clothing make posing pretty limited. They unclude small stands though, which are necessary for displaying purposes on account of the toys’ enormous heads.

Weirdly, these are the first FromSoft characters to get the Figuarts treatment, despite it being a Bandai Namco toy line. There are a variety of Dark Souls collectibles from other manufacturers, and Bloodborne, Sekiro and Demon’s Souls have all gotten Figma action figures. Figma and Nendoroid both have some Elden Ring figures in the works, but hopefully we see more from S.H. Figuarts as well.

Some of us, however, couldn’t wait a whole year for Elden Ring toys, and decided to take matters into our own hands before the game was even out: