2025 was an absolutely incredible year for Tabletop Gaming, as we can clearly see from a truly stacked list of finalists. From major expansions and new editions of big wargames, to new TCG's and original board game releases, it's clear that it's been a banner year for the hobby. But what games made our shortlist for Tabletop Game of the Year? Let's dive in and find out!

Here's a full list of our Tabletop Game of the Year Award 2025 Finalists:

• Fellowship of the Ring: Trick Taking Game
• Blood Bowl 3rd Season Edition
• Fromage
• Crooked Moon
• D&D Core Box
• Console Wars: The Card Game
• Riftbound
• Guards of Traitor's Toll
• Unmatched: The Witcher
• Bushido: The Wretched (expansion)

Check out here for our other award categories.

Third Place - Fromage

Publisher: r2I Games / Asmodee USA

Originally published in 2024 but reaching a wider U.S. release in 2025,Fromage absolutely stunned us with its unique approach to worker placement. Putting players in the role of cheesemakers in the early 20th century,Fromage asks its players to carefully consider the cost of each action they take.

With the shape of the cheese wedges you place on the board determining when you get them back (they have to be pointing at you),Fromagestuck with us throughout the year, lingering like only the funkiest cheese can!

Second Place - The Crooked Moon

Publisher: Legends of Avantris

FromAndrew Stretch's Original Review:

"The Crooked Moon was an absolute delight to read. The team at Legends of Avantris has taken the theme of Folk Horror and explored every nook and cranny of it, creating a tense but whimsical adventure from start to finish.

The player options are vast, but are also very specific to the Folk Horror settings. You might be able to play a Harpy in a more traditional game of D&D, but it might be a bit harder to get away with a Scarecrow person.

For a DM, this game sets a gold standard. From the adventure preamble and history lesson, to plenty of clear references and a way to include characters' personal stories in the adventure clearer, The Crooked Moon handles a lot of the prep for you so that you can just enjoy running the game.

If you're looking for a new adventure that allows you to take your party on a creepy adventure, where a lot of the heavy lifting is done for you then this is an excellent next adventure to play."

First Place - Guards of Traitor's Toll

Publisher: Grey For Now Games

FromAdam Potts' Original Review:

"I'm a huge fan of Guards of Traitor's Toll. The token system for activation, which can be a bit random in Test of Honour (and other Warlord Games systems) when looking for a competitive battle, suits this perfectly, with the random movement capturing the feel of a bustling city perfectly. The advance and trait cards start to bring to life your constables, and the citizens themselves start to develop their own stories within your game. The Busy Streets expansion, while appearing for solo players to lock content behind a miniatures purchase, adds a lot of variety to games, and the extra citizens and guards aren't wasted. For 3 or 4-player games, Busy Streets is essential.

Guards of Traitor's Toll plays well at all player counts, and always feels natural, rather than solo rules being bolted on. Exploring the narrative through the plot and secret cards, as well as watching your guards develop and rivalries grow if playing with 2 or more players, is a true joy. It perfectly captures the feel of a skirmish and adventure game, in a living environment, where the civilians and suspects' AI control feels random and realistic."