The most popular games of the year in Latvia and elsewhere in the world

We will spend another month and a half in the sign of Taurus and there will be a new year, a new commitment and new games on the wish list. In this blog article, we will review the most popular games in Latvia and elsewhere in the world.

Among the most popular board games of the year in Latvia are both classics well known to many, as well as new games that have conquered the minds and hearts of Latvian hobby enthusiasts. If you haven't played one of these games yet, it might make a good gift or addition to your collection.

The most popular board games in Latvia in 2021

The top of Latvian board games reflects both local achievements in this industry and also shows well the interest of Latvian residents in games that have gained good recognition in the world in a short period of time.

"ICECOOL"

At the top of the list is the game for the whole family "ICECOOL" published by our own Brain Games Publishing . The game not only has a great visual design, but also an exciting gameplay that will provide many, many hours of fun and laughter for the whole family.

The game has received several prestigious awards, including "Spiel des Jahres" or "Children's Game of the Year" in 2017. The bestseller of Latvian board games ranked at the top of several charts and in Great Britain it was the best-selling board game at Christmas.

Catan

Invaders of Katana was a sensation of the 90s, which is still in the charts of many board games around the world. But now it is known as "Catan" . Overturned tables, torn cards, cursed dice, arguments and broken friendships - these are just some of the stories from Catan board game nights.

The game is relatively simple and offers a great cocktail of luck, strategy, tactics, diplomacy and resource management. "Catan" championships are regularly held in Latvia and around the world, in which Latvians have also managed to achieve international success. For example, in 2007 the Latvian Arnis Buka became the "Catan" world champion!

"Saboteur"

Saboteur is undoubtedly one of the most purchased card games that can be learned in minutes and played simultaneously by up to 10 players. This is also one of those games that you can also buy in supermarkets and play in one of Latvia's cafes.

To make the game a little more interesting, Brain Games recommends playing a third role - the "dumb gnome". If you fall into the role of a saboteur, then behave like a dwarf until the moment when it is profitable to completely destroy everything, or vice versa, if you are a saboteur, then behave like a dwarf.

Speedy Roll

Latvians like hedgehogs. Who wouldn't like them? We have a great cartoon "Hedgehog in the Mist" and in fairy tales they always have apples and mushrooms stuck on needles. No wonder the board game about hedgehogs - "Speedy Roll" - is popular in Latvia!

"6. take!”

This is another exciting card game that you will often find on Latvian store shelves and in friends' homes. Compared to “Saboteur”, in the prestigious BoardGameGeek (BGG) chart, “6. take!” ranks slightly higher. The funny illustrations resemble the cartoons of Gat Šlūkas, while the game itself will provide a fun time.

"EXiT - The Abandoned Shack"

A few years ago, Latvia was considered the capital of hacking games, and masses of visitors and tourists flocked to the hacking rooms of our local entrepreneurs. Therefore, it is only natural that "EXiT — Pamestā būdiņa" has ranked in the top of Latvian tabletop players.

The exciting game will lock the players into its world and let it out only after a successful victory or a bitter loss.

"Carcassonne"

Well, what if we don't have the popular game "Carcassonne" in the world and in Latvia ! This board game is not unknown among Latvian residents. At the "Carcassonne" World Championship in 2010, Uģis Rap was very short of a bronze medal, but in general, players from Latvia very often enter the world's top 20 lists!

"Codenames"

A game that would be impossible to play with friends from southern countries. Perfect for our northern mentality and ability to understand half a word. "Codenames" perfectly proves that one word is enough for the people of Latvia to get along perfectly with a game partner.

"Wingspan" or "Winged"

It's one of the most popular games of the year, garnering widespread critical acclaim and countless gamers wanting to own it. The elements of the game "Winged" have been created with the help of excellent artists and will introduce players to both more and less known bird species in Latvia and the world.

"Latvia - The Singing Nation" is written about Latvia in the foreign media. Perhaps bird song and bird play have something in common with our desire to sing at work, in sorrow, at sports games, and everywhere else.

"The Mind"

The third card game in this chart. The Mind can be played virtually anywhere, anytime. Are the people of Latvia superstitious? This is a difficult question to answer, but it is clear that this is not a new topic for us.

“The Mind” plays on the edge of these mystical abilities. Sometimes really, making players think other players are reading their minds. Whatever your take on telepathy and mysticism, you'll either really like The Mind or you won't like it.

"War of Latvian Independence 1918 - 1920."

This year, "Brain Games Publishing" published the board game "War of Latvian Independence 1918-1920." . It is a cooperative game, playing which you will have the opportunity to refresh your knowledge about the history of Latvia.

"War of Latvian Independence 1918-1920." will be a good gift not only for fans of board games, especially in the month of November, when we celebrate significant days for Latvia - Lāčplēš Day and the day of the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia.

The popularity of board games is difficult to measure and has many facets. Game units sold are only one indicator. For example, Gloomhaven is currently #1 on BGG, but it's not available to everyone and you can't just grab it on a camping trip. It provides players with months of adventure and a sense of accomplishment. Such games will never be able to compete with a simple and exciting card game that can be played during a commercial.

The article was written by Pēteris Tārs