Introduction #
2024 was an extraordinary year for board games on Kickstarter, setting impressive funding records and captivating thousands of board gamers worldwide. From immersive tabletop adaptations of beloved video games to innovative expansions of fan-favorite classics, this year’s top 10 most funded campaigns showcased creativity, innovation, and community excitement. Each game on our list not only exceeded its funding goals by significant margins but also demonstrated the thriving passion gamers have for fresh, engaging, and meticulously crafted experiences. Let’s dive into the top Kickstarter board games that dominated 2024 and explore what made them so irresistible to backers!
10. Dying Light: The Board Game #
Funding Raised: $1.29 million
Backers: 7,343
Dying Light: The Board Game brings the adrenaline and survival horror of the hit video game series to the tabletop. Players assume the roles of survivors exploring an infected cityscape, scavenging for resources, performing parkour, and strategically navigating through threats. The board game emphasizes tactical choices and resource management, enhanced by a dynamic day-and-night cycle that significantly impacts gameplay.
9. Super Boss Monster #
Funding Raised: $1.34 million
Backers: 14,777
Super Boss Monster evolves the beloved dungeon-building card game into a deeper, more strategic experience. Players design challenging dungeons to trap and defeat heroes, using drafting mechanics and the innovative Town Board. This installment introduces a solo mode, providing a fresh, strategic challenge for single-player enthusiasts, while maintaining full compatibility with previous Boss Monster expansions.
8. Dice Throne Outcasts + Adventures Unchained #
Funding Raised: $1.62 million
Backers: 16,986
Dice Throne Outcasts expands the popular Dice Throne universe with four new heroes, each featuring unique playstyles and abilities. Paired with the Dice Throne Adventures: Unchained expansion, players embark on cooperative campaigns, battling minions and powerful bosses through dice-driven combat and tactical card play. This Kickstarter combines accessibility and strategic depth, appealing to both new and experienced players.
7. Thunder Road: Vendetta - Carnival of Chaos #
Funding Raised: $1.68 million
Backers: 13,460
Carnival of Chaos expands the chaotic vehicular combat of Thunder Road: Vendetta. Players race through arenas collecting resources and engaging in combat, aiming to be the last standing survivor with the most scrap. This expansion provides new vehicles, weapons, and gameplay mechanics, enhancing replayability and adding strategic depth to the explosive action.
6. Return to the 7th Citadel #
Funding Raised: $1.77 million
Backers: 15,137
The 7th Citadel is a cooperative adventure game emphasizing exploration, narrative decisions, and survival. Players build a story-driven journey in a fantasy world, uncovering mysteries and constructing settlements as they face challenging events and enemies. This campaign introduced the new Threat The first garden and the exclusive expansion The Reversal.
5. Terraria: The Board Game #
Funding Raised: $2.1 million
Backers: 15,237
Terraria: The Board Game adapts the beloved sandbox video game into a cooperative tabletop experience. Players explore procedurally generated worlds, craft gear, mine resources, and battle foes. The game utilizes a simple deckbuilding and action point system and successfully integrates elements of exploration, resource management, and strategic combat, appealing to fans and newcomers alike with its thematic depth and intuitive gameplay.
4. Root: The Homeland Expansion #
Funding Raised: $2.45 million
Backers: 27,550
Root: The Homeland Expansion introduces three unique factions and additional maps to the critically acclaimed Root, deepening the asymmetric gameplay and strategic possibilities. The new factions include: Lilypad Diaspora, Twilight Council, and Knaves of the Deepwood. Each new faction offers distinct strategies and interactions, enriching the game’s complexity.
3. Twisted Cryptids #
Funding Raised: $3.1 million
Backers: 33,210
From the creators of Here to Slay, Twisted Cryptids is a strategic game where players assume the roles of legendary cryptids vying for notoriety. Hide from humans, stage hoaxes, and build up your legend. The combination of intriguing lore and strategic gameplay helped Twisted Cryptids stand out among Kickstarter backers.
2. Trench Crusade #
Funding Raised: $3.3 million
Backers: 20,170
Trench Crusade immerses players in an alternate-history World War I scenario, blending tactical skirmish combat with supernatural elements. Players command forces from heaven and hell, making strategic choices enhanced by unique mechanics like Blood and Blessings. Miniature enthusiasts and strategy gamers alike appreciated the detailed figures and rich thematic depth.
1. Altered #
Funding Raised: $6.7 million
Backers: 14,997
Altered is a trading card game that blends innovative mechanics with a unique artistic style. Set in a richly detailed universe altered by a mysterious event, players explore and compete through strategic deck-construction and immersive lore. Its thoughtful integration of physical and digital experiences, combined with exceptional visual design, made Altered the standout Kickstarter success of 2024.
The incredible success of these campaigns highlights the diverse interests and enthusiasm of the board gaming community. From cooperative storytelling adventures to strategic combat and innovative card games, 2024 was a landmark year, promising exciting experiences for board gamers everywhere.
