Nowadays, most board games can provide gaming groups with hours and hours of fun and solid entertainment. To elevate the experience, most games come with expansions that either provide additional mechanics and actions or switch up the dynamics. It’s no surprise that some of the most popular board games have several expansions that come out yearly.
Expansions, whilst not necessary, can make a good board game great. They provide surprises, and fun twists, as well as new strategies to existing games. However, the best tabletop game expansions are so noteworthy that players may refuse to go back to just playing the original version.
8 Lords Of Waterdeep: Scoundrels Of Skullport Is 2 For The Price Of 1
Lords of Waterdeep is a game that introduced many to the tabletop hobby and remains one of the most beloved entry-level worker placement games. Set within the city of Waterdeep, players must gather resources and adventurers to complete quests and score points.
Though the base game is fun, the Scoundrels of Skullport expansion offered new mechanics that dramatically improved the core gaming experience. Introducing the Undermountain and criminal haven of Skullport, the expansion brought in more cards, buildings, and quests as well as allowed for a 6th player to join in on the action. Most importantly, the game included corruption as a new resource, allowing players to lose points at the end of the game that would affect their scoring. The expansion was so well-received that gamers insist that the base game should always be played with Scoundrels of Skullport.
7 7 Wonders Duel: Pantheon Switches Things Up
A sister release to the renowned 7 Wonders, 7 Wonders Duel is considered to be one of the greatest 2-player games ever created. Players draft cards and compete to score the most points by building great wonders of the world.
Whilst the original game is regarded highly by the board gaming community, many players eventually discovered core strategies that were more successful than others, leading to some predictable gameplay. The expansion switches things up by giving players more options when it comes to selecting cards, making each playthrough feel fresh and dynamic.
6 Ticket To Ride 1910 Is A 10/10
A classic game that has also introduced many to the hobby, Ticket To Ride is beloved by newcomers and avid gamers alike. Despite being adored for many reasons, the game does suffer from players accumulating too many cards. Whilst not a problem in most games, this happens far too often in Ticket To Ride.
With players racking up so many unnecessary cards and limited options, the 1910 expansion mitigates this hand issue by introducing more ticket variances, streamlining the experience. This not only makes the game less cumbersome but less predictable as well.
5 Viticulture: Tuscany Spoils Players With More Choice
Revolving around the making and selling of wine, Viticulture has become a favorite amongst some gamers. The game features interesting mechanics such as separating the gameplay into seasons and offering different actions within them.
Viticulture’sTuscany expansion takes it up a notch by introducing more visitor cards, asymmetric starting resources, and additional actions within all four seasons. The expansion was so popular that it not only won several awards but had a number of its mechanics featured in the re-released version of the game, Viticulture Essential Edition.
4 Scythe: The Rise Of Fenris Introduced A Brand New Campaign
Scythe is a super popular area control game set in a parallel early 20th century Europe with an emphasis on mechs. The game is typically a single session showdown to acquire the most points, but one particular expansion stands above the rest.
The Rise Of Fenris offers players an 8-episode campaign that features persistent elements, unlockable abilities, and new twists, and turns. The campaign is also fully resettable and replayable and can be incorporated into standard one-off scenarios and be combined with the other expansions.
3 Champions Of Midgard: Valhalla Is A Godsend
A fun worker-placement alternative to Lords of Waterdeep, Champions of Midgard is set in a Vikingesque world where players compete with dice and slay monsters to become the next Jarl. Whilst the base game is fun and easy-going, its dice mechanic is very luck-based and can be frustrating.
With the Valhalla expansion, players who lose their warriors can use their ‘souls’ to purchase powerful abilities and score more points. Losing can therefore become a strategy for players who might find themselves rolling one too many duds.
2 Cosmic Encounter: Cosmic Incursion Is A Must-Have
Cosmic Encounter has existed since the late '70s and remains one of the most beloved negotiation games ever made. As aliens, players must engage in diplomacy, blackmail, and betrayal to become the first to establish five colonies. Throw in some wacky alien powers and this game becomes a crazy fun experience. On respective turns, players can choose to either back the attacker or defender to receive benefits.
Whilst the base game has spawned multiple expansions, most players agree that Cosmic Incursion is by far one of the best and a must-have. The core game, unfortunately, enticed more players to join the attacking side, making the experience a little lop-sided. Cosmic Incursion mitigates this issue by introducing a 6th player into the fray and additional alien races and cards. However, more importantly, the expansion adds improved cards to the reward deck, making defending another player more attractive.
1 Terraforming Mars: Prelude Gets Players Right Into The Action
As one of the most popular games within the hobby, Terraforming Mars has delivered several expansions over the years that deserve recognition and praise. As players gather cards and build their respective engines to terraform the red planet, these expansions have introduced new dynamics and variables into the already popular game.
However, one complaint from players is that the game suffers from a slow start. As resources are limited at the beginning and actions are costly, starting turns can feel a little underwhelming and limiting. Prelude fixes this issue by allowing players to jump-start and boost their engines with cards that offer resources and abilities early on.