Some of the best and most beloved board games out there are impossible to get ahold of today. From heavy, complex board games to light, simple card games, once these games went out of print, they never came back.
The reasons for legendary games like these not coming back can be varied: legal rights issues, the designer walking away, even some companies even going bankrupt. Board games that are held in high regard and are out of print end up being incredibly difficult to find. When players do find them, they tend to fetch ridiculous prices online for a used copy.
10 Archaeology: The New Expedition Makes Treasure Hunting Simple
Cards games have been popular since the invention of cards themselves. Archeology: The New Expedition is a simple card game that follows the formula of many before it. However, the beautiful art, the theme, and the ease of play made the game very popular among gamers. The game remained in print for a long time and was available in most game stores. The popularity of the game sadly faded a bit, leading to the game going out of print. With no plans to rerelease the game, it now costs twice as much as it used to.
9 Battleball Takes Football To The Future
Milton Bradley is known for creating mass-market games for kids and families. Very rarely do they venture out of that style to make something that hobbyists enjoy as well. Because of this, Battleball was originally ignored upon its release.
Since then, however, players have found that the game offers much more than first expected. Not only does the game come with lots of painted miniatures, but it is also an exciting futuristic football game which is not a theme that is often used in gaming.
8 Chaos In The Old World Is A Warhammer Legend
Chaos In The Old World went over very well with hobby gamers when it came out in 2009. The game even had expansions released for it which helped keep it alive for a while. Both companies that made the game possible ended up severing their relationship and thus stopped printing their collaborations. Players everywhere await the day that the two companies will make up so they can play this game again and share it with newcomers to the hobby. For now, players will have to find a copy in the used market.
7 Starcraft: The Board Game Is Based On The Hit Video Game
Most video game fans are at least somewhat familiar with the beloved real-time strategy game, Starcraft. What some of them may not know is that Starcraft was adapted into a tabletop experience that attempted to be as grand as the game it was based on. Starcraft: The Board Game came in a large box that some hobby gamers call “coffin boxes” due to their size and intimidating nature. Inside was a ton of gameplay to discover, 180 plastic figures, and an ambitious ruleset. The rights are no longer with the same company, making a reprint almost impossible.
6 Shadows Over Camelot Makes Players Accuse Each Other
Shadows Over Camelot was an incredibly popular game for a long time in the hobby. Set in the middle ages, the game has players work together as knights of the round table. As a team, players complete quests like defeating the black knight and searching for the Holy Grail. There may be a traitor at the table, however, which makes players question each other constantly. As a knight, players must decide who to trust and when to trust them to claim victory and win the game.
5 Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game Brings The TV Show To Life
Battlestar Galactica was a quite well-known show when it was on the air. The show was in its second incarnation when Fantasy Flight Games acquired the board game license and released Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game.
The game became an instant hit as word-of-mouth spread about how engaging it is. In 2021, Fantasy Flight released Unfathomable, which took the game’s mechanisms and put a new theme on it. While Unfathomable is receiving high praise, many players prefer the original theme.
4 Descent: Journeys In The Dark (First Edition) Revolutionized Dungeon Crawls
Descent: Journeys In The Dark is a very influential game in board games. The systems and mechanisms in the game have been modified and used in other titles such as Star Wars: Imperial Assault. The game has gone on to spawn a second edition and a spinoff game. The first edition, however, lives on in the hearts of gamers and many prefer it, as it is considered one of the best dungeon crawls of all time. Game sessions usually last over 5 hours, and every hour is even more fun than the last.
3 Glory To Rome Is Considered One Of The Best Games Ever Made
Glory to Rome is a card game that has such a legendary background that it could be considered the best and the worst-case scenario in all of board gaming. When the game was first released, only a few copies were printed. Players started discussing how wonderful the game is and began asking for a reprint. The company launched a Kickstarter and it successfully funded to the rejoice of many. Underestimating the costs, the company offered free shipping. This led to houses being mortgaged, the company going bankrupt, and the designer walking away.
2 Star Wars: The Queen’s Gambit Is As Impressive As It Is Fun
Many gamers and Star Wars fans consider the prequels to be weaker films than others in the series. When it comes to board games though, there are few Star Wars games loved more than Star Wars: The Queen’s Gambit.
The game features simultaneous battles, lightsaber duels, space combat, and a three-story Queen’s Palace in the middle of it all. Seeing the game for the first time blew gamers’ minds and many were relieved to know that the game isn’t just flashy, it is also very fun to play.
1 Heroscape Is Stunning And Full Of Plastic
Few games are as legendary as Heroscape. It was a game so ambitious that nothing like it has been attempted since. Heroscape pushed the limits on plastic components and spectacle, combining the fun of Lego with the excitement of miniature games. This title made a name for itself immediately by never holding back and constantly upping the ante with its sheer scope of production. A game like Heroscape would not be possible today with the current costs of plastics, leaving gamers no choice but to purchase Heroscape sets second-hand.
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About The Author
Marc Musso (6 Articles Published)
Marc Musso is a writer, board game enthusiast, and aspiring board game designer based in Dallas, TX. He has been a semi-professional game reviewer, a miniature-painting Etsy seller, an amateur musician, and is now a list writer for CBR.com. Marc loses most board games because he’s usually too distracted by the quality of the cards. His favorite games include Everdell, Gloomhaven, and Dungeon Fighter.
