Going Analog

Where video game industry veterans introduce great board games to video gamers

Podcast #57: The 2020 Games of the Year episode

Party game of the year! Light game of the year! Medium-weight game of the year! Heavy game of the year!

We grab two of our social-bubble gaming crew (James Hudson of Skybound and Shoe's co-worker Tom Twedell), and we each announce our picks for:

  • Party Game of 2020 (3:32)
  • Light Game of 2020 (13:04)
  • Medium-weight Game of 2020 (26:40)
  • Heavy Game of 2020 (39:05)

Don't want to listen to the whole podcast? (booo) Then scroll down below to see all the winners.

Plus, two more topics! What trends did we see in 2020 (and what might we see in 2021? (46:36) And how did gaming get us through the rough patches of last year? (54:17)

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2020 Game of the Year (Party Games)

  • Cross Clues (Christina)
  • MonsDRAWsity (Shoe)
  • Silver Dagger (James)
  • Cross Clues (Tom)

  • Runners up: P for Pizza, Telestrations: Upside Drawn

2020 Game of the Year (Light Games)

  • Calico (Christina)
  • The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine (Shoe)
  • Fossilis (James)
  • The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine (Tom)

  • Runners up: My City, Santa Monica, Dungeons & Dragons: Adventure Begins

2020 Game of the Year (Medium-weight Games)

  • Lost Ruins of Arnak and The Search for Planet X (tie, Christina)
  • Forgotten Waters (Shoe)
  • Dwellings of Eldervale (James)
  • The Search for Planet X (Tom)

  • Runners up: Smartphone Inc., Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef, Dune: Imperium, Sorcerer City

2020 Game of the Year (Heavy Games)

  • Beyond the Sun (Christina)
  • The Magnificent (Shoe)
  • Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun (James)
  • Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun (Tom)

  • Runners up: Rococo: Deluxe Edition, Alma Mater, Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy

Here are all the games covered in this episode:

Intro:

  • Bloodstone

Tom’s topic: Party and Light Games of the Year

  • Cross Clues
  • Codenames
  • P for Pizza
  • Telestrations: Upside Drawn
  • MonsDRAWsity
  • Silver: Dagger
  • Silver
  • My City
  • Santa Monica
  • The Crew
  • Calico
  • Dungeons & Dragons: Adventure Begins
  • Fossilis 
  • The Mind

Christina’s topic: Medium and Heavy Games of the Year

  • Smartphone Inc.
  • Tidal Blades
  • Dune: Imperium
  • Lost Ruins of Arnak
  • The Search for Planet X
  • Sorcerer City
  • Dwellings of Eldervale
  • The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire
  • Vindication
  • Forgotten Waters
  • Viscounts of the West Kingdom
  • Rococo
  • Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun
  • Beyond the Sun
  • Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy
  • Alma Mater
  • The Magnificent

Shoe’s topic: Top gaming trends of 2020 and what we are expecting for 2021

  • MonsDRAWsity
  • Rolling Realms
  • Sorcerer City
  • Tidal Blades
  • Lost Ruins of Arnak
  • Dune: Imperium
  • Dominion
  • Fort
  • Honey Buzz
  • Beez
  • Queen Bee
  • Hive Mind
  • Mariposas

James’ topic: How gaming has helped us through rough patches in 2020

  • Fantastic Factories
  • Star Wars: Destiny
  • My City
  • Pandemic Legacy: Season 0

Final thoughts: 

  • Mage Knight
  • War of the Rings
  • Tidal Blades
  • Valor & Villainy
  • Wonderland’s War