The illustrations and aesthetics of board games establish engaging worlds, introduce iconic characters, and bring player actions to life. Most importantly, they tell a story, and give the game a real presence on the table. In this list, you’ll find a few of our favorite board and card games that feature outstanding artwork and visual design.
1. Parks
Parks is a board game that celebrates the beauty of the United States’ national parks, from the deserts of Joshua Tree to the Everglades of Florida. You’ll play as two hikers, collecting memory resources from the places you visit over the course of several seasons. The card art perfectly captures the scenic vistas and iconic sites of each park, so that by the time you finish the game you’ll want to start planning a trip to see all of these places in person.
2. Scythe
Scythe board game art blends elements of classical landscape paintings with sci-fi mechs and diesel war machines, establishing a 1920s alternate history like no other. Each of the game’s five core factions are represented with distinct characters and color tones, and to top it all off, the board itself is simply gorgeous.
3. Canvas
In Canvas, the objective is to create a beautiful painting by stacking a series of art cards. Each of these cards features a bright color palette or an abstract detail on a transparent backing, and it seems that no matter which cards you’re combining, you can always create a stunning piece.
4. Brass: Birmingham
Brass: Birmingham is one of the top-rated board games on Board Game Geek, and in no small part thanks to its incredible artwork, which goes a long way in establishing its dark and gritty 19th century setting. If you like the aesthetics of Victorian-era industrialism (or simply enjoy outstanding strategy games), Brass: Birmingham is for you.
5. Wingspan
Wingspan has won over many fans with its bright environmental play mats and 170 unique bird cards, each of which features a stunning hand-painted illustration. In this game, it’s your objective to attract as many of these birds cards as possible to your water, grass, and forest areas, so that by the end of the game you will have assembled a beautiful collection of wildlife.
6. Lord of the Rings: The Card Game
The artwork on every card in Lord of the Rings: The Card Game brings the fantasy world of Middle Earth to life in great detail. The caverns of Moria, peaks of the Misty Mountains, and rolling hills of the Shire are all richly illustrated, as are the faces of the series’ most iconic heroes. The artwork adheres closely to books to ensure an immersive experience.
7. Azul
Unlike the other entries on this list, the beauty of Azul’s aesthetics lies not in its illustrations but in the patterns of its tiles. It’s your role in the game to assemble these tiles to create an aesthetically pleasing wall for the king of Portugal, who has commissioned you to decorate his palace.
8. Sleeping Gods
In Sleeping Gods, you’ll play cooperatively as a steamship captain and her crew, exploring a vast, dream-like series of oceans and islands on the search for the totems that help you find your way back home. If you like board games with campaigns and incredible artwork, it’s a great pick.
9. Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Fantasy Flight’s Arkham Horror card game features dark, gripping artwork that perfectly captures the works of H.P. Lovecraft, whose books have inspired a host of other video and board games. However, the Lovecraftian world of the roaring 20s has arguably never been so well realized as it is in this living card game.
10. Mysterium
Mysterium’s strange, abstract visuals are clues from a ghost who’s residing in an old manor and wants you to solve the mysterious circumstances of their death. It’s a cooperative whodunnit game like no other where the artwork will help you identify the details of the murder.
